Windows 7 RTM first look: More than just Vista fixes

Microsoft

Windows 7 RTM first look: More than just Vista fixes

By Ed Bott July 29, 2009, 1:43 AM PDT

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Windows 7 RTM first look: More than just Vista fixes

Windows 7 RTM (Build 7600)

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This Winver dialog box shows the final Windows 7 build number, 7600. Note the new default wallpaper as well.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

Taskbar thumbnails and Aero Peek

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Yes, Vista offered thumbnail previews too, but the Windows 7 version is much more usable. In this example, you can see individual tabs for each open Explorer window, and pointing to a thumbnail brings that window to the front with Aero Peek.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

Jump Lists

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Individual application developers can customize their program’s Jump Lists with task shortcuts, as in Outlook from the Office 2010 Technical Preview. Or you can “pin” favorite albums to the file list in Windows Media Player, just as you can in any program with a Recent list.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

Libraries and Search

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The fill-in-the-blanks advanced search forms from XP and Vista are gone, replaced by the Search Builder in the upper right corner. Point and click on search fields to build a query without memorizing search syntax.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

Resource Monitor

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Resource Monitor is an amazing, even overwhelming diagnostic and troubleshooting tool that can help you see exactly how processes and services are using system resources and network connections.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

Support for QuickTime Movie format

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Many consumer-grade digital cameras save movie files in QuickTime Movie format. In earlier Windows versions, you had to install third-party software (from Apple or others) to preview and tag these files. Windows 7 includes native suppport for this format, along with the AAC/M4A music format and H.264 videos.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

The Devices and Printers folder

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This relatively uncluttered folder uses large icons that can be customized to more closely resemble the devices they represent. A right click allows access to functions for that device (or in this case, the computer itself).

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

Device Stage

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This large dialog box is designed as a user-friendly alternative to geeky properties dialog boxes. In this case, the system is smart enough to ask for an updated driver.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

Connect an external audio device directly

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This cool feature is part of the completely rewritten audio stack for Windows 7. It allows you to directly connect an audio input (for example, a portable MP3 player attached to the Line In jack on a sound card) to an audio output like your PC’s speakers.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

System Restore

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This is the first-level recovery screen for Windows 7. System Restore has some noteworthy improvements for all editions, but the real good stuff appears when you click the Advanced recovery methods link.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

Advanced Recovery

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These two options are available in every Windows 7 version. Using a system image backup on a hard disk or flash drive, you can restore an entire system in roughly 10-15 minutes.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

Windows Easy Transfer

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The process of doing a clean install is tedious but significantly less painful with the help of the Windows Easy Transfer utility. This report includes links for all programs installed on the previous Windows version, with download links for most.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just “Vista, fixed”.

By Ed Bott

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