Microsoft's Surface may be hard at work helping the liberal media
steal the election (we kid, we kid), but other than acting as props in
stores or
random promotional videos, the device hasn't exactly created a market for itself. But that's not stopping MS from introducing the next generation: SecondLight. It takes the tabletop, multi-touch display concept and adds the ability to project images
into the air thanks to a liquid crystal screen timed to be transparent on alternate frames, enabling a projector below to beam an image right through it. Your eye doesn't notice unless you hold something opaque up to scatter the light (like tracing paper, for instance), meaning the device can show a picture of the night sky on the surface while highlighting the constellations on paper. The must-see video below shows how the thing can also track objects above the glass, turning a sheet held aloft into a second multi-touch display. Like the
Surface, practical applications for this seem somewhat limited -- but since when have you cared about practicality?
[Via
Slashdot]
posted October 30th 2008 9:47AM
Now that's just legit
But is it *too* legit?
......to quit
i dunno. i am in complete shock. that is absolutely amazing.
Enough with the articles and posts about it. Release the damn thing already. I want to see it!
"...but since when have you cared about practicality?"
Frequently?
I think it was a joke.
Stuff like this makes want to forgive Microsoft for any mistake they've did in the past couple of years!
They make me proud of the geek I am.
im a PC!!!!
palehorse want...
Damn microsoft and their actual innovation. Makes the apple fanboy job that much harder.
you wait for a couple of hours and i'll bet there will be some fanboi claiming that microsoft has stolen this contraption from el jobso's secure underground nuclear radiation proof bunker.
Hours?! You, sir, have severely underestimated the Apple fanboys here at Engadget.
Is it really necessary to make this about Apple? :rolleyes:
Man. You guys would be so unhappy if you didn't have straw men to hate on.
The BigAssTable 2.0 is effing sweet.
WHAT A BEAUTY !!! now thats what I call amazing . imagine that , but on a touchscreen phone !!!
damn.....
I don't know. That area next to his finger looks somehow indecent to me...
ok that is very very nifty!
now for aldults they just need to make a program called "x-ray glasses" which shows pictures of women in clothes and then with a piece of paper you can see through! :P
Wow. Now this is some impressive stuff. Now wheres my hollographic chess set...
The wheel didn't seem to have many practical applications in early South American cultures either...due in large part to a lack of indigenous large beasts of burden to pull wheeled carts.
I'm not saying something like this is as revolutionary as the wheel, but open your minds a bit :P It's useful enough all on its own, if nothing else for educational purposes. The killer combo for something like this, or any device that seems pointless today may be just beyond the horizon.
I like your ying yang avatar.
Thanks :) I wish I could remember from where I stole it so I could give proper credit. It was originally an animated gif. To whomever made that image...thank you! :D
I want to apologize in advance.
That's what she said.
WHAT did "she" say? I'm not connecting the dots here. -_-
sorry, I meant to put @SOOPERGOOMAN
the comment about liking the ying yang avitar.
Just wait until they roll out 'Enterprise' v1.0. This will be right at home.
Microsoft is obviously a practicer of the dark arts.
This is 100% without a doubt WITCHCRAFT!
Happy Halloween?
Microsoft are a world leader in innovation. That's the truth. Apple however wants you to strictly adhere to their ways and not really innovate too much. Sorry but that's just how I see it. SJ based the old mac on a closed pc design.
I'm Apple Free!
This is a news item about an awesome device that microsoft created...why must you people take every opportunity you get to turn this into some kind of apple-based flame war?
How about we all shut the fuck up about stuff like that so we can sit back and enjoy this shiny new technology?
I mean, look at that! It's hard *not* to think of something that this technology couldn't be applied to!
Congrats, AnyKey, you took part in the very flame war you're railing against.
Yes yes, Microsoft is very smart. But why have they had so much trouble bringing their amazing innovations to market? So far the Surface has done what... impressed a few people shopping for cellphones? Come on MS, I want this technology in my everyday life. Kinda like what Apple did with multi-touch.
Now that is damn cool. Impressive even in its early stages.. Go Team!
This looks like something that needs a huge ecosystem around it... the actual table with stuff to put on the table, and some special software. But I think this is not bad. Inventions do not have to be marketable tomorrow. I could see this tech actually flying off in some 5 years time. I can already see Logitech producing surface-proof paper or gadgets.
or perhaps getting those little bits of paper to be able to carry pictures between surfaces...
minority report anyone?
MeH...
Dear Microsoft:
Have I told you lately that I love you? :)
Looks fun to play with.
Thats what she said!
/overused
Rynth-
Ok, try this then: "That's what she didn't say!"
It's more original AND it's offensive, which is good.
That's just simply incredible
Yep, it's absolutely incredible. I didn't understand the Engadget description of how it works, but I'd like to get a more detailed explanation, which would probably simplify things for me (more diagrams, please?).
However, I must say that this thing looks absolutely useless. Sure, they could describe some scenario where it would be cool to have such a table, but the real-life practicality of such a device is......"bleh". Totally effing useless. Where would you apply it? Will this just be like Surface, destined to be used as a fancy way to choose meals in expensive restaurants?
You can always watch the video Ian.
wow
Sweet As! now thats simply sweet.
who will be the first fool to say they stole this form that rotten apple.
You're right. There's no way Apple could have produced this first. Well, Surface wasn't even the first to create a Surface-like device, but then again, why do people think you need to have been the very first to do something in order to have innovated? Sometimes, making it work in a way that's significant is what counts, and Microsoft did that.
On the other hand, when Apple makes something, it's usually practical, even if it's not initially well executed (eg: AppleTV, MobileMe). However, they eventually work it out and provide an awesome service, and everyone else tries to catch up by making both a product, and an ecosystem of services around it to actually make the product useful. Products without the proper service usually prove to be less practical than something with a great ecosystem, just like how the iPod doesn't have every feature, but has the best digital music, movie, and TV show shop on the net.
Both Surface and this SecondLight thing look really great, but unless they show me how it's practical in a real world sense, it'll fail.
Just saying.
stop making me look bad Ian
Well, you're the third fool to bring up the fruity company...
I can see some practical apps. 3-D gadgets/widgets hovering above the desktop on movable arms (kinda like an adjustable lamp). When you need something that you have docked (moved out of the way), you just pull that small display back over the desktop.
In games, you could have function selections and maps on smaller displays hovering above actual game play.
With photoshop or gimp, you can have different pallets on these smaller displays.
There seems to be unlimited practical applications.
also diagramming your new armor and repulsor ray