8 ms·

Surface Blades – true innovation from Microsoft

130 points by NZ_Matt 13y ago

prodigal_erik 13y ago
If a blade has to be flat enough to fold against the screen, it can't really offer tactile feedback. Why not a second touchscreen, just cost or power?
- anologwintermut 13y ago
  That's not entirely true. First, increasing amounts of haptic feedback can be faked with vibration. Second, the surface keyboard had raised keys. That's very useful for quick operation where you are not looking at the keyboard. Something that I don't think you can do with a tablet without sticking things on the screen.
  - babesh 13y ago
    A keyboard in turn has limitations over game controllers. Why not provide a game controller interface for your tablet instead so that manufacturers can provide arbitrary controllers instead of just flat ones the same size and shape as the tablet? iOS 7 for better or worse is doing that instead: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/19/gamecase-the-first-controller-for-ios-7 http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/19/gamecase-the-first-co... http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57589649-37/ios-7-ready-game-controller-hardware-spotted/ http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57589649-37/ios-7-ready-ga...
    - kevingadd 13y ago
      You realize Windows has had game controller support since literally the beginning, and this tablet runs Windows, right?
      - babesh 13y ago
        Can a Surface RT run device drivers for full on Windows? It doesn't run regular Windows programs except ones compiled for it: Office.
  - ctdonath 13y ago
    Faking haptic feedback with vibration sucks insofar as I've experienced it: laggy with unnatural sensation. I'm sure it could be done right, but a phone vibrator isn't it.
programminggeek 13y ago
Yes, this is potentially innovative, but not in the same way that the standard iPod/iPhone connector is. On iOS musical devices you can already plug them into music hardware - guitars, keyboards, mixers, etc. That's already happening. I would actually argue that Surface Blades are not the best thing ever simply because for things like mixing you want 3 dimensional tactile feedback for subtle adjustments. Big buttons on a flat touch pad is probably better than a purely visual interface, but it seems like they are straddling the line between a non-optimal software interface for a middle ground that isn't the same as using a real mixing board, but it's maybe a bit better than using an on screen UI. My guess is that musicians aren't going to flock to this unless they get some established producer to use it to mix some awesome beats and even then it's unclear that this is much better than a dedicated hardware device experience yet.
- iamshs 13y ago
  "Yes, this is potentially innovative, but not in the same way that the standard iPod/iPhone connector is." Why does it have to be the same way? How will copying be an innovations then? Also, i could not understand your second sentence.....you can plug ipad into guitar? Was that the implication? Tactile feedback can be generated using vibrations ala Xbox controller. I think they have Linkin Park's DJ behind them. Get Dr.Dre on board. Market it like Beats headphones. Generate a following in music at least.
  - briandear 13y ago
    Hmm. Linkin Park's DJ? How much more C-list can you get in terms of DJs to endorse your product. If Armin van Buuren plays a set in Ibiza with a Surface, I might possibly give it a bit more credit as a serious device. From a DJ and producer perspective, MacBook Pros and Mac Pros are still king. I don't know the specs on the surface, but I would bet running a full Ableton setup on the surface would be a bit stressful on that OS. Serato might run on it though, so the wedding DJ market might eat this up while the real producers and DJs will stick with their laptops, MIDI controllers and USB/FireWire mixers. I've never played in a booth that was so small that a Surface would be the only thing that fit. This Surface thing is going simply be a marketing pull like iLife is for Mac.
ekianjo 13y ago
Meh. I dont feel much innovation there. They are simply using the keyboard port as a USB replacement to connect a dedicated peripheral. Its not bad per se, but its proprietary and you may as well throw it all away when you buy a non surface tablet late on. I doubt this will change anything.
- danieldk 13y ago
  I hate to say it: but when Apple comes out with such covers for the iPad during their fall iPad event, it will all suddenly be innovative and revolutionary. Some people will point out that the Surface has it, but then people will say 'but Apple added this feature that makes it work'. Why can't we see it for what it is? Microsoft was the first (I think) to use an extremely very flat keyboard that doubles as a screen cover on a tablet. While not revolutionary, it is a good step forward, as good as Apple's introduction of covers that double as a stand. Now they added something fun and playful to the range. Maybe professional musicians won't use it, but it adds a lot of fun to the device for amateurs. And if they open up the 'platform' and provide an SDK, it may lead to interesting new covers. They are trying nice new things (touch covers, hybrid devices), pushing tablets in new directions. In fact, my next tablet may well be a Surface Pro, after being an iPad user before it was introduced in The Netherlands.
  - pmelendez 13y ago
    > "Microsoft was the first (I think) to use an extremely very flat keyboard that doubles as a screen cover on a tablet." Microsoft introduced tablets way before than Apple too. Sometimes been the first is not a guaranteed of success. Although I with Microsoft on this, we desperately need a productive tablet and not just a consuming device. Let's see if that comes, and if it is MS who brings it, let's see if they can take advantage of the innovation this time.
  - owenmarshall 13y ago
    >Some people will point out that the Surface has it, but then people will say 'but Apple added this feature that makes it work'. I used to own a Nomad Jukebox. It was a decent MP3 player but was marred by crashes, terrible battery life, and excessive bulk. While I still think Nomad's offering was good, my friends iPod was excellent. Better battery life, polished UI, and the thing was tiny - well, as tiny as a hard-drive based MP3 player could be. No one cares who made it first. All that matters is who makes it work, and makes it work well.
NZ_Matt 13y ago
I can see a lot of potential in this if the platform were to be opened up and customised blades could be manufactured cheaply. I'd love to see Microsoft license the technology to third parties and possibly have an open SDK. This college workshop video suggests they may be planning to open it up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9UAxHgXYxw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9UAxHgXYxw
- nakedrobot2 13y ago
  Your comment makes me think - why not allow people to print out the membrane using their own inkjet printer? Some consideration about the material must be made but surely this can be solved.
tekacs 13y ago
For reference's sake, Point-of-Sale systems (as per fast food retail) have been using completely custom keyboards for years (only affects the last case).
- edanm 13y ago
  Really? I'd assumed that nowadays everyone is converting to touch-screens for customised input.
  - joshstrange 13y ago
