This past Summer, Microsoft unveiled their hardware designed to accompany Windows 8 with touch features. Today, Logitech introduced their line offering touch control on Windows 7 and Windows 8 with two mice and a touchpad. All three are wireless much to the chagrin of my personal preference but boast great battery life.
Logitech introduced the Zone Touch Mouse T400, the Touch Mouse T620, and the Rechargable Touchpad T650. For better or worse, I think these touch peripherals or touch-capable displays are going to make or break the Windows 8 experience unless you know Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts.
The Zone Touch Mouse T400 has a touch sensitive spot in place of the scroll wheel with an 18 month battery life while the Touch Mouse T620 is touch-capable all over with a 6 month battery life. The T650 touchpad is rechargable with a USB cable. all of the devices are 2.4GHz wireless and includes a small USB receiver.
It’s hard to imagine more desk space being taken up but the future desktop might consist of keyboard front and center, mouse to the right and touchpad to the left. I’m certainly not going to give up a wired laser mouse in place of a touchpad for gaming and other accurate-mousing needs. Windows 8 (and future versions) might necessitate the inclusion of a touchpad as well.