Advertisement
Here's a short video I took during my recent trip to Microsoft's campus. This is Mary playing with the piano demo on the Microsoft Surface interactive table:
Microsoft Surface: Piano demo by Paul Thurrott
Discuss this Article 15
Paul,
Fun demo. Between virtualization, Surface, hardware, the EBC's Home of the Future, Mojave Live, Windows 7 and Live Mesh it sounds like they kept you busy while you were out here, but, hey, I'm sure you caught up on sleep on the plane.
Mike, actually I wrote my Zune 3 preview on the plane :)
But I've been catching up on sleep since then, yes.
I just saw the Surface in Reston VA at a MS Tech Briefing. It wasn't very smooth. It was actually very clunky. I was expecting it to be perfect but it wasn't.
It'll be interesting to see how Microsoft's touch technology gets used in WIndows 7.
Between the Live Mesh SDK and Windows 7, the PDC in late October is going to be an industry changer.
When Ballmer described a coffee table with Surface, all I could think about is that it would be in the family room and become the hub for everything in the house. I've posted this before, but it's worth posting again. Your digital media center, games, creating yoour own DVD's, web surfing, email, TV tuner [OK a repeat of media center] and Home Automation [X10 and INSTEON control lights HVAC, security, lawn irrigation...check out Smarthome.com]. The wife will collect all her photo and send them for printing via web services...all from our coffee table. Plus it holds my coffee!! [not decaf,obviously]. I would buy one today, and this would make her very happy. We already have X10 light switches that are controlled by remote switches, remote IR control, and with my computer, which has a timer device so that it does not need to be turned on, called Active Home. I've used it for over 5 yrs since our house is kinda big.
DRWAM
Now, add a Live Mesh sync from the photo folder on your cell phone's camera (or, perhaps the WiFi in your camera itself) and seconds after you take the pictures they're on that coffee table, and your computer, and a web printing service and on the picture frame at your parents' house automatically.
Kind of takes Kodak's old motto of "You press the button, we do the rest" to a whole new level.
Don't do that to me Mike. Now I want it yesterday!! Dang, I can see my wife typing her email on it while looking at the plasma, maybe splitting the screen with Oprah. I use the plugin appliance modules for the Christmas tree, and would turn it on from the table. Right now, I use the included remote [Active Home] which is a multiremote for TV, DVD and stuff. The outdoor landscape lights are on a controlled receptacle and many lights [patio, outdoor, sunroom, familyroom, walkway,etc.. ] have X10 switches. An eight button switch, KeypadLinc. in both the family room and master bedroom controls many lights, but the coffee table could help the kids use everything, as well as visitors. All you do is replace the ligh switches or recepticle. The Active hoe software and a tiny memory modules connects to your computer, but is not necessary. However, it's the timer and does scenes as well. Heck, there even motion detectors and possibly cameras. So you could even add security, even video security to your family room coffee table. Kona please.
DRWAM,
fyi: I started using X10 products back when they were still part of BSR in the 1970s and had a version of their software for the Ohio Scientific Challenger line of computers.
Unfortunately, my CM15A controller is fried so I'll need to buy a new one. (It works on auto but won't take direct input anymore)
DRWAM,
The scenario I mentioned was in the initial Live Mesh video. There's a YouTube version (I'm being friendly to all the person who uses Safari) at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFpwzg-AP_Q
Oh, and either an Arabian or Ethiopian for me. (Kona's good but overpriced and misses the berry overtones)
They will be hot and ready. BTW, the new USB version of ActiveHome Pro is out. I think they they replaced the computer interface with USB.
DRWAM,
The CM15A that fried is USB and has been out for a couple of years. It's really big thing is that it has variables and conditional macros (so I can do things like turn on the lights on the stairs when somebody walks near them but only at night)
The older CM11A used a serial port but I think it's been unavailable for a while now.
I can't really complain about the CM15A dying. It was prototype hardware from the beta and that's always a little iffy.
