I bitched recently about MS's lack of innovation for the corporate customer...and so along comes its launch of Microsoft Surface. Three corporate customers - Harrah's, Starwood Hotels, T-Mobile - are early adopters all for high traffic location applications.
When I saw pictures this afternoon I had sense of deja vu. About a year ago I was discussing interactive chess sets at a kid's tournament and how such a surface device could automate notation of their moves and how it could be used to pipe the game to a hotel room so parents could watch in the comfort of their rooms their kids play. That had introduced me to Mitsubishi's DiamondTouch. But they have only sold 100 tables in 6 years. I expect Microsoft will do a bit better.
Apple's iPhone will soon bring a fluid UI to the small screen. Are the days of the keyboard and the mouse finally numbered? Not surprisingly Gates and Jobs are in the midst of the action again.
