I recently had the opportunity to play with the Microsoft Surface. The unit was just running all the basic tech demos that have been show here and there, but even still just touching the unit made me see what all the hype is about and let me know that I was touching what will someday be as common as the television set.
Yes, I think it's going to be that the device (or at least the concept) will be that successful - and possibly within our lifetimes. The first color television broadcast was only 70 years ago in 1938; with today's current rate of adoption and reduction in costs, the common middle-class family could easily own a table, Surface-like device. The only thing between here and there is cost (the device is currently rumored to cost $10,000).
The device not only responds to human touch, but also can read barcodes that are in its database (which makes Microsoft's patent on next-generation barcodes seem a lot more important). Camera can be placed on the Surface to allow the computer to access the camera's memory card, physical pieces can be placed on the table to have an effect, etc etc. So what does this have to do with ministry and the church?
One of the things John showed us was a map tool built in to the tech demo. Expect to see the first Surface units showing up in hotels acting as a virtual conceirge, giving directions to the local area and a map of the hotel. And then, when the price comes down, expect the mega-churches to have the Surface display the maps of their building.
Imagine a visitor coming to the guest table and simply being able to put a finger on their age range and have a list of classes to go to come right up, followed by a map. Imagine being able to sort through the mounds of information on schedules and activities for youth groups. When the price comes down, we will see the Surface in the high-tech churches.
The software is running on the normal Windows OS, so developers should be able to easily develop customer applications for it. What are the softwares you'd want to see created?
- Aaron Linne, LifeWay Digital Media Publishing
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