Microsoft's coffee table computer lands

Australia has become the first country outside the US to receive Microsoft's radical new $US10,000 Surface coffee table computer that responds to touch.

First unveiled last year, the machines have already been introduced into some US hotels - such as the Sheraton, Starwood and Harrah's chains - letting customers order food directly, book entertainment and play music and games.

Last week, Sydney-based digital marketing firm Amnesia received two Surface test units, which were packaged in 125-kilogram wooden crates.

A Microsoft Australia spokesman said "a small number" of Surface units from Microsoft in the US had arrived in Australia for testing and evaluation by local partners, but they were not yet for sale here.

The computers, which feature a 30-inch touchscreen panel, are controlled by hand gestures similar to those found in the science fiction movie Minority Report. They can also interact with non-digital objects placed on top of them.

For instance, at Starwood Hotels customers can pay for items by dropping a credit card on to the touchscreen, while those visiting stores of US telco AT&T can compare phone features and plans by placing two different phones on the table.

Casino giant Harrah's has introduced Surface computers at the Rio, which let patrons order drinks, make dinner reservations, book shows, watch YouTube videos, play touchscreen games and even flirt with people sitting at other tables.

At some hotels and restaurants, bills can be split by placing two cards on the table and dragging menu items onto the card.
Videos of Surface in action can be found here and here.

Amnesia refused to give additional details about its plans for Surface. Its strategist, Carl Moggridge, wrote on his personal blog: "After all the rumours, we have finally and quite literally unwrapped Australia's first surface table. Now we just have to figure out what to do with it."

Amnesia's parent, Razorfish, is owned by aQuantive, which Microsoft recently acquired.

"We actually had our first app [with our own content] up and running within 20 minutes ... staff can't stop walking up to the table and playing with the demos that were included," the company wrote in a blog post documenting the unboxing process.

The Surface computers, based on Windows Vista, are believed to cost $US10,000 each and businesses can develop custom software to enable a vast array of interactive applications.

Microsoft has yet to disclose plans to market and sell Surface computers in Australia.

In the meantime, local restaurants are already introducing their own touchscreen ordering systems, most notably Wagaya in Sydney's Haymarket.

"We are very excited that Australia is one of the first countries outside the US to receive a Microsoft surface for internal evaluation and exploration," the Microsoft spokesman said.

"It is a testament to the fact that Australians are early technology adopters."

By Asher Moses

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