14 DAY TRIAL // The evolution from Beta to Release Candidate will be synonymous for Windows 7 with a range of improvements, including to the touch capabilities that the operating system features by default. Windows 7 is the first Windows client to support natural user interaction by default, and Microsoft is perfecting the NUI as the platform moves forward in the development process. Users who already have touch-capable machines, along with the adjacent drivers, are already able to take advantage of the touch capabilities of Windows 7. Still, moving onward, the first Release Candidate of Win 7 will bring to the table touch enhancements on top of what the Beta is able to offer testers.
Aero Peek for touch is just one example. “We’re excited about Peek and we further refined its functionality. Our touch customers enjoy the benefits of direct manipulation, but inform us they feel left out of some of new functionality that’s available for the mouse and keyboard. We’ve made two improvements that spreads the love. First, the taskbar’s thumbnails now support a touch gesture so one can drag her finger across the UI and trigger Aero Peek. Also, the Show Desktop button is improved so a press-and-hold will allow the customer to peek at the desktop. A regular tap in both these scenarios still to commits the switch,” revealed Chaitanya Sareen, a senior program manager on the Core User Experience team.
While paving the way for NUI to become mainstream in the detriment of more traditional input models such as the mouse and keyboard, Windows 7 Release Candidate doesn't really break away from tradition. In this regard, the company made sure that Windows 7 RC would support the similar user behavior for touch and legacy keyboards, or what Sareen referred to as multi-touch support for a more realistic experience.
“People who are rely on touch give us mixed feelings towards tap and hold to bring up a context menu. This approach works, but it also involves a slight delay,” Shareen stated. “We now have a fast new multi-touch gesture for right-click. Simply touch an item with one finger and use another finger to tap and summon a context menu.”
Windows 7 RC will also bring to the table new ways for users to perform common tasks including drag/drop and selections. Shareen indicated that the new capabilities of Win 7 RC also involve allowing users to easily scroll up and down as well as perform dragging actions left and right. Drag/drop and selection via touch will be supported even for scrolling pages, Microsoft informed.