    Nowadays yes, but most POS systems I have seen almost look like they have inserts in them and are a covered in buttons every color of the rainbow. The trend is defiantly to move to touch but its not free and that industry moves very slow.
kayoone 13y ago
Nothing in the music space is more innovative than beamz by Flo Rida http://vimeo.com/72153180 http://vimeo.com/72153180 Uargh...
- egeozcan 13y ago
  This might have been the lamest commercial I've ever seen =) Who's the target audience anyway?
  - kayoone 13y ago
    It has an iOS app that goes with it, go figure :) Disclaimer: Just kidding, i am an apple user myself
sahaskatta 13y ago
I'm excited for the Surface 2 and will likely get one, but I'm not sure the idea of creating several use-case specific keyboards beyond a standard QWERTY makes any sense. Isn't the whole point of having a dynamic touch screens to enable ANY use case? It also appears to be connecting via a proprietary connector rather than Bluetooth or USB which means it likely won't work with any hybrids/tablets from other vendors.
- kevingadd 13y ago
  Think about it this way: the blade is a second control surface that allows you to make use of the full screen for data or other touch UI. In audio mixing it's common to have an enormous digital mixing board that's linked up to the mixing software, so that you can fill most (or all) of the screen with the data you're actually working on. Some of those boards have literally dozens of channels with individual sliders, buttons, etc.
knappador 13y ago
Ah, yeah, true innovation alright; an application specific touch-UI? Dang, tablets will never be able to offer that XD. In the comments: "Apple has a patent for a similar device. However their touch sensitive keyboard is also an e-ink type display so each software you run can have it's own custom keyboard/input tablet displayed without having to purchase or install anything extra. That will be a game changer and make the MS device look primitive." Man oh man. There's no point in putting the '$' in M$ anymore. What a great day for the rest of the world. I'm waiting for the infospasm posts self-assuredly advising start-ups leave room for your product to pivot by not implementing the UI in static hardware and 'How Flaviboard Increased Our Revenue by 30000% by Getting Hardware Out of the Iteration Cycle'
- akaBruce 13y ago
  Honest question. Not just for knappador, but anyone else who wants to chime in. How do you all feel about a single piece of glass vs. actual buttons? Personally, I tend to prefer real buttons more often than not. I'm fine with tapping and swiping when I'm just browsing stuff (browser, certain apps, etc) on my phone or tablet. But I feel like if there's 9 or more buttons grouped closely together (maybe less), an interface where I can feel the boundaries between buttons without activating them and get a physical response when pressing them is just better. I wonder how many people feel just a touch interface is on par or better. I know I've never really gotten used to typing on my tablet like I do my keyboard. But maybe I just need to spend more time with it.
  - knappador 13y ago
    The problem is, how much better is it really? The flatness of the cover by its very nature implies awful tactile awareness compared to Cherry MX's or any other such device wholly designed to aid tactile awareness. Looking at the images, I'm guessing I'm about as likely to gain a feel for this device as I am to start reading Braille spontaneously. What is there to give tactile feedback on this thing? Paint!?!? XD Subtle dips in an already subtle material?! I'd rather open a school teaching finger-navigation on felt than develop any application dependent on this. Who is this really a wake-up call to? I'd have to have been using an iPad to transcribe on for the last three years to buy an exclamation that relevant change has occurred. Hardly the thing that will stop the slide of MS, and good riddance. One less platform wholly and utterly founded on proprietary software.
_pmf_ 13y ago
> It may prove popular with professional musicians and amateurs alike. Yeah, operating hardware without any tactile feedback in very dark environments sure sounds nice.
- kevingadd 13y ago
  It's backlit... watch the video.
  - jlgreco 13y ago
    He didn't say it wasn't.
    - kevingadd 13y ago
      How are dark environments a big problem if you can see the buttons? Touch panel based mixing UIs are not unusual in said spaces; I've seen people using touchscreens instead of physical sliders. Given that, this device would be perfectly usable in a dark mixing studio or similarly poorly lit environment; no less usable than a traditional touchscreen (probably more useful, since they can carve little notches into the buttons so you can feel where they are). It just doesn't make sense to criticize the lack of tactile feedback when a device like this provides more tactile feedback than traditional touchscreens. That criticism only makes sense if you view it as a replacement for a hardware mixing board, which it obviously isn't.
      - deleted 13y ago
        [deleted]
      - StavrosK 13y ago
        > How are dark environments a big problem if you can see the buttons? You can't see your hands.
        Jare 13y ago
        Light from the screen should take care of that.
innino 13y ago
I would say that: IF Microsoft has really thought through this new strategy, and mapped its product release timeline out with enough care and analysis so that it will stick with and expand upon Surface (and its new vibe/product range in general), and hasn't just rushed into a new look and is will flail about and switch to something new in two years - if Microsoft really is committed and focussed - and IF Microsoft can match the confidence and self-assurance with which Apple releases and iterates its core products and IF Microsoft can effectively communicate and deliver upon its vision of technology and IF Microsoft can genuinely make people feel excited and good about themselves when they use their products and IF Microsoft can attract a developer/user community which feels as comfortable and at home as Apple's - then Microsoft could be back in business. It's a big ask but it's possible I think.
- devcpp 13y ago
  "If Microsoft were Google"
  - outside1234 13y ago
    You mean Samsung. Google has more or less failed on all of those fronts too.
pinaceae 13y ago
nomination for the most overused word of the year - innovation. seriously, is any idea now innovation? is it true innovation? or fake? what about disruptive? paradigmatic? enabling? absolutely clear what the headline is digging at (can't innovate my ass...). so tired of this bullshit.
spullara 13y ago
My guess is that the blades are terrible and no one will ever use them. It is an easy prediction to make but looking at it doesn't inspire confidence.
noonespecial 13y ago
They would have to be pretty darn cheap to beat out the USB Midi controllers people generally use now with things like Ableton Live, considering you can get something like this now for less than $100 that has the virtue of already being for sale. It won't look half as cool with your Surface, though. It might make sense from an industrial standpoint to replace a gazillion of those membrane pads at Micky-D's but as a consumer good? I'm not so sure.
- thirdsun 13y ago
  You're right but I doubt that this is targeted at users who know what MIDI or OSC is. If you're a professional there are a lot of better, established and thanks to Midi more configurable/hackable options available. However this might be popular among casual "musicians".
  - chrischen 13y ago
