Friday, July 31, 2009

Windows 7 Review - Should I Buy Windows 7?

Windows 7 may be one of Microsoft's greatest operating systems, if it fulfills the guarantee shown by the unlicensed test version we have been testing for the past couple of days.

Let me preface these fast impressions of Redmond's latest opus by saying that I came to Windows 7 after having happily run the much-maligned Windows Vista on my Intel Core two Duo-based PC for the past 18 months .

I found Vista to be a deserving upgrade from Windows XP SP2. Despite its plain flaws ( can you say'resource hog'? ) and the acknowlegement that some of its features need to be disabled by default, Vista at heart is a far more stable and serviceable operating system than XP, which was initially released in 2001.

I found the Windows 7 beta a painless install. The 33MB of updates quickly came down the pipe on loading the desktop.
Click for gallery

Definitely, Windows 7 had no problem at the same time installing and launching applications, downloading files, perusing the Web, and carrying out other jobs on our modest 2.8GHz Pentium 4, which has only an 80GB IDE hard disk and 512MB of RAM.

Vista's most visible annoyance, User Account Control, has been pared right back on its default setting, and we encountered it only 2 times throughout a complete morning of installing applications. However, if you feel sentimental for UAC's old behaviour, you can easily change it back via Windows 7's new Action Center, which now centralizes all of the safety updates and caution alerts that Windows throws your way.

Windows 7 commended that we install a 3rd party antivirus package ( it recommended Kaspersky and AVG ), but its antispyware package Defender comes preinstalled.

I particularly like the new photo-realistic device icons, and the overhaul of the way Windows handles and ejects USB storage devices. Microsoft appears to have wiped out a lot of the Windows XP-era interface quirks of Vista ; the result's a more simplistic, unified experience for common tasks.

I also loved the overhaul of the Windows taskbar, particularly the slick graphics, but a bug prevented us from having the ability to use the preview function ( it showed a black rectangle instead ), and you'll be wanting to play with the taskbar settings to get this piece of the Windows 7 puzzle just right. It's easy to get minimized windows mixed up with launcher buttons, for example.

For example, we couldn't get Adobe Systems' Creative Suite 3 to install on Windows 7 beta ; the installer told us we needed to give up Internet Explorer first.

But maybe the most vital thing to notice about the software is that initially glance, it has much more of that nebulous'Windows XP feel' than Vista ever did. Even on our modest machine, Windows 7 did not beat the hard disk or ever feel non responsive, except when we were installing Apple's iTunes, a scandalous pain on Windows systems.

Windows 7 is currently available for pre-order from Amazon in all its shapes and forms. Upgrades are available for Vsta users, and stand alone installs are available for partitioned drives, or new computers.

Buy Windows 7 Now from Amazon

Friday, July 24, 2009

Windows 7 Review Video

In this video I show you my Windows 7 Review copy running on my compuer...

I discuss the windows 7 aero improvements, window docking, the new paint and aero shake.



To find out more about how you can secure yourself a copy of Windows 7 BEFORE it is oficially released, pre-order Windows 7 here.

Windows 7 Pre Order Review - Why You Should Skip Vista!

Windows 7 Review - Skip Vista - It Really Is That Good!

I've been running Windows 7 on two computers at home since the beta came out. They are totally different PCs in that one is sort of five years of age and one is absolutely cutting edge with all the latest graphics cards, for example. Both run Windows 7 very well and without any errors.

The new Windows 7 Aero theme is pretty and better organized and intuitive than Windows Vista Aero. Enabling the mouse gestures makes Windows 7 much nicer. An example mouse gesture that I use is to wiggle the mouse forwards and forwards like you are scratching something off a list. This straight away clears the desktop by hiding all the open windows. The new interface also allows you to push the thumbnails of the programs that are running. It is a bit Apple OSX like, except not so animated and aggravating in my humble opinion.

I am still nervous about compatibility issues, but even the few games I have run have been no problem for Windows 7. Even the latest Fallout three ran perfectly. Given a Windows 7 will be swiftly downloadable in the future and given that the apparent quality of the release exceeds that of Vista ask who will trouble to ask who will trouble to Vista SP2?

NBA 2K9 actually has a higher frame rate in windows 7 than in vista due to the smaller overheads on hardware, I've spoken to a few of the other testers from the office and we've all experienced a noticeable difference in video smoothness overall in games.

In addition to Vista SP2?

In addition to frame rate rises in games, the web connection scores just about 10% higher throughput. On our 1GB connections, the difference is even more noticeable. Even if you don't have machine to test Microsoft Microsoft Windows 7 on, you can use Vmware's free desktop virtualization software to set up and start exploring.

It's coming fairly soon. It's going to be good and if you're employed in a company IT dept, you may have to support it. To set up Windows 7 on Vmware, just tell vmware that you're going to be using Vista. This works well because one of the explicit goals of Windows 7 is driver and hardware compatibility with Vista.

