We are now witnessing the emergence of a new user interface for digital devices, including laptop computers, advanced cellphones, wireless portable data gadgets and other types of computing products.

This interface is generally called "multitouch," and it involves using one or more fingers on a screen or touchpad to perform special gestures that manipulate lists or objects on a screen -- without moving a mouse, pressing buttons, turning scroll wheels or striking keys.

Walt Mossberg takes a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the "multitouch" user interface as it moves beyond the iPhone.

The best-known example of the interface is on Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch devices. It allows you, for example, to rapidly flip through photos, lists of emails or song titles by merely "flicking" a fingertip on its screen, or to resize a photo by "pinching" the image with two fingers. And, this month, Apple moved some of these multitouch features onto a laptop, its new MacBook Air, where fingertip actions are performed on an oversized touchpad rather than on a screen.

Want to know more - read WSJ's article