Pat,
Here is a blog post on touch hardware:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/03/28/touch-hardware-and-windows-8.aspx
Experience the Windows 8 Consumer Preview
So if you have a Windows 7 touch-capable PC today, don’t hesitate to use the Windows 8 Consumer Preview and take advantage of the Metro style user experience that we’ve built. The core experience will work well, but you’ll need to be mindful of some of the
issues we’ve covered above. On new Windows 8 PCs, these issues won’t be present.
If you don’t have a touch-capable PC, you can still experience the Metro style UI with a mouse and keyboard. Last and not least, if you develop applications for Windows 8, the developer tools include an emulator that you can use to simulate touch. It will
give you a close approximation of how your application will work, and we encourage you to take advantage of it. We hope you agree that we’ve come a long way in ensuring that Windows 8 has the best touch experience. We’re excited to provide a way for you to
be more hands-on with your PC.
Best Wishes - Eric
