November 2nd, 2010 
admin 
We were able to get a hold of the people behind the table.connect project. It’s basically a big table with a huge multitouch display in it. You can connect an iDevice to it, and control it via the table. Earlier today, they’ve released a video showing it off. Q&A after the break!
1) What made you guys want to make the Table Connect?
At least two of us (3) are real apple fans, and this idea has stuck in our heads since at least 2 years. We don’t even remember what really sparked the idea.
2) How long has it been since the project was first started?
The idea is about 2 years old and we started working on it during early summer 2010 as a sideproject.
3) Is a jailbroken iDevice required?
Yes.
4) Will there be an iPad table?
We will try to bring the table.connect system to as many devices as possible. That’s all we can say now.
5) How do you feel this competes against Microsoft’s Surface?
First if all we never intended to compete with anybody on a professional level, but since you asked: We see table.connect as a hardware controller enabling touch-input and visual-output for a host-device. This host-device can be an iPhone or (in the future) any other device which was designed to be touch-controlled. Microsoft Surface is more like a closed system and a combination of special hardware and software/userinterface. The possibilities with both systems are similar but the approach is different and will appeal to different audiences. However both systems are not on the market, so this is pure speculation.
6) How fragile will the table be?
This is our first prototype and it’s pretty solid – no you can´t dance on it and as somebody suggested “using your iphone with your feet” is not recommended. If we can bring this idea to a final stage for serial production it will probably change its shape a few times before.
7) What will the price range be?
The most expensive part is the display for sure. (weeks of research not counting). For now we’re quite happy that we have found a development partner who can build such a display at all. We don’t know how the prototype costs would translate into a serial production model.
Any ETA until more information can be out there?The last hours have been crazy for us but it wasn’t all fun. Besides tons of interesting emails (like yours) which we are barely able to keep track with, there is also already the usual fake comments on youtube and our project-site. Questions are pouring in every minute and honestly we are a bit overstrained by the massive media-response. We are sifting through emails and will try to answers most questions during the next days.
9) How many of these tables are planned on being constructed?
As well as the question about pricing this depends a lot on the further development and finding a manufacturer that can implement a serial production.
Overall, this is a pretty neat idea. One can imagine walking into a hotel and seeing a big iPad on a wall.
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