    The casual "musicians", if they're at the point where they're buying hardware, will probably still consider real hardware vs this.
- snarfy 13y ago
  It's never going to beat those usb midi controllers. They have physical buttons. The best thing it will do is be cheap.
npunt 13y ago
The pressure sensitivity of this is cool but lets not get ahead of ourselves with 'true innovation' - this isn't the tactile feedback multi-use touch surface we've been waiting for. I own a Surface (journalist freebie hand-me-down), and after playing with it extensively I've determined Surface's only real contribution to society is as a physical manifestation of Microsoft's inability to commit to design decisions. Should it run classic UI or Metro? Should it to run ARM or x86 apps? Should it have a keyboard or a blade? Microsoft's answer to all of these is YES, and that means NO polish and NO market share. This blade is another example of not committing - are there any launch partners where you can use this with any software you want? Doesn't look like it. So we're to expect musicians are going to drop the music software they've been using for years for a cut-down v1 Microsoft remix app? If not, then who's it for? The uber casual remixer who.. probably already owns an ipad? Pick a market, guys. I feel bad for the undoubtedly smart folks who put together the blade and the remix app, but who are stuck working on a crappy platform. Building an array of 1000 pressure-sensitive sensors into a touch surface is cool (I'm impressed w new blade touch architecture), but its also something that a committed hacker could do. And after doing it, they'd have as much market share and software partners as Microsoft does with this blade on Surface. So... I wouldn't call it 'true innovation'. Lets leave that distinction to groundbreaking research projects or highly polished new-ish ideas that finally go big.
- iamshs 13y ago
  Would you like some blackberry keyboards for your iphone, sir?
- vanderZwan 13y ago
  > Should it run classic UI or Metro? Should it to run ARM or x86 apps? Should it have a keyboard or a blade? Microsoft's answer to all of these is YES Do you understand anything about how Microsoft works? Supporting everything is their thing, and it is one of the things that has made them big in the first place - for example, my parents (doctors) still use a DOS based program on their Windows 7 machines that has pretty much gone unchanged at its core for over two decades[1]. Now if that isn't vendor lock-in, I don't know what is. [1] https://www.promedico.nl/ https://www.promedico.nl/
joosters 13y ago
It would be awesome if the 'keyboard' could be combined with an e-ink screen that overlaid it. That way, the touchpad could be reconfigured on the fly depending upon the app that you are using.
VeejayRampay 13y ago
It seems like an awesome product but it's Microsoft so I guess it'll never get the recognition and the street cred.
zarify 13y ago
I'm sorry, but are they calling MS innovative for reinventing the peripheral? Only this time for tablets!
bsaul 13y ago
It really surprises me how in the middle of Microsoft massive failures, you can still find a couple of good ideas here and there, proving that some fresh blood is still pumping inside that company. I wonder what it feels like. Does it feel great like "i'm the one that keeps this company innovating", or bad like "damn, if only I were working at apple or google, i would be among other people like me, and management wouldn't destroy my ideas with their crappy execution" ?
- aa0 13y ago
  Seriously?
luisivan 13y ago
I wouldn't call this innovation... it's cool, yeah, but let's stop using the word innovation for each cool feature created
b1daly 13y ago
This is like a parody of innovation! It looks like a concept project mostly. The key to making anything like this comes from how well it is integrated with the software, and audio production software is really hard to get right. There is a need for physical controls for music software control (or any software) and there is a fundamental problem. The amount of parameters and functions that need to be controlled is vast. It will quickly overwhelm a control surface with limited amount of controls unless a lot of thought and design is put into the a method of switching the function of the controls. These types of controls are still virtual!
M4rkH 13y ago
The new Web MIDI spec allows hands-on devices with sliders, dials, XY pads etc to be accessible from javascript. While the majority of MIDI controller devices currently target music apps it will be interesting to see how hands-on devices can help improve interactions with other types of app. As an example, here I tackle the fiddly business of graph navigation using a standard plug-and-play MIDI controller and the latest Chrome: https://vimeo.com/74886850 https://vimeo.com/74886850
kyriakos 13y ago
This has a potential if Microsoft opens up the architecture and allows other companies to create their own touch covers. it will automatically boost Surface sales if big name software companies produce customized touch covers to work with their applications. Think for example covers for video editing software, CAD etc
razzaj 13y ago
I fail to see the "innovation" in this. Purpose built keyboards have been around for as long as i can remember, I am especially thinking about the TV production computers with special keys, colours etc... When i saw this i had my hopes high to see a touch surface with an electronically customisable layout, so that the app can essentially draw its own controls. With e-Ink this is not difficult to do.
- tluyben2 13y ago
  Yes, that would be nice. Those dual screen laptops are a nice idea, but not with double screens; no battery life/too heavy and such. With e-ink and especially mixed with something like Tactus[1] you could have a winner. I would've actually expected something like that to appear in one of the big vendors' machines as an attempt to be the 'new iPhone/iPad wow moment'. Fail or not, someone has to try. [1] http://www.tactustechnology.com/technology.html http://www.tactustechnology.com/technology.html
beloch 13y ago
I don't think the Jaguar ever had card inserts for its controllers. In any case, even if it did the Intellivision had them first. They were a neat idea, but putting another piece of plastic in front of buttons that weren't all that easy to press to begin with... Blades could be a compelling feature, if done right. Apple forces users to do things according to the "Apple Way" and succeeds by polishing that way very well. Anyone who is happy with the "Apple Way" is a happy Apple user. Unfortunately, creating a significant amount of content on a tablet is not really a part of the "Apple Way". Tablets are for consumption, dummy! People who want to create stuff on a tablet are currently an under-served market. It remains to be seen if MS will find success in tablet-space, but at least they're targeting a niche that Apple is neglecting.
- jzwinck 13y ago
  The Jaguar sure did have overlays[1]. But they weren't as ubiquitous nor as essential as those for Intellivision a decade prior. [1] http://atariage.com/system_items.html?SystemID=JAGUAR&ItemTypeID=OVERLAY http://atariage.com/system_items.html?SystemID=JAGUAR&ItemTy...
- jkscm 13y ago
  I don't know if you're being sarcastic or not. 1. Apple makes the iWork suite 2. Have you ever used a touch cover? You hardly can call the touch areas on these devices buttons. They give nearly as much feedback as touch screens: none. 3. Why would a DJ or a gamer prefer this when the surface has a usb port anyway. They could use peripherals from traktor or the 360 game pad.
