Move over beige box...
That was theme enthusiastically embraced by winners of the fourth Microsoft-sponsored Next-Gen PC Design Competition, which this year encouraged entrants to dream up futuristic designs that not only feature eye-catching aesthetics, but also cater to people's passions.
Industrial design student Avery Holleman won first place in the contest for this Napkin PC, "a multi-user, multi-interface, modular computer designed for creative professionals to collaborate and bring their greatest ideas to life". The interface consists of any number of 'Napkins' and a 'Pen'. When powered by the Pen, the Napkin is a multi-touch input display that responds to human touch as well as the Pen, according to Holleman's description.
In addition to his first place award, Holleman's design also struck a chord with Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, who handpicked the Napkin PC for the Chairman's Award. Holleman received $20,000 (£10,000) in prize money for both accolades.
We've featured the competition winners and several of the finalists. A complete listing of finalists and qualifying entrants can be found here.
Credit: Microsoft/Avery Holleman
The WITHUS computer, which came in second place in the competition, is meant to help preschool children "shape the right values and human relationship by driving them into playing and learning with multi-human interactions", according to the entry. Unlike traditional computers, it encourages learning through physical cooperation and collaboration with friends.
Credit: Microsoft/Taeho Wang, Minjoong Kim
Earning the third-place award was Backpacker's Diary, a PC concept targeting travel enthusiasts in the form of a traditional book. The different pages offer different functions, such as media recording or solar recharging.
Credit: Microsoft/Zhongren Zhang, Chun Yan
This PC concept called DNA, a finalist in the competition, is a modular and customisable computer design "that will give the user freedom in shape, style, and mobility", according to the entry. It's composed of a main module and three others: the projector, the keyboard and the power supply. Other modules could be bought separately.
Credit: Microsoft/Ceiia
This FIT device concept, also a finalist in the competition, helps users adhere to a fitness plan with calorie-burn and heart-rate monitors, progress reports and more. If the fitness plan is not followed, the device adjusts the user's diet to keep him or her from consuming too many calories. The more calories burned, the more calories he or she is allowed to consume.
Credit: Microsoft/Wes Rhoad
The Yuno, another finalist, is not only "a mug for your morning beverage, it is also a touchscreen display for only the information you want to see, so you are not bound to a desktop during your morning routine".
Credit: Microsoft/Jason Farsai
Another finalist, Palette "is a hardware system design concept that (is) designated for (the) digital artist, painter, design visualiser and people with passion in visual arts". The system was designed with the physiology of painting in mind. The screen surface, for example, uses a photo-optic visual sensor with colour recognition.
Credit: Microsoft/Moh. Tri Hariyanto
Also a finalist concept, Siafu is a PC providing "a digitally tactile interface that completely revolutionises the way that blind people interact with a computer", according to the entry. The surface of Siafu uses a material called 'magneclay', which can morph upward into any shape. "This means that Siafu can generate infinitely refreshable braille and then display it in a book format instead of just one line at a time like current braille displays", according to the entry.
Credit: Microsoft/Jonathan Lucas
The Coach's Clipboard is designed for the special needs of a fantasy sports fanatic. It gives the user constant access to sports stats, analysis and highlights, and organises activities for multiple fantasy leagues.
Credit: Microsoft/David Veldkamp
The T-Horizon offers a "sleek folder design with detachable processing unit for portability or safety and textbook feature for reading books or noting meeting minutes". It also features double-sided transparent flexible screens, among other things.
Credit: Microsoft/Harsha Kutare, Somnath Chakravorti
The Smartchef is pitched as "a partner in the kitchen for those who take pleasure in cooking, cuisine and the culture of food". The device is split into two components; a stationary 'smart' cutting board base and a portable tablet.
The device is not "intended to reduce the owner's time in the kitchen. Instead, it is designed to extend that time and make the pursuit of the home chef's passion more enjoyable and fruitful".
Credit: Microsoft/Robert Hutton, Ayako Takase, Christopher Specce
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