Microsoft demos Surface alternative dubbed TouchWall

Microsoft showed off a new product dubbed “TouchWall” at its CEO Summit today. As the name suggests, the product is another multi-touch platform that you can control with a sweep of your hand, though this time coming in a whole lot cheaper than the $10,000 Surface, costing just “a few hundred dollars worth of readily available hardware.”

The TouchWall comprises integrated hardware that includes laser and infrared lights that recognize the touch of fingertips on the screen through the embedded Plex software. A Microsoft representative declined to offer any details about whether or when TouchWall might be available commercially – though during its presentation Bill Gates said he expects the technology to someday be used on a daily basis by businesses and in the home. Until that day comes, we’ll have to settle with watching a video of the TouchWall in action.

Activision preparing Call of Duty 5

For all of you Call of Duty fans, you might be interested to know that Activision has announced the release of Call of Duty 5. The title will be available across a wide variety of platforms, including the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, DS, PlayStation 2 and the PC. Little mention is made of what dramatic differences the game will have as compared to COD4, and the official launch date has not been announced either, only that it is under production.

Likely the game will not make it out this year, though next year is possible.