Core77

Here's a fun little clip of Microsoft researcher Hrvoje Benko demonstrating the latest iteration of Microsoft's Surface technology, called--in typically inventive fashion--Sphere. The first couple of minutes are skippable: if you've seen any of the Surface demos where they drag and re-size photos, it's just more of that but on a globe.

Toward the end things get a little curioser though, as Benko starts showing some of the unique advantages to a spherical display. Multiple users can each get their own scrap of surface, for example, enabling limited viewing privacy, and also conflating data interface with existing standards on personal space: users must get physically closer in order to share information, unlike most other displays. The full-sphere display of panoramic photos is pretty compelling too, giving some impression of the "crystal ball" potential of the thing.

Also, you can use it to play Pong with your hands.

From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (and a tip of the hat to Solidsmack).