  - sp332 13y ago
    3. Because you can fold this up with the device, lock it magnetically, and walk away holding it in one hand.
- bradleyland 13y ago
  I think the Blades are an awesome idea, but I really don't understand your assessment of Apple's usage goals for the iPad. Apple has run commercials promoting creation oriented tasks for the iPad. There is a tremendous consumption market for iPads, but Apple pretty clearly wants it to be a device used for creation as well. If there is a difference in strategy here, it that Apple's view of how a user should interact with a tablet interface is more direct. I.e., the sliders and buttons showcased on the example Blade would simply appear as interface elements on the display. The Blade idea follows a slightly different model where the tablet serves as a hybrid input/display. The up-side is that the Blade effectively doubles your input surface area. I think that appeals to a lot of people. In short, I think Apple and Microsoft are promoting a lot of the same ideas here, but I think the Blade represents a bigger commitment to the creation side of the market. I would assume that the HID (human interface device) API within the Surface's operating system has good support for the development of peripherals like Blades. Does anyone know if iOS has similar APIs for Bluetooth connected HIDs? ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_interface_device http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_interface_device
Zigurd 13y ago
This is supposed to be the "innovation?" A static, physical, printed-on-a-touchpad input system for a touch device? This input device was made to seem cool in an ad. In the real world the reaction will be puzzlement over why these controls are not implemented on the screen, where visual feedback and reconfiguration of the controls is possible.
- minutetominute 13y ago
  Completely agree. You're better off just having a second screen like the Nintendo DS.
- ctdonath 13y ago
  Exactly. The whole point of a tablet is to show the buttons you need when you need them (and only then), without an external device taking up space whether you need it or not. For a couple times the price of the static physical dedicated device, you could buy a second device and program the app to use that as expanded-screen input.
  - corresation 13y ago
    Exactly. The whole point of a tablet is to show the buttons you need when you need them (and only then), without an external device taking up space whether you need it or not. What if I want the buttons available without taking up space on the screen whether I need it or not? The information density of a screen collapses in on itself when it is completely crowded out by control surfaces, so your very argument can be used as a counter-argument.
    - ctdonath 13y ago
      There are of course exceptions to every rule. A specialized controller might be suitable for a few applications. When talking on the scale of Microsoft and general-purpose tablets, the market for such specialized controllers are vanishingly small; great for a niche, but a paltry offering from a company in desperate need of mass appeal.
canthonytucci 13y ago
I was actually considering taking my Surface Pro down off of craigslist and keeping it to play with this for a while (depending on how much they wanted for it). I love synths and drum machines and am always interested to try new music toys and software (I'm far from a musician, so toys is the appropriate word here for me). So I clicked through to the MS site for it and found that they won't let me order one. In fact, they're a bit condescending about it: >Want your own Surface Music Kit? Join the #RemixProject and make a Vine video to show us why you deserve one. I guess that I am willing to pay is not reason enough to one deserve one.' Then I got to thinking "what's so innovative about this?" If anything it's a step backwards, a proprietary connector attaches a keyboard/input device to a single model of (shitty) computer. What about this is better than an iPad + usb midi controller? More RAM I guess...but then there's the laptop + midi controller option. ---- As for the other uses for this, every other one seems better served by a regular tablet or PC. The Surface is not "no compromises" it's "All compromises". In my experience, the surface pro sucks as a tablet, it's too heavy and the app selection is terrible, what is there is hacked together and offers few features (see the MLB TV app on win 8 vs iPad for a great example of the quality difference). It also sucks as a laptop. You can't use it on a couch because they keyboard is not helping to stabilize it, every time you hit a key it wobbles about. The trackpad is miserable. (Edit: miserable on both the touch and type covers) Windows does not like high dpi Screens, and does not offer decent scaling ability. In order to have applications look crisp, they need to be tiny, and on an 11" screen with that many pixels tiny is really tiny. There's also no support for multiple scaling settings for screens. Plug in an external monitor and you need to take a trip to the control panel (and log in and out) in order to change the scaling....and it will be applied to BOTH screens. If you want to use the touchscreen on a table with the kickstand, it tilts and the whole thing moves away from you, again the keyboard does nothing to help stabilize it, and there's no non-slip coating on the kickstand or bottom of the tablet so it just slides away if you push too hard. RE-EDIT: removed kvetching
- aa0 13y ago
  This isn't SurfaceReviews.com
  - 13y ago
nextstep 13y ago
Microsoft is struggling to get developers excited about their platform. If they can't convince companies to invest the time to build software, they'll never convince anyone to manufacture hardware; hardware has a real cost per unit.
sambeau 13y ago
I think this is a step-backwards. It's a terribly flawed concept for two reasons: 1) the screen is already an infinitely customisable graphical touch UI 2) you need to set your portable device down on a flat surface to use it Without it you can easily page back-and-forth through multiple control screens each with a custom UI. You can still have a different screen for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Without it you can carry the device to a table and enter the data in situ. You can hold it in one hand and operate the device with the other. This bypasses a mobile touch device's two main assets: its portability and its touch screen!
- Pxtl 13y ago
  Yeah, that. The Nintendo DS does the "display plus touch-area separation" right by having a second screen. And you can use that in your lap. imho, the DS is mostly held back by a resistive touchscreen and Nintendo's inability to think big-picture. This blade thing stinks of being a solution looking for a problem.
- cma 13y ago
  Huge step backwards from the courier concept, which could encompass all of the touch covers on the second screen..
snowwrestler 13y ago
Fingerworks keyboards and touchpads--which were one of the first commercial implementations of capacitive multitouch--were popular with some music producers for specifically this reason. See for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qg8IB64yu8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qg8IB64yu8 Fingerworks was purchased by Apple, and their technology integrated into the touchpads and iOS devices.
mkr-hn 13y ago
Give me a digital painting toolbox blade to go with that Wacom screen and I'll be happy.

