There are times when I'm really, really excited to be in IT (well, more so than usual); this week is one of those times. We have some spectacular technology coming out to really empower users to have wonderful collaborations with each other - and, at the end of the day, that's what technology should be all about - the catalyst to bring us all closer together. Here's a summary of the announcements that made me so excited this last week:-

1. Microsoft Surface. Really just one word here, "Wow!". This technology should be in everyone's lounge or dining room one day. What a totally natural way to interact with a computer - finally, we're really starting to see some "Star Trek" devices come to market. You can get even more information at the Microsoft Surface Virtual Pressroom.
2. Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1. Ok, agreed, not so life changing, but the new Windows Mobile Device Center (the replacement for ActiveSync on Windows Vista) empowers Windows Mobile 6 users as well as giving us Windows Mobile 5 users a much better way to connect our mobile devices to the PC or laptop.
3. HTC Touch with TouchFLO. I often use my Windows Mobile Device (O2 XDA Atom Exec) with my fingers, but at the end of the day, fingers ain't no stylus. With the HTC Touch, HTC have finally taken the "finger interface" to the next level for Windows Mobile devices. There's already plently of talk on the web about the new interface (both good and bad) but I personally can't wait to have a phone where, for most operations, I don't need a stylus. "What about the I-phone?", I hear you ask. No. Not for me. I need a phone that's super-productive too (i.e. can manage my life e.g. air-sync email & calendaring & contact management via Exchange, 3rd party application support etc.etc...), not just expensive eye candy. For more information and pictures on the HTC Touch, check out ZDNet.