Microsoft has launched a touch screen computer which could be used as a table. This is meant to improve customer interaction mainly in a self service scenario in places such as stores, hotels, casinos etc.

Say for instance, i purchase a bottle of wine from a store (whcih is bar coded) and i put it on this table, and the table would proceed to tell all information such as where the wine originates from, other similar wines, wine growing region, and other food items to accompany the wine etc.

Microsoft Call this ‘Microsoft Surface’ . The device is a 30 inch display (surface) which comes with some basic applications. But its programmable. One such unit right now costs around 10,000$.

More Info at

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

http://www.selfserviceworld.com/article.php?id=17997