Microsoft Expands Developer Community for 'Surface'

One of the more compelling technologies to emerge during the past few years is Apple’s (News - Alert) Multi-Touch, which gives users more control over the way they can navigate applications and perform particular functions with their fingers using a touch-pad on a laptop computer (e.g. MacBook Air) or a touch screen on a handheld device (e.g. iPhone 3G).

 

Microsoft (News - Alert) has been working on taking this concept of touch-screen computing control to a new level with its Surface technology and tabletop computer system, which the company says promises to fundamentally “change the way we interact with digital content.”

 

Using Surface, users can “grab” data with their hands on a 30-inch tabletop display and perform actions like resizing photos or drawing diagrams, without needing a mouse or keyboard. Microsoft has already partnered with companies like AT&T (News - Alert) and Hurrah Entertainment to introduce Surface-based solutions in retail stores and gaming venues.

 

Reports late last week and Monday indicated that, at the Professional Developer’s Conference, Microsoft will be broadening the developer community for Surface by giving attendees access to software development kit (SDK), along with a 10 percent discount on the system so they can develop new applications.

 

Techcrunch blogger Robin Wauters said in a Monday morning post that the expanded developer community (resulting in about 1,200 total participants) will be unveiled at the Surface session (scheduled for 1:45 p.m.). Wauters reported that Microsoft is eyeing five specific markets for the Surface tabletop computer: healthcare, banking, retail, automotive and entertainment.

 

Wauters noted that this latest development for Surface follows Microsoft’s release, earlier this month, of an open source (for Windows only) SDK for its “Touchless” software.

 

New York Times reported Monday that Microsoft’s expanded Surface strategy means developers do not need to buy the tabletop device (which runs about $15,000) to get their hands on the SDK. Previously, it was necessary to buy the entire system, and as a result only about 500 developers signed on. Microsoft will provide a simulator for running Surface apps on PCs, leveraging Windows Presentation Foundation, New York Times said.

 

For those not familiar, Windows Presentation Foundation, which was formerly code-named “Avalon,” is a .NET (News - Alert) Framework graphical subsystem that enables user interface development.

 

It will be interesting to see how Surface is applied for broader applications now that it’s easier for developers to leverage the system for use in various industries. The technology obviously isn’t yet being marketed to the consumer market, but has the potential to transform computing in areas like news coverage and hotel guest services. Stay tuned.