Consider the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface as kind of a, “Reach out and grab it” experience.

Microsoft’s PixelSense technology and the Microsoft Surface 2.0 software, enables the Samsung SUR40 to recognize fingers and hands, as well as the ability to detect other objects placed on the screen supporting up to 50 points of contact at one time allowing many to collaborate and explore at the same time.

The interactive, collaborative multi-touch device/display is a 40-inch, HD LCD that can be used horizontally as a table, mounted vertically on a wall or embedded in other fixtures and furniture.

So you are thinking a bunch of sticky hands, hard objects, possibly a “Big Gulp” or two, and a glass table might a dangerous combo aren’t you? The SUR40 has one of the largest pieces of “Gorilla protection glass for optimized screen durability and to protect from external shock and liquid ingress,” stated a press release from Samsung.

Making the SUR40 even more powerful is the fact that developers have the opportunity to build apps that are specialized to vertical user-case scenarios. Also built-in is a rich sound experience, the ability to connect to a wide range of peripherals such as bar code scanners, cameras and printers through WiFi, Bluetooth or Ethernet connections.

The Samsung SUR40 was a Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Best of Innovations 2012 award-winner.

At $8,400 for the display ($9,049 with tabletop unit with matching stand), the price is not insignificant. But if you consider that less than ten years ago some 50-inch plasma displays were retailing for around $10,000 and they didn’t do more than put out a pretty picture and heat up your room. I know this, because I bought one. It would be so much more fun to be able to spin around an image of the Earth, zoom in on Fiji and see far-off lands I can dream of visiting, and learn something on the way. 

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Samsung SUR40 with Microsoft Surface 2.0 Software

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About the author

Cindy Davis

Cindy Davis has had a passion for A/V and technology since taking apart her first transistor radio. She found it fun to write macros in DOS while at Lotus, but really loves her countless Apple products. Between 2000 and 2008 Davis was the editor-in-chief of Electronic House magazine. In 2011 she helped bring life to TechDecisions Media as editor-in-chief.