**18 cool things Windows 7 does that Vista doesn't by ROCKY13 2010/01/14 07:39
From Windows 3.1 to Windows Vista, the Windows operating system has takenmany giant leaps. And while Vista received a lukewarm reception from some users Windows 7 is likely to be remembered for addressing those criticisms.In fact, there aren't many changes to the overall look of Windows 7 when compared to Windows Vista. Instead, Microsoft seems to have paid attention to the feedback it received and created an OS that is not only stable, but also very capable.So what is new inWindows 7? Here are 18 cool things Windows 7 does that Vista doesn't.
From Windows 3.1 to Windows Vista, the Windows operating system has takenmany giant leaps. And while Vista received a lukewarm reception from some users Windows 7 is likely to be remembered for addressing those criticisms.In fact, there aren't many changes to the overall look of Windows 7 when compared to Windows Vista. Instead, Microsoft seems to have paid attention to the feedback it received and created an OS that is not only stable, but also very capable.So what is new inWindows 7? Here are 18 cool things Windows 7 does that Vista doesn't.
ROCKY13 2010/01/14 07:54
# 62 Windows 7 tips, tricks and
secrets
1. Shake 'em away
Ever had 10 Notepad, two
Powerpoint and 50 Outlook
windows open? Want to minimise
all of them except the most
important one? In Windows 7, you
can grab the top of the window
and shake it about to scare away
all of the other open windows.
Simple.
2. Jumplists
Jumplists are a new feature that
give you the option to view a list of
recently accessed files by
application, even when the
application isn't open, by right-
clicking on the application's icon in
the taskbar. It also allows you to
quickly access a favourite playlist
without opening your media player.
Jumplists can also be found
integrated into the Start Menu.
TIME-SAVER: The Jumplist for
Windows Explorer pretty useful
START HERE: A Jumplist integrated
into the Start Menu
3. A step forward in previewing
In Vista, hovering over a minimised
window on the taskbar would
provide a preview of the window.
In Windows 7, a similar preview
pops up which also gives the
option to close a window (within
the preview), along with a full-size
'peek'. You can also press Win + T
to scroll along previews in the
taskbar.
PREVIEW PLUS: A smaller preview,
along with a full-size 'peek' with
the ability to close the window
# 62 Windows 7 tips, tricks and
secrets
1. Shake 'em away
Ever had 10 Notepad, two
Powerpoint and 50 Outlook
windows open? Want to minimise
all of them except the most
important one? In Windows 7, you
can grab the top of the window
and shake it about to scare away
all of the other open windows.
Simple.
2. Jumplists
Jumplists are a new feature that
give you the option to view a list of
recently accessed files by
application, even when the
application isn't open, by right-
clicking on the application's icon in
the taskbar. It also allows you to
quickly access a favourite playlist
without opening your media player.
Jumplists can also be found
integrated into the Start Menu.
TIME-SAVER: The Jumplist for
Windows Explorer pretty useful
START HERE: A Jumplist integrated
into the Start Menu
3. A step forward in previewing
In Vista, hovering over a minimised
window on the taskbar would
provide a preview of the window.
In Windows 7, a similar preview
pops up which also gives the
option to close a window (within
the preview), along with a full-size
'peek'. You can also press Win + T
to scroll along previews in the
taskbar.
PREVIEW PLUS: A smaller preview,
along with a full-size 'peek' with
the ability to close the window
ROCKY13 2010/01/14 08:07
4. Snap into place
Simply drag your window to the
left or right edge of the desktop to
snap and resize the window to one
half of the screen. Drag the
window to the top to maximise it.
A pretty neat idea made neater by
the use of the keyboard shortcuts
(Win + respective arrow keys). No
longer do you have to frustratingly
position the mouse at the edge of
the window to resize it.
5. XP Mode
This time, you do not have to slap
your head that same way when
Vista would not run an XP
application. For those XP
applications that do not work
under Windows 7, you can
download XP Mode free from the
Microsoft website and run XP
applications in an emulated XP
environment in Windows 7.
Imagine Parallels on Mac OS X
without the need to fish out
money on an extra OS.
6. An easier and quicker way to
adjust multiple displays
Do you constantly connect your
computer to different external
monitors or projectors, especially
at work? Try Win + P, and
duplicating or extending your
display to the other monitor takes
just a second. Win + P presents
you with an Alt + Tab style menu,
which is ideal if you give a lot of
presentations at work on your
laptop.
4. Snap into place
Simply drag your window to the
left or right edge of the desktop to
snap and resize the window to one
half of the screen. Drag the
window to the top to maximise it.
A pretty neat idea made neater by
the use of the keyboard shortcuts
(Win + respective arrow keys). No
longer do you have to frustratingly
position the mouse at the edge of
the window to resize it.
