If you've had the opportunity to play with the multi-touch functionality built into Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system, you may have found that there isn't a whole lot to do - other than dab at the over-sized taskbar items and write your name in Paint, of course.
Hoping to show that there's more to touch than that, the Redmond giant has today announced the Touch Pack for Windows 7 - a set of six applications designed to demonstrate what touch has to offer, and hopefully inspire developers into creating a wave of touch-optimised applications for the future.
The optional Touch Pack - which has an unfortunate resemblance to Vista's Ultimate Extras - includes a number of multi-touch applications ported over from Microsoft's Surface, such as Surface Globe and Surface Collage.
Surface Globe, a Virtual Earth-powered 3D mapping program allows users to explore the world at the touch of their fingers. We've had the opportunity to play with it on the Windows 7 RC, and it is a whole lot of fun.
Trouble is, Microsoft won't initially be making the Touch Pack openly available. Instead, it'll be provided only to OEMs whose systems meet the requirements for a Windows Touch logo. Furthermore, successful OEMs will also have the option to bundle some, none, or all of the Touch Pack applications with their systems.
It's an added incentive for OEMs to ensure their touch implementation is up to scratch, but consumers may feel that the applications should be included in Windows 7 as default - or, at the very least, as an optional download.
