The Future is Now! Well, maybe next year.

The computer monitor on my counter wants me to touch it. No, I realize that it is not a touch-screen and that swiping my fingers across its lighted surface will yield no result and leave fingerprints where none belong. Yet, there are icons there that call out to me, a tempting array of “apps” that are new, and mysterious. Sure, I can click with my mouse cursor, but these programs scream out that they are meant to be touched. Like the fabled explorers of yore, I have discovered a new world. My computer is running Windows8™!

The natural reaction at this point is to ask, “But didn’t they just release Windows7™ recently?” In fact, Windows7™ was released to retail sales on October 22^nd, 2009, almost 2 years ago. With a projected release of Windows8™ to be in the Fall of 2012, that will have been three years since the previous OS release.

The next question that is nagging at your brain is, “Hey! If Windows8™ isn’t being released until a year from now, how the heck are you playing with it already?” Last week, Microsoft™ made Windows8™ available for download as a Developer’s Preview. This is a preliminary version that is made available for software developers to use as a tool to write programs for. I downloaded and installed it just for fun. (Translated: Geek cannot resist). Remember, this is a preview version and not fully functional so kids, don’t try this at home.

OK, so with all of the boring stuff out of the way, what makes this so exciting and why am I so compelled to touch my screen? I have had a vision of the future and the future is…Tablet. Microsoft™ has sent a very clear message with the design of Windows8™. The message is that they feel the direction that personal computing is taking is tablet oriented. The “Metro™” interface of the display is obviously meant for a touch-screen using swiping motions. My crystal ball is showing me a probable assortment of Windows8™ tablets in the near future. With so many applications and resources available online now, in “the Cloud”, maybe the thing that most of us need is a super-portable computer that we can use anywhere. With a Windows™ based tablet, you could access files and devices on your home network. You could easily print movie tickets. With a built-in camera and Video-Chat software, you have a video-phone. You could stream media files like movies and TV shows from your Media Center computer to anywhere in your home. (Remember “Cutting the Cable”? http://bit.ly/pRIagl )

I’m probably getting ahead of myself, but if I am having these techno-fantasies, I can’t imagine that the people who build this stuff aren’t having even wilder ones. So if you want to see what the future looks like, just stop by anytime and play. And so what if it’s not a touch-screen. Give in to the temptation to touch. It won’t work yet, but I have plenty of cleaning spray.