Microsoft announced Thursday that its next-generation Surface is available for pre-order in 23 countries via Samsung resellers.
Microsoft Surface, which was first introduced in 2007, looks like a table, but the top is essentially a huge touch screen. But before you add it to your holiday wish list, the Surface is currently used only by businesses, thanks in large part to the hefty price tag—about $8,400.
As the price comes down and the tech evolves, consumers might eventually be able to trade in their coffee tables for an interactive Surface device, but for now, you're more likely to see them in retail stores or casinos. Microsoft said customers like Dassault Aviation, Fujifilm, and the Royal Bank of Canada will deploy the new Surface units in early 2012.
The Surface 2, or Samsung SUR40 as it's known, uses PixelSense technology, which Microsoft said gives LCD panels the power to see without the use of cameras, allowing up to 50 points of simultaneous touch. The SUR40 is 40 inches wide and weighs about 87 pounds. It includes a 1920-by-1080 display with a 2000:1 contrast ratio, and Microsoft promised an 8-millisecond response time.
The device runs a 2.9-GHz Athlon X2 Dual-Core 245e processor and AMD HD6750M graphics chip, as well as Windows 7. There is 4GB of memory, four USB 2.0 ports, and HDMI access.
Surface first showed up in New York, Atlanta, San Antonio, and San Francisco AT&T stores in April 2008. Customers could place their AT&T devices atop the Surface to learn more about it. By March 2009, details emerged about the second-generation Surface, but Microsoft and Samsung didn't unveil the SUR40 until earlier this year.
For more, see the slideshow of the original Surface below.