It's time for computer designers to think outside the box. From Microsoft Corp. to Silicon Valley start-ups, technology companies are introducing computers with fundamentally new forms.

At a technology conference sponsored by The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft today unveiled the fruits of six years of research pushed by Chairman Bill Gates -- a computer designed like a table with a touch-screen. The system, called Surface and aimed initially for use in hotels and casinos, includes features that allow users to buy tickets to...