NYC, Google join forces for high-tech tourist center

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled this week a new information center, located at 53rd St. and 7th Ave., where visitors can browse the metropolis on Google Maps-powered interactive tables. Places of interest are saved via "You are here" coasters, which can then be used to print itineraries or carried over to wall-mounted screens for a virtual tour, care of Google Earth. Designed by WXY Architecture and Urban Design Local Projects, we can't shake the thought of the center looking like a drab Apple store. And though they may be reminiscent of Microsoft Surface, a rep tells CNET the tables are custom-made for the exhibit. Check out video of the wayfarer hot spot after the break.

[Via CNET; thanks, Aaron K.]

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 27th 2009 6:19AM]

Google joining on something to manipulate tons of people?! No way!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 27th 2009 6:28AM]

I sure hope Google paid for all of this and not New York state. Considering that the State and the city are in fiscal hell.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 27th 2009 6:37AM]

99.9 percent of actual users will be confused, frustrated and the lines at that sterile awful center will be a great source of frustration packed with crying kids. All those sweaty palms on the touchscreens - a germ bonanza!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 27th 2009 6:52AM]

Wouldn't last 5 minutes in Brussels... :(

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 27th 2009 7:18AM]

Those are the same tables that are in the Sprint Experience store in downtown Kansas City (the coasters gave it away). They are customer made by some ex-MediaLab folks.

They work pretty well but not as responsive as the MS Surface tables, partially due to them being projection based.

[Andir Posted Jan 27th 2009 11:27AM]

You know Surface is projection based too, right? They project the image on the back of the screen and use cameras under the screen to detect presses. I'm sure this works the same. Maybe they didn't put a high end PC in it though.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 27th 2009 8:11AM]

Lucky i wish Google did something in my town.

[The Dead Marxist Trio Posted Jan 27th 2009 8:46AM]

"it's a bigass table!"


@alex: they are. They're watching...

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 28th 2009 8:04AM]

Seems like google maps on my iPhone works just as well.

[norman Posted Jan 27th 2009 10:25AM]

How can Seth Rogan star in all those movies and still find time to be in an engadget photo with his little brother?

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 27th 2009 1:16PM]

To clarify, GestureTek Inc. built the multi-touch tables that deliver the multi-touch interactive experience at the New York City Visitors Center, including the finger tracking and object recognition software. Interactive leaders Videosonic managed the project. As the pioneer, multiple-patent holder and world leader in camera-enabled gesture control technology, GestureTek's multi-touch systems are in use around the globe. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center uses the technology for collaborative games, certain T-Mobile stores in Germany use it for product marketing and Telefonica uses it on a multi-touch window for corporate branding. There's more about the New York City Visitors Center Project and oGestureTek's ther multi-touch surface computing installations at http://www.gesturetek.com/illuminate/businesscases.php