Microsoft Touch Wall
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/ceosummit/default.mspx
So I was discussing the concept of surface computing and the touch wall with our intern the other day, and then I came across the link above. I love what Microsoft is doing in this field, and look forward to working with it.
In the mean time though, what I really like is Microsoft, apparently, is making video content available for download, rather than only through streaming video. This is a godsend, because even with my DSL it would get choppy and I never had the time to sit down and watch it through and through at one time. VERY FRUSTRATING!!! Now I can download content into my video collection and sync it with my Zune, and now it's available while I am sitting on the train, or on my TV through the AV connection, etc…
Abbie and I talk about this all the time, but it is important to keep ringing the bell on it. People need an effective way to get and consume content in an offline manner, so they can fit the right content into their lifestyle. With today's hectic work and home pace, people may not have time to watch a webcast or they may not want to get on a conference call or watch a TV program exactly at 8:00. That's why Tivo and other DVR solutions have become so popular and in some household, mine included, the 'defacto' method of watching TV. With this empowerment comes a level of responsibility that should not be overlooked. Specifically in terms of Intellectual Property and rights granted to record and consume IP and other copy written material. As these rights are determined, I hope that producers and providers can come up with a method of distributing content in a fair and equitable manner for all involved, especially the consumers.
We are working on a concept for smaller and medium sized businesses, modeled on the Microsoft Academy Mobile solution, that will provide small companies the ability to disseminate video and audio content throughout the company in a cost effective manner, using standard products that should already be, or could cost effectively be acquired, in the organization already. On the consuming end using iPods, Zunes, or other mobile MP3 and MPEG Players. On the production end using digital video cameras, webcams, telephones, and built-in microphones and screen cast recording tools. And using Windows SharePoint Services and Windows Media Services as the 'middlewere' or delivery method on the network. We are using this to some degree internally, and have some potential use studies with partners and clients in the works.
Tying all this together is the movement, as evidenced in the Microsoft Surface, the iPod touch and iPhone, and several windows Mobile 6 devices, as well as the increasing number of TabletPC and ultraMobile PCs in the marketplace, and finally in the Touch Wall concept, that people want to interact with data and information, not just read it and hear it. The shift from keyboard and mouse to human interaction is happening, right now…will it culminate in chips planted in our heads? Probably not. Will it result in Big Brother databases with huge stores of information about individuals and groups and behavioral information? Guess what, it's already started, can you say Google???