Finally, Business @ The Speed of Thought!

Surface computing has finally arrived!

Surface computing is a major advancement that moves beyond the traditional mouse-and-keyboard user interface to a more natural way of interacting with digital content, allowing people to interact with content and information on their own or collaboratively with their friends and families, just like in the real world. It allows people to interact with digital content the same way they have interacted with everyday items such as photos, paintbrushes and music their entire life: with their hands, with gestures and by putting real-world objects on the surface.

Working Collaboratively on a Photo Application

Microsoft Surface™, Microsoft Corp.’s first commercially available surface computer, turns an ordinary tabletop into a vibrant, interactive surface. It provides effortless interaction with digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. Surface is a 30-inch display in a table-like form factor that’s easy for to interact with in a way that feels familiar, just like in the real world. In essence, it’s a surface that comes to life for exploring, learning, sharing, creating, buying and much more. With deployments beginning in spring of 2008, consumers will be able to interact with Surface at hotels, restaurants, retail establishments and public entertainment venues. The experience will entirely transform the way people shop, dine, entertain and live.

Microsoft Surface Object Recognition

Surface computing features four key attributes:
• Direct interaction. Users can actually “grab” digital information with their hands, interacting with content by touch and gesture, without the use of a mouse or keyboard.
• Multi-touch. Surface computing recognizes many points of contact simultaneously, not just from one finger like a typical touch-screen, but up to dozens of items at once.
• Multi-user. The horizontal form factor makes it easy for several people to gather around surface computers together, providing a collaborative, face-to-face computing experience.
• Object recognition. Users can place physical objects on the surface to trigger different types of digital responses, including the transfer of digital content.

Microsoft Surface Direct Interaction & Object Recognition

Microsoft Surface puts people in control of their experiences with technology, making everyday tasks entertaining, enjoyable and efficient. Picture a surface that can recognize physical objects from a paintbrush to a cell phone and allows hands-on, direct control of content such as photos, music and maps.

Microsoft Surface Map Application

From digital finger painting to a virtual concierge, Surface brings natural interaction to the digital world in a new and exciting way. Microsoft Surface knows all about planning day trips. It knows every street in the town.

Planning Day Trips

Imagine ordering a beverage during a meal with just the tap of a finger. During the social hour, drinks will arrive on a table and put on a little show, setting the stage for another order of chocolate pie. Imagine quickly browsing through music and dragging favorite songs onto a personal play list by moving a finger across the screen. Imagine creating and sending a personal postcard of vacation pictures instantly to friends and family, while still wearing flip-flops.

Microsoft Surface Screenshot-Photo Application

Surface also features the ability to recognize physical objects that have identification tags similar to bar codes. This means that when a customer simply sets a wine glass on the surface of a table, a restaurant could provide them with information about the wine they’re ordering, pictures of the vineyard it came from and suggested food pairings tailored to that evening’s menu. The experience could become completely immersive, letting users access information on the wine-growing region and even look at recommended hotels and plan a trip without leaving the table.

Microsoft Surface Food Beverage Application

Microsoft Surface uses cameras to sense objects, hand gestures and touch. This user input is then processed and the result is displayed on the surface using rear projection. Surface can simultaneously recognize dozens and dozens of movements such as touch, gestures and actual unique objects that have identification tags similar to bar codes.

Microsoft Surface Ripple Application

Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., and T-Mobile USA Inc. will be some of the first companies to provide unique Surface experiences for their customers. These first partners are exploring a variety of avenues for Surface, which may include the following:

• To provide guests with greater service, unique experiences and entertainment, Sheraton embraced Surface as a key component of its lobby transformation. Surface will enable guests to browse and listen to music, create their own play lists, send photos home, download books, and even order food and drinks — all with the drop of a credit card or their Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty card.

Screenshot-Music Application

•T-Mobile retail stores might place different cell phones on Surface’s interactive surface where product features, prices and phone plans would appear so they could be easily compared. “We are continuously working to build the greatest retail experience we can for our customers,” said Bonita Inza, vice president of Retail at T-Mobile USA. “. Surface is one example of how we’re turning our stores into a playground where customers can comfortably explore exciting new products in their own personal way.”

Microsoft Surface Retail Application

Thinking of buying a new phone over the lunch hour? Its a whole new bargain. Now new phones practically introduce themselves, virtually bragging about their unique abilities.

Phones Bragging About Their Features

Consumers now have an entirely new way to get the information they need, turning their everyday tasks into enjoyable and engaging experiences. There are hundreds of thousands of restaurants, hotels and retail locations that are looking to give their customers the unique and memorable experiences that Surface will provide. In turn, companies have a new opportunity for generating additional revenue streams and increasing retail traffic. Microsoft officials see this as a multibillion dollar category, and they envision a time when surface computing technologies will be pervasive, from tabletops and counters to the hallway mirror.

United States-India Nuke Deal At Stake

US President George W.Bush and India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

India's political leaders considered pushing ahead with a landmark U.S.-India nuclear energy deal, a move that could bring down the government and lead to early elections. The debate among India's leaders revived hopes that the nuclear accord, seen as a cornerstone in the budding partnership between New Delhi and Washington, could be clinched before U.S. President George W. Bush leaves office in January.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and ruling Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi held an informal discussions with their coalition partners about whether to force a confrontation with opponents of the deal and, if need be, hold elections in November or December. The Indian government's term officially ends in May.

The nuclear deal would reverse three decades of American policy by allowing the shipment of atomic fuel and technology to India, which has not signed international nonproliferation accords and has tested nuclear weapons. India, in exchange, would open its civilian reactors to international inspections.

For Bush, the deal would be a major foreign policy success amid the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. For India, it would provide much-needed nuclear fuel for its energy-hungry economy. However, the deal has faced stiff opposition from India's communist parties, which do not want to see New Delhi drawn closer to Washington.

The Congress party's Singh, who has staked his premiership on the nuclear accord, has been pushing hard in private talks with his coalition to break with the communists. It has been reported that Singh had even threatened to resign if the government does not try to finalize the nuclear deal.

The communists are not part of India's governing coalition, led by the Congress party, but their support props up the government. They have threatened to pull their support if the administration tries to finalize the nuclear deal. Singh and Gandhi have already backed down once in their confrontation with the communists, deciding in September that they weren't ready to risk early elections.

With no guarantee that the next U.S. president will be as strong a proponent of the deal as Bush, Singh and Gandhi are re-evaluating that position and appear willing to hold elections if the communists won't budge. A major factor in their reasoning is the early monsoon rains, which could result in a strong fall harvest, pushing down food prices just as the elections would take place. That would also help the government tame inflation, which hit a 13-year high of 11.05 percent this week.

Secretary of State Nicholas Burns (R) shakes hands with Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon during a meeting in New Delhi

U.S. officials said earlier this year that with American elections coming up — and no guarantee the next American administration will keep the deal on the table — India needed to complete its end of the pact before the U.S. Congress starts its summer break in July because many lawmakers will be busy campaigning in the fall.