The digital touch: Windows 7 is entrusted with delivering the Microsoft vision that Vista spectacularly failed to conjure. One promise of the new operating system is to help take the touch interface of Apple's iPhone and iPod products to a bigger stage. Sony has joined the ranks of computer-makers offering touch-screen computers with its new Vaio L Series lineup of 24-inch, all-in-one PCs. The centerpiece is the touch panel, which is intended to complement Windows' key element of touch-screen support. Sony's Media Gallery software allows users to create movies, look at photos, watch videos and listen to music by using simple finger gestures to flip, zoom and rotate.

Capitalizing on the intuitive fun factor of touch screens, Sony is positioning the L Series machines as entertainment vehicles. Apart from being touch sensitive, the L Series screens offer full HD resolution of 1920 × 1080. Moreover, the members of the L Series include a Blu-ray burner and twin TV tuners. Both the keyboard and mouse are wireless.

Sony doesn't rely on the touch gimmick to sell the new models, the computers are also fitted out well. The processor is 2.93-gigahertz Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 with 4 gigabytes of memory, expandable to 12 gigabytes, and includes a 1-terabyte hard drive. It also has a Nvidia GeForce G210M graphics chip with 512 megabytes of memory, Bluetooth and b/g/n flavors of wireless. Sony also makes a point of emphasizing the audio abilities of the twin 5.5-watt speakers, coupled with S Master Digital Amplifier technology. The built-in Web camera offers the neat touch of allowing users to take their own photos and then autograph them with some handwritten messages on the screen.