Touch technology for sales and marketing: Pixelsense, Microsoft Surface | Sevensteps

In today's world of smartphones - like the Windows Phone 7 and 8 - and tablets like the Microsoft Surface, practically everyone is familiar with touch technology. And it's easy to see why this style of interface is so attractive.

For one thing, there's the simplicity: all you need is the screen to interact with touch technology. Since there are no keyboards or pointing devices like a mouse or stylus to worry about, the tech has a clean, minimalist appearance, and there's less chance of anything going wrong, or a peripheral getting lost.

There's also the tactile nature of feeling of the smooth glass below your fingers as something happens on the screen is certainly satisfying, while the intuitive element - just touching a screen and getting a response - makes it easy for users to quickly learn how to use a new piece of software.

And while touch technology is certainly the best method for creating simple and effective digital interfaces - whether it's for marketing purposes, a museum display, retail sales, a business tool or another purpose - it's also essential to ensure that the software is perfect.

Here at Sevensteps, we create bespoke systems to help support our client's business operations, sales and marketing ideas.

The technologies available

Making use of the latest technology, and expertly coded software, Sevensteps works closely with business partners to build a solution that fits seamlessly with requirements - here are just some of the technologies that are available:

• Microsoft PixelSense
  In its early stages, Microsoft PixelSense was actually known as Microsoft Surface (until the Surface Tablet became available - see below).
   
  PixelSense uses a highly sophisticated type of touch technology integrated into a table-sized screen. It can be used by multiple people at once and is capable of understanding various sets of gesture-based commands at one time. It can even recognise objects placed on the screen.
• Microsoft Surface
  The Microsoft Surface is a hand-held tablet device that runs on a Microsoft operating system. While this Microsoft tablet is more commonly used for consumer-based purposes, but there are plenty of possibilities for other projects.
• Windows 8
  The latest Windows operating system, Windows 8 is completely different from the brand's previous platforms - most notably, its tile interface, which has been specifically designed for ease of use in touch technologies
• Kinect
  While many might think that Microsoft Kinect is simply for video games, this motion-sensing technology can be utilised for a variety of purposes, changing the way people interact with computers. In addition to tracking movements and taking direction from hand gestures or body motions, it can also recognise users by their appearance and respond to voice commands.
• Leap Motion
  This technology utilises a small, wireless device that sits below your computer monitor and allows you to control what's happening on your screen with hand gestures.
• Near-field communication
  Also known as NFC, this is a technology that's used in many smartphones - including a number of Windows Phone 7 and 8 devices - and allows the gadgets to share information simply by bringing them close to one another. NFC can also be incorporated into non-electronic items.

Sevensteps: making technology work for you

Here at Sevensteps, we are experts in finding ways to integrate the latest technologies - such as Microsoft Surface, PixelSense and Windows 8 - as part of an innovative marketing strategy, sales display or other tool.

Co-founder Bart Roozendaal has been named a Microsoft MVP, demonstrating his passion, technical expertise and ability to make the most of the technologies that are available.

To find out more how Sevensteps can help with your next project, contact us today.