Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows 7, packs a lot of new features to make everything you do on the computer faster and easier. Some of my favorite new features are the new advanced taskbar and added features to Windows Aero.
Taskbar Basics
Microsoft's new taskbar combines the best features of Apple's Dock and its own previous taskbars, and then improves upon them. This new design makes it particularly easy to launch and manage applications. One of the new taskbar features is Aero Peek, which allows multiple windows (e.g., Internet Explorer) to be opened. But you'll only see one IE icon in the taskbar, slightly shaded, so your taskbar doesn't become cluttered.
When you hold the cursor over this icon, a preview of the IE windows will show up. You can click on a preview to open the window, or hold the cursor over this preview to see the full-size window. All of this is glossy and looks very modern. Click here for the video.
On the very right of the taskbar is a narrow transparent button. When you hold the mouse over this, all of the windows become transparent and you see the desktop. Clicking this button hides all windows and shows the desktop. Clicking again will bring the windows back.
Jump Lists
Jump lists are another important part of this new taskbar. They allow you to easily select common tasks for a certain application. For instance, if you click on the Media Player icon and drag it up, you'll see a list appear. This will allow you to select a recently played song, start playing all songs, or open the application. Once this application is running, you can use the jump list to skip songs and pause playback. Click here for the video.
Aero
Window's Authentic, Energetic, Reflective, and Open (better known as "Aero") is the company's graphical user interface, first seen in Vista (2006). Aero was introduced to update the look of the OS, and to make things cleaner and more efficient. Windows 7 brings a few new features to Aero.
Aero Snap
Aero Snap allows windows to be dragged to the left or right of the screen, to tile them vertically, and dragged to the top of the screen to maximize them. This can also be done by using a shortcut: windows button + left, right, up, or down. This saves a lot of time when trying to have two windows tiled. No more resizing them to fit each half of the screen! Click here for the video.
Aero Shake
Aero Shake is a useful tool for cleaning up a crowded monitor. When you have multiple windows open, you can click and hold one, shake it around the screen and all of the other windows will minimize. Shaking again will bring these windows back. Click here for the video.
Currently, I use Windows 7 as the primary operating system on my personal computer. Almost every day, my XP computer at work annoys me by not doing the new, simple, and intuitive things that my own computer can now do. Is it possible that Microsoft has produced an operating system that's worth upgrading to?
Editors note: Click here to learn how to dual boot with Windows 7.
Editors note: Click here to see comparison of Vista and Windows 7.
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