Windows 7 Launch Party Features Drool-Worthy Technology

But the real show-shopper was the technology Microsoft rolled out to present Windows 7 features.

The party really got started when the software giant showed off how device-savvy Windows 7 is, with a demo connecting a Nikon D5000 DLSR to Windows 7. Device Stage -- Windows 7's visual interface that is used to recognize devices and peripherals -- automatically recognized the well-acclaimed camera, which lists for about $625, by placing an actual image of the camera on the Task Bar. It was the ultimate in Plug and Play. The demo showed how easy it was to import pictures once the camera was connected.

Next, was an impressive demo of the new capabilities of Windows Media Center integrated with the multi-touch features of Windows 7. Using a PC all-in-one TV tuner, or a USB tuner (which is available for less than $100), Microsoft demonstrated how a user could touch their way through an interactive TV guide to access TV listings. Media center also supports High Definition streaming.

A little more about the touch-screen eye candy: The demo displayed the impressive collaboration among Windows 7 developers and hardware vendors. The demonstration included Toshiba's capacitive glass with optical sensors and Acer's resistance touch technology with G sensors.

The audience also got a look at the new Home Networking feature. Printers, multimedia files and documents can be effortlessly shared within a home network. An added plus -- laptops that users may regularly connect to a work domain or network can intelligently shift between connecting to work and a Home Group network.

The highlight of the demo was streaming multimedia files to 16 screens from a single laptop -- a Dell Studio XPS 16. Microsoft even showed the CPU utilization while streaming -- it held pretty steady at 54 percent.

DirectX 11's 3-D capabilities also got a platform. Using Nvidia's 3-D technology, a breathtaking 3-D image was projected on a large screen. Microsoft is working with both Nvidia and ATI to deliver some fancy 3-D graphics for gamers -- audience members had the chance to don a pair of 3-D glasses and ogle an impressive game featuring a 3-D Batman.

Loaded up with Windows 7 for the audience to admire was the super-ultra-thin Dell Adamo XPS -- a 9.9-mm laptop that is still not available as of yet, but the preview certainly whets the geek appetite for what promises to be an impressive ultra portable.

There were no glitches, blue screens or any other technology embarrassments during the demos. Microsoft and its partner vendors were really on top of the game with the technology featured today.