To expand its base of partners for Microsoft Surface, Microsoft announced at the Worldwide Partner Conference 2009 in New Orleans the Microsoft Surface Partner Program, an extension of the Microsoft Partner Network, and the QuickStart Web site. While the Microsoft Surface SDK has been available to a limited audience, Microsoft is now making the SDK Workstation Edition broadly available to registered Microsoft partners.

The Microsoft Surface QuickStart web site is designed to help Microsoft's partners quickly find the resources they need to create applications for Microsoft Surface.

Microsoft Surface is a computing platform that responds to multi-touch, natural hand gestures and objects placed on the display, providing effortless interaction with information and digital content in a collaborative way. The platform has also expanded into several target vertical markets, including retail, hospitality, financial services, healthcare, automotive and public sector.

Using the Microsoft Surface QuickStart Web site, registered Microsoft partners can sign up to join the Microsoft Surface Partner Community and have immediate access to the SDK Workstation Edition.

To kick off the new program, the Microsoft Surface team also is holding The Touch First Microsoft Surface Developer Contest, which challenges new and existing partners to create a next-generation application on the platform.

The contest is open to all Microsoft Partner Network registered partners located in one of the 14 markets where Microsoft Surface is available. Microsoft's partners must design an application built on Microsoft Surface and include one additional product beyond Windows Presentation Foundation and Windows. Winners are then selected by the Microsoft Surface team and will be announced at PDC in October and awarded a Microsoft Surface unit.

Additional information is available on the Microsoft Surface QuickStart Web site.