For example, I know longer go to the grocery store near my office because they switched to 100% self service check outs. I dont see the value in that, and like Rich and Paul said, its just a novelty unless someone taps in to the true potential.

Both Kevin, and Rich.

We’re not challenging enough on Surface apps right now. Many (not all) of the apps out there are self-contained and very shallow in terms of their true functional capability.

Where the objective is to provide a few moments of entertainment, then that’s fine – but when it’s in a bank, or a travel agent, we have to be more demanding.

We have to (like the Sheraton app does) mirror the real-life processes, but use the power of the device to make the experience of those things better and more powerful.

In an early stage of any technology, we always see a plethora of ‘proof’ applications. Things designed and built quickly to see if there is an opportunity to do more in that space.

This is a spot on approach – any product design process should go through a stage like this to test the case for further investment. However, I don’t think people are being honest enough about what they have, and more importantly, haven’t done.

Let’s be open about our learnings, and use them, to go on to build the apps that we really need. Apps that use data created in bookings, or from our social networks, and allow us to create things that can be taken back out to the outside world, either for us to carry on our mobile, or share with our families back home.

For now though, I agree that Sheraton is indeed the current best app in Travel on Surface.