Microsoft Surface: Magic Table from Microsoft

Microsoft Surface is a computer product which has a multi-touch and developed by Microsoft. Multi-touch technology is the combination of software and computer hardware that enables a user or multiple users, to operate a computer using hand gestures or other objects on the surface (surface). Microsoft announced the existence of these products at the D5 conference on May 29, 2007. Microsoft Surface will first be used by consumers who engaged in the business of hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and military. Initial launch of Microsoft Surface became available for this product in AT & T on April 17, 2008.

Essentially, Microsoft Surface is a computer that applying Windows operating system Vista which has been modified, and immersed into a table covered by a reflective surface measuring 30 inches in an acrylic frame. A projector below the surface, projecting the image onto the surface. While the five cameras on the inside of a table, recording the reflection-reflection infra-red rays emanating from human fingers. The camera is also able to recognize objects that are stored on the surface, when the object is indeed a special specification can be recognized Microsoft Surface. Users can interact with the computer by way of touch or scrape his finger over the surface of the table. Even objects such as paint brushes can be used to interact with computers. In addition, electronic items such as cell phones, PDAs and even eating utensils, can also interact with the Microsoft Surface, enough to put it on the tabletop.



Surface has been optimized to respond to 52 touches at a time. Surface marketing director, Mark Bolger, has demonstrated this ability. In a demonstration, "dipped" his finger in a paint palette on the screen, then dragged his finger above the surface of the screen to draw a smiley face. Then, he uses all ten fingers simultaneously to draw the hairs of these smileys.

In addition to recognizing finger touch, Microsoft Surface can also recognize other objects. For example, Microsoft says that when an empty wine glass along with food stored on the surface, the computer can automatically provide the appropriate choice of wines with the food to be eaten.

Microsoft Surface price is reported to reach $ 5,000 to $ 10,000 per unit. But Microsoft says it expects prices to fall until these products can be affordable for consumers in 2010.

Some hotel companies, restaurants and retail shops, had planned to use Microsoft Surface. This computer can be used to select the menu in a restaurant or be used in hotel rooms to plan places will be visited by guests, outside the hotels. Starwood Hotels plans to use Microsoft Surface to allow users to put credit cards on the table, then use it to pay for the services that we have enjoyed the hotel. Microsoft Surface is also planned to be used in store T-Mobile cell phones, so consumers can compare the price and features of the two cellular phone by putting the two mobile phone above the surface of the computer.

Previously planned so that T-Mobile, Starwood hotels and Harrah's Entertainment has been able to use Microsoft Surface in November 2007. But because of delays in making software for each company, the use of Microsoft Surface postponed until spring 2008.

The technology behind Microsoft's Surface multi-touch is actually has a very long history, at least since 25 years ago, when the University of Toronto found a multi-touch tablet technology (multi-touch tablets) and Bell Labs invented the technology of multi-touch screen (multi-touch screen). While at Microsoft itself, the idea to create a product that has a multi-touch, appearing since 2001. The concept originally came from Steven Bathiche, staff of Microsoft Hardware and Andy Wilson of Microsoft Research. In October 2001, a team was formed, with Batiche and Wilson as the leader. This team is responsible for bringing the idea of a multi-featured products to tap into a stage of development.

In 2003, the team presented the idea to Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates. Then, a prototype nicknamed 'T1' was produced within a month. The team also developed some software for the new prototypes, including pinball games, photo viewer application, and a video puzzle. Over the next year, Microsoft built more than 85 early prototypes for Surface. While the final design for the hardware itself, successfully completed in 2005.

A similar concept was used in the 2002 science fiction film, [[Minority Report]] and the 2005 science fiction film, [[The Island]]. Directed by Michael Bay stated that the concept of computers used in the film, emerged from the consultations that have been carried out with Microsoft during the making of the film. An MIT consultant who became the film's technology consultant, then joined Microsoft to work at Microsoft's Surface project.

Microsoft Surface was first announced to the public by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on May 30, 2007 at the conference 'D: All Things Digital' organized by [[The Wall Street Journal]] in Carlsbad, California.

On April 1, 2008, Microsoft and AT & T announced that AT & T will become the first retail store that sells Microsoft Surface, commencing on 17 April 2008.

Features

Microsoft says, that there are four important components in the Microsoft Surface interface: direct interaction, multi-touch contact, multi-user and object recognition.

'Direct Interaction' means is the ability of users to interact directly with computers, with only touched her fingers to the surface of the screen, without requiring a mouse or keyboard. 'Multi-touch contact refers to the ability of computers to interact with a lot of' contact points', not like the mouse that have only one cursor, Microsoft Surface can respond to many points of contact at once. While 'multi-user is a benefit of multi-touch features. Some people could be facing a certain angle from the computer and interact simultaneously running applications. 'Introduction to object' refers to the ability of computers to recognize the presence of objects placed on its surface.

The technology also allows objects of non-digital, to be used as input devices. For example, regular paint brush, can be used to create digital paintings inside the computer. This is possible because the main input devices from Microsoft Surface is five cameras for recording the movement of objects. Unlike the touch screen technology ('touchscreen') that identifies the input of the magnitude of pressure, electric current or the temperature of the input device used.

"Sight", which is owned Microsoft Surface, created by infrared light waves are projected size of 850 nanometers to the surface computer. When an object is touching the surface of the table, light is reflected into the infrared cameras with a resolution of 1280 x 960 pixels. This causes the computer can 'feel' the existence of objects, then interact with it.

Microsoft Surface will ship with basic software on it, including applications and games, photos, music etc that can be customized for the customers.

Specification

Surface is a 30-inch (76 cm) display in a table-like form factor, 22 inches (56 cm) high, 21 inches (53 cm) deep, and 42 inches (107 cm) wide. [13]. Microsoft Surface is shaped like a table with a display size of 30 inches (76 cm), with a height of 22 inches (56 cm), depth 21 inches (53 cm) wide and 42 inches (107 cm). Surface made from acrylic. Microsoft Surface uses Windows Vista operating system that has been modified and has a 10/100 Ethernet connectivity, [[IEE 802.11 | wireless 802.11 b / g and Bluetooth 2.0. Software on the Microsoft Surface technology were written with Microsoft's Windows Presentation Foundation or XNA.

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