Windows 7 - Microsoft's long-waited successor to Windows Vista - is expected to ship in 2010, if not earlier. Until now, the software giant has remained tight-lipped on the features in the new OS. (See also: Windows 7 review.)
We look at the features in Microsoft's newest OS
However, since its pre-beta code release last week at the Microsoft Professional Developers' conference, more has been unveiled about Windows 7. We've taken a look at the new OS to see just what users will be faced with.
Meet your next desktop: Sidebar dies; Gadgets live
Microsoft has killed the Sidebar in Windows 7, but the Gadgets it contained live on. They simply sit wherever you choose to place them on your desktop.
Jump Lists provide easy access to common tasks
Both the Taskbar and the Start Menu now include Jump Lists - context-sensitive selections of actions relating to a particular application, such as files you've used recently or access frequently.
Device Stage: one-stop access to hardware-related tasks and information
Device Stage is a new feature that gathers all of the information (everything from drivers and applications to manuals) relating to a particular phone, printer, or other piece of hardware, and lets you access it from a single window. But it will show up only if device vendors create an XML document based on a Microsoft template, a document that also must be approved by Microsoft. The good news is that such documents are a lot easier to create than new device drivers - and vendors can stick with the drivers created for Vista.
NEXT PAGE: Libraries and a less annoying UAC
- We look at the features in Microsoft's newest OS
- Libraries and a less annoying UAC
- Federated search, custom themes and a new magnifyer
- Where's my desktop gone?
- A lightweight Windows Media player
- A new-look calculator
Visit PC Advisor's dedicated Microsoft News Spotlight for the latest news on the software giant
Windows Vista: the definitive review
Comments
Flo said: You know what I think itll only be Vista users rushing to upgrade to windows 7 they are the ones who secretely dislike thier OSs who wont admit so and cant wait Those however extremely satsfied with XP wont be bothered with it all I am running XP on a quad with 2 9800GTX and 4GB RAM it runs well and does everything i could possibly want Why would i ever want to downgrade to Vista or 7 I have Used Vista for a year on one of my pcs it runs well but compared to XP its nothing i wouldnt change for anything and that pc will be formatted soon as well Long live XP
Alex said: No offense but a lot of you guys really are idiotsOf course it looks like Vista - it uses the same DWM system as Vista I think Id be right in saying that Windows 98 LOOKED suspciously like Windows 95 to the untrained eye albeit with some improvementsI also think a lot of you havent even tried the Windows 7 release Check out the boot times on a multi-core system - nice one Microsoft Multi-thread performance seems better alsoPeople are absolutely obsessed with XP because its faster than Vista well yeah Id be concerned if it wasnt in all fairness Its a 6 year old operating system that has seen hardware capabilities multiply enormously since its releaseSeriously to all the haters change the record and give Microsoft a break or at come armed with some evidence before you moan that its going to be slow and bloated
skytalker said: Yes its Vista repackaged Well it doesnt matter anymore because the future of all Operating Systems is going to be online This may be windows last gasp as a machine based OS As soon as broadband approaches traditional hard drive speeds that will be the last nail in the coffinAnother thing look at all the cheap laptops with a puny 1gb ram and slow Intel graphics Add insult to injury with Vista Basic and no wonder people are sticking with XPImagine a web based OS that Instantly loads at switchon maybe subscription ad based or Fee No more activation phoning home or Malware to worry about Maybe you get sick of that OS Well Instantly log onto another Cant wait
Skidz said: since when did marching on in technology adding unneccesary bloated crap to an OS ie vista
Alex said: For me MS should be consentrating on an OS that runs as fast as possible on the older tech so that when a user upgrades to new tech they get what they expectYou might as well just tell them to re-release Windows 95 because it runs fast on 486 CPUs so therefore must run well on todays hardwareTechnology moves on it always has it always will Its a fact of life I wonder if the people slagging Vista because it doesnt run fast enough on their 512MB RAM machine are the same ones who moaned when Windows XP required 64MB of memory bare minimum
Chris said: What pssed me off about vista was the lack of certain hardware support I had just bught a new creative soundcard with all the trimmings and its practically useless in vista so I went back to xp I think that vista looks good but is a very slow operating system so anyone without a decent spec pc is being pushed into spending more money especially when xp eventually dies out One example of MS taking the mick is some games will only let you use a microsoft gamepad like the one similar to the xbox controller They need to listen to the common people more instead of worrying about how good it looks because sooner or later someone else will step in with something better and more compatibilty to suit everyone
