Microsoft is moving technology into new terrirory today with the launch of its new Suface computer.

Duncan Riley at TechCrunch writes : “At the D: All Things Digital conference Wednesday, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will unveil Microsoft Surface, the first in a new category of surface computing products from Microsoft that will ‘break down traditional barriers between people and technology’.”

The computer is bin-shaped with a screen that forms the horizontal surface, like a table-top. The screen is able to recognize physical objects such as a comb or a telephone and allows direct control of content such as photos, music and maps. It is a dynamic surface that provides interaction with all forms of digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects.

Surface is touch-screen, point of sale technology taken to a new level. It will be targeted at hotels, retail outlets, and public entertainment venues. The guess is that it will be commercially available towards the end of 2007.

In its presentation Microsoft shows how to order a beverage during a meal with just the tap of a finger. Another example is browsing through music and dragging favourite tunes onto a personal playlist by moving a finger across the screen.

Clearly, we won’t have to move a muscle to do anything in the future. Obesity Plus here we come.