Microsoft Unveils Surface Computing
Written by Major Tom
Filed under: Computers
June 2, 2007
Domino-tagging, Surface Computing technology, real-life object—-these are the terms that shall be new right now (this day in fact) but would be the idioms of the future in the computer world. Just five hours ago, Bill Gates and Microsoft had unveiled the Surface Screen computing to a wide media coverage with Gates himself demonstrating the computer-of-the-future where the keypad and the mouse shall take a backseat and would be doomed to obselescence, as he(Gates) showed and wowed worldwide audience on the amazing capability and innovation of a computer system that both beguiles and amazes the mind.
In surface screen computing system, operations can be done thru the simple use of the hands or fingers. The conduct becomes simpler yet the technology behind it challenges the boundaries of thought. I myself could not believe that this day would come, when reality meets fiction and fiction rattles reality. And through all that, my mind is reminded of a very futuristic movie in Tom Cruise’s and Steven Speilberg’s “Minority Report” where the huge computing system could be efficiently controlled by bare hands or fingers; as images zooms in or zooms out, enters or escapes, with merely the wave of the hand. This is the future, now.
And the package is so neat with the use of giant screens for multiple users at any one time. And the images are sharper and clearer and definitely—as I have said earlier—operations would be simpler and more efficient.
There is some hitch to this “new thing” however for it costs a whopping ten thousand dollars to have it in your living room at this time, about half a million pesos. Or simply said, it is equal to having a brand new car in the Philippines.
But Bill Gates committed prominently that prices would sharply dive down in three or five years, as sales gradually increase (exponentially I hope). So for now, we have to wait and be patient.
Soon surface computing would be available on the nearby second hand store. Or on Ebay for that matter. At a much affordable price—I hope.
Who would imagine that from card reader, (remember, the first generation, where programmers first type the cards) to P.C. now to the surface computing and I just started using p.c. 2 years ago, today.
But introduce to the world in stages, the transformation is not even noticeable. But just imagine a world war II strangler just come out of hiding and experience for first time the Technology? He might go back hiding back in the mountains.
Comment by victor — June 2, 2007 @ 8:57 am
Half a million pesos is nothing for a gadget freak, as long as he can afford it. Some guys want to have the bragging rights of being the first to have the latest in gadgetry…
Comment by snglguy — June 2, 2007 @ 10:16 am
oh well..for now I shouldn’t concern myself with this. I mean I don’t even have a digicam for crying out loud hahahaha
Have a great weekend Major Tom
Comment by verns — June 2, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
wow. naalala ko iyong dos-based computers ko in the past. we’ve come a long way, bebe. hehe.
Comment by atticus — June 3, 2007 @ 2:20 pm
To victor: Ha..ha.. that straggler would surely be taken out of his or her wits…would be stricken shock I am pretty sure…
Really fast the progress in the computer world; it goes to show that the theory that computer power increases or even doubles every 18 months holds true till now. I wonder what’s the next phase after this.
To sngl: that would be most ideal and i do hope that sales could rise radically over the next few years. It would surely bring down prices.
To verns: I am similarly situated verns-no cool cams in hand. But I do wish this technology could be widespread in soonest time possible—maybe we just can have a try at it in some sharp internet cafe…
To atticus: Really along long way atticus; I remember how I even almost failed in my computer subject back in highschool, not being able to firmly have a grasp of those DOS commands,…
Comment by Major Tom — June 4, 2007 @ 5:02 pm
Well, i don’t know what’s next in line huh? This is cool! It’s good for hotels and other big buildings. Coffe table computer doesn’t appeal to me unless I want to live like those in movies.
Comment by ipanema — June 4, 2007 @ 10:33 pm
To ipanema: It’s cooler than ice snow ipanema and simply an elegant idea–surface computers have been also described as coffee table computer where multiple users would browse over it just like a table but there’s another grander version of this, the widescreen type that Bill Gates had used to exhibit this new technology; and that was what amazes me, like you can do computing while standing and touching a wall while sipping coffee…It is simply futuristic.
Comment by Major Tom — June 4, 2007 @ 10:56 pm
as they say, “necessity is the mother of invention”.
Comment by the bystander — June 5, 2007 @ 12:56 am