130 points by NZ_Matt 13y ago

If a blade has to be flat enough to fold against the screen, it can't really offer tactile feedback. Why not a second touchscreen, just cost or power?

anologwintermut 13y ago
That's not entirely true. First, increasing amounts of haptic feedback can be faked with vibration. Second, the surface keyboard had raised keys. That's very useful for quick operation where you are not looking at the keyboard. Something that I don't think you can do with a tablet without sticking things on the screen.
- babesh 13y ago
  A keyboard in turn has limitations over game controllers. Why not provide a game controller interface for your tablet instead so that manufacturers can provide arbitrary controllers instead of just flat ones the same size and shape as the tablet? iOS 7 for better or worse is doing that instead: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/19/gamecase-the-first-controller-for-ios-7 http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/19/gamecase-the-first-co... http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57589649-37/ios-7-ready-game-controller-hardware-spotted/ http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57589649-37/ios-7-ready-ga...
  - kevingadd 13y ago
    You realize Windows has had game controller support since literally the beginning, and this tablet runs Windows, right?
    - babesh 13y ago
      Can a Surface RT run device drivers for full on Windows? It doesn't run regular Windows programs except ones compiled for it: Office.
- ctdonath 13y ago
  Faking haptic feedback with vibration sucks insofar as I've experienced it: laggy with unnatural sensation. I'm sure it could be done right, but a phone vibrator isn't it.

programminggeek 13y ago

Yes, this is potentially innovative, but not in the same way that the standard iPod/iPhone connector is. On iOS musical devices you can already plug them into music hardware - guitars, keyboards, mixers, etc. That's already happening. I would actually argue that Surface Blades are not the best thing ever simply because for things like mixing you want 3 dimensional tactile feedback for subtle adjustments. Big buttons on a flat touch pad is probably better than a purely visual interface, but it seems like they are straddling the line between a non-optimal software interface for a middle ground that isn't the same as using a real mixing board, but it's maybe a bit better than using an on screen UI. My guess is that musicians aren't going to flock to this unless they get some established producer to use it to mix some awesome beats and even then it's unclear that this is much better than a dedicated hardware device experience yet.

iamshs 13y ago
"Yes, this is potentially innovative, but not in the same way that the standard iPod/iPhone connector is." Why does it have to be the same way? How will copying be an innovations then? Also, i could not understand your second sentence.....you can plug ipad into guitar? Was that the implication? Tactile feedback can be generated using vibrations ala Xbox controller. I think they have Linkin Park's DJ behind them. Get Dr.Dre on board. Market it like Beats headphones. Generate a following in music at least.
- briandear 13y ago
  Hmm. Linkin Park's DJ? How much more C-list can you get in terms of DJs to endorse your product. If Armin van Buuren plays a set in Ibiza with a Surface, I might possibly give it a bit more credit as a serious device. From a DJ and producer perspective, MacBook Pros and Mac Pros are still king. I don't know the specs on the surface, but I would bet running a full Ableton setup on the surface would be a bit stressful on that OS. Serato might run on it though, so the wedding DJ market might eat this up while the real producers and DJs will stick with their laptops, MIDI controllers and USB/FireWire mixers. I've never played in a booth that was so small that a Surface would be the only thing that fit. This Surface thing is going simply be a marketing pull like iLife is for Mac.

ekianjo 13y ago

Meh. I dont feel much innovation there. They are simply using the keyboard port as a USB replacement to connect a dedicated peripheral. Its not bad per se, but its proprietary and you may as well throw it all away when you buy a non surface tablet late on. I doubt this will change anything.

danieldk 13y ago
I hate to say it: but when Apple comes out with such covers for the iPad during their fall iPad event, it will all suddenly be innovative and revolutionary. Some people will point out that the Surface has it, but then people will say 'but Apple added this feature that makes it work'. Why can't we see it for what it is? Microsoft was the first (I think) to use an extremely very flat keyboard that doubles as a screen cover on a tablet. While not revolutionary, it is a good step forward, as good as Apple's introduction of covers that double as a stand. Now they added something fun and playful to the range. Maybe professional musicians won't use it, but it adds a lot of fun to the device for amateurs. And if they open up the 'platform' and provide an SDK, it may lead to interesting new covers. They are trying nice new things (touch covers, hybrid devices), pushing tablets in new directions. In fact, my next tablet may well be a Surface Pro, after being an iPad user before it was introduced in The Netherlands.
- pmelendez 13y ago
  > "Microsoft was the first (I think) to use an extremely very flat keyboard that doubles as a screen cover on a tablet." Microsoft introduced tablets way before than Apple too. Sometimes been the first is not a guaranteed of success. Although I with Microsoft on this, we desperately need a productive tablet and not just a consuming device. Let's see if that comes, and if it is MS who brings it, let's see if they can take advantage of the innovation this time.
- owenmarshall 13y ago
  >Some people will point out that the Surface has it, but then people will say 'but Apple added this feature that makes it work'. I used to own a Nomad Jukebox. It was a decent MP3 player but was marred by crashes, terrible battery life, and excessive bulk. While I still think Nomad's offering was good, my friends iPod was excellent. Better battery life, polished UI, and the thing was tiny - well, as tiny as a hard-drive based MP3 player could be. No one cares who made it first. All that matters is who makes it work, and makes it work well.

