Analyst Opinion - It is clear that Microsoft and Apple take direction from each other. Both firms were known as the original “Pirates of Silicon Valley” after all. At the Wall Street Journal’s “D: All Things Digital Conference” Microsoft showcased what will be the cornerstone of Windows 7 - a Multi-Touch PC interface. This suggests not only a change in how we will interact with Windows but with Mac OS as well, since Apple is unlikely to give up their perceived leadership in user interface design.

I have been using an HP SmartTouch PC for some time. Given Apple’s aggressive stance with the iPhone and iPod Touch, I am somewhat surprised that they have not come out with a touch-screen Mac product yet. The reason may be that getting a large screen to do multi-touch hasn’t been that easy until recently and there is nothing currently selling in the PC space that is affordable with this capability.

I saw this video some time ago, which imagines a multi-touch Mac (and every time I see it I want one). Recently a new video popped up showcasing what appears to be an Apple spin on the Microsoft Surface concept but targeted at your desktop.

HP has been working on such a concept for awhile as well and what we have seen so far clearly looks like a lot of fun. Of course, the bigger the screen, the more interesting all of this gets and it adds the angle that working on a big screen as a team could be both fun and productive .

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