Microsoft’s CEO has an 82-inch tablet

There’s been a lot of debate over what the perfect size is for a tablet and what is too big. Many argue that the iPad is just the right size. Some Android tablets are slightly larger, or slightly smaller, but nothing…nothing…has come close to match the “tablet” that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has hanging (yes, hanging) in his office.

Ballmer reportedly recently installed an 82-inch version of a Windows 8 tablet on his wall, and has used it to replace a wide range of other office appliances such as phones and note paper. The Verge posted a photo and story about the “tablet” on Friday.

Originally, The Verge and other tech blogs were reporting that Microsoft had plans to sell the 82-inch Windows 8 devices, with companies as their target customers. The devices would have been perfect in conference rooms, or as kiosks in lobbies for customers to interact with while waiting for meetings or appointments. Microsoft clarified later in the day, however, that they did not have plans themselves to sell the 80-plus inch versions of Windows 8 devices, although they said other vendors would have the opportunity to sell something that large as there would be a variety of case sizes available for Windows 8 hardware.

A large display with a range of app and communication capabilities could be a boon in an office setting, so I’m curious to see if the Microsoft OS-backed displays do become common in offices, especially in the tech world. What will be even more interesting will be the creative uses programmers come up with to display interactive content on the devices.