Multitouch features to be included in windows 7

While the anticipated arrival of Windows 7 is still some 18 months away by Microsoft’s (tentative) reckoning, the Redmond-based company has this week taken the opportunity to unveil one of the ambitious new features it has planned for possible inclusion.

With Apple’s iconic iPhone and Nintendo’s hugely popular dual-screen DS videogame console paving the way for a rush of ‘me too’ touch-sensitive devices, it hardly comes as a surprise to find American software behemoth Microsoft Corp. busy banding around a multi-touch interface for its next operating system.

Specifically, during the Wall Street Journal’s ‘D: All Things Digital’ conference in California, representatives from Microsoft gave attendees their first video demo glimpse of the multi-touch interface in action.

The demo‘s content, which appeared somewhat similar to Microsoft’s touch-based Surface technology, showcased a user applying simple tactile finger gestures to access, shift and organise photographic images, explore a 3D global map, and even tickle the ivories on an on-screen piano.

While undeniably tantalising in terms of bringing users ever closer to their systems via more complete physical interaction, subsequent online reaction is varied when considering the true worth of a multi-touch interface in Windows 7 — or any operating system.

For example, many tech watchers consider touch-screen interaction as little more than a fluffy gimmick that will add unnecessary processing pressures to their computers, much like Windows Vista’s much debated Aero visual interface.

In terms of what users would rather see Microsoft do with Windows 7, the general consensus appears to call for more focused development on the production of clean and efficient code, improved efficiency and reliability, better software compatibility, and a final operating system that doesn’t unfairly tax the hardware’s processing capabilities through throwaway features.

Microsoft has said that further details related to the ongoing development and features of its Windows 7 operating system will be revealed as the product gradually takes shape over the coming months. The current company calendar guess for the arrival of Windows 7 sees the operating system pencilled in for an early 2010 release.