Microsoft's earlier announcement of "Surface" had generated a lot of press in one day. It almost seems as though MS is innovating again instead of just tailing Apple with products like the Zune, Vista, etc...
As a little background for people who haven't heard, the "Surface" is a table-top computer that has no input device except for the table-top itself. It is a sophisticated multi-touch screen that appears to perform well with concurrent stimuli. Its underlying technology is based on multiple cameras underneath the table-top that monitor different types of "touch." The best explanation is viewed in a video.
It looks pretty cool doesn't it!? It seamlessly interacts with cameras and phones; it processes credit card transactions and allows you to easily split bills at a restaurant. You can organize your evening plans and move through maps more simply than spinning a globe. And, as Microsoft says, it is a revolutionary product that is bridging the gap between intuitive human interaction and the complex computing world.
But who is this really meant for? From reading the press release, it appears as though at launch it will not be available to home users. It will be sold at a price between $5,000 and $10,000 to restaurants, casinos, and many other business customers. With that in mind, my question is, why do all the promotional videos appear to take place at someone's home? All of the videos contain digital cameras and photo manipulation. One video even demonstrates a man planning his evening on a map. Typically, I won't be planning my night out when I am already at a casino. And when you are out for dinner, isn't the point to get away from technology and actually communicate using spoken words to the people you are with?
So, if I could put on a few different hats and ask Microsoft some questions with respect to "Surface," this is what they would be:
As a restaurant owner:
Hi Bill, as a restaurant owner my goal is to turn a profit and spending $5,000 - $10,000 on a table seems a little excessive.
- What will customers use "Surface" for in my restaurant besides paying bills? It is impossible to justify $5,000 - $10,000 for each table to have a cool way to pay a bill.
- Once the brief novelty wears off, how will "Surface" bring new customers into my restaurant.
- If "Surface" cannot bring new customers into my restaurant, how will it allow me to charge a premium to my current clients.
Like the restaurant owner, my goal is to turn a profit, and for my large business, a $5,000 to $10,000 table isn't actually that much. What is expensive though is the real-estate in the casino that the table uses.
- What will my customers use the table for?
- How will it make me more money than a slot machine?
I know that the table is not yet available for me, however, by the looks of the videos it appears as though it is marketed to the home user. If your ultimate goal is to get "Surface" into the home,
- What can it be used for besides: Paint, Photo Enlarging / Sharing, Phone Number Sharing, & Maps
- No matter what price this comes down to, it will never be low enough to justify buying it unless it can replace a home PC. Is this the direction it is moving in?
- Even if it cannot replace my normal PC, "Surface" contains a 30inch monitor, and could make a great HTPC (Home Theater PC). Is there anyway that the screen can be tilted so that movies can be watched?
- You say that this bridges the gap between computers and human interaction - my question is how? What can it do to change my everyday life? What tasks will it make easier than doing them on my computer?
