Windows
7 Ultimate from Microsoft is the
long-awaited successor to the ubiquitous Windows Vista
operating system. Building upon Vista's impressive feature set, Windows
7 adds many features which simplify the way you use your PC, as well as the way
that your PC connects to the world.
The
Ultimate edition of Windows 7 is designed
to meet the needs of business and home use alike. It omits none of the features
that are found in the Home Premium or Professional editions of the software.
These include improved desktop navigation, improved speed, the Internet
Explorer 8 web browser,Windows Media Center, and HomeGroup networking.
Other carry-over
features include Windows XP Mode, which allows you to run legacy
applications in a true virtualization of Windows XP. You'll also be able
to join Domains, which is often a requirement for connecting to corporate
networks. Finally, the Professional edition adds the ability to backup your
system to a home or business network.
The Ultimate
edition adds BitLocker, which allows you to
encrypt data on your hard drive and other storage devices. Encrypting data is
critical in environments where it is imperative that sensitive data does not
fall into the wrong hands. You'll also be able configure the OS to use any of
35 languages, making the Ultimate edition an excellent choice for multilingual
users.
Both the
32-bit and 64-bit editions of the operating system are included on the disc,
allowing you to install the edition which best suits your needs.
User
Interface Enhancements
An improved
taskbar allows you to launch programs and switch between them when they're
open. You can pin any program to the taskbar, making it just a click away.
Rearrange icons via clicking and dragging, Icons are bigger than in previous
versions, making them easier to identify. Hover over an icon and view
thumbnails of every file or window that is currently open in that program;
hover over the thumbnail and see a full-screen preview of that window. Move the
cursor away, and the preview disappears.
There are
numerous Desktop enhancements present in Windows 7. Snaps allows you to quickly
grab a window and pull it to either edge of your screen, automatically resizing
the window to occupy half of your screen.
You can also
quickly view gadgets, or grab a file from your desktop. Move your mouse to the
lower right corner of your desktop and all open Windows will become
transparent. Need to hide all but one window? Grab the one you would like to
keep at the top and shake it, all other windows will hide. Shake the window
again, and they'll return.
Jump Lists
allow you to quickly reach files with which you've been working. Simply
right-click an application icon to see which files it has recently opened. You
can even pin files to a Jump List, ensuring they always appear on it, allowing
you to access frequently-used files with only a few clicks.
Certain
programs, including Windows Media Player, can pre-populate their Jump
Lists with common tasks. You can play all of your music or resume the most
recently played playlist via the Media Player Jump List. In Internet Explorer,
frequently-visited and recently-visited websites will appear.
Windows Search
has been improved since its introduction in Windows Vista. You'll be able to
find files, e-mail messages, and applications via the search box, conveniently
located at the bottom of the Start menu. Simply enter a word or a string of
letters from the file name: you'll receive an organized list of results.
Search results
are organized by file type. Programs, items in your control panel, documents,
music, and photos that match your search will be grouped together by file type.
You can further customize search results via filters: filter by creation date, document author, and more.
Windows 7
includes Internet Explorer 8, the latest iteration of Microsoft's popular web
browser. Rendering web pages much faster than previous versions, IE8 includes
an address bar, search tabs, and a Favorites bar to help
you better navigate the web.
Instant Search
starts returning results as soon as you start typing your query. In addition to
searching the web, the search also looks through your browsing history, making
it easier to locate a previously-visited page. There is no need to wait for a
search to complete if you see your result beforehand: simply click on the page
you'd like to visit and IE will take you there.
Accelerators
allow you to highlight any part of a web page, and feed it into a
frequently-used service as a search. See an address on a web page? Highlight
it, and use an Accelerator to immediately display a map. You'll have access to Accelerators for e-mail, eBay, Facebook,
blogging, mapping, search, translation, and more.
IE8 also
supports Web Slices. Allowing you to capture only a portion of a web site, you
can create web slices for auction items, sports scores, weather
reports, and more. When the content contained in the slice changes, it will be
highlighted in your Favorites Bar.
