Are You Ready For Vista? What You Need To Know About The Next Microsoft Windows

Vista is coming soon to a computer near you, are you ready?

Unlike past editions of Microsoft Windows this new version

seems to be generating a lot more pre-launch buzz. Maybe it

has to do with all the new improved browsing and computer

features that the Vista will supposedly deliver.

What is Vista?

Vista is the new version of Microsoft Windows, which will offer

users a greatly improved browsing and computer experience mainly

through more dynamic 'live' windows and faster presentation. It will

offer a more robust security (direly needed!) and more business features

in its corporate OS with encryption, Unix services, and virtual

machine capabilities.

You will be able to use different graphical tools to more efficiently

manage your information and applications on your desktop. If you read

the information on the official Vista site, you may come away believing

your desktop will never look or feel the same again.

Vista Homepage: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/

There is one underlying reason why this may just be the case.

According to the Longhorn Statement of last year, RSS will play a

major role in these applications and in the OS itself. Longhorn

is the name for the Microsoft Windows Server code. RSS stands

for 'Really Simple Syndication' and Microsoft should be applauded

for bringing RSS to the forefront. Many believe RSS will change

the very nature of how we use the Internet and our computers.

Regardless of what it may contain, the new Windows Vista has

many consumers delaying the purchase of their next PC or laptop

until the new Windows arrives. Many were hoping for a pre-Christmas

release but...

When Will It Arrive?

According to Microsoft's own official site on Vista, Windows Vista

will be available in early 2007. However, Vista (as of Sept.22, 2006)

is already in Beta testing with over 30,000 testers from around the globe.

Read more about this at the Windows Vista Team Blog:

http://blogs.technet.com/windowsvista/default.aspx

Vista will have TWO Interfaces

Vista Windows will have two interfaces, Basic and Aero. The Basic

Interface will be similar to Windows XP and will run on most current

PCs and Laptops. The Aero Interface is more advanced and you will need

higher system requirements to take advantage of all the new features.

(See Below)

Actually, Vista will have six versions in all. According to the Vista

web site these versions will range for the very basic up to the highest

performance level.

* Windows Vista Starter which runs only on 32-bit systems and will be

so on new machines in India, Thailand and other emerging markets.

* Windows Vista Home Basic which is very comparable to XP Home which

will not offer the high-end graphics and media features.

* Windows Vista Home Premium which will offer these graphics and media.

* Windows Vista Business which is similar to the current XP Professional.

* Windows Vista Enterprise will be only available to those customers

with volume licenses - will offer Unix service, encryption and virtual

machine capabilities.

* Windows Vista Ultimate will combine Vista Enterprise and Vista Home

Premium which will give customers the highest version of Windows.

There will also be "N" versions of Vista Business and Vista Home Basic

for the European market that will have Window Media Player removed.

Microsoft is catering to all levels of the marketplace and its a prudent

business move because many current PCs and laptops don't have the system

requirements to take advantage of the highest version of Vista Aero.

Your System Requirements for Vista?

Your system requirements for the new Windows Vista will depend on which

version of Vista you're buying. For the basic Vista you will need a

modern processor (800MHz or more) with at least 512 MB of system memory.

Your graphics processor should be DirectX 9 capable.

For the fully loaded Vista you will need a little more

robust system with at least 1 GHz processor with 1 GB of

system memory. This should be supported with DirectX 9 graphics

with 128 MB of graphics memory. A premium graphics card like ATI

or NVIDIA is recommended and you will need a 40 GB hard drive

with 15 GB free space. In order to watch and record

live TV you may have to add additional hardware.

Still not sure your current system will support Vista, just

run the free Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor RC found here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeadvisor/default.mspx

This program will tell you if your system can currently run Vista

or if you will need to upgrade your computer.

What noteworthy features will Vista give you?

If we get over the improved features like better organizing

of information, better security, and more reliability - what new

features will the Vista deliver?

One that really jumps out: INSTANT SEARCH

Instead of using the slow cascading "All Programs", you

can just type in a file name or task and you will find what

you're looking for. The new instant start menu will

be a lot quicker, saving you time.

