Turner's Perspective

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Microsoft Surface - Something Truly Amazing Out Of Redmond

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.

Microsoft SurfaceThose 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.

47 commentsJeff Turner • May 30 2007 08:45AM

Comments

Unbelievable!!! That's all I can say...
Posted by Bob Carney Licensed MD/PA Real Estate Agent (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) over 3 years ago
I think this is so cool!  I wonder how long it will take for the price to come down enough for people to buy it for home use?  With all of the advances everyday in technology, it may only be a few years.
Posted by Jim & Maria Hart ~ Charleston, SC Real Estate (AgentOwned Realty) over 3 years ago

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.

Posted by Lenn Harley, Real Estate Broker, Virginia & Maryland (Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate) over 3 years ago

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 

Posted by Kristal Kraft ~Denver Real Estate~303-589-2022 (The Berkshire Group Realtors) over 3 years ago

The technology that is available today is amazing.  My biggest challenge is keeping up with it all!

 

Bob Mitchell

ValueList Real Estate Services, Inc. 

Posted by ValueList Real Estate Services, Inc. over 3 years ago
oh my gosh - this is sooo cool - and scary at the same time - the good side of people would truly benefit with this - but I wonder what the criminal mind could do with this
Posted by Central Oregon Real Estate | Broker Thesa Chambers, Licensed in Oregon (Prudential NW Properties Sunriver) over 3 years ago
ok - I had to check out what delayed your drive this morning :) And I just lost a chunk of time... it just disappeared - next thing I knew I looked up and 30 minutes had gone by. Really cool. Maybe my future coffee table at home?
Posted by A Crye-Leike Blogger, Angie Vandenbergh (Crye-Leike, Realtors) over 3 years ago
Amazing.  I can already think of a half-dozen applications that I can use this for.  The most obvious one is to use it as a photo table where you can sort, edit and share digital photos.  From a real estate perspective, you can use it to look at a map of an area, draw a circle around an area of interest and then see all available homes in that area.  You can then manually sort the homes of interest into a "stack" where you can review the details and then drag them into your handheld device so you can take the information with you....  I could go on...
Posted by Mike Whitman over 3 years ago

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. 

Posted by Sarah Cooper (Real Estate Shows) over 3 years ago
Hey  Jeff, Isn't that amazing? I first saw this on YouTube almost a year ago. I was floored!
Posted by Brad Carroll - Real Estate Web Designer (Dakno Marketing) over 3 years ago
Jeff, I think I read about Jeff Han in FastCompany a while back. This is exciting.
Posted by John Evarts (Classic Property Management of Santa Clarita) over 3 years ago
Incredible!!!!
Posted by Bryant Tutas-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc over 3 years ago
Wow - am I going to regret switching to Mac?  Cause right now I'm in love. 
Posted by Maureen Henry - Rockland Home Staging over 3 years ago
Looks like something out of Minority Report!
Posted by Boca Raton & Lake Worth Florida Real Estate Broker over 3 years ago

Thanks for the links to the video, It is great to see where the technology is going

Posted by Blanchard and Calhoun over 3 years ago
Very cool! I understand your Microsoft hatred. I don't necessarily feel that way about Microsoft in general, but I do feel that way about Internet Explorer, Palm Pilots and Google.
Posted by Lisa Hill (Daytona Beach Real Estate) (Florida Property Experts) over 3 years ago

{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!

Posted by "The Lovely Wife" (Broker Bryant's Wife) The One And Only TLW. (President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc.) over 3 years ago
That's pretty amazing - real estate, architecture firms, photographers studios - there is no telling, but I can't wait for that to become affordable and into our homes - you out did yourself again toolboy.
Posted by Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate (Majestic Properties) over 3 years ago

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!

Posted by Michele Connors, Broker in Charge (Coldwell Banker First Realty Morehead City) over 3 years ago
Absolutely Cool! I'm not a big MicroSuck fan either, but this is really cool! Reminds me of the movie Johnny Mnenomic.
Posted by Steve Conklin - Iroquois County IL, Realtor® (none) over 3 years ago

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

Posted by Desiree Daniels (RE/MAX Tri County) over 3 years ago
I'm sending a copy of this post to all my Geeky Boy friends.  I'll have to wait for the "at home" version.
Posted by ARDELL DellaLoggia (Sound Realty) over 3 years ago
I captioned the email with the link to his article "New Geeky Toy".   Saved me from having to try to explain it.
Posted by ARDELL DellaLoggia (Sound Realty) over 3 years ago
This is going to be the latest and greatest.  And will be great for real estate.  
Posted by Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate >> Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters) over 3 years ago
AMAZING!  Thanks for sharing this, I can't stop thinking about all the cool possibilities with this technology!
Posted by Burbank Real Estate Agent Ana Connell (Keller Williams Realty) over 3 years ago

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! 

