14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft Surface is checking in at the Sheraton Hotels & Resorts in New York, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, and Burlingame. According to the Redmond company, customized variants of its surface computing product will be tailored in accordance with the Sheraton brand. Placed in the lobbies of the hotels, the Microsoft Surface units will have the role of permitting access to information and entertainment via the natural user interface synonymous with surface computing. Surface allows users to interact through gestures, multitouch and object recognition, a technology that Microsoft is laboring to take mainstream with the availability of Windows 7.
"Sheraton is redefining the hospitality experience by offering our guests technology that will allow them to interact with each other and our hotel in a revolutionary way. We are proud to partner with Microsoft to offer the groundbreaking Microsoft Surface product, which will enable our guests to stay informed, connected and entertained while traveling," revealed Hoyt H. Harper II, senior vice president for Sheraton.
Because the Microsoft Surface units have been adapted to the needs of Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, each product will also come with a set of personalized applications. First off, Sheraton guests will be able to look for locations across the city they are visiting through a mapping app dubbed CityTips. Additionally, in terms of actual entertainment, the Surface units will act as jukeboxes and permit users to listen to a selection of artists with Sounds of Sheraton. And on top of it all, Sheraton Snapshots will offer a wide gamma of imagery from Sheraton locations across the world.
"We're excited to be working with Sheraton in its efforts to feature innovation and redefine the guest experience in its hotel properties. Surface takes a common activity, such as looking up information about a local city, and transforms it into an intuitive and social way for hotel guests to plan their visit. We believe this is just the beginning of how Surface will completely change the hotel guest experience," said Pete Thompson, general manager, Microsoft Surface.