This also jumps out: DYNAMIC WINDOWS

Perhaps, one of the major improvement will be in the

appearance and use of the new desktop with transparent

"glass-like" windows and animated windows on the taskbar.

It will have live thumbnails on the taskbar, place your

mouse over these and you will see the live contents without

having to bring it up on your screen. You will also be able

to create a three-dimensional stack of open windows on your

desktop and you will have smoother performance in dynamic

content or windows such as video.

And this one: SPEECH RECOGNITION

Speech Recognition will play a major role in the new

Windows Vista which promises to feature all the

latest Microsoft speech technologies with 'unparalleled

voice recognition accuracy' supported with multiple

languages and a more human-sounding synthesizer --

step aside Stephen Hawkins!

Plus, you will be able to control your computer by

using your voice. It will provide you with a list

of smart choices, whether it's selecting a word or

choosing an application. Mouseless and hands-free

computing tasks -- might be worth seeing.

And this: WATCH AND RECORD LIVE TV

You will be able to watch and record live TV with Vista. You

may have to use additional hardware to access this feature.

It is only a matter of time before the union of the Internet

and full TV broadcasting services. Windows Vista may help in

furthering this rather slow process. Integration, Integration

Integration.

Also this: BETTER SECURITY AND ENCRYPTION

The new Window Vista offers improved security and has a

few new encryption programs. There is something called

the Windows BitLocker(TM) Drive Encryption which help protect

the sensitive data on your hard drive - especially important

in our ever increasing mobile lifestyles and workforces.

This program will encrypt your entire Windows system and

protect your information in the case of a stolen or lost

PC or laptop.

Then there is the Encrypting File System (EFS) which will protect

user-level files and folders. This is important when two

or more people share the same computer as in a company network.

Companies will be able to use smart cards with EFS keys to allow

employees or workers to access only the content that's appropriate

for them to access. In addition, companies or users will be able

to restrict use of USB keys and other removable storage devices,

thus hampering the quick removal of data from your computer.

Wildcard: What role will RSS Play?

For interested techies and web watchers, the role RSS will

play in the new Vista is an intriguing question. What about

all those new RSS applications? The list extensions? What will

it bring? Read more here http://blogs.msdn.com/rssteam/

Will RSS (via Vista) be given the means to finally turn the

Internet into a Billion Channel Universe? Turning every web site

into its own mini-broadcasting system sending out its content

to all interested parties. Don't come to us, we will deliver.

Changing static content into dynamic content. Furthermore,

will speech recognition turn this dynamic content into a fully

interactive hands-free browsing experience. Might give a whole

new meaning to the expression 'Look Ma - no hands!'

All kidding aside, Windows Vista does offer some unique features

that will change how we use our computers. It offers greater security

and more integrated networking and applications. It does promise

to make our desktop interaction more responsive and smoother

with 'live' social bookmarks and windows. One can only hope

Vista lives up to its name and gives us a whole new viewing

experience.

...
The author is a full-time online marketer who runs numerous web sites, including two sites on Internet Marketing. For the latest web marketing tools try: Internet Marketing Tools He also runs an online Laptop Guide and has a keen interest in RSS and Computers. Go here for the latest Gaming Laptops Copyright c 2006 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

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User Enhancements From Microsoft Windows XP to Microsoft Windows 7 - May 2010

Microsoft Windows 7 is the newest generation of the Microsoft Windows operating systems, Released in 2009. It has many new features to enhance the way you use your computer. Windows 7 is now becoming the new standard of Windows, since XP stole the spotlight from Windows 98. It provides a more manageable user interface for today's multi-tasker and better searching capabilities. It really takes the best of what Windows XP had and added form and function.

When Windows XP came out Microsoft got it right, a sleek interface and a speedy operating system. There really wasn't that much to complain about, for the most part, it was point and click friendly. Nowadays, we are much more muti-task oriented. We install many more software applications, we save Gigabytes of music and video and we want to find everything within a click of a button. Windows XP just can't keep up with us anymore. Windows 7 has search features on every window with updated caching for faster results. You can pull up applications in seconds without even using your mouse. Browse files in eight different view arrangements! With Window Snap feature, live muti-view taskbar icons, Sidebar and transparent windows, there are some great additions from Windows XP.

