AT&T stores host Surface demo - bit-tech.net Forums

Bindibadgi · 18th Apr 2008, 16:34

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/04...surface_demo/1

Five AT&T stores across the US are playing host to a public demo of Microsoft's Surface multi-touch desk-based computing concept today.

completemadness · 18th Apr 2008, 17:15

whats the betting it crashes during a demo

kenco_uk · 18th Apr 2008, 17:15

Is this the tech where you can access devices on it? Say, for example a phone or camera is laid down and it connects to the surface, offering an interface to access the files within?

Darkedge · 18th Apr 2008, 17:21

Kenco - yes thats part of the idea. Which like most multi touch technology was years before the Jesusphone yet MAC zealots still claim Apple invented it. All they did was give us a nicely polished first version of it.

badders · 18th Apr 2008, 18:33

In the AT&T stores though, you'll be able to put phones on the top, and the features will come up, allowing you to compare them.

Sounds nifty!

The Jambo · 18th Apr 2008, 20:23

So go down there and you'll find twenty people gathered round the table throwing stuff on it, seeing what it does.

But say if i put my phone down on this table. Will it instantly provide access to all my files?

If i were to accidentally put my mp3 player on the table, will it play automatically?

Cupboard · 18th Apr 2008, 20:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Jambo

But say if i put my phone down on this table. Will it instantly provide access to all my files?

If i were to accidentally put my mp3 player on the table, will it play automatically?

Not unless the feature is turned on on both the desk and your phone/mp3 player. I think it uses bluetooth, so your device would have to have that on. I think it also uses rfid for some other features

Sea Shadow · 18th Apr 2008, 23:24

The tables recognize items put on their surface via special tags attached to the device in question (sometimes referred to as fudicials within the multi-touch community). When you put the tag down, the same cameras that pick up regular interaction see the tag and correlate that into an action. The cameras are configured so that they only pick up IR light. IIRC surface uses 4 or 5 cameras though you can achieve similar results with just one.

There are actually a couple of open source groups buildling their own software and tables with NUI being one of the more notable ones. It is actually pretty easy to build your own table. It took me about 2 weeks to build mine (could have done it in 3 or 4 days or so had I sat down and done it in one go).
Here are some pics of what went into building mine.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
And here is a link to a video I made shortly after assembling my table (sorry I made it at 5 in the morning so the quality is lacking, I'd suggest you skip to about 1min since I made the first part far too long).

Spaceraver · 21st Apr 2008, 11:23

Sea Shadow.. You have to do a log of that one.. This would be way cooler to have than just an having ordinary glass table. Please?

Sea Shadow · 22nd Apr 2008, 00:55

I would, but I am about to leave on a LDS (Mormon) mission. I will be gone for two years and I leave in 2 days, I have tons of packing to do and will be very busy up untill when I leave, so I doubt I will find time to make a log of this build. However, I am contemplating building a lower profile wall mount system when I get back, but it all depends on my priorities when I return. Right now the first thing I want to build when I get back, is a 3D printer.

18th Apr 2008, 16:34	#1
Bindibadgi Richard Swinburne bit-tech Staff Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Omnipwntent Posts: 28,275	AT&T stores host Surface demo http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/04...surface_demo/1 Five AT&T stores across the US are playing host to a public demo of Microsoft's Surface multi-touch desk-based computing concept today. __________________ Made you look, made you stare, made you clicked this in your underwear! Den of Geek!

18th Apr 2008, 17:15	#3
kenco_uk I feel your presents. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bourne, Lincolnshire, UK Posts: 6,309	Is this the tech where you can access devices on it? Say, for example a phone or camera is laid down and it connects to the surface, offering an interface to access the files within? __________________ MSI X58M - i7 920 4Ghz - 6GB Corsair - GTX260 648/2520 ::: Vote for bit-tech T - theevilelephant - "it sounded like bouncing around on a pogo stick, screaming in chinese while occasionally throwing a cat at a door."

18th Apr 2008, 23:24	#8
Sea Shadow Supermodder Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: USA Posts: 459	The tables recognize items put on their surface via special tags attached to the device in question (sometimes referred to as fudicials within the multi-touch community). When you put the tag down, the same cameras that pick up regular interaction see the tag and correlate that into an action. The cameras are configured so that they only pick up IR light. IIRC surface uses 4 or 5 cameras though you can achieve similar results with just one. There are actually a couple of open source groups buildling their own software and tables with NUI being one of the more notable ones. It is actually pretty easy to build your own table. It took me about 2 weeks to build mine (could have done it in 3 or 4 days or so had I sat down and done it in one go). Here are some pics of what went into building mine. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 And here is a link to a video I made shortly after assembling my table (sorry I made it at 5 in the morning so the quality is lacking, I'd suggest you skip to about 1min since I made the first part far too long). __________________ Eagles may soar, but weasles don't get sucked into jet engines. I have re-organized my files on the FTP that I use, so if any pictures of my works are little red X's please PM me.

21st Apr 2008, 11:23	#9
Spaceraver Weekend Junkie Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kolding, Denmark Posts: 1,307	Sea Shadow.. You have to do a log of that one.. This would be way cooler to have than just an having ordinary glass table. Please? __________________ "Faith: not wanting to know what is true." - Friedrich Nietzsche. "Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." - Seneca Last thing I remember, I was drinking this glowing green sht out of a test tube and dancing like a bstard.

22nd Apr 2008, 00:55	#10
Sea Shadow Supermodder Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: USA Posts: 459	I would, but I am about to leave on a LDS (Mormon) mission. I will be gone for two years and I leave in 2 days, I have tons of packing to do and will be very busy up untill when I leave, so I doubt I will find time to make a log of this build. However, I am contemplating building a lower profile wall mount system when I get back, but it all depends on my priorities when I return. Right now the first thing I want to build when I get back, is a 3D printer. __________________ Eagles may soar, but weasles don't get sucked into jet engines. I have re-organized my files on the FTP that I use, so if any pictures of my works are little red X's please PM me.

18th Apr 2008, 17:15	#2
completemadness Hypermodder Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 887	whats the betting it crashes during a demo

18th Apr 2008, 17:21	#4
Darkedge Supermodder Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: UK Posts: 334	Kenco - yes thats part of the idea. Which like most multi touch technology was years before the Jesusphone yet MAC zealots still claim Apple invented it. All they did was give us a nicely polished first version of it.

18th Apr 2008, 20:23	#6
The Jambo Last on the scene Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 69	So go down there and you'll find twenty people gathered round the table throwing stuff on it, seeing what it does. But say if i put my phone down on this table. Will it instantly provide access to all my files? If i were to accidentally put my mp3 player on the table, will it play automatically?