Sony's 35-inch atracTable to be 'industrialized' in June, show Microsoft how it's done (video)

Swiss company Atracsys swims in the same waters as Microsoft's mythical Surface beast -- namely, multitouch horizontal displays -- but where it might differ from its more lauded competitor is in actually bringing its hardware to wider markets. Having sold the tech knowhow to Sony, the company is today informing the world that its atracTable is ready for mass production and commercialization this June. We've been told that prototype designs are now "finished," leaving only the marketing, pricing and distribution details to be worked out. A high-contrast, Full HD screen is promised, which will be able to communicate with your mobile devices (naturally) or respond to motion input picked up by a pair of Sony's camcorders which come built in. Skip past the break for a couple of video demos from last year.

[Domenech Posted May 3rd 2010 10:11AM]

I want that

[Wesscoast Posted May 3rd 2010 10:16AM]

Wow....

Just as Ballmer sweats over the iPad milestone ... he gets a nice little "um.. sir... a bit of good news.. hoy hoy... um.. someone has copied our Surface...its nice to be the 'copyee' instead of the copier---"

"HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME NOW IN MY TIME OF NEED!!!!!?"

"Um, sir, if you look at the screen.... the Japanese have...um...copied that table thing...."

*Ballmer sucks down 3 bacon strips

"GO ON..............."

"Uhm.. if you look ... sir, on Engadget.... sir... its better than ours.. and appears to have High Defini--"

"SILENCE!!!!"

*Ballmer spits coffe and bacon chunks in the nerd's face

"LEAVE ME!!" As Ballmer turns to a shattered iPad in the corner of the room............ "It's going to be a long night, my dear.........."

[PBB Posted May 3rd 2010 11:32AM]

@Wesscoast
Why would Ballmer sweat over the iPad milestone? Has nothing to do with MS nor does it have a competing product and this is nothing to sweat over either. For starters, It has a projector, nuff said and Sony won't succeed in marketing this to general consumers for the same reasons Microsoft didn't even try, Cost.

[rotarydialz Posted May 3rd 2010 10:18AM]

A pair of Sony's camcorders and a portable generator to power it. Don't expect to have one of your own any time soon.

[Calbertlane Posted May 3rd 2010 10:45AM]

So, I'm trying to imagine where a person might use this. First of all, it would seem that the 'device' needs power coming from the floor, or extension cords trailing across the floor to a wall outlet, neither one of which I see as being very desirable.
Next, it looks to me like you pretty much would have to be standing up to use the thing, I don't see being able to reach the whole screen/table top while sitting down, so again, I wonder where one might use it? Standing around the 'entertainment island' in the living room? Or the kitchen? Maybe if it had a couple of infrared stove burners built in..

[aseaofflames Posted May 3rd 2010 12:44PM]

@Calbertlane In Stargate SG1 Season 4 Episode 2, there is a big table touch surface (similar to this one) uses as a strategy board for a war as well as a diagnostic system for the base. (I'm sure it has other similar uses.)

[n8daniel Posted May 3rd 2010 11:10AM]

Hated the 2nd video. Not because of the tech, that's awesome. But because I was so friggin distracted by the guys "ummms" and "Ughhhs" in his speech pattern I couldn't pay attention to the content of his presentations. Is he really the guy that should be presenting such amazing tech to the public? Ughhh... I don't think so

[obobo Posted May 3rd 2010 11:32AM]

doesn't matter how many times you 'who Microsoft how it's done'...
they still won't get it

[maximusfilms Posted May 3rd 2010 11:42AM]

shows microsoft how its done??? in this instance only. I dont really see how any of there electronics stand out from other brands other than price.

[exsonic Posted May 3rd 2010 12:26PM]

I wish this will dazzle me

[lennie22 Posted May 3rd 2010 12:38PM]

sounds like lawsuits are brewing down in the cloudy table multi-touch skies.

[SamTatr Posted May 3rd 2010 12:52PM]

atractable is a funny way to spell Surface...

[macmann Posted May 3rd 2010 12:57PM]

Meh. Sony were out of the game years ago. They should just carry on making cheap electronics for the masses.

[John Doe Posted May 3rd 2010 1:10PM]

Ahhh Engadget posting crap about stuff you know dick about. Surface has been out for a LONG while. And you can bet cash that Sony implementation will play well with only Sony devices. Probably only work with DRMed music as well. Because that is how Sony rolls: closed, proprietary, and cost you an arm and a leg to setup right.

[Cru Posted May 3rd 2010 2:19PM]

@John Doe
...I'm sure they'll stick an SD card in there.
Right next to the mp3 support.

[Extinction Posted May 3rd 2010 2:53PM]

@John Doe Is that a joke? PS3 is one of the most open consoles out there for example. 360 is the one that went all proprietary.

[CAM82 Posted May 3rd 2010 1:44PM]

The reporter, he's cute... but if MS Surface never took off why should this one?

[n1hmrd Posted May 3rd 2010 3:53PM]

hmmm dont jump on me (sony fanboys) but sony seems very interested in natal style interfaces all of a sudden,are they playing catch up ,well not catch i am aware of the eyetoy but more perfecting(doing it right or what ever) the tech for ps3,ps4 and or ETc?,now this brings up the question is the sony move a device they know is less capable then the natal (even with its lag or fixed lag issues)i think sony is a company that is not into taking too big a risk they saw nintendo ,do the wii right so they releases a improved wii, are they ( i know big If) but are they maybe doing the same with natal,or just covering there bets ,as these devices are for multiple uses

[Jason Murray Posted May 4th 2010 2:15AM]

Sony bought the tech for the name, surely? They want something named "Atrac" to be a success. :)