Welcome to SufaceHelp.co.uk - As this new technology 'Surfaces' we are here to help you with some of your questions. Microsoft Surface which was codenamed Milan will be a forthcoming touch product that has been developed by Microsoft. They have developed Surface as a software and hardware combination technology that allows a user to manipulate digital content by the use of natural motions, this means touch / hand gestures, or physical objects. It was announced in 2007 and is expected to be released in spring 2008. Initially Microsoft will be targetting hospitality businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, retail, public entertainment venues and the military for tactical overviews. Surface Help is here to answer some of the questions you may have.

Microsoft Surface will essentially be a Windows Vista PC that has been placed inside a table, on top of this it will be topped with a 30-inch reflective surface in a clear acrylic frame. There is a projector underneath the surface that projects an image onto its underside, the machine has five cameras which record reflections of infrared light from human fingertips. The camera can also recognize objects placed on the surface if those objects have specially-designed "tags" applied to them. Users can interact with the machine by touching or dragging their fingertips and objects such as paintbrushes across the screen, or by placing and moving tagged objects. For example you will be able to place your mobile phone on surface and drag your photos to your mobile to upload them on to your handset - cool eh!

SurfaceHelp.co.uk can tell you that Surface will be able to respond to 52 touches at a time. For example you can dip your finger on an on screen palette and then draw smiley face, then use all your 10 fingers to give it hair. As well as recognizing finger movements, Microsoft Surface can also identify physical objects. Microsoft says that when a diner sets down a wine glass, for example, the table can automatically offer additional wine choices tailored to the dinner being eaten. Imagine the application of that in a restaurant. No longer the issue of having to get the waiters attention.

So how much will Surface cost, initial expectations are that it will be $5,000 to $10,000 dollars per unit. Microsoft predicts that it expects prices to drop enough to make consumer versions feasible in 2010. Thats only 2 years and we could have a fully interactive table in our homes.

Partner companies plan to use the Surface in their hotels, restaurants, and retail stores. The Surface is to be used to choose meals at restaurants, plan vacations and spots to visit from the hotel room. Starwood Hotels plan to allow users to drop a credit card on the table to pay for music, books, and other amenities offered at the resort. In T-Mobile stores, the plans for the Surface include dropping two different phones on the table and having the customer be able to view and compare prices, features, and plans. Surface is about to take over the market in a big way.

There are four main components being reported in Surfacesinterface: these aredirect interaction, multi-touch contact, a multi-user experience, and object recognition.

Direct interaction refers to the user's ability to simply reach out and touch the interface of an application in order to interact with it, without the need for a mouse or keyboard. Multi-touch contact refers to the ability to have multiple contact points with an interface, unlike with a mouse, where there is only one cursor. Multi-user is a benefit of multi-touch -- several people can orient themselves on different sides of the surface to interact with an application simultaneously. Object recognition refers to the device's ability to recognize the presence and orientation of tagged objects placed on top of it.

The technology allows non-digital objects to be used as input devices. In one example, a normal paint brush was used to create a digital painting in the software.This is made possible by the fact that, in using cameras for input, the system does not rely on restrictive properties required of conventional touchscreen or touchpad devices such as the capacitance, electrical resistance, or temperature of the tool used.

The computer's "vision" is created by a near-infrared, 850-nanometer-wavelength LED light source aimed at the surface. When an object touches the tabletop, the light is reflected to multiple infrared cameras with a net resolution of 1280 x 960, allowing it to sense, and react to items touching the tabletop.

Surface will ship with basic applications, including photos, music, virtual concierge, and games, that can be customized for the customers

So far there are not many games for Microsoft Surface however the first game for Microsoft's Surface table has been demonstrated in an exclusive peek by SarcasticGamer.com It combines the spine-tingling excitement of a mobile-phone puzzle game with the spine-achiness that comes from hunching over the screen to play. The game is called Firefly, though the g where you grab fireflies as they flit around the screen, pulling them into your glass jar. The graphics are beautiful, and the interface looks very organic, so we have no doubt Surface will eventually lead to some sweet gaming. However this first game does look a little childish but we are expecting a whole host of games to become avaliable for this platform soon, and the setup of it will allow for some interesting applications so we believe.