Microsoft plans to add multitouch interface to Windows 7, top executives announced on Tuesday at The Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital conference in Carlsbad, California.
Chairman Bill Gates and chief executive Steve Ballmer showed the new Windows features as part of their keynote at the event, with Gates adding that the new technology will be available in late 2009.
Microsoft corporate vice president Julie Larson-Green demonstrated the multitouch technology, painting with several fingers at the same time to show how it can process not just touch, but multiple simultaneous input.
"It's much faster to do certain tasks than using a mouse," Larson-Green said. She also showed rotating photos by pinching and rotating, much like Microsoft's surface or Apple's iPhone.
Microsoft had previously hinted that the touch gestures would find their way into Windows. Yet the technology will also work with existing touchscreens — it was shown running on an existing Dell laptop.
A demo of the multitouch technology is available on Microsoft's Windows Vista blog.
Talkback
Ah I see they've got these new beaut multitouch screens. Looks pretty easy to use.
Okay...let's see...what'll I have...hmmmm.
Black coffee
2 fried eggs with tomatoes, hash browns and mushrooms...oh and a couple of slices of avocado
Toast on the side with....hmmm....perhaps I'll try this new Bulgarian strawberry jam...there we go, that'll do it.
Is that all?
Not yet...and a glass of Himalayan still water.
Check
Happy
Order away
While I'm waiting I'll read the ummm....Times of Change, browse ZDNet, catch the last 20mins of...what's his face? Yeah and I'll check my mail, buy mum a new scarf 'cause the old one's lookin a bit shabby, make an appointment to have my back waxed...oh and I can't forget to pick up some milk on the way home…send reminder to phone....and let’s see who's up and about....checking.....checking….
Just as one would expect, not a soul. Even so I'll let a few know I'm here in case they want to drop by for a cuppa. Let's see....who’s nearby…..Mick, Jo, Bert, Ed, Sam, Tony, Leeza, Boris...and...that's probably it...oh...and Stef.
Ah, and here comes the food. Looks delicious!
[munch munch]
To be continued……
TFD
Kernel version 2.7 will include native support for light sabres and star gates...
Yawn. Does anybody really give a damn about the next round of MS copyware?
Multitouch is good for certain settings like tablet PCs in the news room or social settings etc, the home? am not too sure, i can't imagine fiddling with both hands on the screen just to enlarge a picture, the mouse requires minimal hand movement to do just that.
I work part time at a large home improvement center, and we use touchscreens with XP. The problem is calibration. You touch the bottom section of a menu selection and you might activate the next item in line. They have to be re-calibrated every day, and it gets to be a pain, not to mention it is slower than using the mouse. Personally, I think it would be a waste to try to use at home.