Okay, a recap for those of you late to the party:
- Microsoft’s answer to the iPhone is an app called Surface, which is essentially a big-ass touch screen table.
- Recent reports stated that Surface would be ready to release commercially in 2011. Which, you know, is a while from now.
Okay, all caught up? Turns out, you'll be able to play with the Big Ass Table a little sooner than that... April 17th, to be exact.
Ready for the most ironic thing ever? The Microsoft Surface isn’t going to be available for purchase, but you’ll be able to play with it in public at several AT&T stores across our fine nation. Why is this ironic? Well, Surface is a response to the iPhone. AT&T is the carrier of the iPhone. Microsoft is, essentially, attacking iPhone where it lives.
Maybe the word I was looking for was strategic, not ironic. Anywho.
You’ll be able to interact with the Surface in three, press release ready ways:
Learn. Customers can review features of a particular mobile device by simply placing it on the display. Surface will recognize the device and provide a graphical overview of its capabilities. Customers will be able to place two devices side by side on the unit and easily compare their features.
Explore. Customers view interactive coverage maps at the national, state, local or street level, using simple touch and hand movement to scale and move the maps, determining their coverage area.
Customize. In the future, customers will be able to drag and drop ring tones, graphics, video and more by “grabbing” content with their hands from a menu on the display and “dropping” it into the phone.
You can check out more info here, and below are locations where you can play with your own AdverTable:
New York City
381 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10017
350 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10022
Atlanta
3429 Lenox Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30326
San Antonio
13127 San Pedro Ave.
San Antonio, TX 78216
San Francisco
1206 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94066