Remember when those Microsoft Surface-based tables were
all the rage? Yeah, those were the days. Fast forward to today, and you'll probably realize that those things never really took off save for the in
luxury yacht market, and while
cost was obviously a problem, the overall design never really helped, either. You see, most of the ones we saw were in the shape of a box, which made them exceedingly difficult to sit at and use for an extended period of time. The Touchy Remix, however, solves that issue entirely and creates an alternative that can easily be used by multiple persons who are seated comfortably. German artist Janis Pönisch is responsible for the design here, and the fiberglass shell ensures that the whole thing remains nimble and easy to relocate. There's no mention of a mass commercialization date, but here's hoping this thing hits our local Pottery Barn
on the double -- multi-player, multitouch Galaga, anyone?
Update: Turns out these things are already out and about, with one particular tipster noting that they have a few in his London-based running
Vortex software.
Update II: SOCO, the Amsterdam-based creator, pinged us with a few more details. Currently, IntactLab is the only distributor (though more are hopefully on the way), and the unit ships with OS X (or Windows 7, if you prefer) loaded on. Multitouch software is provided by IntactLab, and the aforesaid bar added on their own additional software for that given scenario. You can find a product specification sheet
here (warning: PDF).
posted February 10th 2010 12:22PM
I wouldn't get one in white for the possibility someone mistake it for a toilet and, well, What follows does not need a description
@PATRICKmcnicholl
Unless you're installing it in your bathroom, that shouldn't be a problem.
@PATRICKmcnicholl I just, would not get one.
@PATRICKmcnicholl
Or you could just get a normal table and a tablet computer.
Big clunky computers you can't move easily are so 2004.
But bathroom computing is the way of the future.
Wow, looks very nice. I'm guessing it's still out of my price range
The problem with surface wasn't so much the design at all. It was the price!
I'd love to have a desktop computer that is actually a desktop. Come on future, get here.
@roxics
BTW this does remotely remind me of the old pac man diner-style arcade boxes.
@roxics
Microsoft R&D makes the strangest things:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi8cUoGNvaU
though admittedly, i'd like to see this tech's application in the future.
Or you could build your own: http://nuigroup.com
They just need to drop that iPad caliber bezel and they will have a winner on their hands.
@TheChaosEngine
I'm sick of people trashing the bezel on the iPad. It's there for the same reason as the bezel on these tables, if the entire front surface was touch sensitive, you'd constantly be activating things accidentally. In fact, all tablets have a relatively thick bezel for this same reason.
@MPearson
The bezel saves money. You could easily have it lock or not be sensitive at the edge unless already in use. This is simply an excuse for a cheaper product.
Mark my words: I'm not complaining about the bezel. But it's not there to protect you, it's there to save expense. No one really cares though, only lunatics want an $800 computer that can't handle flash or 2 programs at once.
@TheChaosEngine
The bezel is why this appears to have more leg room than Surface. The sides of the base don't interfere with the projector's light path this way.
@MPearson I would agree if there was an inche of bezel, that bezel is easily half the screen size all the way around. Accidental touch is poor reasoning as any decent software engineer can account for these accidental bumps. Believe it or not we are in a market where aesthetics are as important as any other feature on a device and thick black bezel is just plain ugly.
So I am sick of people excusing it as necessary. It's not, its poor design and lazy engineering.
@TheChaosEngine You make something better and I'll buy it, you design engineer, you.
@TSIG
Ah no thanks, my career field is in statistics, but the nice thing about being a consumer is that I am allowed to have an opinion. The nice thing about being a consumer base is that collectively our opinion matters more than that of the manufacturer.
I don't have to accept status quo simply because I can't do better. I know someone out there can, I am just not sure why it is taking them so long is all. I have a feeling that peoples willingness to accept the same regurgitated junk over and over may be a contributing factor though. This is an improvement in some ways over the current surface computers I will agree, but it is two steps forward one step back in my opinion.
