Last week we were at the Integrated Systems Europe convention in Amsterdam. We met with the Samsung and Microsoft Surface team and even ahd a chance to see and touch the new Surface called SUR40. We had the unique opportunity to be at the closed press-conference and hear how Microsoft and Samsung Unveil Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface. Here is the official press release as it was given to us.

AMSTERDAM—February 1, 2011—At the 2011 Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) show in Amsterdam, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (booth 9C111) and Microsoft Corp. unveiled the next generation of the Microsoft Surface experience featuring PixelSense technology. Giving LCD panels the power to see without the use of cameras, Microsoft Surface builds on the first version to include Samsung’s leading display technology. It is now possible for people to share, collaborate and explore together using a large, thin display that recognises fingers, hands and other objects placed on the screen. This experience will come to life in the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface for business customers later in 2011 across 23 countries. Already in 2011, Dassault Aviation, Fujifilm Corp., Red Bull GmbH, Royal Bank of Canada and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. announced that they will deploy the new product.

“Microsoft continues to innovate in vision-based interaction and software designed for touch. With the introduction of the next generation of Surface, using PixelSense technology, we’ll bring more tables and walls to life with amazing natural experiences for people to enjoy together,” said Panos Panay, general manager, Microsoft Surface. “We partnered with Samsung because of its strengths in LCD technology, hardware design and manufacturing, and worldwide marketing and sales of large-format displays. The companies have built an incredibly successful collaboration that moved from invention to development to manufacturing and sales of a high-quality, industrialised commercial product.”

“Samsung collaborated with Microsoft to bring the Surface experience to a new, thin design with powerful vision-based capabilities in the LCD market. Having already unveiled the product in the U.S. to an extremely positive response, Samsung is excited to continue its collaboration with Microsoft and unveil the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface to European markets,” said Jeong Hwan Kim, Senior Vice President of Display Sales and Marketing Team, Visual Display, at Samsung Electronics. “The Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface delivers an interactive experience not available anywhere else and will change the way companies engage with their customers.”

Microsoft and Samsung worked closely to develop the LCD panel and the new hardware product, which is being manufactured by Samsung and will be sold to business customers through its broad distribution and reseller network.

With Samsung’s cutting-edge interactive LCD technology and Microsoft’s innovation in vision-based systems, together we were able to define a new LCD architecture,” said Jeong Hwan Kim,.Senior Vice President of Display Sales and Marketing Team, Visual Display, at Samsung Electronics. “This brand-new concept of LCD provides image-sensing technology along with massive multitouch capability and enhanced horizontal durability, which are specialised for the Microsoft Surface experience.”