AT&T stores host Surface demo

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 18th April 2008

If you'd like a chance to play with Microsoft's surface tech, it's being demonstrated in selected AT&T stores in the US today.

According to a report by Zach Epstein over at Boy Genius Report, Microsoft is due to give the public a rare opportunity to paw its Surface multi-touch table interface at five AT&T stores across the US today. Sadly, there's still no love for any of us stuck across the pond.

The Surface concept was clearly created by Microsoft engineers in a booze-fuelled frenzy after watching Minority Report one too many times. The idea is that you have a multi-touch enabled display mounted within the surface (get it?) of a desk, which allows you to drag objects around your desktop in a rather snazzy manner.

It's a neat idea, although it's hardly the only way to do such a thing – as proven by inveterate hacker Johnny Lee Chung with his Wiimote-assisted finger tracking demo.

It's still a pretty neat bit of tech, and makes me think of a table-sized iPhone interface – and with the overwhelming fanboyism that has created, it can't be a bad thing.

If you're interested in queuing up to have a poke at Microsoft's latest concept PC, the addresses for the AT&T stores running the demos are available at the Boy Genius Report page.

You'll have to hurry, mind – as far as I can tell, it's very much a one-day-only thing.

Any US members fancy a trip to play with a shiny new toy, or have you been disappointed by Microsoft's 'innovations' too many times before? Share your thoughts over in the forums – and if you do attend, be sure to snap some pictures to share with us!