That is one butt ugly cooling vent at the bottom....
@Chatbox You beat me to it... You think they would have just put it up on a pedestal and vented out the bottom, or at least put a screen over that fan...
lmao people would think it's a toddlers potty :D
I've used one of these exact same tables (created by socoamsterdam.nl) as part of the research I did for my master thesis. The thing with these tables is they use RDI (http://wiki.nuigroup.com/Di) instead of FTIR (http://wiki.nuigroup.com/FTIR). This means there were pretty bad hotspots (two large circles in the center of the screen in which touch detection is horrible). I hope for their sake they've found a way to avoid this in future versions. As mentioned before it's much cheaper to build one yourself (see nuigroup.com) than to buy one, you need a projector, a computer and less than $100 in materials.
@lukedjn Might I ask where you worked with that table? I have tried one of those tables you mention once at our university (of Twente) and I had the same experience with blind spots caused by the lamp reflections. The outer enclosure looks exactly the same though: http://www.flickr.com/photos/michel-jansen/4092537700
@Michel Jansen Hey Michel, yes that would be the same table. I'm Luke, the guy that sat next to qwizzle in HMI's afstudeerhok :)
If they use the touch technology out today, then they might pull this off and sell a few to devs and rich bastards.
If by "solved the issue entirely" you mean, "made these this type of setup so hopelessly unappetizing that no one would ever put one in their home" than I agree with you.
Congrats on finding a multitouch table that's uglier and less ergonomic than the Surface one. Funny they don't show a figure actually sitting at the table! I wonder why. Perhaps because with the giant bezel, at least 4-5(?) times wider than the one on the Surface, you are going to uncomfortably leaning over a void to touch anything at all. I played with the surface and though I would not want to play around like that for days at a time at least you are right up on the action. There is room enough for drink which is all you need.
looks like they have a PS3 hooked up to it given the background
Nah, it's silly. It's still an uncomfortable box, they just added a ridiculously huge bezel around the usable area, to make sure you have to bend and stretch to use it.
Hmmm?
I'm perfectly happy with my Lenovo S10-3t and its capacitive touch screen running Windows 7 Ultimate.
It's the more 'size friendly' version of MS Surface - IMO
Very ugly.
You would think with all that room, they would put something besides a mac mini in it...
(from the site)
"The Touchy Remix has a 40" WXGA (720p HD) internal projection screen. All software is delivered standard on an Apple Mac Mini"
Where is the insert coin slot, and how do I choose Galaga?
Jeez this thing is vomit-inducingly ugly. I get a stomach ache looking at its plastic horrors.
Is that a rendering or a photo? i can't tell... fiberglass bodies are so surreal. & for the people talking about building it yourself, yes, it's quite achievable, I've made a few different kinds of tables in my day.... see http://blog.litstudios.com/index.php?/archives/23-A-trio-of-Multitouch-Tables.html
oh and about the microsoft surface, there are plenty of them at every tradeshow I've been to (and I do tech at many). MS knew who the customer was when they set their price point. the rental companies say they never have a Surface sitting around in the warehouse - they're consistently rented out.
This kind of reminds me of those old pac-man arcade tables you'd occasionally see at restaurants or bars.
Always wanted a Surface but couldn't get one due to price, hopefully this will provide similar experiences, with an broader store for apps and lower pricing.
But honestly, I think the reason for the surface is infact that it is still really ahead of its time..
Always wanted a Surface but couldn't get one due to price, hopefully this will provide similar experiences, with an broader store for apps and lower pricing.
But honestly, I think the reason for the surface is infact that it is still really ahead of its time..
Forget getting something FOR the coffee table, this IS the coffee table
If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it. I just asked for a quote -
19,800 euros, or over $27,000.
I do believe thats way more expensive than the Microsoft Surface, which is around $15,000 isn't it? At least MS give you some neat apps to use too, such as the globe app.
Artsy sods trying to charge huge sums of money for design over function.