Microsoft test engineer Hilton Locke drew attention on Wednesday by touting that the next major upgrade to Windows, currently dubbed Windows 7, will outshine any of Apple's current efforts in multi-touch interfaces.
Those who know the iPhone will be "blown away" by what's possible, Locke says.
OK. Wait a minute - this is Microsoft standard corporate line - "we are going to, at some future date, bring out something that is better than our competitor has right now". I thought Microsoft had moved beyond this little PR device. I had hoped that instead of over-promising and under-delivering, they would just pony up and say - "Bam! Here it is full-blown and ready to knock your socks off!"
This is truly disappointing. Microsoft needs a serious shakeup and strip down so they can move in realtime and do some serious innovating - lord knows they have the money and the staff to do amazing things if they tried.
They just can't help it. The iPhone is real, (and it's spectacular. There, my gratuitous Seinfeld reference quota is filled for the day) exists here and today, and Microsoft can't stand that.
God knows when Windows 7 will get here. My bet is on 2013.