SlashGear

Microsoft keep finding ways to sneak Surface into every-day life, and today the multitouch table put aside such fripperies as hotels and bars and waded into the US presidential elections.  MSNBC have included a customized Surface unit to graphically explain the current political dramas, complete with an electronically tagged Obama and McCain that the touchscreen device can recognize.

Check out the video of Surface in action on MSNBC after the cut

As with the Rio iBar and the Sheraton before it, MSNBC have new software to make the most of Surface’s abilities.  Two new applications were shown today, Electoral Map and Battleground States; the former displays historic voting results, polling insights and demographic data for each state, with predictions and changes triggered by putting the candidate figures onto the map.  The latter, meanwhile, allows for different political strategies and scenarios to be visually explained

Apparently more unique software will be on show as Surface’s stint on MSNBC continues, all developed by the Microsoft team and their software partners Vectorform.  Chuck Todd, NBC News political director, will be using it throughout the election coverage.