Microsoft demos future Windows with touch-screen

[quaxo]

From Associated Press through Yahoo! News:

Partial quote (see link for full article):

CARLSBAD, Calif. - Microsoft Corp. said its next operating system will be made for touch-screen applications, an alternative to the computer mouse, and its top executives reaffirmed interest in joining forces with Yahoo Inc.

Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer on Tuesday unveiled the iPhone-like touch-screen feature at The Wall Street Journal's "D: All Things Digital" conference, calling it "just the smallest snippet" of the Windows 7 operating system slated for release in late 2009.

A Microsoft employee showed possible applications like enlarging and shrinking photos and navigating a map of San Diego by stroking the screen.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates framed the new feature as an evolution away from the mouse.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

What's that other one called...where it's a table...and it's touch screen.. 

Darn I forgot!  It's on the tip of my tongue...

Edit: Microsoft Surface
http://www.microsoft.com/surface/index.html
 

[Computer Hope Admin]

Of course it's probably too early to say this with not much being shown about Windows 7, but Microsoft's (Steve Ballmers) plan to focus more on the UI for the next version of Windows seems ludicrous in my mind. I can think of a lot of other things I'd work on before trying to make it look *prettier* or introducing a touch screen...

Call me crazy but we've been using the mouse/keyboard combo for the last several decades for a reason. A touch screen doesn't have much practicality other than what's been shown in the videos. I'm not going to want to browse the web with a touch screen interface or do all my work on a touch screen interface. Going from a keyboard to a touch screen seems like a step backwards.