NZ_Matt 13y ago

I can see a lot of potential in this if the platform were to be opened up and customised blades could be manufactured cheaply. I'd love to see Microsoft license the technology to third parties and possibly have an open SDK. This college workshop video suggests they may be planning to open it up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9UAxHgXYxw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9UAxHgXYxw

nakedrobot2 13y ago
Your comment makes me think - why not allow people to print out the membrane using their own inkjet printer? Some consideration about the material must be made but surely this can be solved.

tekacs 13y ago

For reference's sake, Point-of-Sale systems (as per fast food retail) have been using completely custom keyboards for years (only affects the last case).

edanm 13y ago
Really? I'd assumed that nowadays everyone is converting to touch-screens for customised input.
- joshstrange 13y ago
  Nowadays yes, but most POS systems I have seen almost look like they have inserts in them and are a covered in buttons every color of the rainbow. The trend is defiantly to move to touch but its not free and that industry moves very slow.

kayoone 13y ago

Nothing in the music space is more innovative than beamz by Flo Rida http://vimeo.com/72153180 http://vimeo.com/72153180 Uargh...

egeozcan 13y ago
This might have been the lamest commercial I've ever seen =) Who's the target audience anyway?
- kayoone 13y ago
  It has an iOS app that goes with it, go figure :) Disclaimer: Just kidding, i am an apple user myself

sahaskatta 13y ago

I'm excited for the Surface 2 and will likely get one, but I'm not sure the idea of creating several use-case specific keyboards beyond a standard QWERTY makes any sense. Isn't the whole point of having a dynamic touch screens to enable ANY use case? It also appears to be connecting via a proprietary connector rather than Bluetooth or USB which means it likely won't work with any hybrids/tablets from other vendors.

kevingadd 13y ago
Think about it this way: the blade is a second control surface that allows you to make use of the full screen for data or other touch UI. In audio mixing it's common to have an enormous digital mixing board that's linked up to the mixing software, so that you can fill most (or all) of the screen with the data you're actually working on. Some of those boards have literally dozens of channels with individual sliders, buttons, etc.

knappador 13y ago

Ah, yeah, true innovation alright; an application specific touch-UI? Dang, tablets will never be able to offer that XD. In the comments: "Apple has a patent for a similar device. However their touch sensitive keyboard is also an e-ink type display so each software you run can have it's own custom keyboard/input tablet displayed without having to purchase or install anything extra. That will be a game changer and make the MS device look primitive." Man oh man. There's no point in putting the '$' in M$ anymore. What a great day for the rest of the world. I'm waiting for the infospasm posts self-assuredly advising start-ups leave room for your product to pivot by not implementing the UI in static hardware and 'How Flaviboard Increased Our Revenue by 30000% by Getting Hardware Out of the Iteration Cycle'

akaBruce 13y ago
Honest question. Not just for knappador, but anyone else who wants to chime in. How do you all feel about a single piece of glass vs. actual buttons? Personally, I tend to prefer real buttons more often than not. I'm fine with tapping and swiping when I'm just browsing stuff (browser, certain apps, etc) on my phone or tablet. But I feel like if there's 9 or more buttons grouped closely together (maybe less), an interface where I can feel the boundaries between buttons without activating them and get a physical response when pressing them is just better. I wonder how many people feel just a touch interface is on par or better. I know I've never really gotten used to typing on my tablet like I do my keyboard. But maybe I just need to spend more time with it.
- knappador 13y ago
  The problem is, how much better is it really? The flatness of the cover by its very nature implies awful tactile awareness compared to Cherry MX's or any other such device wholly designed to aid tactile awareness. Looking at the images, I'm guessing I'm about as likely to gain a feel for this device as I am to start reading Braille spontaneously. What is there to give tactile feedback on this thing? Paint!?!? XD Subtle dips in an already subtle material?! I'd rather open a school teaching finger-navigation on felt than develop any application dependent on this. Who is this really a wake-up call to? I'd have to have been using an iPad to transcribe on for the last three years to buy an exclamation that relevant change has occurred. Hardly the thing that will stop the slide of MS, and good riddance. One less platform wholly and utterly founded on proprietary software.

_pmf_ 13y ago

> It may prove popular with professional musicians and amateurs alike. Yeah, operating hardware without any tactile feedback in very dark environments sure sounds nice.

kevingadd 13y ago
It's backlit... watch the video.
- jlgreco 13y ago
  He didn't say it wasn't.
  - kevingadd 13y ago
    How are dark environments a big problem if you can see the buttons? Touch panel based mixing UIs are not unusual in said spaces; I've seen people using touchscreens instead of physical sliders. Given that, this device would be perfectly usable in a dark mixing studio or similarly poorly lit environment; no less usable than a traditional touchscreen (probably more useful, since they can carve little notches into the buttons so you can feel where they are). It just doesn't make sense to criticize the lack of tactile feedback when a device like this provides more tactile feedback than traditional touchscreens. That criticism only makes sense if you view it as a replacement for a hardware mixing board, which it obviously isn't.
    - deleted 13y ago
      [deleted]
    - StavrosK 13y ago
      > How are dark environments a big problem if you can see the buttons? You can't see your hands.
      - Jare 13y ago
        Light from the screen should take care of that.

innino 13y ago

I would say that: IF Microsoft has really thought through this new strategy, and mapped its product release timeline out with enough care and analysis so that it will stick with and expand upon Surface (and its new vibe/product range in general), and hasn't just rushed into a new look and is will flail about and switch to something new in two years - if Microsoft really is committed and focussed - and IF Microsoft can match the confidence and self-assurance with which Apple releases and iterates its core products and IF Microsoft can effectively communicate and deliver upon its vision of technology and IF Microsoft can genuinely make people feel excited and good about themselves when they use their products and IF Microsoft can attract a developer/user community which feels as comfortable and at home as Apple's - then Microsoft could be back in business. It's a big ask but it's possible I think.

devcpp 13y ago
"If Microsoft were Google"
- outside1234 13y ago
  You mean Samsung. Google has more or less failed on all of those fronts too.

pinaceae 13y ago

nomination for the most overused word of the year - innovation. seriously, is any idea now innovation? is it true innovation? or fake? what about disruptive? paradigmatic? enabling? absolutely clear what the headline is digging at (can't innovate my ass...). so tired of this bullshit.

spullara 13y ago

My guess is that the blades are terrible and no one will ever use them. It is an easy prediction to make but looking at it doesn't inspire confidence.

noonespecial 13y ago

They would have to be pretty darn cheap to beat out the USB Midi controllers people generally use now with things like Ableton Live, considering you can get something like this now for less than $100 that has the virtue of already being for sale. It won't look half as cool with your Surface, though. It might make sense from an industrial standpoint to replace a gazillion of those membrane pads at Micky-D's but as a consumer good? I'm not so sure.

