It's time for computer designers to think outside the box. From Microsoft Corp. to Silicon Valley start-ups, technology companies are introducing computers with fundamentally new forms. At a technology conference sponsored by The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft today unveiled the fruits of six years of research pushed by Chairman Bill Gates -- a computer designed like a table with a touch-screen. The system, called Surface and aimed initially for use in hotels and casinos, includes features that allow users to buy tickets to events, wirelessly retrieve and display photos and play games. It goes on sale later this year.

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