Microsoft’s multitouch: interface revolution or me-too attention grabber?

At the D6 Conference yesterday, Microsoft’s chairman and founder took the stage to present the world with a glimpse of Windows’ future. A brief demonstration of the forthcoming Windows 7 showed a multitouch interface that is, according to Julie Larson-Green, VP of Windows Experience, built in throughout the OS. During the demo, there were hints that the Windows Dev has seriously considered how the Widows UI needs to adapt to support multitouch. This begs the question: Is multitouch Windows a true interface revolution, or is it merely another niche add-on to the system, much like it’s less-than-stellar cousin the Tablet PC?