Apple is incorporating "Multi-Touch" into the upcoming iPhone, but Microsoft has just taken it to a new level with Microsoft Surface.
If you've know me at all, you know I hate Microsoft.
Those are strong words, I know. But I do. Can't help myself. I've tried to stop. It's almost irrational at this point in my life. So this post would be hard to write if this weren't so amazing.
This is the first truly amazing thing I've seen out of Redmond in a long, long time. Popular Mechanics has a great behind-the-scenes first look in video form. I've watched it several times and am still shaking my head. I had to delay my drive this morning to write about it.
"Gattis took out a digital camera and placed it on the Surface. Instantly, digital pictures spilled out onto the tabletop. As Gattis touched and dragged each picture, it followed his fingers around the screen. Using two fingers, he pulled the corners of a photo and stretched it to a new size. Then, Gattis put a cellphone on the surface and dragged several photos to it — just like that, the pictures uploaded to the phone. It was like a magic trick." - from Popular Mechanics.
I put up a video from Perceptive Pixel's Jeff Han at JustDugUp.com a while back, but the Surface computer takes this to a new level by recognizing objects placed on the surface. Right now this is only being built for commercial use, but I can see this in a large real estate office without any stretch of the imagination. Price? $5,000 - $10,000. As Jeff Han says, eventually this will trickle down to affordable home use. The iPhone will be the first common example of this in smaller format, but the form factor on this new device is what really makes it special.
If you don't do anything else geeky today, go watch these demos.
Jeff Turner aka respres

WOW! ! !
I'll watch it again this afternoon when I have my speakers plugged in.
It appears that they've been doing something with the $40,000,000,000 they've been sitting on.
Maybe they'll give up on search and ceed that to Google and concentrate on product development. Maybe they'll even work on some quality contral and close some of the holes that viruses and worms crawl through.
I'm not sure I understand exactly what this does. I need to absorb it later. Just wanted to thank you for diligently keeping us informed.
kk
The technology that is available today is amazing. My biggest challenge is keeping up with it all!
Bob Mitchell
ValueList Real Estate Services, Inc.
For this area, I am semi-geeky. The kind of stuff you've been telling us about today could push me right over the edge into full geekdom.
Thanks for the links to the video, It is great to see where the technology is going
{SVW Hubba) aka "Tool Boy"...
Must I thank you once again for turning me into a "Lovely Geek" ??? :)
That is really...really cool. God I love this place. SVW.
TLW...ROAR!
I read about this earlier today in a news article, you have done a much better job explaining it! (of course!!)
I keep thinking about that video we watched saying how fast technology is moving! It is possible the coffee table will be out of style by the time the price goes down for all of us to afford one!
Jeff
Its a wonder your brain doesn't explode.... I don't know where you find the time ... have a life and continue to educate yourself and others.... let alone run a business..... Thanks once again for the great information
roflmao! omg - That is incredible. I wonder how far off that is. It looks like they're developing a lot of the software for it already.
The future is definitely arriving quickly!
Yeah, I saw this on the news earlier this afternoon. It's just amazing what can be done these days, isn't?
Gotta say, Jeff. I'm still fairly new here, but everytime I see you you've posted something new, I find myself clicking on it. You've got some great blogs out there.
Jeff, way too cool ! Multi-touch technology, intellegent surfaces, wireless linking on the screen. Hey, I was just learning what widgets and wikepedia are ??
Seriously, when it comes down in price for us, this will be a tremendous feature for realtors. I'm off to send the link to people in my office. They think I'm crazy with all this new technology, I send them.
Oh...I'm in love and I've probably spent 1/2 the current cost buying USB cords to connect cameras to computer that I cannot keep up with....I swear someone steals my cords. My old Mavica that used floppies spoiled me...I hate my new cameras and cannot wait for this AMAMAZING tech to trickle down to us!
I remember when I got my 1st Logitech digital camera and cut my overhead as an appraiser by over $400 a month back in 1995 or so. I was watching a program on 1970's technology yesterday, when I stop to think of the changes in tech in my lifetime, it astounds me!
{SVW Hubba}...
I have been thinking about this some more. I believe we will start see this technology become part of Real Estate. What I mean is...It's just a matter of time before our homes are wired up and ready to plug in. Can you imagine coming home and just running your phone across the wall? :)
I am sure I'm not the only one with "vision" that reaches that far. Well, at least I hope not :)
TLW...ROAR!
Routinely my WONDERFUL HUSBAND comes into the office and sees TOOL BOYS picture on my screen.... today was no different.... "What does TOOL BOY have to say today?".....
Well we watched the demos, and he'd already heard about it..... said it reminded him of a Tom Crews movie "The Matrix"
Thanks for sharing. :)
Ha! Ha! We have Fran's hubby calling you "Tool Boy" LOL.
LOL @ Fran's "Pool Boy"...My imagination goes way south on that one :)
HI-JACKED.........
Pool Boy
Tool Boy
Cool Boy
Duel Boy
Fuel Boy
Jewel Boy
Mule Boy
Rule Boy...................LOL..........please continue
{SVW Hubba}...
Don't look at me like that. FRAN DID IT!
LM "WHAT" Off ... :)
Fran...Are you okay? LOL.
TLW...ROAR!
TLW paid me 5.00 to do it. You know us hungry realtors.......... LMBO
"s" Stool Boy
LOL...
Well gosh. You're cheap. LOL.
I have more work for you if you want it. LOL.
I can't believe you said that. Notice that I DID NOT. LOL.
You're killing me Fran. ROAR! :)
Jeff -
I LOVE this technology!! I just finished my own "vision" of how this might be used by real estate agents and brokers. Take a peek, if you are interested.
*Letting My Geek Flag Fly High* :)
Angela... very well done. I like this:
"You have a couple in the office to sign the listing papers. You were out taking preliminary photos earlier in the day, and now it's time for them to sign on the dotted line.
While they are there, you place your digital camera on the surface of the conference room table. Immediately, all the photos you took of their house "spill" onto the surface of the table's display. It looks like a physical stack of standard photos. Using your fingertips, and encouraging the clients to join your endeavor, you move the photos around to find the best front shot to use for the MLS."