5. XP Mode
This time, you do not have to slap
your head that same way when
Vista would not run an XP
application. For those XP
applications that do not work
under Windows 7, you can
download XP Mode free from the
Microsoft website and run XP
applications in an emulated XP
environment in Windows 7.
Imagine Parallels on Mac OS X
without the need to fish out
money on an extra OS.
6. An easier and quicker way to
adjust multiple displays
Do you constantly connect your
computer to different external
monitors or projectors, especially
at work? Try Win + P, and
duplicating or extending your
display to the other monitor takes
just a second. Win + P presents
you with an Alt + Tab style menu,
which is ideal if you give a lot of
presentations at work on your
laptop.
ROCKY13 2010/01/14 08:11
7. A personalised Stage for your
device
With the new 'Device and Printers'
button on the Start Menu, devices
which are connected to your
computer can have their own
Stage. This Device Stage presents
supported devices with a photo-
realistic render and a link to the
vendor's website, along with other
updates and useful information
(such as firmware updates and
manuals).
8. (Almost) eliminate the
notification area!
What, I can even get rid of the
clock and volume icons? Yes. Click
the arrow that gives access to the
overflow icons in the notification
area and click 'customise'. Select
each icon and click 'hide icon and
notifications' to remove it. Clean.
QUIETER: Stop all those
notifications but you might want
to keep the clock there
9. Problem Steps Recorder
The 'Problem Steps Recorder' lets
you record a particular problem
you are having with your PC so you
can send it to someone who may
be able to help. Click 'Record', and
a screenshot is taken with every
mouse click, allowing comments to
be added in between if required.
These screenshots (and comments,
if any) are placed in a well-
formatted HTML document that is
placed inside a zipped folder on
your desktop - ideal to be attached
to an email.
A PROBLEM HALVED: Simple, yet
so effective. Send this to tech
savvy friends or even
manufacturers
7. A personalised Stage for your
device
With the new 'Device and Printers'
button on the Start Menu, devices
which are connected to your
computer can have their own
Stage. This Device Stage presents
supported devices with a photo-
realistic render and a link to the
vendor's website, along with other
updates and useful information
(such as firmware updates and
manuals).
8. (Almost) eliminate the
notification area!
What, I can even get rid of the
clock and volume icons? Yes. Click
the arrow that gives access to the
overflow icons in the notification
area and click 'customise'. Select
each icon and click 'hide icon and
notifications' to remove it. Clean.
QUIETER: Stop all those
notifications but you might want
to keep the clock there
9. Problem Steps Recorder
The 'Problem Steps Recorder' lets
you record a particular problem
you are having with your PC so you
can send it to someone who may
be able to help. Click 'Record', and
a screenshot is taken with every
mouse click, allowing comments to
be added in between if required.
These screenshots (and comments,
if any) are placed in a well-
formatted HTML document that is
placed inside a zipped folder on
your desktop - ideal to be attached
to an email.
A PROBLEM HALVED: Simple, yet
so effective. Send this to tech
savvy friends or even
manufacturers
ROCKY13 2010/01/14 08:13
10. A brand new Magnifier tool
If you are, or someone you know,
is visually impaired, then the
Windows 7 Magnifier provides two
options for providing a bigger
display. One of which is using the
traditional dock (which took up a
lot of the screen) and the other
being a rectangular lens that is
stuck to the cursor (meaning there
is no loss of workspace).
UP CLOSE: A sleek new magnifier
that follows your cursor, without
decreasing your workspace
11. A new way to preview your
music files
Opening and listening to an MP3 is
a lot more snappier with Windows
7 due to its new smaller preview
player, presenting you with album
art, basic music functionality and a
link to the full-blown Windows
Media Player. This is an obvious
attempt to mimic the preview
feature of Mac OS X, but it is very
well executed.
MUSIC PREVIEW: The new
preview is simple and loads up
very quickly
12. Homegroup Networking
In Vista (or, frankly, any Windows
OS), creating a shared folder over
a network at home could be a bit
of a pain. In Windows 7, using the
'Homegroup' wizard, check the
default folders you would like to
share. This will give you a passcode
that will have to be entered in
another computer on the same
network to share the files. Sounds
too good to be true? There is a
catch: only a Windows 7 computer
can join a Homegroup.
10. A brand new Magnifier tool
If you are, or someone you know,
is visually impaired, then the
Windows 7 Magnifier provides two
options for providing a bigger
display. One of which is using the
traditional dock (which took up a
lot of the screen) and the other
being a rectangular lens that is
stuck to the cursor (meaning there
is no loss of workspace).
UP CLOSE: A sleek new magnifier
that follows your cursor, without
decreasing your workspace
11. A new way to preview your
music files
Opening and listening to an MP3 is
a lot more snappier with Windows
7 due to its new smaller preview
player, presenting you with album
art, basic music functionality and a
link to the full-blown Windows
Media Player. This is an obvious
attempt to mimic the preview
feature of Mac OS X, but it is very
well executed.
