Microsoft Surface

Finally, something really new in the User Interface field from Microsoft. Microsoft Surface represents a fundamental change in the way we interact with digital content. With Surface, we can actually grab data with our hands and move information between objects with natural gestures and touch. Surface features a 30-inch tabletop display whose unique abilities allow for several people to work independently or simultaneously. All without a mouse or a keyboard.

Multi-user interactions on a graphical display surface was not new to me, see for instance the Multi-Touch Interaction Research, but here, we are talking about a consumer product which should hit the market in Winter 2007, I am curious about the price they will ask...

Google Hot Trends

For more than six years, Google have compiled a regular list of popular searches called the Google Zeitgeist. This has been a way to highlight the sorts of queries people type into the Google search box every day. In October 2006, Google Trends was kicked off at Google Labs to show the popularity of search terms in relation to each other overtime, and how different cities or regions may care (or not) about the trends.

Google now introduce a new toy they are calling Google Hot Trends. It's a new feature of Google Trends for sharing the the hottest current searches with us in very close to real time. What's on our collective mind as we search for information? What's interesting to people right now? Hot Trends will tell you. At a glance, you'll see the huge variety of topics capturing our attention, from current events to daily crossword puzzle clues to the latest celebrity gossip. Google Hot Trends is updated throughout the day, so check back often.