Microsoft's Surface finally surfacing on April 17th

[HEXUS]

Microsoft's coveted Surface device will be making its public debut at AT&T stores in the US on April 17th, consumer availability feels that little bit closer now.

Read more.

[Barkotron]

I've been trying desperately to think of a good reason (read: reason good enough to convince Mrs Barkotron) why I need one of these since I first saw the videos. Unfortunately I still can't think of one better than "but it just looks damn funky", and that apparently doesn't cut it.

Help! Geek in need of srubbishrubbishrubbishrubbishy tech! Ideas!

[dangel]

It's a very interesting tech and one that probably makes most sense in a commercial environment (given the cost and limited applications thus far) so hence we're seeing it in point of sale outlets first of all. The multi-touch manipulation is really slick but it's not the high point - what I really like is it's ability to interact with objects placed on the surface. The latter point has big potential and I guess AT&T see that.

I'd love to have a play with it!

[Parm]

"looks damn funky" is reason enough for any true geek!

On a more serious note, for the home user, it all depends what apps can be created - and, if an SDK will be made available to the public for our own homebrew efforts.

An example; I'd like an app where if I put my Xbox 360 controller on my table, it shows me which of my friends are playing on Xbox Live, what they're playing, and allows me to send messages to them. Oh the coolness.

That, and it looks damn funky.

[TheAnimus]

if an SDK will be made available to the public for our own homebrew efforts.

Roumer has it it will be even tied in with XNA!

(Remeber the reason i like MS is because they do so much for us dev monkies)

[AndrewJ]

How much for a kidney?

[Barkotron]

How much for a kidney?

You can have mine for a fiver, it's crap.