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Microsoft Surface SDK Coming This Month
Posted by Matt Buchanan at 11:30 PM on October 7, 2008
Do you want to develop niche multitouch applications for a platform that most people will never get their hands on for the foreseeable future? You're in luck. Later this month, Microsoft will be releasing its Surface SDK beyond the few companies that have been privy to it since launch to attendees of its Professional Developer Conference. I am curious to see what kind of multitouch gaming could come out of more developers having access to the kit, but the fact that you can't just go out and buy one for your living room undoubtedly puts a damper on development fever for the platform. [Cnet]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
PreachingLlama
Posted 1:22 AM 8/10/08
I'm quite looking forward to playing around with the SDK. It's obvious that any of the multi-touch APIs will be shared with (or at least similar to) Windows 7.
PreachingLlama
TheWerewolf
Posted 2:31 AM 8/10/08
From what I read, this isn't just a Surface SDK, it's also a general multitouch SDK that's the lead-in into the integrated multitouch that will be in Windows 7.
Microsoft has been pushing a new screen tech that allows for a hybrid multitouch and wacom-style battery-less tablet that fits in the same space as current resistive touchscreens. I suspect that Synaptics multitouch trackpads (like the one in the AspireOne) and multitouch capacitive screens (Latitude XT) will be supported as well.
TheWerewolf
aschneid
Posted 3:08 AM 8/10/08
We've got a development Surface here at the company I work for. It's quite cool...there are some limitations to it, but overall quite a good implementation.
I can't foresee anybody wanting one of these in their homes anytime soon. It's quite the bulky piece of computer equipment.
If they can duplicate the features with a multi-touch display, that would probably allow more mainstream adoption. But as for games on the Surface, I think it will be limited to time wasters in a business/retail environment.
The one cool/funny thing about the SDK is that in order to mimic the features of Surface on a development machine, you can hook up multiple mice. Makes quite the sight testing some of the stuff out trying to coordinate the clicks.
aschneid
The Brain
Posted 3:29 AM 8/10/08
So most people will never get their hands on a Windows 7 PC? Why is that?
The Brain
rcast1986
Posted 4:13 AM 8/10/08
Geez, are you incapable of saying ANYTHING nice about Microsoft? If this were Apple...
...I won't even get into it.
rcast1986
rcast1986
Posted 6:40 AM 8/10/08
@MacAttack7388: Whop whaa, you failed when you named yourself that and chose the avatar that you did. Unfortunately, your opinion is immediately tainted with the ugly stench of fanboyism.
Here, MS has released an SDK for what looks to be a very important part of their future OS and general direction. There's nothing to criticize here, yet Matt Buchanan somehow finds a way to say something negative about the product and the company.
rcast1986
MacAttack7388
Posted 6:23 AM 8/10/08
@rcast1986: If Microsoft would do something worthy of praise, they'd get it. Unfortunately, they haven't done anything of the sort.
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MacAttack7388