Every tech site in the universe (including our own Technology blog, naturally) is talking about Microsoft's Surface - a new multitouch coffee table thing, which allows the manipulation of onscreen elements by several users at once. There's more info at Microsoft's press site, but essentially, it's currently being aimed at casinos and retail outlets, and may eventually end up as a home technology.
There are some great videos of the device being shown off (here's one). You can, for example, download photos from your camera by just placing it on the tabletop, then manipulate the digital images by shoving them around with your fingers. Microsoft have talked about how it'll revolutionalise the way we "shop, dine and entertain" - it's the latter bit that interests us of course. It seems that Surface may well turn out to be a new games platform for Microsoft - in some capacity. Maybe as a 21st century alternative to the classic tabletop coin-ops of the eighties.
I keep thinking about simple games like shove ha'penny or Crossfire, but I'm clearly not yet in touch with Microsoft's vision. Actually, Chu Chu Rocket would be amazing!
