Quantcast

Don't have an account? Register Now! Forgot password?

Related Articles
Maximum IT
SEE MORE MAXIMUM IT
News

Microsoft Offers a Glimpse at the Future of Office

Posted 10/08/09 at 09:02:38 AM  by Paul Lilly

comment Commentsprint Printemail EmailDeliciousDiggStumbleUponRedditFacebookSlashdot

Your grandkids - if you don't already have them -- will one day wonder how you ever got along without motion sensor cameras and voice recognition microphones in your home office. That's assuming Microsoft's vision of a futuristic office ever comes to fruition.

In a YouTube video, Microsoft Research shows off a prototype for a next-gen office environment, which is largely built around Microsoft Surface technology. Neat tricks abound, such as holding up a document against a giant, wall-mounted Surface where it's instantly scanned and able to be pinned, but that's just the beginning.

You really have to check out the video, and we dare you not to make any comparisons to Minority Report.

Video Link

COMMENTS:5
TAGS: Software, Surface, Microsoft Office
COMMENTS
avatarI can't wait until five

Submitted by yourfriendlane on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 9:39am

I can't wait until five years from now when Apple copies it and the whole world has a collective orgasm.

Login or register to post comments
avatarMicrosoft wont let that

Submitted by Xylogeist on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 6:35am

Microsoft wont let that happen! They cant! We will see this technology soon... just you wait.

Login or register to post comments
avatarUgh.

Submitted by Taz0 on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 1:54pm

There fine line between science and science fiction, technology demo and bullshitting. That line was crossed when that stupid HAL 3000 was thrown into the mix. I couldn't watch past the pre-recorded "video conference" with that woman flailing her hands like a headless chicken. Even the first part, which was conceivable, had just a couple of projectors and a surface device. How futuristic.

Login or register to post comments
avatarI think you are being overly

Submitted by Tekzel on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 7:45pm

I think you are being overly critical.  They aren't demoing a working project.  They are demoing a concept for how we might interact with our computers in a decade or so.  The lady wasn't just "flailing her hands" she was using gestures, as one might use with a mouse, you have heard of mouse gestures, right? I thought it was a pretty damn cool demo, and while there are obviously advancements necessary, and refinements, I don't think anything in there was too outragous.  The AI behind a "Dag" is probably the most distant, but frankly with the computing power they are putting on our desktops today I don't see that as being too far away.

Login or register to post comments
avatarStill

Submitted by Taz0 on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 8:33am

Those kinds of gestures are simply ridiculous for general computing. Moving your hand in that way expresses no intent for action, which means every time you hold your hand to your mouth when yawning and sneezing, you'll be or ordering pizza online and deleting some file, respectively. Mouse gestures show intent since you have to hold the mouse button. Imagine if they didn't require that, and every move of your mouse could be interpreted as a gesture. You'd go insane and eventually switch it off.

And it wasn't only the technology and glaring usability issues that bothered me. I felt that it was kind of tacky and cheap, as stark contrast to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHNBS5NJxHk. But I guess it's a matter of personal taste.

Login or register to post comments

This Month's Issue
Maximum PC
SUBSCRIBE NOW
AND SAVE!
FEATURE How to Get FREE Programs, Services, Software & MoreFEATURE Digital Photo Printer RoundupHOW TOBuild a 3D CameraFEATUREDIY Arcade PCWHITE PAPERHow TRIM Works