Scratching the surface
As technology evolves, you constantly think we have to wait another ten years for a major leap in gadgetry. Microsoft has made that leap, calling it Microsoft Surface. The first live demo has been mashed into a new design for a virtual coffee table. The table displays a desktop image below the glass which is completely interactive, not only with your finger tips but also with the devices you rest on the glass.
Mobile phones and Digital cameras can communicate wirelessly via infrared and probably blue tooth technology. You can take a photo with your digital camera, then rest it on the table to view its images then if you decide to transfer it them you can save it onto your cell phone as it sits on the table with a simple swipe of your fingers.
It uses or mimics the mac's iphone swipe and and drag technology as well as the squeeze and stretch technique for photos. It's no surprise that the next step in computer technology was to ditch the mouse all together allowing for a seamless transition into the immersible digital world. You can add this to your xmas list as its said to range from 5 to 10k currently for commercial use, though someone is likely to get it for personal practice. You can view a lengthy video of developers demoing the coffee table at Popular Mechanics website.
