It does kind of look like an big iPhone laying down.

"We're working on the portability issue"

Just what the world needs now: Coffee Tables which show the Blue Screen of Death.

If only it came from anyone else… it might actually be useful.

Check this out:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/65

i wonder how many patents microsoft infringed on with the development of this piece of crap.

i predict an impending lawsuit.

This is at least a year old technology. MS "borrowed" something else and making it look like they are innovating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp-y3ZNaCqs

While it is cool I can't see how it is practical. It's a solution looking for a problem.

Because Gates demoed everyone is drooling, wait a few days until the drool dries up and reality sets in and you'll find that MS is still MS.

Vern Seward

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VSeward wrote:
This is at least a year old technology. MS "borrowed" something else and making it look like they are innovating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp-y3ZNaCqs

While it is cool I can't see how it is practical. It's a solution looking for a problem.

Because Gates demoed everyone is drooling, wait a few days until the drool dries up and reality sets in and you'll find that MS is still MS.

Vern Seward

Yup, neither Microsoft nor Apple invented the multi-touch interface. Nothing new is exactly what was said by those in the know when people thought that the iPhone was the first to use multi-touch. Both companies just take technological advancements and then produce solutions the market wants. However, I think the way in which the multi-touch is implemented in the MS application is different than Jeff's implementation, though not necessarily invented by MS (all these companies just get licenses or buy the smaller company that has the tech they need, which is often the goal of the startup companies in the first place).

$10,000! Fully subsidized! That's the most expensive computer in the world. And it doesn't appeal to business customers because it doesn't have a keyboard which makes it not a very good email machine.

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jimothy wrote:
And it doesn't appeal to business customers because it doesn't have a keyboard which makes it not a very good email machine.

LOL. Good one, nice catch. Looks like a cool product but when its successful Monkey boy will have to eat his words...

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jimothy wrote:
$10,000! Fully subsidized! That's the most expensive computer in the world. And it doesn't appeal to business customers because it doesn't have a keyboard which makes it not a very good email machine.

Boy does that completely miss the point of the computer. So you're saying the iPhone interface will be horrible for email? Either way, email is not the purpose of this computer.

You can get a Trolltouch Mac with the same specs:

[url="http://www.trolltouch.com/TrollRetailPrices'07.pdf"]http://www.trolltouch.com/TrollRetailPrices'07.pdf[/url]

The best thing about these, is it is a completely touch screen interface on top of a regular Mac.

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JimB12 wrote:

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jimothy wrote:
$10,000! Fully subsidized! That's the most expensive computer in the world. And it doesn't appeal to business customers because it doesn't have a keyboard which makes it not a very good email machine.

Boy does that completely miss the point of the computer. So you're saying the iPhone interface will be horrible for email? Either way, email is not the purpose of this computer.

You missed the humor. Jimothy was cleverly alluding to Steve Balmer's comment on the iPhone.

Well, I guess you and he both miss the point then. The iPhone is supposed to be used for email, this device is not. The allusion is moot. The real allusion would have be comparing not this device, but a Tablet PC to the iPhone. But the Tablet PC includes a stylus, which is the natural way that we have all learned to write since the invention of papyrus.

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JimB12 wrote:
Well, I guess you and he both miss the point then. The iPhone is supposed to be used for email, this device is not. The allusion is moot. The real allusion would have be comparing not this device, but a Tablet PC to the iPhone. But the Tablet PC includes a stylus, which is the natural way that we have all learned to write since the invention of papyrus.

I'll agree that there are two people who missed the point, but I'm afraid that would be Mr. Balmer and you. First, yes, I did mean my comment to be humorous, and it's good to know that at least one person saw it that way. But, more than that, I wanted to point out, through parody, how short sighted Balmer is. He believes that the iPhone won't be a success because, in part, "it's not a very good email machine." That's what Balmer thinks a smart phone is, apparently: an email machine. This is why Apple has been able to innovate, while Microsoft has stagnated. Apple sees the iPhone as much more than just an email machine, and they see that there's a much more exciting (and less price conscious) market out there than the enterprise. Microsoft really does not get that, or at least their leadership doesn't.

So, I mocked Balmer by feigning a similar lack of vision ("How can something be successful if it doesn't have a keyboard?!?"). And, if you substitute "phone" for computer, you'll see I quoted Balmer almost exactly. And that's what's truly funny about this: I acted like, and you took me for, a visionless buffoon, and all I had to do was use the words of a well know CEO.

You're still missing the point. The point is that the iPhone is SUPPOSED to email. This is not SUPPOSED to do email. The lack of a keyboard doesn't make the iPhone a bad email machine, the lack of a stylus and a good data network make the iPhone a bad email machine. The iPhone was intended to do email. The allusion is moot, you think you are clever when you still don't get it. You're biting into an apple and saying this doens't taste like an orange. I don't care what Ballmer said, and it has nothing to do with the surface computer. But if you want to try to contrast this with the iPhone, well, you better find another fruit, because this one ain't citrus (it's not for doing email, which is considered one of the primary features of a smartphone). Sorry, but you completely missed the point of the surface computer.

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Guest wrote:
Sorry, but you completely missed the point of the surface computer.

No, I didn't. I think it has great potential. I was--follow along with me--PRETENDING to be small minded, to call out Balmer's small mindedness about the iPhone.

And until we've had a chance to use the iPhone to send an email, let's not say its bad because it has neither a keyboard nor a stylus. It make be that it's predictive entry really is better than a tiny Blackberry keyboard.

Oh well, I guess the point of my joke was completely missed, and there's no point in me explaining further. A joke that has to be explained isn't funny, so I'm to blame.

Have you ever used a black berry to send email?

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Guest wrote:
Have you ever used a black berry to send email?

Yes, I own a Crackberry. It's worlds better than sending SMS messages on a typical cellphone, for certain, but could it be improved upon? I'm sure it could. Maybe Apple did just that, maybe they didn't. Let's reserve our judgement for now.

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jimothy wrote:

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Guest wrote:
Sorry, but you completely missed the point of the surface computer.

No, I didn't. I think it has great potential. I was--follow along with me--PRETENDING to be small minded, to call out Balmer's small mindedness about the iPhone.

And until we've had a chance to use the iPhone to send an email, let's not say its bad because it has neither a keyboard nor a stylus. It make be that it's predictive entry really is better than a tiny Blackberry keyboard.

Oh well, I guess the point of my joke was completely missed, and there's no point in me explaining further. A joke that has to be explained isn't funny, so I'm to blame.

You're still missing the point. That allusion was flawed. The joke wasn't funny because it wasn't apropos. The subject wasn't even on topic. See, jokes are either funny if you're small minded enough to just be trying to make fun of some CEO, which I guess if you have enough hatred of the man, it was. However, as a topical joke, it wasn't funny.

As for the email thing, well, try it. It's writing with your fingers. I already do this with predictive touch screen inputs. The stylus will always give you more accuracy, your fingers simply do not come to that close of a point. In a pinch or out of laziness I sometimes just use my finger, but when I have to enter large amounts of data the stylus will always win. But, with a poor data network we know the iPhone isn't for large amounts of data.

"Blue Screen of Death"?... Please. I haven't seen the infamous BSoD since 1999. I have seen an iMac crash 5 times in one sitting though. I have a MacBook myself, but I must say that MS is stepping their game up quick. Apple fanboy's need to settle down with the "they ripped off Apple" garbage. multi-touch technology has been around since the 80s. Can't wait to have Photoshop running inside my desk at the office. THAT will be the day.