這一篇新聞是介紹RIO的IBar有透過桌面上的網路系統，可以找人
聊天或請酒之類的功能，如果成功的話，未來Harrah's旗下包括
Caesars Palace或Paris等也可能開始提供此種服務。

At Las Vegas' i-Bar, patrons connect via touch screens
The tabletop devices allow users to interact, without the potential risk or
embarrassment of actually meeting.
By Jay Jones, Special to The Los Angeles Times
06:08 PM PDT, August 05, 2008

The week of July 6 wasn't one of Simon Child's best. The professional card
player was eliminated from the World Series of Poker without winning a dime.
On top of that, he couldn't catch the eye of the attractive women across the
lounge, not even with the help of new technology.

Simon has a girlfriend at home in the British Isles, but he couldn't resist
flirting at the i-Bar in the Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino. In Simon's
defense, it's hard to resist what Bill Gates calls the future of computing:
Microsoft Surface's interactive touch screens.

The i-Bar is the only entertainment venue in the world offering these special
touch screens, which are built into the tables, that allow guests to see live
images of people at other tables and "chat" with them, all without having to
make eye contact.

Welcome to the future.

"It's kind of the next generation of Internet dating," said Michael Weaver,
vice president of marketing for Harrah's, of which Rio is a part. "Rather
than seeing someone's profile, you can see what they really look like. But
you don't have to be so close that you need to really communicate with them."

There is communication, of sorts, through the use of so-called magnets
carrying messages such as, "Apart from being sexy, what do you do for a
living?" Guests can also create their own messages using a variety of
single-word magnets. The words have been carefully chosen to keep the
messages clean.

As the magnet messages are dragged onto the screen, they become visible to
the people with whom you're flirting -- that is, if they accept your
invitation. "We tried, but the people didn't accept our message," Child, the
poker player, said.

Sarah Jones, a tourist from London, found some comfort in the new method.
"You're able to communicate with people in this bar that perhaps you'd
ordinarily be too shy to go up and meet face to face," she said. "Rather than
go ask them if they want a drink, they can dis you on text if they want to,
without having that embarrassment factor."

The cocktail waitresses are trained to help those who need assistance with
the various applications. That's right -- Microsoft Surface offers much more
than just the latest dating device.

Guests can search YouTube for their favorite videos, play a variety of games
and use the "Virtual Vegas" tool to find what's happening at the other
Harrah's properties around town. Surface can even provide driving directions.

And "Mixologist" is a handy tool for drinkers wanting more than just a Bud.
You want Effen Black Cherry vodka in that martini? No problem. Just touch
that icon. If you want to get really creative, you can come up with your own
drink, right down to the garnishes.

"Exploring -- learning the technology -- is part of the fun," said Chris
Chang, Harrah's vice president of innovation, as he taught me how to flirt
using what most certainly qualified as an innovation.

"Table 1, there are some people over there. Table 2, there's a crowd of
people coming in," Chang observed as we looked at live images from the five
other tables equipped with Surface. It was time to make a move.

"You click on the IM button," he explained. "It makes a notification asking,
'Hey, do you want to flirt with us?' "

Moments later, we had our answer.

"They said, 'Yes.' So we can send them messages, and they can send us
messages." Chang dragged onto the screen an IM that read, "You're HOT. Do you
have any sunscreen?"

"The audience is very much a younger demographic," he said. " 'Flirt' is very
popular. People are chatting from table to table."

The computers cost $10,000 each. As with other new technologies, the price is
likely to drop as the tabletop computers -- keyboard and mouse-pad-free --
become more popular.

"I think this is the next generation of computers," said Dennis Wixon, a
research guru for Microsoft. "This kind of interaction will change the way
people work with computers in the next generation.

"Will you see this in your home at some date in the future? I have no doubt."

For those unwilling to wait, there's the i-Bar. Weaver of Harrah's marketing
noted that, before long, Surface computers would probably pop up at other
Harrah's properties, including Caesars Palace and Paris.

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-tr-vegas10-2008aug10