Video: Ubuntu Netbook Edition’s New, Touch-Friendly Unity Interface

Not content to let Google and Microsoft have all the fun, Canonical — the company behind the Ubuntu Linux OS — has also developed a touchscreen interface for PCs. Designed in conjunction with Ubuntu Netbook Edition’s Unity Interface, the uTouch demoed in the video below actually looks pretty slick, if a bit slow. Along the normal touch functions there are also a few multitouch gestures that mainly relate to windows management.

The touch features are available in the latest Ubuntu Netbook Edition release, out just a few days ago. Gerry Carr of Canonical promises even more gestures and functionality in their next release, 11.04 (that’s April 2011).

We imagine this interface will not only be welcome on touch-enabled netbooks like the HP Mini 5103 and convertible tablets like the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t, but also the slew of Windows slates finally coming to market. Setting up a dual-boot shouldn’t be too hard as Ubuntu is one of the easier Linux distros to install. Getting the right drivers might prove to be a stumbling block, though.

Check it out for yourself:

Via OMG! Ubuntu! and NetbookNews