I am a very visual person, and so when I come across a news story that is accompanied by a photo gallery, I can’t resist clicking on every single image – sometimes twice! However, some galleries are better than others, and a lot of times the quality of a gallery depends on the interest factor of the subject matter itself. This is why I thought a particular photo gallery I came across this morning was going to have mass appeal: “Microsoft’s workplace of the future.”

Sure, it’s fun to see what kinds of ideas are being brainstormed by Microsoft’s Center for Information Work (CIW), to take a peek at what workstations of the future may look like. From a “curved glass StraTech monitor and a wireless keyboard and mouse” to a “DigiDesk workstation” to a “dual-monitor workstation with integrated Tablet PC and Smartphone” to a “multivenue video conferencing system” – all of these components look sleek and sophisticated. But then I came to the last picture in the gallery… Is this what tech workers have to look forward to?  I think the bedroom and the bathroom are two places that really should remain unplugged. I understand that some people who travel need Internet connectivity, but a monitor above the headboard? Does it also come with a live web cam and surround sound?