Bill Gates on surface computers

For those who still do not know: the beginning of the story and a small overview , as well as the project site and video presentation

The last time computer geniuses changed communication between users and a PC, they created a mouse. William Henry Gates 3 believes that his company can make the next breakthrough.

On May 30, Gates introduced a new technology called Surface Computers (hereinafter Surface), which allows users to communicate with a PC using: touches, gestures and physical objects with optical marks. The technology turns a computer into a dynamic canvas, thanks to which users can, for example, view their music library using their fingers, or compare an existing device with what is sold in a store, simply by placing the device on the table.

It's more than just touchscreen computers. Under the screen are cameras that can handle up to 52 touches at the same time, which allows small groups of people to work simultaneously. Also, a computer can recognize digital devices, such as a digital camera with WiFi. You can simply put the device on the table, then save photos from it, and then, using only your hands, edit them.
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Microsoft, which will create both hardware and software, plans to limit deliveries initially, in order to allow users to explore the device. The first 30 inch devices, which will cost from 5,000 to 10,000 US dollars, will appear in hotels and shops in November.

According to Microsoft, Harrah Entertainment will be among the first owners. Surface will be installed in Caesars Palace and Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, which will give visitors the opportunity to buy tickets for concerts and book seats in restaurants. T-Mobile USA (Deutsche Telekom) plans to use these devices in its stores to give customers the opportunity to compare their mobile phone with those sold in the store. A pop-up window will show the difference of devices, and then after selecting the phone, they will be able to delve into the study of tariffs.

It will be several years before consumers can buy Surface and bring it to their home. To achieve this, Microsoft will have to create an ecosystem to somehow motivate software developers to create “must have” class programs for Surface. “This is good if it works well,” says Roger Kay, president of marketing research at Endpoint Technologies Associates. “If everything works well, it changes the essence of the game.” If the cards hit, sales can reach billions, Roger says. "People will want to have this product faster than Microsoft can release it."

The Bill Gates interview given to Jay Greene, Director of the BusinessWeek Sietle Division, about a potential market.

DG: Is this market new?

B. G: Yes and no. If you represent it in commercial organizations, meeting rooms, high-tech homes, there are differences. As a result, it becomes just an opportunity that you would like to see in a regular computer. It's really just a Windows Vista computer, just a set of infrared cameras, and just special software gives you the feeling that you are managing real physical objects. Therefore, it seems to be something else. Although it will be 5 years and this device will seem something ordinary to you.

DG: When it comes to this, will it become another kind of computer, or will technology just become part of every computer you buy?

B. G: From the beginning, we should consider it a supplement, which means that you have a computer in the office and Surface in the living room. The easiest way to talk about sharing them, and using Surface as a device that connects to your televisions, or some other projectors that may be in the house.

DG: What part of the market can take all this?

B. G: Well, of course, this is a multi-billion dollar market, as well as a different type of device and the possibilities of using it. Why in 5 years you don’t want to have such a device so that you don’t use it at a business meeting to display information? You want your employees to work productively, and “iron” is getting cheaper every day. In another case, why don't you use this device at home in order to choose music with someone and then listen to it together? Undoubtedly, the naturalistic interface will win. This is how it was with the graphical interface. When he won, people began to wonder why they had so long put him in doubt. It will become a common product.

DG: You say it will become a multi-billion dollar business. How do you think, how quickly will you come to this?

B. G: Well, in fact, we are not experts on market predictions. It seems to me that we will be required to create such a device for the boardroom or for the desktop. I think we will be very interested in doing this. I expect a lot of changes in these 5 years, but we cannot talk about it in numbers. Our goal is to make sure we do it. We need to be calm so as not to start moving backwards.

DG: You said that you expect to see this device in high-tech homes. As far as I know, you are the owner of one of these. What application do you personally expect to get into your house?

B. G: I had a touch screen device in the house. Now Surface is much better than him, because it is more, its interface is richer. You can play games with children, win and be defeated. It's just so much better. This will be a key element in the second version of (my) home software. At the moment I am creating the architecture of how it will look. It will take 2 or 3 years, and Surface will play a central role in this.

by BusinessWeek