Microsoft announces Surface Hub, a massive touch-enabled TV for productivity

By Joshua Sherman January 21, 2015

surface hub touch tv

During its Windows 10 event on January 21, Microsoft also showed off the Surface Hub, a giant smart TV that integrates all your Windows devices while at work.

The Surface Hub is basically a giant, 84-inch, 4K smart TV. Instead of running an entertainment system like the TVs in your home though, the Surface Hub will instead run a special version of Windows designed to bring together all of your Microsoft devices at work. It reminds us a whole lot of the original Microsoft Surface table, just now vertical.

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surface hub touch tv

As far as we can tell, the Surface Hub works by connecting to your work’s network and runs a special version of Windows 10. The Surface Hub has many of the apps already on Windows, such as OneNote, but also includes special viewers, and focuses on interactivity for work users. The idea is that the content on your network — such as maps, mock-ups, and other images — can be annotated and modified on the Surface Hub from the office. You can also run conference calls and the other usual work communications you’d need from a meeting or breakout room.

Since it runs Windows 10, it also means new apps can be developed for the Surface Hub that are centered around this big-screen environment. Microsoft also said that Windows 10 apps will be designed to look great on this bigger screen and take advantage of the collaborative spacing. No word on pricing or availability yet, but since it’s running Windows 10, we’ll probably see it before year’s end.

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