Let us start off with looks. At first glance you will notice that you have a sidebar. The sidebar to the right of your screen can hold mini applications like a calculator, calendar, clock, notes, weather, etc. You will notice that the start bar is semi-transparent and there may be quick launch icons, to the left, bigger then you remember. The quick launch buttons now look like normal open windows, except they are matte and not gloss looking, to signify they are not yet launched. Let's say you open up two windows of internet explorer. You will notice the matte icon turn to a gloss looking icon. By scrolling over the internet Explorer icon on the task bar, you can reveal a nice square balloon window containing live previews of each explorer windows. This will give you visual reference to which window you want to open without taking up as much room. This holds true to other applications that can open multiple instances. To the right of the start bar there are the already lunched applications, and notification like your antivirus and internet connectivity. In Windows 7 you can choose to have these icons put away into separate floating boxes, only seen by clicking the expansion arrow. This will save you space on your start bar if you typically have a lot of starting applications.

Now to the new search features. If you click the Windows icon to the left, the start button, you now can type the program you want to launch and windows will find it. So if you want to quickly open an instance of Mozilla Firefox, just click the windows icon on your keyboard, to open the start menu, and type Firefox then hit enter. Alternatively to open an instance of windows calculator just type calculator or calc. The search doesn't end there, every window you open has a search bar located at the top right. When you type into this bar, Windows will search that folder and any folders inside that folder for a file which contains that text in its name. This is much easier than the previous method in XP, where you had to jump through menus. Not only can you search easier, you can search with speed. Windows 7 employs Superfetch, a service for caching most commonly used files so your computer can find them faster. It uses extra memory, not in use, to save recently closed items like internet explorer, so you can open it quicker the next time around. Basically, it improves system performance over time. One more thing you may notice about the menu bar is that when you scroll over an application it may show you recently opened files. For instance, if you use Microsoft word often, you will see it placed on the first menu of the start pane. If you scroll over it, you will see recently opened word files. This way every program has its own recently opened files list, versus all the recently opened files being in one small list.

Windows 7 gives you over eight distinct ways to view files, pictures, music and anything else you have on your computer. View by Content, Tiles, Detailed, List, and Small Icons through Extra Large Icons. You can also organize and rearrange your files in around 300 formats. Arrange by Date modified and Size, for your everyday files, or dimensions and f-stop for your photography. To do this right click anywhere on the details pane and go to more. You can choose from an assortment that pertains to the files you are organizing. One of my favorite features added to Windows 7 in window snaps. To place windows side by side, just drag a window to the far right of the screen and a window to the far left. Windows will snap those windows for a 50/50 side by side view. This is much less time consuming then manually configuring two windows for a side by side view. Additionally, roll your mouse to the bottom right corner of your screen and click. You now have minimized any open windows and can view your desktop. You can also 3D scroll through different open windows by holding down the Windows key and pressing Tab.

You're my documents file now contains most of what you commonly save. Windows XP has My Music, My Pictures and My Videos files in the My Documents folder. Windows 7 Places, those plus Contacts, Desktop, Downloads, Favorites, Links, My Documents, Saved Games and Searches into that folder. It' not really called My Documents anymore because there is a My Documents folder inside of it; rather, it is called your User file. Now that you have everything in one place, it is easier to keep track of all your files.

As you can see there have been a number of user enhancements from Windows XP to Windows 7, a lot of them very helpful. It's speedy and fun to look at with new capabilities that improve workflow. The ability to perform a search in any window, coupled with the speed of Superfetch, and now you can find all your files with ease. After you find what you are looking for you can view it in over 8 different ways and organize them in 300. You have live multi window previews on the start bar, along with 3D window flip to change what you are looking at. Also work side by side with window snap feature. There are many good reasons to update to window 7 nowadays. If these features seem helpful to you, maybe it's time.

