2. Who came up with this?
Microsoft’s employee Stevie Bathiche &
Andy Wilson developed the initial idea of an
interactive table.
This table was built so it could understand
the manipulation of physical pieces in
brainstorming sessions during 2001.
During 2001, a team of Microsoft employees
developed the idea even further and more in
depth.
In 2003, the idea was pitched to Bill Gates.
He loved it! He decided to develop it even
further.
Virtual team was expanded and a prototype
called T1 was developed using an IKEA
table which included applications such as
pinball, a photo browser, and a video puzzle.
3. While developing the prototype
into a product, the team shifted the
focus on surface from gaming to a
cross-functional idea that
recognized and connected
different physical objects.
One main goal was for the table to
recognize electronic objects such
as cell-phones placed on the
surface.
Pete Thompson took control of the
project in 2006 and the prototype
was transformed into a product
ready for consumers to use.
4. What exactly is Microsoft Surface?
Samsung SUR40: Samsung produces the
hardware and Microsoft produces the Surface
software.
Software used is called PixelSense. It allows for
the interaction between hands or other physical
objects (electronics) with the surface.
Samsung SUR40 is manufactured by Samsung
and available by online purchase in 24 countries
for approximately
Primarily used by businesses like retailers,
hotels, restaurants, and bars rather than for
personal use.
5. Who’s using it now?
Royal Bank of Canada
• Offers the “Big Picture” to help people explore how
they can meet their financial needs by seeing a
“virtual” series of their life stages and events.
• The “Kid’s Corner” offers puzzles, games, and
other attractions for children while their parents
finish their bank transactions.
Hard Rock Café:
• Access to worldwide
memorabilia application for
guests to locate Hard Rock’s
collectible items around the
World (collection items,
instruments, artists, etc.)
6. Sheraton Hotels
• Located at hotel lobby.
• Guests use it to explore local attractions, restaurants,
and services nearby.
Rio iBar, Las Vegas
• Order drinks, split the check,
play games.
• Video chat with people sitting
at different Surface units.
• Listen and watch music videos
7. Current News
Samsung SUR40 was recently named a 2011 “Best
of What’s New” award winner by Popular Science
magazine since it offers a “immersive relationship
between people and screens.”
“Microsoft Researcher says affordable Surface
tables will be in our homes within three years.”
• Surface principal researcher, Bill Buxton, is sure that
future-iterations of Surface-like technology will be
affordable to average customers.
Largest Microsoft Surface order so far? Karaoke
bar at Hong Kong installed 80 Tables across
their different locations.
8. How does Microsoft Surface relate to
SIT?
As stated before, it was created by a “virtual team” of Microsoft
employees that successfully worked together.
With competitors like Ideum’s Multitouch Tables, it is essential
for Microsoft to manage its knowledge.
• Sharing best practices: build on previous work (new SUR40
hardware with the Microsoft Surface 2.0 platform)
• Globalization: Expanded and offers many languages (English,
Danish, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Norwegian,
Dutch, Swedish).
• Rapid Change: Must adapt to competitors like Ideum; have created
BOSE-infused sound systems and “unparalleled warranties”.
• Knowledge Imbedded in Products: Surface can obtain lots of
customer information for companies; they must be able to analyze it
successfully and keep it safe. Ex. Credit Card Info
9. • Sustainable Competitive
Advantage: Microsoft’s
name alone puts them a
step above its
competitors but its
important for them to
understand what other
companies with similar
products are doing
differently.
10. Royal Bank of Canada:
• Uses their Business
Intelligence model to
analyze responses from the
Instant Win brochures.
• These brochures were
mailed to customers near
the retail stores with an
offer to visit the store,
place the brochure on the
table, and win a prize.
• There was a 10 percent
response rate compared to
the direct mail response of
2 to 3 percent.
11. Discussion Questions
Do you agree with Bill Buxton’s forecast that
families will invest their money on Surface
Tables over the next three years due to the
increasing market of smaller tablets such as
iPads, kindles, nooks, etc.?
Do you think that Microsoft Surface is a good
way to enhance the experience that businesses
can have with their customers in their stores?
If you had $8,000 right now, would you buy
Microsoft Surface? Why or why not?
