Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Microsoft Surface Plays Hard to Get

The company's new table begs to be touched, but price won't allow it

By Sam Gale Rosen, Newser Staff

Posted May 30, 2007 11:24 AM CDT

(Newser) – The bottom line on Surface, Microsoft's touch-sensitive table being unveiled today? The possibilities are exciting, says PC World's Harry McCracken, but the roll-out is annoying. Surface—which skips a mouse in favor of an index finger—can interact with multiple users, and even objects. But, too expensive to be practical for personal use, it's being applied first in hotels lobbies, phone shops, and casinos.

McCracken also makes an unlikely comparison between the Microsoft Surface and the Apple iPhone, whose look, touch technology, and applications are strikingly similar to Surface’s—at a price individual consumers can afford. "Apple's going to steal some of Microsoft's thunder through the simple act of shipping some similar technology in a product that ordinary folk can buy," McCracken warns.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

' (Microsoft.com)

Bill Gates.(AP Photo/Nati Harnik) (Associated Press)

' (Microsoft.com)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Microsoft Surface Teaser (mikedamman (YouTube))

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Harrah's Rolls Dice on Surface

Microsoft's touch-screen tables debut at Rio

(NEWSER) - A Las Vegas casino has become the first to roll the dice with the much-touted Microsoft Surface, a touch-screen table that lets gamblers order drinks, watch YouTube videos, and even flirt. Harrah’s Rio hotel yesterday installed 6 of the tables, which start at $10,000, the AP reports. “Of all the goodies up our sleeves lately, this is one of the most dramatic,” said a Harrah’s spokesman. More»

Google, Yahoo, 13 Others Declare War on Phishing

New set of standards could make email more trustworthy

(NEWSER) - A new anti-phishing effort, backed by the big email service providers as well as banks, PayPal, social networks, and other companies, could dramatically reduce the number of scam emails you get in your inbox. Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and AOL are backing the new plan; 15 companies in total have come together to create DMARC.org, which officially launches today and will promote standard technologies to authenticate email. The hoped-for end result? If you get an email that claims to be from paypal.com, you could trust that it is actually from paypal.com. If it works, companies would be able to communicate with customers in new ways, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

Microsoft Prodigy Dies at 16

Bill Gates offered to pay for Arfa Karim's medical care

(NEWSER) - A computer prodigy known as "Pakistan's girl wonder" has died at the age of 16 from complications caused by an epileptic stroke. Arfa Karim was just nine years old when she became the youngest person ever awarded the "Microsoft Certified Professional" title for mastering the company's programs, the Daily Mail reports. She was invited to visit Microsoft's US headquarters, and met execs including Bill Gates. More»

Microsoft on Comeback Trail

It's got some 'just plain great' products, writes Farhad Manjoo

(NEWSER) - Believe it or not, 2012 could be the year of Microsoft. No, really. "I'll say it: I'm bullish on Microsoft in 2012," writes Farhad Manjoo of Slate . "For the first time in forever, Microsoft has a couple major products that are not merely good enough. They're just plain great." He thinks Windows Phone 7 and Windows 8 are showstoppers. The former happens to power the sexiest phone at CES, Nokia's Lumia 900, and the latter has a touch-friendly, tablet-ready interface. More»

Your Next Cable Box: Xbox Live

Microsoft revamping service

(NEWSER) - The latest competition aiming to replace your cable box: Xbox Live. Microsoft is ramping up its online entertainment service starting tomorrow, allowing subscribers to watch a variety of television from their Xbox 360. In addition, rather than the tedious process of using a remote control to search for shows listed on a cable box program guide, Xbox Live users will be able to search with voice commands and hand gestures, if they also have a Kinect. Tomorrow, services that are already available to subscribers—including Netflix and Hulu Plus—will be available via the new retrieval system. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Microsoft Surface Plays Hard to Get