thirdsun 13y ago
You're right but I doubt that this is targeted at users who know what MIDI or OSC is. If you're a professional there are a lot of better, established and thanks to Midi more configurable/hackable options available. However this might be popular among casual "musicians".
- chrischen 13y ago
  The casual "musicians", if they're at the point where they're buying hardware, will probably still consider real hardware vs this.
snarfy 13y ago
It's never going to beat those usb midi controllers. They have physical buttons. The best thing it will do is be cheap.

npunt 13y ago

The pressure sensitivity of this is cool but lets not get ahead of ourselves with 'true innovation' - this isn't the tactile feedback multi-use touch surface we've been waiting for. I own a Surface (journalist freebie hand-me-down), and after playing with it extensively I've determined Surface's only real contribution to society is as a physical manifestation of Microsoft's inability to commit to design decisions. Should it run classic UI or Metro? Should it to run ARM or x86 apps? Should it have a keyboard or a blade? Microsoft's answer to all of these is YES, and that means NO polish and NO market share. This blade is another example of not committing - are there any launch partners where you can use this with any software you want? Doesn't look like it. So we're to expect musicians are going to drop the music software they've been using for years for a cut-down v1 Microsoft remix app? If not, then who's it for? The uber casual remixer who.. probably already owns an ipad? Pick a market, guys. I feel bad for the undoubtedly smart folks who put together the blade and the remix app, but who are stuck working on a crappy platform. Building an array of 1000 pressure-sensitive sensors into a touch surface is cool (I'm impressed w new blade touch architecture), but its also something that a committed hacker could do. And after doing it, they'd have as much market share and software partners as Microsoft does with this blade on Surface. So... I wouldn't call it 'true innovation'. Lets leave that distinction to groundbreaking research projects or highly polished new-ish ideas that finally go big.

iamshs 13y ago
Would you like some blackberry keyboards for your iphone, sir?
vanderZwan 13y ago
> Should it run classic UI or Metro? Should it to run ARM or x86 apps? Should it have a keyboard or a blade? Microsoft's answer to all of these is YES Do you understand anything about how Microsoft works? Supporting everything is their thing, and it is one of the things that has made them big in the first place - for example, my parents (doctors) still use a DOS based program on their Windows 7 machines that has pretty much gone unchanged at its core for over two decades[1]. Now if that isn't vendor lock-in, I don't know what is. [1] https://www.promedico.nl/ https://www.promedico.nl/

joosters 13y ago

It would be awesome if the 'keyboard' could be combined with an e-ink screen that overlaid it. That way, the touchpad could be reconfigured on the fly depending upon the app that you are using.

VeejayRampay 13y ago

It seems like an awesome product but it's Microsoft so I guess it'll never get the recognition and the street cred.

zarify 13y ago

I'm sorry, but are they calling MS innovative for reinventing the peripheral? Only this time for tablets!

bsaul 13y ago

It really surprises me how in the middle of Microsoft massive failures, you can still find a couple of good ideas here and there, proving that some fresh blood is still pumping inside that company. I wonder what it feels like. Does it feel great like "i'm the one that keeps this company innovating", or bad like "damn, if only I were working at apple or google, i would be among other people like me, and management wouldn't destroy my ideas with their crappy execution" ?

aa0 13y ago
Seriously?

luisivan 13y ago

I wouldn't call this innovation... it's cool, yeah, but let's stop using the word innovation for each cool feature created

b1daly 13y ago

This is like a parody of innovation! It looks like a concept project mostly. The key to making anything like this comes from how well it is integrated with the software, and audio production software is really hard to get right. There is a need for physical controls for music software control (or any software) and there is a fundamental problem. The amount of parameters and functions that need to be controlled is vast. It will quickly overwhelm a control surface with limited amount of controls unless a lot of thought and design is put into the a method of switching the function of the controls. These types of controls are still virtual!

M4rkH 13y ago

The new Web MIDI spec allows hands-on devices with sliders, dials, XY pads etc to be accessible from javascript. While the majority of MIDI controller devices currently target music apps it will be interesting to see how hands-on devices can help improve interactions with other types of app. As an example, here I tackle the fiddly business of graph navigation using a standard plug-and-play MIDI controller and the latest Chrome: https://vimeo.com/74886850 https://vimeo.com/74886850

kyriakos 13y ago

This has a potential if Microsoft opens up the architecture and allows other companies to create their own touch covers. it will automatically boost Surface sales if big name software companies produce customized touch covers to work with their applications. Think for example covers for video editing software, CAD etc

razzaj 13y ago

I fail to see the "innovation" in this. Purpose built keyboards have been around for as long as i can remember, I am especially thinking about the TV production computers with special keys, colours etc... When i saw this i had my hopes high to see a touch surface with an electronically customisable layout, so that the app can essentially draw its own controls. With e-Ink this is not difficult to do.

tluyben2 13y ago
Yes, that would be nice. Those dual screen laptops are a nice idea, but not with double screens; no battery life/too heavy and such. With e-ink and especially mixed with something like Tactus[1] you could have a winner. I would've actually expected something like that to appear in one of the big vendors' machines as an attempt to be the 'new iPhone/iPad wow moment'. Fail or not, someone has to try. [1] http://www.tactustechnology.com/technology.html http://www.tactustechnology.com/technology.html

beloch 13y ago

I don't think the Jaguar ever had card inserts for its controllers. In any case, even if it did the Intellivision had them first. They were a neat idea, but putting another piece of plastic in front of buttons that weren't all that easy to press to begin with... Blades could be a compelling feature, if done right. Apple forces users to do things according to the "Apple Way" and succeeds by polishing that way very well. Anyone who is happy with the "Apple Way" is a happy Apple user. Unfortunately, creating a significant amount of content on a tablet is not really a part of the "Apple Way". Tablets are for consumption, dummy! People who want to create stuff on a tablet are currently an under-served market. It remains to be seen if MS will find success in tablet-space, but at least they're targeting a niche that Apple is neglecting.