MUSIC PREVIEW: The new
preview is simple and loads up
very quickly
12. Homegroup Networking
In Vista (or, frankly, any Windows
OS), creating a shared folder over
a network at home could be a bit
of a pain. In Windows 7, using the
'Homegroup' wizard, check the
default folders you would like to
share. This will give you a passcode
that will have to be entered in
another computer on the same
network to share the files. Sounds
too good to be true? There is a
catch: only a Windows 7 computer
can join a Homegroup.
ROCKY13 2010/01/14 08:13
13. Stream Music directly to
another computer
If you do create a Homegroup,
Windows Media Player allows you
to stream music directly to another
computer. So, instead of listening
to music through your measly
laptop speakers, you can wirelessly
stream to the 7.1 Surround Sound
Speakers of your PC in your living
room, without stepping away from
your laptop. Sweet.
14. Action Center
The Action Center is the new
Security Center for Windows 7,
along with other notifications such
as updates and access to the
improved troubleshooting and
recovery using restore point
facilities. Basically, it is everything
windows usually annoys you with,
rolled into one place with one icon
in the notification bar. If you find
the alerts irritating, you can check
out this tip to make the Windows 7
Action Center less annoying.
15. Pin just about anything to
the new Windows Taskbar
Imagine a blank Mac OS X Dock
with the start menu, the
notifications bar and the improved
'Show Desktop' button added to it.
Drag just about anything on to it
and the associated application will
place itself on the translucent
taskbar, with an option to open
the file in the Jumplist.
13. Stream Music directly to
another computer
If you do create a Homegroup,
Windows Media Player allows you
to stream music directly to another
computer. So, instead of listening
to music through your measly
laptop speakers, you can wirelessly
stream to the 7.1 Surround Sound
Speakers of your PC in your living
room, without stepping away from
your laptop. Sweet.
14. Action Center
The Action Center is the new
Security Center for Windows 7,
along with other notifications such
as updates and access to the
improved troubleshooting and
recovery using restore point
facilities. Basically, it is everything
windows usually annoys you with,
rolled into one place with one icon
in the notification bar. If you find
the alerts irritating, you can check
out this tip to make the Windows 7
Action Center less annoying.
15. Pin just about anything to
the new Windows Taskbar
Imagine a blank Mac OS X Dock
with the start menu, the
notifications bar and the improved
'Show Desktop' button added to it.
Drag just about anything on to it
and the associated application will
place itself on the translucent
taskbar, with an option to open
the file in the Jumplist.
ROCKY13 2010/01/14 08:16
16. Improved Touch Navigation
Windows 7 has much improved
touch navigation. The larger
taskbar with squarer icons makes it
a lot easier to navigate with your
fingers, and Macbook-like multi-
touch gestures on various
applications could change the way
you interact with windows. Subtle
enhancements such as a larger
Start Menu appearing when
Touchscreen hardware is detected
also help.
17. Native ISO Burner
There are those times when you
inevitably have to burn an ISO file
(such as when you have to copy a
downloaded Windows 7 beta or
RC) to a DVD. With Windows 7 you
do not need to download third-
party software (some of which are
pretty confusing to use). Double-
clicking on an ISO file will take you
to a window that allows you to
change the disc burner drive. Click
'Burn'. After a while, your disc is
ready. Simple.
FINALLY: Burning an ISO file has
never been so easy
18. Native calibration tools
If you tend to hook up your
computer to an HDTV or care
about getting the highest quality
from your monitor, then the in-
built basic and easy-to-use
calibration tools built into Windows
7 will please you.
16. Improved Touch Navigation
Windows 7 has much improved
touch navigation. The larger
taskbar with squarer icons makes it
a lot easier to navigate with your
fingers, and Macbook-like multi-
touch gestures on various
applications could change the way
you interact with windows. Subtle
enhancements such as a larger
Start Menu appearing when
Touchscreen hardware is detected
also help.
17. Native ISO Burner
There are those times when you
inevitably have to burn an ISO file
(such as when you have to copy a
downloaded Windows 7 beta or
RC) to a DVD. With Windows 7 you
do not need to download third-
party software (some of which are
pretty confusing to use). Double-
clicking on an ISO file will take you
to a window that allows you to
change the disc burner drive. Click
'Burn'. After a while, your disc is
ready. Simple.
FINALLY: Burning an ISO file has
never been so easy
18. Native calibration tools
If you tend to hook up your
computer to an HDTV or care
about getting the highest quality
from your monitor, then the in-
built basic and easy-to-use
calibration tools built into Windows
7 will please you.
dear.
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