Device
management has been greatly enhanced in Windows 7. Rather than spreading
devices across several different screens, as had been done in previous versions
of Windows, you'll be able to access all of your devices from one screen. The
Devices and Printers screen will allow you to manage all of your
printers, phones, peripherals, MP3 players, and other devices.
Windows
7 also features Device Stage technology.
Use Device Stage to interact with any compatible device that is connected to
your computer. You'll be able to view device status, and run common tasks from
a single window. Device icons reflect the type of peripheral, allowing you to
easily see what is connected.
While most
folks with multiple computers already have a home network setup for Internet
sharing, it is often difficult to share other files between computers. Enter
HomeGroup. You'll be able to use this function to more easily setup ahome
network, allowing you to share printers and files among all of the computers in
your home.
Joining
networks can often cause a headache, especially for users who have access to
different networks in different locations. Whether it is a corporate network, a
VPN, your home Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, or dial-up, all of your networks
are visible in the View Available Networks (VAN) window. You'll have one-click
access to any available network, and you can configure automatic connection to
frequently-used networks.
Performance
and Compatibility
Windows 7 is
optimized so that PCs start up, shut down, and resume from standby faster than
previous versions. Added features, including the aforementioned Taskbar and
Jump Lists, allow you to complete common tasks. You'll be able to use the Action
Center to control how the OS notifies you of systems changes. Windows 7 helps
you recover from problems when they occur, walking you through the steps
necessary to address common issues.
Mobile
computers rely on an all-too-often anemic battery for power. Windows 7 features
a number of power-saving enhancements, designed to prolong battery life.
Adaptive display brightness dims a display when you've been away from your PC,
and playing DVD movies requires less power than in previous versions of
Windows.
We all have
existing hardware and software, and it is essential that they work with a new
operating system as well as they did with the old. Most devices that work with
Windows Vista will work with windows 7. Microsoft has implemented a
"Compatible with Windows 7" program, which allows manufacturers to
place a logo on devices and applications that are compatible with the OS.
You'll also be able to run many productivity and business applications that
carry theWindows XP logo. Additional software to do so is available as a
free download from Microsoft.
In past
versions, Windows would notify you via a pop-up or other message if there was
something that needed attention on your computer. Instead of using intrusive
pop-up messages, Windows 7 simply adds an icon to the Action Center.
Windows Media
Center allows you to watch TV, movies, and other types of video on your
computer. When used with TV tuner hardware, it allows you to record television
programming. It features a streamlined programming guide, which contains both
standard and digital HD program lists.
With more and
more media becoming available in digital formats, it is often desirable to
stream media from your PC to your home theater. Windows 7 simplifies streaming,
making it much easier to send media to compatible networked media devices.
Windows Media
Player features a "Play To" feature, which
allows you to push media to a compatible network device, while maintaining
playback control from your computer. Typing away on the laptop and in
the mood to listen to some music, but not through a pair of tinny computer
speakers? Play To can send music to a networked stereo, Xbox 360, or other
compatible device. You'll have full control over playback from the familiar
Windows Media Player interface.
In a perfect world
you could keep all of your movies, music, and photos on every computer you own.
However, we all know that notebook hard drives are not always spacious enough
to allow for this. With Windows 7, you can access media stored on your home
computer from your laptop via the Internet. Simply connect to your home PC
remotely and listen to music, view pictures, or watch videos over the Internet.
Both systems must be using Windows 7, of course.
Windows Live
Essentials, a free download for Windows 7 users, adds several features that
were present in Windows Vista, but have been omitted from Windows 7. It adds
supports for multiple e-mail accounts, digital photo editing, instant
messaging, and online security.
Windows 7 adds
support for touch-screen computers, including those that support multi-touch
gestures. Larger, touch-friendly icons are present throughout the OS. Interact
directly with the OS and applications via touch: control media playback, scroll
through documents and web pages, resize windows, and pan and zoom across large
photos.
Multi-touch
technology allows you to control the screen with more than one finger. You can zoom in on an image by moving 2 fingers closer
together, in a pinching motion, or zoom out by moving them apart. Rotate an
image by rotating 1 finger around another, and right-click by holding 1 finger
on your target and tapping the screen with a second.
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