jzwinck 13y ago
The Jaguar sure did have overlays[1]. But they weren't as ubiquitous nor as essential as those for Intellivision a decade prior. [1] http://atariage.com/system_items.html?SystemID=JAGUAR&ItemTypeID=OVERLAY http://atariage.com/system_items.html?SystemID=JAGUAR&ItemTy...
jkscm 13y ago
I don't know if you're being sarcastic or not. 1. Apple makes the iWork suite 2. Have you ever used a touch cover? You hardly can call the touch areas on these devices buttons. They give nearly as much feedback as touch screens: none. 3. Why would a DJ or a gamer prefer this when the surface has a usb port anyway. They could use peripherals from traktor or the 360 game pad.
- sp332 13y ago
  3. Because you can fold this up with the device, lock it magnetically, and walk away holding it in one hand.
bradleyland 13y ago
I think the Blades are an awesome idea, but I really don't understand your assessment of Apple's usage goals for the iPad. Apple has run commercials promoting creation oriented tasks for the iPad. There is a tremendous consumption market for iPads, but Apple pretty clearly wants it to be a device used for creation as well. If there is a difference in strategy here, it that Apple's view of how a user should interact with a tablet interface is more direct. I.e., the sliders and buttons showcased on the example Blade would simply appear as interface elements on the display. The Blade idea follows a slightly different model where the tablet serves as a hybrid input/display. The up-side is that the Blade effectively doubles your input surface area. I think that appeals to a lot of people. In short, I think Apple and Microsoft are promoting a lot of the same ideas here, but I think the Blade represents a bigger commitment to the creation side of the market. I would assume that the HID (human interface device) API within the Surface's operating system has good support for the development of peripherals like Blades. Does anyone know if iOS has similar APIs for Bluetooth connected HIDs? ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_interface_device http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_interface_device

Zigurd 13y ago

This is supposed to be the "innovation?" A static, physical, printed-on-a-touchpad input system for a touch device? This input device was made to seem cool in an ad. In the real world the reaction will be puzzlement over why these controls are not implemented on the screen, where visual feedback and reconfiguration of the controls is possible.

minutetominute 13y ago
Completely agree. You're better off just having a second screen like the Nintendo DS.
ctdonath 13y ago
Exactly. The whole point of a tablet is to show the buttons you need when you need them (and only then), without an external device taking up space whether you need it or not. For a couple times the price of the static physical dedicated device, you could buy a second device and program the app to use that as expanded-screen input.
- corresation 13y ago
  Exactly. The whole point of a tablet is to show the buttons you need when you need them (and only then), without an external device taking up space whether you need it or not. What if I want the buttons available without taking up space on the screen whether I need it or not? The information density of a screen collapses in on itself when it is completely crowded out by control surfaces, so your very argument can be used as a counter-argument.
  - ctdonath 13y ago
    There are of course exceptions to every rule. A specialized controller might be suitable for a few applications. When talking on the scale of Microsoft and general-purpose tablets, the market for such specialized controllers are vanishingly small; great for a niche, but a paltry offering from a company in desperate need of mass appeal.

canthonytucci 13y ago

I was actually considering taking my Surface Pro down off of craigslist and keeping it to play with this for a while (depending on how much they wanted for it). I love synths and drum machines and am always interested to try new music toys and software (I'm far from a musician, so toys is the appropriate word here for me). So I clicked through to the MS site for it and found that they won't let me order one. In fact, they're a bit condescending about it: >Want your own Surface Music Kit? Join the #RemixProject and make a Vine video to show us why you deserve one. I guess that I am willing to pay is not reason enough to one deserve one.' Then I got to thinking "what's so innovative about this?" If anything it's a step backwards, a proprietary connector attaches a keyboard/input device to a single model of (shitty) computer. What about this is better than an iPad + usb midi controller? More RAM I guess...but then there's the laptop + midi controller option. ---- As for the other uses for this, every other one seems better served by a regular tablet or PC. The Surface is not "no compromises" it's "All compromises". In my experience, the surface pro sucks as a tablet, it's too heavy and the app selection is terrible, what is there is hacked together and offers few features (see the MLB TV app on win 8 vs iPad for a great example of the quality difference). It also sucks as a laptop. You can't use it on a couch because they keyboard is not helping to stabilize it, every time you hit a key it wobbles about. The trackpad is miserable. (Edit: miserable on both the touch and type covers) Windows does not like high dpi Screens, and does not offer decent scaling ability. In order to have applications look crisp, they need to be tiny, and on an 11" screen with that many pixels tiny is really tiny. There's also no support for multiple scaling settings for screens. Plug in an external monitor and you need to take a trip to the control panel (and log in and out) in order to change the scaling....and it will be applied to BOTH screens. If you want to use the touchscreen on a table with the kickstand, it tilts and the whole thing moves away from you, again the keyboard does nothing to help stabilize it, and there's no non-slip coating on the kickstand or bottom of the tablet so it just slides away if you push too hard. RE-EDIT: removed kvetching

aa0 13y ago
This isn't SurfaceReviews.com
- 13y ago

nextstep 13y ago

Microsoft is struggling to get developers excited about their platform. If they can't convince companies to invest the time to build software, they'll never convince anyone to manufacture hardware; hardware has a real cost per unit.

sambeau 13y ago

I think this is a step-backwards. It's a terribly flawed concept for two reasons: 1) the screen is already an infinitely customisable graphical touch UI 2) you need to set your portable device down on a flat surface to use it Without it you can easily page back-and-forth through multiple control screens each with a custom UI. You can still have a different screen for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Without it you can carry the device to a table and enter the data in situ. You can hold it in one hand and operate the device with the other. This bypasses a mobile touch device's two main assets: its portability and its touch screen!

Pxtl 13y ago
Yeah, that. The Nintendo DS does the "display plus touch-area separation" right by having a second screen. And you can use that in your lap. imho, the DS is mostly held back by a resistive touchscreen and Nintendo's inability to think big-picture. This blade thing stinks of being a solution looking for a problem.
cma 13y ago
Huge step backwards from the courier concept, which could encompass all of the touch covers on the second screen..

snowwrestler 13y ago

Fingerworks keyboards and touchpads--which were one of the first commercial implementations of capacitive multitouch--were popular with some music producers for specifically this reason. See for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qg8IB64yu8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qg8IB64yu8 Fingerworks was purchased by Apple, and their technology integrated into the touchpads and iOS devices.

mkr-hn 13y ago

Give me a digital painting toolbox blade to go with that Wacom screen and I'll be happy.