CARLSBAD (California), May 28: Microsoft Corp plans to give users of the next version of its Windows operating system ‘touch-screen’ controls as one option for controlling the software.

Chairman Bill Gates and Chief Executive Steve Ballmer showed off on Tuesday new Windows features based on software it calls “multi-touch” that will be part of Windows 7, the next version of Windows, which Ballmer said was due out in late 2009.

The ability to use touch to give users fingertip control of their screens could help revolutionise how computer desktops and mobile phones are controlled and would be an alternative to existing mice, keyboard and pen-based user controls.—Reuters