Windows 7 New Features

Microsoft has revealed more details of Windows 7, the next version of its desktop and made a pre-release version of the software available for developers at the company’s Professional Developers Conference (PDC) in Los Angeles. A full, API-complete beta release that developers can begin using for app development is planned for early 2009, said Debby Fry Wilson, senior director of Windows product management at Microsoft. General release is planned for early 2010.

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Here are some of the New Features of Windows 7:

Windows 7 UI: The user interface of Windows 7 will be “quieter” than Vista, with fewer pop-ups and notifications, the company said. Users can also control what appears in their Task Bar and System Tray. Gone is the Windows Sidebar, allowing users to place Gadgets anywhere on the desktop.

Networking: Connecting to Wi-Fi networks is also made easier, according to Dennis Flanagan, group program manager for Windows experiences.

“In the system tray, Windows shows the wireless LANs available and you can just pick one, supplying credentials when needed,” he said.

Microsoft has also overhauled the way devices work with Windows 7 PCs. Device Stage provides an all-in-one view of a device and what it can do. With a multi-function printer, users will be able to scan, print, fax, and even access any built-in storage from Device Stage

Libraries : Libraries are now included in Windows 7 to help you better manage documents. Libraries is a collection of content like photos, pictures and music. Libraries allow you to add storage and keep the pictures stored locally across lots of drives but have links to the library.

Federated search allows you to search across multiple PCs to pull photos from another photo library on another PC. The new search pane gives you a great preview of documents too within explorer.

Media & Themes: The new lightweight version of Windows MediaPlayer lets you play media from any device in your “Homegroup”. You can play audio, pictures, or videos across the network.

Themes, themes: You can customize your desktop background and see a live preview when doing so before making the change.

Device Stage: This new feature places all the settings and features relating to a peripheral in one place, and lumps in online documentation and e-commerce opportunities such as going online to shop for printer ink, too. It sounds good in principle, but device manufacturers have to do some of the heavy lifting, including providing Microsoft with beautiful 3D renderings of their products. And I’m still not sure how I feel about third-party companies being able to insert e-commerce features into my operating system.