Microsoft unveils Surface Hub: The big 4K TV that could take over the office

Another surprise element to pop out of Microsoft’s Windows 10 event is the Surface Hub, a large screen, multi-touch collaboration tool. Imagine Microsoft Surface on steroids! That’s what the new device looks like, available in massive 55-inches and 84-inches 4K screen sizes.

The Surface Hub is known to be a big TV with touch or pen input and runs Office 365. The support for dual cameras means it can also run Skype for business. The Surface Pro Hub is a large screen that allows teams to collaborate. Integrated with Kinect sensor, it starts up instantly, as soon as you approach the device. The interface has three default options namely, a Skype call, a OneNote notebook, and a connecting third-party device.

The Surface Hub comes with a pen that supports pressure and pressing down widens the digital flow of ink. PCWorld that got hands-on with the device said, “Inking on the Surface Hub is superb. I was able to draw on the 55-inch display as easily as I would ink something on a 12-inch Surface Pro 3.”

On flipping the pen upside down, it turns into an eraser. The display supports 100-point touch. This means, several people can work on the same display at once.

The report also adds that the cameras in the Surface Hub are at eye level, ensuring that remote users feel like they’re talking to you.

The video conferencing software shows users in small windows and the main screen is maintained for sharing presentations and other documents.

Interestingly, the device is caapable of gathering and sharing the content with participants. “At the end of a meeting, the content that was shared—including the digital ink applied to it all—is gathered up and automatically given to participants. Then the device wipes itself to prepare for the next meeting,” adds PCWorld.

The TV is a result of Microsoft’s acquisition of Perceptive Pixel, back in 2012. It doesn’t come across as a device you would use in your day-to-day lives or for your home. Collaboration is essential while working in large groups and the Surface Pro Hub aims at making it easier. It is completely a business tool.