The Windows team has introduced the Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7 multi-touch enabled computers. The application is not available for public download but will be available to OEMs who will have the option to pre-install these applications on PCs designed for Windows Touch. After general availability of Windows 7, it may even be released for public download. However, if you want to get your hands on the touch capabilities of Windows 7 now without waiting to download this pack, you can take advantage of multi-touch capabilities in in-built applications such as Paint, IE8 and Windows Media Center.

The Microsoft Touch Pack consists of 3 multi-touch optimized casual games, and three Microsoft Surface applications created for Windows 7. Here is an overview of each of them:

Microsoft Surface Globe uses the Virtual Earth 3D engine to display a 3D view of the world. Using multi-touch, you can navigate to different regions, get local information, and “pin” your favorite locations. You can even “fly” around 3D models of buildings in some cities.

Microsoft Surface Collage allows you to take your favorite digital photos and arrange and resize them using only your fingertips. Once you have your photos in an arrangement you like, it’s simple to save your collage and make it your desktop background.

Microsoft Surface Lagoon is a screensaver that recreates the natural environment of water and schooling fish. You can run your fingers through the “water” and hold your finger down and watch the fish gather around.

Microsoft Blackboard is a game in which you create a nifty machine on a virtual blackboard. You can then use gestures to rotate and resize gears, fans, see-saws and more to move balloons and balls toward the light bulbs - and victory.

Microsoft Rebound lets you use your fingers to propel a ball in a ping-pong like game.

Microsoft Garden Pond allows you to guide your origami creations to peaceful areas on the pond or direct them with gestures to complete goals that have been set for you. Gently move the origami by making ripples in the water.

Below is an overview of the native Windows 7 applications that take advantage of multi-touch capabilities:

Paint: The latest version of Paint has new brushes that are designed for multi-touch, you can click on the Brushes gallery, pick any one and try finger painting.

Internet Explorer 8: IE 8 features multi-touch panning; you can place your finger anywhere on a page and drag up or down to scroll the page. You can also go back and forward between pages with your finger using Flicks.

Task Bar: You can also use touch to navigate along the taskbar. The new Jump Lists on the taskbar are touch optimized, instead of right-clicking on one of the icons on the taskbar, you can drag up on it with your finger to open the menu.

Windows Media Center: Windows Media center also allows you to navigate using touch capabilities.

Moreover, programs which are “touch unaware” also have some level of touch control. For example, if someone tries touch scrolling over a window that is touch unaware, Windows can detect the presence of various types of scrollbars and scroll them.