Articles about microsoft

Whether you like it or not, Microsoft is one of the leading companies when it comes to bringing new technologies to market. Their latest endeavor is the Manual Deskterity project which tries to build a special type of software interface that will permit use of finger touch and pen input at the same time. This makes for a great tool to note down your creative ideas using an interactive table or a plain touchscreen tablet.Current devices are build for either pen or finger input and even if you...

Many technologies that saw the light of day only in the SF movies now have (almost) became reality. Who would have thought that video calls will be available at a touch of a finger for everybody, like we've seen in Star Trek for example, or the fancy gesture interface in Minority Report.Today it seams that almost everything is possible, as we see more and more companies launching "image touch" gadgets. Microsoft goes farther and announces a more portable experience (and cheaper) of its Surfa...

Thinking that the tiny touchscreens on today's mobile devices are not so comfortable to use, Chris Harrison from Carnegie Mellon University in collaboration with Dan Morris and Desney Tan from Microsoft research lab in Redmond, Washington have developed a new technology that uses the human body as touchscreens. Called Skinput, it is based on detection of ultralow-frequency sounds produced when different part of our skin is tapped.As you see in the video clip below, Skinput beams a keyboard, ...

Today is one of the tipping points in mobile computing as Microsoft announced what some consumers were waiting for some time: Windows Mobile 7. The first surprise, that shows Microsoft is capable of change, is the name: Windows Phone 7 Series, which I'm sure will find some fans and haters but you must admit, it's nothing you've expected. From what was released and presented to press, Windows Phone 7 Series was built from scratch, no code from previous versions was used and is integrated tightly ...

Many people say touch interfaces represent the present and future of user interaction with devices. I happen not to completely agree with this statement as touch input is not suited for all types of applications and definitely you can find a better alternative in many situation like when typing a long message or playing a game (you don't want you hand to be on front of the screen so you can't see what's happening). Microsoft thinks that too, that's why they're working on a touch alternative for ...

If you followed us yesterday we've speculated about HP launching a new touch tablet, based on Microsoft's Courier dual screen tablet design, thus slapping Apple in the face before their official announcement. It seems that we were half right, of half wrong if you like, as Microsoft's Steve Ballmer just announced the HP Slate (not the official name) of a 'classic' touch tablet running Windows 7. It's clean design wise and that's something nice. Size seems enough for basic tasks like browsing, rea...

For many months rumors were circulating around the web about Apple preparing a new type of device placed right between a tablet PC and an Internet tablet, 7-10 inch in size, shaped like the iPhone. Now that CES is starting it seems that Microsoft and HP are preparing to strike a blow to the unannounced Apple star. This rumor might find its way to the real world because just a few months ago Microsoft slipped on Internet a dual screen tablet concept (with multitouch support) meant to be used like...

Microsoft is the latest manufacturer who expressed an interest in touch screen tablets and even presented a touch tablet concept called Courier, which features 2 screens and can be used exactly as notebook for writing plus all the goodies associated with the digital world. The video below shows exactly what the Microsoft Courier can do and how:The two displays are 7 inch in diagonal at least (the correct dimension remains to be confirmed) and are multitouch enabled and are designed for w...