Developer Microsoft Product family Surface Release date 1 June 2015 | Manufacturer Microsoft Generation 1st | |
Type Interactive whiteboard for business | ||
The Surface Hub is a brand of interactive whiteboards developed and marketed by Microsoft, as part of the Microsoft Surface family. The Surface Hub is a wall or roller stand mounted device with either an 84 inches (210 cm) 120 Hz 4K or a 55 inches (140 cm) 1080p touchscreen with multi-touch and multi-pen capabilities and runs the Windows 10 operating system. The devices are targeted for businesses to use while collaborating and videoconferencing.
Contents
History
In 2012 Microsoft acquired Jeff Han's Perceptive Pixel, which had previously developed large screen multi-touch displays such as the CNN Magic Wall. Microsoft indicated in 2014 that it intended to mass-produce the devices as part of an effort to bring down cost.
Microsoft first announced the Surface Hub at its Windows 10 Devices Event on January 21, 2015, at which the device was hidden in plain sight and in use throughout the majority of the keynote. Microsoft began taking Surface Hub pre-orders on July 1, 2015 for both the 55 inch model and the 84 inch model, stating that they would begin shipping in September 2015. However, on July 13, 2015, Brian Hall, an employee at Microsoft on their Surface Blog, announced that pre-order demands had greatly exceeded Microsoft's predictions and that shipments of the Surface Hub would be delayed, with more details regarding the delays coming in mid-August 2015. Further details confirmed that Microsoft had delayed shipment until January 1, 2016, but that date wasn't met either. Instead, Microsoft announced that there were further delays and that they would be raising the price by $2,000, though they would still honor the previous price agreement with previous pre-orders. The Surface Hub began shipping to business customers on March 25, 2016.
Hardware
Both Surface Hub models are powered by the 4th generation Intel Core Haswell processors (Core i5 for the 55-inch and Core i7 for the 84-inch) and runs the 64-bit version of Windows 10 Pro. The main differences between the two variants are screen size, resolution and its graphics adapter. The 55-inch model supports 1920x1080 Full HD and contains a Intel HD 4600 controller integrated in the CPU, while the more expensive 84-inch model has 3840x2160 4K resolution powered by a Nvidia Quadro K2200 discrete graphics adapter. Microsoft Surface Hub has dual cameras built into the device. When used for videoconferencing, the cameras can automatically change when the presenter moves from one side of the whiteboard to the other.
The screen of both models has a high-quality display, though it is not meant to be used for movie or TV screening. The screen is able to get very bright (reaching 424.38 cd/m2 at its brightest), but its black levels, are quite low (1.58 cd/m2). As a communications device, the screen can be viewed clearly at any angle. The screen has a matte finish which allows it to be less susceptible to glare. Additionally, the screen has a “100-point multi-touch projective capacitance optically bonded sensor” and a 120 Hz refresh rate, which allows it to detect what input is being used on the screen, whether it be a stylus or fingers.
There are wide-angle HD cameras on either side of the hub with a 100 degree field of view. The cameras produce pictures at 1080p and 30 fps and are enabled with a four-element microphone array. Inside the cameras are sensors for ambient light and infrared presence. The hub knows when to turn on or off based on the light level in the room, and can also turn on based on the presence of infrared, or when someone enters the room. According to Microsoft, the four-element microphone array can detect a whisper from 23 feet away, but from PC Magazine’s tests of the Hub, a more realistic estimation is about 15 feet away.
Software
The Surface Hub runs Windows 10 Team; a customized version of Windows 10 Enterprise.
JT2GO (Developed by Siemens) allows users of the Surface Hub to interact with a 3D model. The models can be viewed from any 360 angle view and be enlarged or reduced in size in real time. The application can be used on all Windows 10 devices but is particularly useful on the Surface Hub. Skype for business video conferencing will be included with the Surface Hub. Microsoft OneNote allows users to draw on the screen. Files can be easily shared with anyone who uses OneNote, including users with smartphones, tablets or laptops on any operating system, including Windows 10 Mobile and iOS. Microsoft Office applications can also be used, including Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Excel.
The Hub specializes in 3 main themes: talking, drawing and sharing. The Hub’s welcome screen has three buttons: "call," "whiteboard" and "connect." Each of these functions can be used individually or simultaneously.