Warmest Regards,

Erik Mjelde

http://www.HonestGuyComputerRepair.com
Los Angeles, CA

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Evaluation Microsoft Windows 7

After the rather lackluster launch of Windows Vista, Microsoft is ready with another operating system that could succeed Windows XP in the true sense. While Windows Vista offered a flashy new interface, it failed to create a stir in the market due to its poor performance, compatibility goof ups and the lack of any impressive features. The new Windows 7 operating system, which is set to be launched on October 22, 2009, has been designed to fix the old and new annoying features of its immediate predecessor and the older versions.

Although impressive design has never been Microsoft's strength, the company has managed to improve tremendously on this aspect in the Windows 7 operating system. While users might take a while to get accustomed to the new Taskbar and Aero Peek of Windows 7, they will be pleased with the changes and the ease of use of this OS.

Windows 7 Operating System: What Has Been Discarded?

There are several capabilities and programs that were a part of Windows Vista are no longer present in Windows 7 versions. Some of the discarded items from a long list are:

Quick Launch: This feature had been the trademark of Windows XP and enabled a one-click access to programs. You could add any program to Quick Launch by dragging its icon to the Quick Launch toolbar. This distinctive feature has been eliminated from the Windows 7 versions.

Troubleshooting Warnings: Windows 7 has got rid of the onslaught of word-balloon warnings related to troubleshooting issues and potential security problems.

Windows 7 Beta: What's New or Improved?

Some of the new or improved features of the Windows 7 operating system are:

Taskbar: The Taskbar is unique to Windows and offers the Windows experience mainly through the Start menu and System Tray. While the Start menu got a much needed redesign in Vista, in Windows 7, the System Tray and the entire Taskbar get a complete makeover.

o The old small icons and text labels that appear for applications currently running on the system are replaced by larger, unlabeled icons in the new Taskbar. The new design reduces the clutter on the Taskbar.

o You also have the option of shrinking the icons and bringing the labels back if you feel uncomfortable. You can also reorganize the position of these icons in the Taskbar.

o The capabilities of Quick Launch have been included in the Taskbar of Microsoft Windows 7.

o The Live Preview feature of Windows Vista has been improved such that you can simultaneously view the thumbnails of all the running applications just by taking the pointer to an icon.

o A new feature called Jump Lists in Microsoft Windows 7 lets you perform several tasks within an application even if the application is closed. For example, you can open the browser, initiate an InPrivate stealth browsing session or visit any of the eight most frequently visited web pages by using the Jump List of Internet Explorer 8.

o You can view the Windows 7 screen (desktop) with one click, even if you have several open windows, by using the brand new feature called Aero Peek. This feature can be accessed by using the kind of nub at the extreme right edge of the Taskbar. If you hover your pointer to the nub, all windows become transparent, revealing the Windows 7 screen. You can access the applications and icons on the desktop by clicking the nub.

Windows 7 Compatibility

The requirements for the 32-bit version of Microsoft Windows 7 are similar to that of the premium editions of Vista. However, the Windows 7 compatibility requirements for the version built for the 64-bit processor are significantly higher than that for the 32-bit version.

32-bit processor 64-bit processor

Memory (RAM) 1 GB of RAM 2 GB of RAM

HDD free space 16 GB of available disk space 20 GB of available disk space

Apart from the RAM and HDD requirements, you must have a DVD drive (only to install from DVD/CD Media) and DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM driver model 1.0 to install Windows 7 versions.

Security - Windows 7

In Vista, the security - Windows feature, User Account Control (UAC), insistently prompted you to approve the running of applications or change systems settings in order to prevent rogue software from tampering with your PC. In Windows 7, you have more control over this irritating feature. You can alter your UAC settings to notify only when your Windows settings are being changed by software, instead of you.

Windows Upgrade Offers

Various companies are providing their customers with special offers for a Windows upgrade. For example, Acer has announced that customers who purchase a qualifying Windows Vista-based PC from June 26, 2009 to January 31, 2010 would be eligible for an upgrade to Windows 7.

Windows 7 beta is far from being flawless. While some features do not seem fine tuned properly, others can not be utilized to their true capability without additional support from third party applications. However, the overall final shipping Windows 7 versions appear to be the worthy successor of Windows XP that Vista never was.

Upgrade to Windows 7 New Operating System Software

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