Photos: Microsoft Surface

The default introduction, or attractor, screen is a pond in which touches and gestures create ripples and movements in the water.

Applications loaded onto the Surface appear as a scrolling list.

The raw image visualiser is a test tool that shows off what the cameras on the table are seeing, highlighting the high resolution of the detectors.

The physics application showcases how physical and virtual objects can interact together through Surface. In this example, virtual elastics are connected to physical counters, while another physical object controls the direction of the gravity within the virtual space.

EMC Conchango demonstrated how Surface can be used in wine tasting with tags in the bases connecting bottles to information about the geography, vintner and grape variety, as well letting tasters rate the various wines and store their own preferences and notes.

Avanade is working on several retail applications. In this example a consumer electronics store could map out a living room, while cards would provide details about various devices and how they would work in that home.

Another application by Avanade shows how financial consultants could assist clients by dynamically showing the impact of various potential changes to policies or investments.

First Direct is developing an application to help people better understand, set up and manage their mortgages and other finances.

Travel agencies and resorts could use Surface to provide a range of local destination information, including weather, news, maps and attractions, as well as specific user information. In this example, a ski access card would record the various routes that person had taken that day, allowing friends to compare notes.

Car dealers and manufacturers such as Aston Martin are developing applications to provide interactive 3D models of their cars, as well as the ability to instantly change colours and other features by just placing a swatch or other tagged item on the Surface.