Ianh said: For me MS should be consentrating on an OS that runs as fast as possible on the older tech so that when a user upgrades to new tech they get what they expect An OS that runs with the functionality they are use to BUT MUCH FASTER Let us get real benifit from our newer faster machines not just more bells and whistles at the same or lower speed
Skidz said: Vista was just so full of crap apart from the obvious st like defender theres aero and the lousy shadow copy for starters Now theres an anti privacy measure if ever i saw one What MS need to do is get back to basics and produce a good solid workhorse not a poxy all singing and dancing fluff filled media extravaganza If people need all that crap they can add it and do what they want not include it as standard for us who want to do some work and only workthen i for one would be happy to use it
Alex Sutton said: I think we should wait until we get to use it dont you Whilst I agree it looks like Vista we have no idea how it performs yet - although I am going to stick my neck out here and say I bet it performs just like Vista - and that wouldnt be a problem to me Honestly I do wonder what some people out there try and run Vista on considering the stories people come out with It is a modern OS it is demanding but it runs just as well if not better than XP on the same hardware for me I also suspect that a lot of people spending all their time slagging off Vista have never actually used it
john said: mmm i wonder where ive seen something similar cough mac
Maltese said: I have a Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 with 4GB DDR2 RAM and a MSI P7N Diamond NF780i MoBo I have also used Vista extensively at home and in business and i even own Ultimate but it wont stop me rubbishing that OS I regret ever buying it and it was so good to return to XP after the 12 weeks i had Vista installed I couldnt stand it Regardless of disabling defender and turning of UAc and indexing Spookily like how i felt when i had Windows ME Its just a bad un
EEK a Mouse said: All those rubbishing Vista probably have under-powered PCs or havent used it As someone else says here with a few tweaks it would be fine A shocker for some will be what doesnt run on Vista but in compatibility mode this is very little
Maltese said: If windows 7 is based on Vista then thats one more reason to avoid it like the plague Its like telling people at the release of Windows XP that it was based on Millenium Editionwhich it wasnt theyd of run a mile
EEK a Mouse said: Microsoft should finish Vista and deliver the PAID-FOR extras in the Vista Ultimate version before bothering with a new version Many will remember how Microsoft sht on the early adopters of Windows ME and it seems we have a similar situation to me Perhaps Microsoft might care to comment
EEK a Mouse said: Microsoft should finish Vista and deliver the PAID-FOR extras in the Vista Ultimate version before bothering with a new version Many will remember how Microsoft sht on the early adopters of Windows ME and it seems we have a similar situation to me Perhaps Microsoft might care to comment
DarrenRichie said: All you people automatically writing off windows 7 because it looks like vista are very much mistaken They have improved the OS by making it run on less resources memory cpu etc so that will improve the stability etc Windows 7 is based on Vista but they have reworked the underlying code to make it less bloated and better to run Dont judge till you see it working or have tried it Thats what happened with Vista
Poit said: Tabirs right about it being a Vista-alike So I assume that all the bods who are waiting for Windows 7 because Vista is crap will be using XP for well past the end of the decade More fool them as theres nowt wrong with Vista that minor tweaks wont cure
Maltese said: What the last few posters have forgotten and which Ron Graves put so well an Operating System is a tool XP is a good Tool for Computing Purposes Vista is Fun to look at for 5 minutes but bloated with so much junk no one will need and designed for people who know bugger all about computers Its like the Fisher Price My first PC Windows 7 looks like more of the same as a few people above me have said Bloatware For Idiots puts it all in just three words
wightman said: I agree with the last sentiments re Vista and MS in general it seems there are many people out there only too willing to castigate MS whatever they produce In my opinion the vast majority are simply myths and other comments picked up from forums etc Like some of the posters I have used Ms from the very early daysDOS and upwardsYes there have been many problem areas but given time these have been correctedIt doesnt matter what product from any manufacturer the early prototypes have design glitches then they evolve Come on guys every coin has two sides give the millions of us MS users some leeway As a by the the way my son uses Mac he thinks its great but that is a personal choice
Anthony O'Brien said: You dont have to upgrade your OS as soon as it becomes available You can wait until you purchase a new PC that is capable of running it VISTA is an excellent OS I have been using PCs since Windows 95 and VISTA is the most stable OS I have ever used Why do people have false recollections XP was a nightnmare with compatibility issues for the first 2 years As for cutsey the only thing worse is bland