Microsoft Surface Demo @ CES 2008
Why Hacker News recommends it
Cited as evidence that multi-touch interfaces predated the iPhone, and as an example of Microsoft innovation.
What it is
A 2008 CES demo of the original Microsoft Surface, a smart table with multi-touch interaction. It shows touch manipulation of photos and objects on a tabletop display.
Recommended by 0 HN commenters across 0 different months, 2009 to 2017.
What Hacker News said
Cites jkn · 2012-09 · on “Apple asks court to ban Samsung’s Galaxy Note and Galaxy S III from US”
Well here is a video of the Neonode prior art: [LINK] It's unlocked with a left to right swipe. Contrary to the iPhone there is no image moving with the finger. I don't think that difference is worth a patent. Moving things (i.e. images) around with the finger is a pretty obvious concept for a purely touch-based device. See for example the Microsoft Surface (now renamed to PixelSense) from 2008: [this video]
Cites alanh · 2016-10 · on “Why Tim Cook Is Steve Ballmer and Why He Still Has His Job at Apple”
For the kids out there: “original Surface” isn’t what you think. It was a “smart table” and its most compelling use case was to present a menu right underneath your place setting: [this video]
Cites smt88 · 2017-06 · on “Ask HN: Other innovative companies like 3M?”
Preventing SIDS via data analysis: [LINK] Original Microsoft Surface (tabletop computing): [this video] Real-time language translation on Skype: [LINK] TouchWall: [LINK] F#, TypeScript, P, and possibly other programming languages HoloDesk Kinect Industry-leading speech recognition: [LINK] HomeOS There are more, but I'm too lazy to Google it. They also had a dual-screen, folding tablet that I really wished had made it to the market, but I can't remember the name.
Critical tvon · 2009-04 · on “Skin Deep Usability (Microsoft Surface)”
Microsoft Surface Demo @ CES 2008: [this video] Every time I see a Surface demo I'm struck at the whole "display photos as a jumbled mess, just like real photos!" thing. It just seems so... idiotic. Anyway, there does seem to be some potential with Surface but it does seem like a bit of a waste in the hands of Microsoft.