Windows 7 gets touchy-feely (and blogsplanation)

Touched by your presence, IT Blogwatch: in which we peek behind the curtain of Windows 7 touch. Not to mention how to explain blogging to the family over the holidays...

Microsoft's Hilton Locke is probably in trouble:

I will say that if you are impressed by the "touch features" in the iPhone, you'll be blown away by what's coming in Windows 7. Now if only we could convince more OEMs that Windows Touch Technology is going to drive their sales. [more]

Nilay Patel adds:

Regardless of how Tablet PCs have actually done in the marketplace, Microsoft has always been a staunch proponent of touch interfaces, and it looks like the next version of Windows, currently under the codename Windows 7, will bundle in multi-touch features like those found in the iPhone and Microsoft's own Surface. [more]

Ryan Wagner rings his cycle: [You're fired -Ed.]

It’s rather interesting that he chose to use the iPhone as a comparison point for the touch technology in Windows 7. Maybe a better thing to compare it to is the Microsoft Surface table, which is one of their own products ... we’ve already seen the Microsoft research lab demonstrate a laptop with those capabilities. [more]

Ian Betteridge has a better idea:

Microsoft's problem: it has to develop good features THEN persuade third party hardware makers to support them. It added support for the rather nice SideShow features in Vista only to find that third party hardware makers weren't really interested in using them. It created a good platform for pen-based computing, only only to see hardware makers fail to create ... compelling, beautifully designed hardware. [more]

Ina Fried has history:

Microsoft has talked about the notion of gestures since the early days of the Tablet PC, though its earliest concepts required a digital pen. With Vista, Microsoft introduced the notion of using fingers to navigate the operating system. HP used the feature in its TouchSmart PC, though other computer makers have yet to follow suit. Late in the lifecycle of Windows XP, Microsoft added its Origami "touch pack," designed to pave the way for ultrasmall PCs that can be controlled with a finger. [more]

Ben Worthen's not worthy:

We’re intrigued by a more touchy-feely Windows, but we wonder if it’s wise to compare Windows 7, which won’t hit stores until 2010 at the absolute earliest, to a product that’s already out. It’s not like Apple isn’t planning to update the iPhone between now and then. [more]

Paul Thurrott sighs:

Here's what's wrong with this whole thing: Microsoft has been working on touch technology for a long time. The latest rendition of this can actually be found in Windows Vista, which includes Tablet PC functional support for touch screens ... let's not start pretending that Apple invented this. [more]

But Fake Steve Jobs isn't listening:

Good news, Wintards. Windows 7 is going to contain support for touch screens just like the iPhone does today. Hooray! ... Hiccups. Glitches. Freezes. Hangs. Yup. You're going to be blown away. Better news is it will all be available by 2009. Or is it 2011? [more]

And finally...

• Lee LeFever explains blogging -- even your grandparents could understand
  

Buffer overflow:

• Carl Howe: Speculations on the MacBook tablet
• Discovering Identity: Circles of Trust - without Federation
• Anne Truitt Zelenka: Scott Karp: Talking to You People is a Massive Waste of Time
• 4sysops: Download installation package of Windows XP SP3 RC1 - Does Microsoft drain XP?
• Michael Arrington: Scoble To Leave PodTech, Heading For Fast Company
• Appletell: Breaking: VOIP working on iPod Touch
• Data Center Knowledge: IBM GreenCert to Simplify Carbon Trading

Other Computerworld bloggers:

• Ian Lamont: The ultimate IT kluge: Running IT operations at the South Pole
• Preston Gralla: Fix my Vista SP1 network woes, and win free books
• Mark Hall: A cool prediction that actually came true
• Shark Tank: How can it be?
• Robert L. Mitchell: The coming green backlash
• Shark Bait: My wireless mouse only works sometimes...

Richi Jennings is an independent analyst/adviser/consultant, specializing in blogging, email, and spam. A 20 year, cross-functional IT veteran, he is also an analyst at Ferris Research. You too can pretend to be Richi's friend on Facebook or LinkedIn, or just use boring old email: blogwatch@richi.co.uk.

Previously in IT Blogwatch:

• 11 Patch Tuesday vulns. (and hirsute coders II)
• LinkedIn adds API, features (and hirsute coders)
• Sexy enterprise software? (and US <3 lists)