[xirium]

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-touch the Microsoft Surface runs Windows Vista and costs between US$5,000 and US$10,000 and the hardware for an open source clone is between US$500 and US$1,000. You're not going to sell many Microsoft Surfaces when your local computer shop can make five times as many for the same price.

[jaycee]

Granted, and bear in mind I'm not saying the Surface is a viable product--but the assumption in the article is that Multi-Touch is Apple's, when the tech is anyone's.

That Apple has the trademark is another story, and raises (for me) questions of how trademarks are managed and issued.