Large-scale multi-touch hardware designer and producer Ideum has teamed up with the Touch Systems division of 3M to launch the Platform 46 range of Windows 8 multi-touch tables. Both the standing-height table and the coffee table feature a 46-inch, bezel-free, 1920 x 1080 resolution LCD display panel and a powerful integrated computer system. They're set to make their public debut at 3M's booth at next week's InfoComm 2013 in Orlando, Florida.
The Platform 46 is the full-sized offering, standing 34 inches (684 mm) high and tipping the scales at 160 lb (72 kg). Up top is a C4667PW multi-touch display panel from 3M, which is a similar bezel-free touch technology to that used in smartphones and tablets, just scaled up a bit. The table's projected capacitive touch technology is reported capable of supporting 60 simultaneous touch points, benefits from a nippy 12-millisecond touch response time, and is claimed to be completely impervious to interference from surrounding light sources.
Designed to shrug off the rigors of daily use in public spaces like libraries, schools, museums and trade shows, the Platform 46 has a 3-mm thin chemically-strengthened glass top that's reported IP54 water- and dust-resistant. The display panel housing is just 1.375 inches (35 mm) thick, below which is a pedestal constructed using aircraft-grade aluminum that's home to a computer system powered by an Intel i7-3770s quad-core processor running at 3.1 GHz.
The supporting cast includes 8 GB of RAM and a 500 GB HDD spinning at 7,200 RPM, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (for connecting to the supplied keyboard), Ethernet, USB 2.0, DVI, VGA, HDMI (in and out) and DP access ports. The system is also WiDi-capable for the wireless transfer of onscreen images to other compatible displays, as you can see above.
Upgrade options include double the system memory, a 512 GB SSD instead of the hard disk, and the installation of a dedicated Nvidia GTX GPU. There's also the option of RFID or worldwide 3G modules. The multi-touch table benefits from push-button start, ships with Windows 8 Pro (64-bit edition) and comes with a lifetime license for Ideum's Gestureworks Core authoring suite and Flash SDK. The GestureKey Win8 utility is included too, which allows legacy Windows apps to be controlled by custom multi-touch gestures.
The video below overviews the Platform 46 system.
Anyone for coffee?
The Platform 46 Coffee Table, the first Ideum product to be offered in this configuration, offers users a much cozier multi-touch experience. It shares many of the features of its taller sibling, including the same 3M full HD display panel which finally offers enough space for a comfortable onscreen typing experience, but stands just 22.4 in (567 mm) high. Naturally, its smaller size also makes it a little lighter at 126 lb (57 kg).
It can be purchased with or without a smaller computer system running a 2.7 GHz quad-core Core i7 2620M processor, with 8 GB of DDR3 RAM and 500 GB of HDD storage. Upgrade options for this model include a 240 GB SSD and a Blu-ray drive for watching quality movies, which can then be displayed on a TV or monitor via WiDi.
The Platform 46 Coffee Table is overviewed in the video below.
The first units are expected to ship in July. Prices start at US$10,950 for the Coffee Table with computer (or $9,950 without), and $12,950 for the full-sized version, all backed with a 2-year warranty.
Source: Ideum
If prices could be held at $500 to $1500 for the toughened-display-only models, I think this could be a HUGE market.
Though large, well-crafted billiards tables speak class, I'm sure many homes would opt for a gaming coffee table instead... or maybe both.
Some enterprising manufacturer might even find a way to do an octagonal version or at least stitch together different-sized panels and custom borders to fake one.