Products
We were then introduced to Gurprit Singh, Microsoft's UK director of emerging technologies. He in turn introduced a couple of Microsoft partners who have been developing applications for the S+S platform.
The first involved Surface - Microsoft's large touch screen innovation. Syd Millett, a director of software developer and consultancy Infusion. He demonstrated a piece of software called Falcon Eye, which is a Google Maps type of concept, but with greatly enhanced interactivity through the Surface device.
The other was a service called Wayve. This resides at the opposite end of the spectrum of price and complexity to Surface and is essentially a domestic memo tool. A small (roughly four inch) touchscreen device is intended to be left in the kitchen and used to write, send or receive simple messages and images.
Simon Lewis of Wayve explained the service, for which users would pay a subscription, had been developed in response to sociological studies into the ways people interact domestically. Wayve is deliberately simple as its designed to be used by children as young as four years old, but it could be the sort of thing that will capture the imagination of the mainstream.
We caught up with Millett and Lewis after the event and tried the devices/services out for ourselves. They were both very intuitive and easy to use and we hope to bring you more insight into them soon.
He appeared to be reluctant to let the cat out of the bag
To conclude there was a Q&A with Singh but, as we mentioned at the start of this piece, he appeared to be reluctant to let the cat out of the bag in advance of the PDC later this month.
For more information on some of Microsoft's S+S related developments we recommend you read the following stories published previously on HEXUS.channel:
What's the point of Live Mesh? Microsoft explains
Microsoft exec discusses Software Plus Services and unified communications
Microsoft's diversification continues
This interview provides some insight into the potential of cloud computing: HP exec says "The cloud could be much more impactful than the web"
