Finally Microsoft comes out with something thats not directly stolen from Apple

[The artist formally known]

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

At least as far as I know

"Update: a new tipster has come with corroborative informationââ,¬â€�see below
Nearly 100 comments, and only one guy came close. According to an assortment of unrelated sources, the best guess is that tonight at midnight, Microsoft will finally launching its PlayTable concept as a full-blown entertainment product. ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley says PlayTable, aka Project Milan is a "multi-touch, gestural- and object-recognition interface technology" that Microsoft has demoed to a lot of people lately, but mainly as technology rather than a product in development. CrunchGear suggests that, based on a demo he saw, it might be a touch-friendly game console that competes with the Wii on intuitive user interface front.

We have another source that confirms the table-ness of the announcement, but says that it will be a kiosk-type of device, meant to provide gaming entertainment and a retail interface for Zune, but that, at a cost of $10,000 a pop, it won't be something that people actually buy for their homes.

Our source doesn't name the product, but says that rather than being a touchscreen LCD, it's a rear-projection table that uses an array of projectors, all aimed up at the screen, which has a resolution of 1024x768, and will be 23 to 25 inches in size. Two or more people can use it, and it would be situated in casinos or other places. (Partnerships already allegedly formed are with Harrah's Casinos and Sheraton hotels.)

Some alleged applications:
ââ,¬Â¢Music - You put your music player on the table, and your credit card. Both are recognized, then you drag songs to the player. Zune is obvious first device, but potential other partner in the works. One demo used a nano. Could partner really be Apple? Let's not get carried away... yet.
ââ,¬Â¢Virtual Concierge - A fairly self explanatory guide program, complete with mapping programs
ââ,¬Â¢Food & Drink - Not just interactive menus, but glass (and presumably plate and maybe even silverware) recognition. Like Music program, it reads credit cards just by placing them on table.
ââ,¬Â¢Photo - A simple photo editor reminiscent of iPhoto
ââ,¬Â¢Puzzle - A game where you assemble actual pieces of glass on top of the table, each with a sliver of live video playing
ââ,¬Â¢Water - A water screensaver that you can touch to make ripples
ââ,¬Â¢Paint - Simple painting program that reads pressure sensitivity by judging the size of your fingerprint

The bottom line from our source is that it's very reminiscent of OSX, and also, like with Zune and Xbox, the Microsoft branding is lowkey. Its name, whatever that is, will be the center branding. It will likely not be in final form during the All Things D demonstrations.

Below I've embedded a video, brought to our attention by ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, that demonstrates the sort of gestural recognition that will be found in the PlayTable (or whatever). Will I post confirmation at midnight? You bet! ââ,¬â€œ Wilson Rothman

Okay, as we approach the bewitching hour, more information is coming to light. A more appropriate term for the technology is Microsoft Smart Surface, which replaced the nickname "PlayTable" a long time ago. (I still like PlayTable better.) The size and shape can vary, but the demo unit scheduled for use tomorrow looks like a coffee table. Our new tips corroborate our original information in that 1) object recognition will use RFID or other near-field technology for identification of objects (a Microsoft favorite going way back) and 2) the iPod is indeed part of the equation. Apparently Zune ain't enough to get music fans revved about PlayTable, er, Microsoft Smart Surface."

[SBKT]

Shit, that's pretty cool, for once. Though, I don't want my table going and BSODing because I'm eating Hamburger helper.

[ClassicTyler]

Nope. This time, it's just from Nintendo.

[SBKT]

Nope. This time, it's just from Nintendo.

Look again.

[heltar]

ignoar this poast, i red it rong

[ncba93ivyase]

Now tell me this: Is it actually useful in any way? It just looks like something you'd toy around with for a day or two then do nothing but brag about and forget it.

[mariofreak55]

Now tell me this: Is it actually useful in any way? It just looks like something you'd toy around with for a day or two then do nothing but brag about and forget it.

You're just pissed off because Apple didn't make it. If they made it you'd be making imprints of you and your mac in it all day.

Anyways, it seems kinda cool, I want to try it out and see what they use it for.

[ncba93ivyase]

Now tell me this: Is it actually useful in any way? It just looks like something you'd toy around with for a day or two then do nothing but brag about and forget it.

You're just pissed off because Apple didn't make it. If they made it you'd be making imprints of you and your mac in it all day.

Anyways, it seems kinda cool, I want to try it out and see what they use it for.

Useless Apple technology: Apple Media Remote.

You're just saying it's cool to be antagonistic.

Apple is working on technology that can actually be useful in some manner. Microsoft is less on the inventive side.

[SBKT]

Now tell me this: Is it actually useful in any way? It just looks like something you'd toy around with for a day or two then do nothing but brag about and forget it.

You're just pissed off because Apple didn't make it. If they made it you'd be making imprints of you and your mac in it all day.

Anyways, it seems kinda cool, I want to try it out and see what they use it for.

Useless Apple technology: Apple Media Remote.

You're just saying it's cool to be antagonistic.

Apple is working on technology that can actually be useful in some manner. Microsoft is less on the inventive side.

Apple has it's thigns, Microsoft has it's things.

Thought, recently, Microsoft fucked up in the OS area. It's doing fine elsewhere.

[Houdini]

It's a giant touch screen. I'll give Microsoft points for trying something Apple hasn't tried yet, but this isn't some amazing achievement or anything.

[Pele]

I want one. That'd be fun to watch porn on. fap;

[Zack777]

sexy awesome;

[Feynman]

"Finally Microsoft comes out with something thats not directly stolen from Apple"? LOL. Microsoft has made lots of things that aren't "directly stolen from Apple." Microsoft has pumped out very good ideas within its lifetime. Keep in mind, Microsoft is more of a software company than it is hardware; thus the name Microsoft. Look at Apple's Mac OS X Leopard, amazing how Apple came up with all those awesome features, right? Leopard's "Time Machines" feature is something that was announced for Vista before Apple announced "Time Machine". Spaces? Hmmmmm... Linux has had things called workspaces for a long time now, right? Hmmmmmm. These companies are constantly copying each other and the developers of each company are well aware of it. Microsoft and Apple don't need people sticking up for them because they're very well aware of the fact that they copied and they are being copied. Companies have had some original ideas, and some not so original.

Hey, Vista and OS X both have a GUI, right? Let's get rid of that because Vista has it.

[The artist formally known]

Now tell me this: Is it actually useful in any way? It just looks like something you'd toy around with for a day or two then do nothing but brag about and forget it.

But they're actually doing shit, I'm sure they'll make cool things like being able to scan things by just placing a photo or image on the surface and it would copy it.

It's awesome, and I'm sure there will be more useful things for it in the future.

[ncba93ivyase]

Now tell me this: Is it actually useful in any way? It just looks like something you'd toy around with for a day or two then do nothing but brag about and forget it.

But they're actually doing shit, I'm sure they'll make cool things like being able to scan things by just placing a photo or image on the surface and it would copy it.

It's awesome, and I'm sure there will be more useful things for it in the future.

Scanners have been around for years. So have touchscreens.

Hell, you can thank Apple's Newton for popularizing the touchscreen.