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Microsoft announced earlier this year that Windows 7 would launch with a multitouch feature. The company claimed at the time that it would be backwards-compatible with existing touchscreen devices, and chose the Latitude XT as the platform on which to show off the new capability.

However, Dell has preempted the release

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of the operating system and updated its own firmware to enable the feature under either Windows XP or Vista.

The software will work with many applications including Google Earth, Firefox and Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office, allowing zooming and scrolling with multiple fingers much like the touchscreen interface used on Apple's iPhone.

When we reviewed the Latitude XT in May Dell had already promised to release the update to enable multitouch, boasting that it was the first laptop on the market to support Window's 7 touch interface.

"We introduced the Latitude XT as a revolutionary product in the tablet space," says Jeff Clarke, senior vice president at Dell. "Today Dell is taking that commitment to a new level with multitouch functionality."

The update is available for download today from Dell's support site.