Vista - Would you pay $1,500 for your very own Microsoft Surface?

Microsoft has more than once hinted that it is interested in releasing the Microsoft Surface to the general public, assuming that it can cut the price down significantly enough. We haven't heard many details about what Redmond has been up to on this front, but now some intriguing ones have surfaced (pardon the pun). Microsoft recently sent out a marketing survey for a horizontal multitouch computing device codenamed Oahu (which appropriately translates to "The Gathering Place"). Oahu is likely to be consumer version of the Microsoft Surface, and Microsoft is currently estimating that such a device would set a family back $1,500.

According to the survey's description of Oahu, it really is a Microsoft Surface: more than one person can interact with it at the same time, touching icons open up programs, games, or music, fingertips are used to expand and shrink objects on the screen, an on-screen keyboard can be used to input information, it communicates wirelessly with other devices (such as digital cameras, cell phones, and MP3 players), and there is no wait time to start it up. The survey also notes that Oahu can come as a freestanding table, placed into a piece of furniture, or built into a countertop. Microsoft also makes a point to emphasize that the device is in no way portable and that the size allows four people to sit around it "comfortably."

Full Story: Would you pay $1,500 for your very own Microsoft Surface?

Erm yes

I'm afraid I wouldn't, I couldn't afford to beside not having room to fit one and it would only get covered in say books, magazines and coffee cups

no for many reasons
1, get a bad neck when gaming

2, i fall into it, or someone sits on it

3, id be too tempted to eat my dinner on it

yup i'd buy it if i had the money and a place big enough to put it so i didn't have to use it as a coffe table, and as for gaming another monitor and your keyboard and mouse would soon solve that.

I would buy it if I were rich, but $1,500 is a lot of money for something no one really needs lol.

I would buy it if it came with a media center type of software that allows me to control my TV. This way, it can act like a coffee table, foot-rest, remote control, TiVo, as well as something to play arround with when guests arrive, etc.

I know this is sort of like mostly using it as a touchscreen controller for the TV, but if I can make it a dual screen computer with both the table and the TV as screens "stacked" where I can move the internet from the table to the TV and vice versa with videos, then I think it would be cool.

It would also be good with games because you should be able to program a virtual controller of any type and play with your friends in front of the TV. Yes, in addition to the lame piano demo.

It's got to be tough like the real Surface where you can stand on it so if we wanted to, we can do some DDR type of games... Then maybe I will buy 2.

No.

I hear you there! Voltaren Rapid FTW

It's a cool idea, but currently looks very uncomfortable to use. If you got the early adopters, "super-cool geeks" and those with spare $$$ using it and spreading the word, manufacturing costs would eventually come down and the resultant cheaper versions become available, it could have a strong chance.

It certainly has a vast amount of potential.

The way I see it, at worst it will just become a piece of furnature.
I'm sure you will be able to "upgrade" the computer in it in various ways.
And I'm sure future versions of Windows will support those "cards" or whatever that connect to the cameras/projectors inside the table.