Microsoft's office of the future features interactive walls and Surface but, sadly, no Clippy
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Oct 7th 2009 8:02PM
posted Oct 7th 2009 8:02PM
You know, Microsoft Research isn't just about prototype tablets and the occasional multitouch mouse. No sir, it's also about designing work environments that are so impractical that you can bet you'll never see one in real life. For today's example we have a sort of Microsoft Office: no, not the productivity suite, rather a room that integrates interactive wall displays, Surface, and video conferencing. There is even an assistant / avatar for issuing voice commands, and while this demo has it played by a human being we have hopes that Clippy might be making a comeback. Ready to check it out yourself? Of course you are! The video is after the break.
[Thanks, Chris]
[Thanks, Chris]
See more video at our hub!
Office Surface? That sounds funny.
My favorite Clippy parody is this one: http://jspenguin.org:81/imgs/clippy.gif
R.I.P Clippy I miss you...... CLIPPY NOOOOO!!!!!!!!.....;(
I'm still sour about those bastards taking away clippy.
someone will manage to put it in.
if not I will.
indeed, we'll miss him...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6aXzMuYN7U
Looks amazing.
I miss Links :'(
Poor Clippy, so misunderstood, so hated :-(
oh wait, I hated that little bastard! nevermind
Clippy? Who's Clippy? Ohhh you mean that annoying little paper clip that I frustratingly turned off a million times....I hated him. He deserved to die.
On another, less trollish note, I thought that Clippy was actually a good idea for those who aren't computer savvy...I on the other hand, just found him purely annoying.
clippy was the SHIZ in office 2000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The stupid computer with CRT monitor in Open Office is just not cutting it, i need CLIPPY!!!!!!!!!!!
CLIPPY!!!!!!!!!
do a barrel roll!
Clippy? Clippy?!? CLIPPPPY!!!!
Game Over
Continue | Exit
Get your facts rights. There is no Office 2009 . . .
http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/
No Clippy... The world rejoices.
YOU BASTARD
o, clippy's in there alright... he's plotting his revenge deep down in that code
i remember when i was like 10, im 15 now, i loved clippy, if u got bored u could make him do tons of little animations, there really is no reason to hate him, its just another reason for apple fanboys to rag on MS
yeah i was somewhere around that age too when i used to love clippy.
they killed him when i was still in higher middle school,
and it was one thing i really miss, even today.
i hope that 20 years down the road, they make clippy again,
they should totally replace that guy in the video with clippy.
You heard it from that guy. With Surface we will no longer need windows (the holes in the wall not the OS)
So if you think about it the right way, we'll all end up just like those lonely overweight guys living in mom's basement, spending all day/night on our pc's because there are no windows and we don't know if it's day or night, nor do we have anything better to do...
Microsoft better not try to take my windows away from me (the holes in the wall, not the OS) I happen to like fresh air.
Where's my Clippy? There's my Clippy!
That assistant is 10x creepier than Clippy.
+1
now open up iTunes and pick your favorite evil mastermind theme music. Proceed to watch that video again without audio.
For the full effect import into video editor and put these steps together. but instead of cutting out all the original audio, leave in just the snippets of whenever 'dag' talks.
Upload to YouTube and send me the link.
I would do it myself, but I suffur from the very serious lazyoninitis syndrome.
To the window, to the wall, (to dat wall)
Microsoft wants it all (get 'em all)
From the Surface Clippy will crawl (crawl)
Forgot to add, Microsoft is taking the "If Walls Could Talk" very seriously. Expect soon Microsoft Porky Airlines following "If Pigs Could Fly" ::::Sponsored by the Swine Flu:::: That's a virus I wish Norton could cut.
Where were the pre-cogs to warn Tom Cruise that Microsoft axed clippy?
that's what I keep saying too. All all MS fanboys FTW is the lamest.
wow look a that picture! Microsoft managed to turn an entire desktop into one giant Blue Screen of Death!!
How many ways can MS invent for Windows to crash?
Wow. That was lame. Nice try though
FoxKenji
That was pretty iLame.
@WindowsFTW,
yup, you are lame.
Cool its like the Minority Report wall without the annoying short ass Tom Cruise
so all the compsci guys at MS could have got degrees in English, partied, actually gotten laid and taken drugs...
...and watched Minority Report...
The future's looking blue!
Micro$oft loves to copy Apple, which is not surprising
Only those without original ideas cry that others are copying them.
Please provide a video of your overlord Steve Jobs demoing something like this.
Jeez, how old was your last version of Office? Clippy has been disabled or removed since XP came out.
Microsoft is very good at describing what the future will *not* look like.
looks like a rave, i wanna work at a RAVE!
Why is this impractical? In my job there is tons of collaboration - mainly through conference calls. Having capabilities like this would greatly enhance productivity. Sure - it may not be for everyone but there would definitely be uses for this.
It's awesum. This friggin kinda office will save a fortune on light bills. And you could have a friggin pet bat hanging in the corner. I'm joking about the bat lol but this concept is friggin awsum.
Sadly? Die clippy. You suck.
This is a direct copy of something John Scully Created at apple about 10 years ago!!!!!
Its called the Knowledge Navigator (yes same as my username) and based on the Newton technology, Apple Invented the PDA Market with the Apple Newton. This is so ridiculous, i cant believe that over 10 years after the fact MicroCrap is trying to present these ideas as their own. Ironically the presentation is dreadful compared to what was demonstrated here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRH8eimU_20
WWW.NEWTONSALES.COM
I'm sorry sir, you've obviously mistaken us for someone who cares what you think.
WTF.
Microsoft gives an amazing demo of technologies and Engadget only thinks about clippy?
I don't like Micro$oft much, but I admire some of they work. And this is one of them.
Unfortunately, Engadget prefers to lick Jobs ass and cry "Why didn't Apple showed this instead so we could praise them as Gods".
You really need to revise your editorial line. Right now is totally biased.
The demo is simply awesome in concept.
Welcome to the world of tech websites. For some reason, it's cool to hate Microsoft on them.
I'm waiting for the Apple iWall... :)
To bad you will have to get a custom wall installed (at 4 times the price).
The iWall will be all white and look like the '70s future we envisioned 30 years ago! But 20 years later it'll be dingy brown just like an '80s Mac is today, and it'll look just as dated and lame. Apple designs are stylish in the moment but they don't age well.
This was on Istartedsomething....
9 FRICKEN DAYS AGO
Seriously this is sad. You guys do this on a regular basis. Maybe you should just hire Long Zheng if you can't figure out how to get his info without stealing it over a week later.
I hate to post the first non clippy comment, but this actually looks cool.
I know its prototype and a long way off, but I think they are looking in the right direction. I can see little miini centers like this around the house as well.
One in the kitchen for pulling up recipes, one in the bathroom for showing the news and weather while getting ready etc etc.
Very cool stuff.
bullshit. never going to happen in our lifetime
That's why they're researching this now so that future generations can have access to this technology.
I love it but, what a stupid scenario
I personally think that if this ever hits the market, it will become about as desirable and practical as Microsoft Bob.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUawhjxLS2I