The future is in touch -- Both Apple and Microsoft see tablets and touch interfaces as the future for their new desktop operating systems. So you'll scroll by grabbing the page and moving it directly, instead of moving the cursor over to a scroll bar and dragging the box in the opposite direction (cue the arguments on which is more natural)...
Yet while Keyboards are still important for a lot of tasks on PCs, a tablet-like interface can be very intuitive if you're doing a lot of browsing and scrolling and clicking.
So if you'd like to try out the touch experience, see the Logitech Wireless Touchpad, a 5-inch pad that supports multi-touch clicking, scrolling, and swiping with different numbers of fingers:
- Move the cursor, and tap to click with one finger
- Scroll up or down with two fingers
- Scroll horizontally with three fingers (or swipe diagonally for page up/down)
- Switch between applications with a four-finger swipe
The Touchpad also is wireless, using a low-profile Logitech Unifying USB receiver dongle with a 2.4 GHz wireless connection. It runs on two AA batteries, with a life of up to four months.
So if you're looking for that tactile tablet experience on your desktop, check out the Logitech Wireless Touchpad for around $49.
See my Portable Accessories Gallery for more on PC and portable accessories.
Find the Logitech Wireless Touchpad on Amazon.com