Posted by Abraham Chaffin - Cambria Real Estate (Sand Shell Realty) over 3 years ago
In the video they said it will be out this year from between $5000 and $10,000.  That could be huge.
Posted by Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® (Century 21 Liberty Homes) over 3 years ago

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.

Posted by Randy Young (Me, Myself, and I) over 3 years ago

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.

Posted by Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate (Keller Williams-Ann Arbor) over 3 years ago
After I posted my reponse on here, I saw an interview with Bill Gates on our evening news.  It seems extremely cool.
Posted by Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® (Century 21 Liberty Homes) over 3 years ago

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!

Posted by Michelle DeRepentigny, *Broker * Athens, GA (Success Realty) over 3 years ago

{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!

Posted by "The Lovely Wife" (Broker Bryant's Wife) The One And Only TLW. (President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc.) over 3 years ago

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. :)

Posted by Kansas City North Real Estate :: Fran White 816-682-3897 (North Kansas City Real Estate, Reece and Nichols Residential) over 3 years ago

Ha! Ha! We have Fran's hubby calling you "Tool Boy" LOL.

Posted by "The Lovely Wife" (Broker Bryant's Wife) The One And Only TLW. (President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc.) over 3 years ago
LMAO......... at least it wasn't "POOL BOY"....... anything that ends with BOY makes me nervous. LMAO
Posted by Kansas City North Real Estate :: Fran White 816-682-3897 (North Kansas City Real Estate, Reece and Nichols Residential) over 3 years ago

LOL @ Fran's "Pool Boy"...My imagination goes way south on that one :)

Posted by "The Lovely Wife" (Broker Bryant's Wife) The One And Only TLW. (President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc.) over 3 years ago

HI-JACKED.........

Pool Boy

Tool Boy

Cool Boy

Duel Boy

Fuel Boy

Jewel Boy

Mule Boy

Rule Boy...................LOL..........please continue

Posted by Kansas City North Real Estate :: Fran White 816-682-3897 (North Kansas City Real Estate, Reece and Nichols Residential) over 3 years ago
OMG "S" is next...............laffin !!!!
Posted by Kansas City North Real Estate :: Fran White 816-682-3897 (North Kansas City Real Estate, Reece and Nichols Residential) over 3 years ago
ROARING LAUGHING... OMG... ROARING IS YOURS, I MUST NOT ROAR>... TLW TRADEMARK, Please excuse my temporary insanity......... LAUGHING MY BUNS OFF?  LMBO?
Posted by Kansas City North Real Estate :: Fran White 816-682-3897 (North Kansas City Real Estate, Reece and Nichols Residential) over 3 years ago

{SVW Hubba}...

Don't look at me like that. FRAN DID IT!

LM "WHAT" Off  ... :)

Fran...Are you okay? LOL.

TLW...ROAR!

Posted by "The Lovely Wife" (Broker Bryant's Wife) The One And Only TLW. (President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc.) over 3 years ago

TLW paid me 5.00 to do it.  You know us hungry realtors.......... LMBO

"s"  Stool Boy

Posted by Kansas City North Real Estate :: Fran White 816-682-3897 (North Kansas City Real Estate, Reece and Nichols Residential) over 3 years ago

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! :)

Posted by "The Lovely Wife" (Broker Bryant's Wife) The One And Only TLW. (President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc.) over 3 years ago
I take a break from the computer for one day and somehow you pick this day to hijack one of my posts!?!  I am truly a blessed man. :)
Posted by Jeff Turner (Real Estate Shows) over 3 years ago

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*  :)

Posted by Angela Allen (WickedWriter.com) over 3 years ago

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."

Posted by Jeff Turner (Real Estate Shows) over 3 years ago
Thanks Jeff - I can't wait until this technology finds it's way to a 24" iMac. How cool will that be!  Looking forward to the availability of the new iPhone.
Posted by Jeff Weir over 3 years ago
You and me both! And, of course, it will.
Posted by Jeff Turner (Real Estate Shows) over 3 years ago

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