Microsoft Surface Goes on Pre-Order

From Mashable -- Microsoft Surface, the uber-cool, yet incredibly bulky technology that supports touch and device interaction was trimmed down earlier this year at CES 2011 to become the super svelte Microsoft Surface 2.0. Now its Samsung incarnation, the SUR40 is ready for pre-order in 23 countries (including the U.S.) and could arrive in stores, hospitals, restaurants and more by early 2012.

An innovative and exciting device when it first arrived on the scene in 2007, Microsoft Surface is a touch-screen on steroids. In its first incarnation, the coffee-table-sized Microsoft Surface used a combination of cameras, computers and touch sensitivity to allow multiple people to interact with on-screen activities. In a demonstration I saw in 2008, Microsoft representatives placed a smartphone on the screen, which Microsoft Surface then recognized, displayed information about the device and let me set about choosing different model options. Other demonstrations included a customer and sales rep working together on Microsoft Surface to design a custom skateboard.

Samsung's version, officially called "Samsung SUR 40 for Microsoft Surface" drops the cameras and puts all the Microsoft Surface technology inside one large -- still coffee table surface sized -- 40-inch LCD touch screen. The secret sauce is the "PixelSense Technology" that lets the LCD panel "see" without using a camera. Earlier this year, Microsoft explained that this means "Every pixel is acting as a camera, so the surface of the PC can actually see." Among the things it can see is up to 50-points of simultaneous interaction. In other words, Microsoft Surface 2.0 could support a bar game with up to five -- all-fingers-on -- participants. Samsung SUR 40 for Microsoft Surface is, essentially, a powerful computer with table legs. Underneath the Gorilla Glass screen is an AMD Athlon™ II X2 Dual-Core Processor 2.9GHz paired with a powerful graphics processor.

Though recognized as one of Microsoft's sexiest innovations, Microsoft Surface has never been headed for the home. Instead, it has ended up in hospitals, manufacturing, retail and casinos. Part of it could be the price, which is estimated at between $10,00 and $15,000 per unit. Update: Microsoft reps confirmed with Mashablethat the price in the U.S is $8,900. Outside the U.S. "pricing will vary based on country-specific duties, taxes and fees."

For those anxious to build custom apps for the the Samsung SUR 40, there is, naturally, a developers' kit available for download at the Surface Developers Center. Check out our gallery from Microsoft Surface 2.0′s CES 2011 introduction and then, in the comments below, lets imagine all the cool ways we can use this innovative technology.

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