Microsoft Xbox Surface Predicted Back In 2010

If you've got a rather good memory and do truly believe that the engineers who create devices like the Xbox and the operating system Windows are that good, it does appear likely that Microsoft leaked today's Special Event secret back in 2010. Back then a fellow by the name of Bill Buxton, Microsoft's then Principal Researcher, spoke about how the Microsoft Surface, which had been in the works since 2007, was going to get a whole lot smaller rather quickly, or as he said it: "I believe you will see [a cost-effective Microsoft Surface in people's living rooms] in three years." This combined with the leaked "Xbox Surface" document we saw earlier makes a rather enticing case, wouldn't you say?

The actual conversation Buxton had back then with the Globe and Mail was a lot more extensive and covered a whole lot more than just the Surface, but his predictions (or perhaps really great foresight) told us the following things about the future Microsoft Surface:

• cost effective prices

• appearing in people's living rooms, dining rooms, game rooms, and so on and so forth

• the software won't be rushing to catch up to the hardware

• can not only emit light but also be like flatbed scanners

• a really smooth interface between the physical and the virtual

• no thicker than a sheet of glass

• cameras embedded in the device

• augment and enhance in a dramatic way the nature of games

In addition to the points above, Buxton noted the following: "I believe you will see that in three years. We can have this conversation then and you'll see if I'm right." It was August of 2010 when the interview took place, now it's June of 2012. Could it be that Buxton had everything right, but that technology and manufacturing advanced quicker than he could have imagined?

We'll see soon – stay tuned for the big Microsoft event this afternoon at 3:30PM PST right here in the SlashGear main news feed! Also have a look below at our hands-on with a Surface concept via 3M from back at CES 2012 – more soon, we hope!

[image via Surface Blog]