• PC World
• »Software
• »Browsers & Add-Ons

A computer in a table? That's exactly what Microsoft unveiled at the D: All Things Digital conference. It's called Surface, and it allows you to use your hands to move things around on its screen. Is this a flawed idea, or totally awesome?

Google debuted Street View this week, which lets you look at photos of the streets and neighborhoods you view on its map service. Some people think this is great, but others see a potential invasion of privacy. What do you think?

Windows Live Mail is replacing Outlook Express, and some people are cautiously optimistic. Will it be better than Outlook Express?

Our poll this week goes back to Google Maps and Street View. What's the first thing you looked up? I looked up my apartment building first, which seems a little silly since I already know what it looks like. Take our poll and see where other people are looking!

We end with product reviews from users like you. Which HDTV makes such a good computer monitor that the owner has a hard time giving it up to watch TV? Read on to find out, and don't forget to submit reviews of products you own. Just go to PC World Shopping and search for your product.

Note: To use our interactive features, such as adding comments to discussions, voting in the weekly poll, and contributing your own product reviews, you must be signed in to the PC World Web site. (Not registered? You can sign up online.) However, you can view the discussion threads and poll results without being signed in.

Microsoft Debuts 'Minority Report'-Like Surface Computer

mine: Billy... if you have the stones to tell me how much better this contraption is than Vista, then why didn't you do better for the paying customer? You know, the core of your business? Did he blow Vista at our expense for this, his new little plaything?

jes1111: A fundamentally flawed idea--don't they realize what people do to tables? They put things down on them! Sunglasses, drinks, plates, books, keys, cameras, phones, wallets, newspapers, ashtrays. That's what tables are for! If they wanted to do a Tom Cruise thing, why didn't they put it on the wall? Oh, you can play chess on it? Sorry, electronic chessboards are very old news.

BergenHolmes: Earth-shattering, um no. Ground-breaking, um no. First? No. While this is cool (and I agree a table is a bad idea--screen or flat panel hanging TV is better), this is hardly earth-shattering. There is a company in Cupertino that announced this same technology. No, it's not in a table; it's on a mobile device--which means significantly broader reach and more "real-world" applications.

badbuff: Simply awesome...Microsoft does it again. The future is here now, and I'm on board. Screw the PC--I'm a surface guy.

Read all the posts in this thread and contribute your own opinion.

Google Maps, Tabby Cats, Black Helicopters, and You

007baf: I cannot imagine how Google can accomplish this type of service without getting people or objects into the image. A bigger problem would be the license plates you can read on the cars parked in driveways, etc.

waveriderz: I don't see what's so great about it. I learned how to read a map a long time ago and use every opportunity I can to exercise my brain cells. The last thing I want is a camera in front of my house logging anything I do in my own personal space.

annunaki: I'm not happy at all with Google blocking out police actions and such. When something happens in public view, it is completely legal to photograph. If the police and Google remove the images from the Web site, censorship becomes the name of the game. Think about this: If I can see a drug deal in an alley, but cannot view a "bust" in progress, what is the difference?

schro: Everyone who can should make it a hobby and quest to photograph/spy on Google executives, whenever they're in public, as much as possible--and continuously post the stuff online. I'm sure they would be placated by the argument of it being in public so it's okay.

Read the blog entry, then contribute your own opinion.

First Look at Windows Live Mail--Replaces Outlook Express

kwjordan: But will we be able to forward a photo without it becoming a white box with a red "X"?

cmahan0: I hope it works better than the version that came with Windows Vista Premium. After three weeks of use, it would not empty the "Deleted Mail" folder and gave an error message. I could not find any help at Microsoft's Web site but found that many others were having the same problem.

dabrace1984: I have been using beta versions of Windows Live Mail desktop since September. Why is PC World just mentioning this program know? I used to use Outlook Express because of my multiple Hotmail accounts when I was in the dial-up age; made it a lot easier to delete and view e-mails with all the extra Web stuff.

Read all the posts in this thread and contribute your own opinion.

Community Poll

What did you look at first on Google Maps Street view?

• My house
• My office
• A friend or family member's house
• Something I've always wanted to see but have never been
• Nothing, I haven't looked at Street View yet
• Other (please post to tell us)

Vote now in the PC World Forums.