Microsoft Surface is the star of NBC's booth

Microsoft Surface tables are all over CES, but NBC has one of the best implementations of the technology on display, with a matchbook and microSD card combining to create a technological wonder

Ian Morris

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Ian Morris

Jan. 9, 2009 11:44 a.m. PT

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Last year we were impressed by NBC's CES booth because it was giving out 2GB USB sticks. This year, it upped the ante by giving out little matchbooks that contained a microSD card and the key to a cool technology demonstration.

The matchbook has been designed to be used with Microsoft Surface. NBC was running a competition, which involved placing your matchbook on the Surface to enter.

If, like us, you weren't a winner, you could still use the table to check the latest news from NBC and generally drag stuff all over the display. It was our first hands-on with the Microsoft technology, and we have to say, it didn't crash once. Although we didn't win, we did shoot a short video of the momentous occasion. As you can see, it was a thrilling event.

The main crux of the booth though, once again, was the opportunity to upload some NBC Universal material to your microSD card. These were the SanDisk type that come in a little USB adaptor. It's all terribly clever, and even to us geeks, the idea of having 2GB on something smaller than a fingernail -- and as thin too -- is nothing short of magic.

We selected an episode of 30 Rock, from quite a limited selection, to watch on our flight home. Last year there were more full shows, so it was a shame we couldn't watch some Heroes or a few eps of the enjoyable Life. Still, it was a great booth and we walked away with a free microSD card to boot. Rock and roll!

Click 'Continue' above to see more shots of how the matchbook and Microsoft Surface work together.

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Here it is, Microsoft's delightful Surface. We were at the NBC booth for some time, and it didn't crash once.

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Here is the microSD card in its USB adaptor, just waiting to be used. But first, we must see if we've won a prize.

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On the back of the matchbook are some dots. It's these that the Surface reads, and determines if you're a winner. Las Vegas has quite a few Microsoft Surface tables knocking around. So if you want to see one, jump on a plane.

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Bah. We didn't win a prize, but we did enjoy shuffling the matchbook around on Surface. It's a bunch of fun.

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microSD is one of those things that are impossible and must therefore be magic. Seriously, you expect us to believe that something the size of a fingernail can hold 2GB? Pull the other one, it's got bells on. Realistically, it's more likely that the data is stored in a parallel universe and the microSD card is just a portal.

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Copying video to the card is a simple matter of putting the USB adaptor into the NBC terminal. It looks like you can use any sort of memory card you want.