The BBC introduces an exciting new product from Microsoft, with a table-shaped touch-sensitive computer called Surface:

Designed to do away with the need for a traditional mouse and keyboard, users can instead use their fingers to operate the computer. Also designed to interact with mobile phones placed on the surface, Microsoft says it will initially sell the unit to corporate customers.

So-called “multi-touch” interfaces - which allow the user to move several fingers on a screen to manipulate data, rather than relying on a mouse and menus - have been making waves in tech circles for some time.

With a 30-inch screen, Surface will initially sell for between $5,000 and $10,000 (£2,525-£5,050). However, Microsoft said it aimed to produce cheaper versions for homes within three to five years.

Lifehacker had an extremely mesmerising video of multi-touch screen interfaces in action:

NYU Researcher Jeff Han gets the award for most riveting demo with his multi-touch screen interface. Using both hands and sometimes the tips of all 10 fingers, Jeff manipulated photos, text and swirling objects on an enormous touchscreen, zooming, dragging, dropping and resizing objects that reacted to his movements the way they would in the physical world. He manipulated stacks of photos, lava bubbles, spun a few virtual records, navigated across world maps and even typed on a resizable keyboard on the touchscreen.

However, as always, DomainTools blog has an interesting take on things:

Microsoft registered Surface.com to complete its Surface branding Strategy. But we need to back up to January 29th of this year to see how their team attempted to pull this off. A corporate proxy service at Register.com registered Surface Computing.com, Surface Computers.com and Surface Computer.com. We know this is Microsoft’s proxy. I have to say it is a brilliant brand and people will have no choice but to use the word surface computer to describe any product like this. I suspect Microsoft left a lot of names on the table though.

Nonetheless, we save a blockquote or two from TechCrunch for last, and with good reason too:

A Surface computer is able to recognize physical objects from a paintbrush to a cell phone and allows hands-on, direct control of content such as photos, music and maps. Surface turns an ordinary tabletop into a dynamic surface that provides interaction with all forms of digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects.

It’s an interesting product in that it’s completely out of left field. Microsoft gives examples of ordering a beverage during a meal with just the tap of a finger and quickly browsing through music and dragging favorite songs onto a personal playlist by moving a finger across the screen. Build this into a bar and you’d get one-touch beer service although I’m not sure if they’ve found a way to work out when your beer glass is empty so replenishment becomes automatic, maybe in a later version.

"The practical uses for Surface at the point of sale are broad.
This is touch screen point of sale technology at a new level."