Microsoft's Ballmer Shows HP's Multitouch Tablet During CES Keynote

As reported earlier, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer presented a new tablet during his pre-CES keynote speech, and it was a good example of what the new Windows 7 could do.

After all, Microsoft is a software company, so it's only right that their new OS was front and center. The Windows 7 "slate" as it was called by Ballmer, is made by HP, and looks like it has the same capacitive touch-screen technology contained in their Mini 5102 netbook.

The tablet is multitouch capable, powered by Windows Touch technology within the Windows 7 OS.

Windows Touch is part of Microsoft's NUI or "Natural User Interface" platform. Microsoft's interpretation of this concept, is that a device should respond to how a user naturally moves, rather than the user having to move in a certain way to interact with a device. Therefore, allowing control of a PC by the use of simple gestures is a big part of that strategy.

This "NUI" concept will be most evident in "Project Natal" for Xbox , which was also part of tonight's presentation. "Natal" aims to take the controller out of video gaming, with all game control being handled by a player's natural movement. The user's movement will be captured by a camera, and then fed into the Xbox 360, working in conjunction with special software.

Both the HP Tablet and "Project Natal" for Xbox will be available later this year.

Check out more pics of the device over on Gizmodo.