Savant Offers Apple-Based Coffee Table

Remember Microsoft's Surface coffee table interface? Savant Systems is bringing the same idea to multimedia, home automation and other tech in an Apple-based solution.

Remember back in March when Microsoft demonstrated its Surface computing interface, essentially bringing multimedia and sharing functions to a coffeetable-like interface? Savant Systems LLC of Osterville, Massachusetts, is looking to do something similar with a new coffee table interface which enables users to tap into their home audio, video, digital media, jukebox, security, and automation setups—plus a variety of other gadgets—all from their new Rosie coffee table.

The Rosie coffee table offers all the features of Savant’s existing Rosie line of in-wall touch panel interfaces for accessing home media and automation features, plus new capabilities such as tapping into iTunes media libraries along with digital cameras, Web cams, business card readers, and a number of other devices. And, unlike, Microsoft’s Surface technology, Savant says their Rosie coffee table is “Apple-based”—although they aren’t too clear about what that means. (Previous Rosie products are based on the company’s RacePoint OS, which they describe as an “open, multilayered graphically based operating system.”

“The Rosie Coffee Table brings the converged functionality of a touch panel to an interactive surface technology that is practical on the one hand, entertaining and exciting to use on the other,” said Savant director of product management Victor Saverino, in a statement. “The Rosie Coffee Table is truly the evolution of interactive technology—it can seamlessly download photos from digital cameras, play music, movies, and TV shows as well as accomplish complete home control all from within one elegant forty-inch interface.”

Savant plans to offer the Rosie table in a variet of stayles to match contemporary and traditional decor…although there’s no word on pricing or availability.