Installation is a piece of cake. It essentially looks just like the Windows Vista installer with upgraded graphics. Like all new Windows releases, Microsoft has attempted to appeal to users on the present platform. The result's that there's going on under the hood that has changed but that you won't see until you're in a support situation and relealize that some of your tried and tested debugging rituals no longer work.

Conclusion: I think it's smart to begin to support this operating system now, especially if you have been holding off company users waiting for a better version of Vista. By the point Windows Vista SP2 Beta is stable and out the door, you'll be on the heels of Microsoft's Windows 7 release date. At the least you should install a virtual machine on Vmware for familiarization.

If you have applications that have to be tested on Windows seven, the time to start that is at this time. Developers should have their beta copy very shortly.

Amazon.com is taking on Windows 7 Pre Orders which will be delivered as soon as Windows 7 becomes available to the public. So head on over and secure yourself a copy today.
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Sunday, July 19, 2009

Windows 7 Review -What to Expect

Windows 7 Review

Windows 7 Windows 7 is a latest version of windows operating system. It contains features of Windows XP and Windows Vista, available for both customer and server version.

Windows 7 should be available in 32- and 64-bit versions and offer enhance remote management for the enterprise and offer a better experience for computers users.

Windows 7 has been built with great compatibility of the windows operating system; there are millions of the latest applications which are easily associated with it. Microsoft has reported that the new Operating system will contain better performance and other improvements over the current Windows Vista.

This is going to be a point for some businesses to head off to the new Operation system. Vista has had its Problems with adoption by masses and businesses alike. The much-awaited new version of the Windows OS really needs to measure up to the hype to succeed.

The objective of the Windows 7 is make it more users friendly, provides Intuitive user interfaces are expected such as speech recognition and digital ink. Another main goal for Windows 7 is security. Windows 7 will provide more security and functions that may protect the user's files and info.

The predictor says that Microsoft will provide a subscription service with the new operating system that may help users in accessing their files and settings from other PCs. This will extend Windows 7, much like the present Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack ( MDOP ), which is currently available to Microsoft's Software assurance customers.

It is a bit unclear how Microsoft came up with the name "Windows 7." If you count all Windows beginning from Windows 1.0, it should be Windows 11.

Windows 1.0
Windows 2.0 / 2.1
Windows 3.0 / 3.1
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows ME
Windows NT
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7

Many a test has been performed to test Windows 7. In the tests done by LifeHacker, Windows 7 is taking the same quantity of time to boot as Windows XP takes which is around twenty percent quicker than Windows Vista. Now that is something what we are attempting to find.

Windows 7 Revew summary: Yes, it's undeniably familiar, and early tests show that it's going to be easier to use, faster, and more compatible with older hardware than vista. So go out there and get it!


Windows 7 is NOW available for pre-order from Amazon.com.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Windows 7 Review - Why You Should Pre Order Now

Windows 7 Pre Order Review - Windows 7 is Already More Stable Than Vista

Windows 7 Review - It's Time To Get Familiar - Will You skip Vista SP2?

I've got 2 PCs running Windows 7. They are completely different PCs in that one is sort of five years of age and one is totally cutting edge with all the most recent graphics cards, and so on. Both run Windows 7 very well and without any errors.

The new Windows 7 Aero theme is pretty and a bit better organized and intuitive than Windows Vista Aero. Enabling the mouse gestures makes Windows 7 much nicer. An example mouse gesture that I use is to shake the mouse forwards and backwards like you are scratching something off a list. This instantly clears the desktop by hiding all the open windows. The new interface also lets you push the thumbnails of the programs that are running. It is a bit Apple OSX like, except not so animated and annoying in my humble opinion.

I am still nervous about compatibility issues, but even the few games I have run have been no problem for Windows 7. Even the most recent Fallout 3 ran flawlessly. Given a Windows 7 will be swiftly downloadable in the future and given the clear quality of the apparent quality of the release exceeds that of Vista ask who will trouble to ask who will trouble to Vista SP2?

In addition to Vista SP2?

In addition to frame rate rises in games, the Net connection scores virtually 10% higher throughput. On our 1GB connections, the difference is even more conspicuous. Even if you don't have machine to test drive Microsoft Microsoft Windows 7 on, you may use Vmware's free desktop virtualization software to set up and start exploring.

It's coming fairly soon. It's going to be good and if you work in a corporate IT office, you will have to support it. To set up Windows 7 on Vmware, just tell vmware that you'll be using Vista. This works well because one of the explicit goals of Windows 7 is driver and hardware compatibility with Vista.

Installation is a breeze. It essentially looks like the Windows Vista installer with upgraded graphics. Like all new Windows releases, Microsoft has attempted to appeal to users on the present platform. The result is that there is a lot going on under the hood that has changed but that you won't see until you're in a support situation and realize that some of your tried and true debugging methods no longer work.

Conclusion:I think it's smart to start preparing to support windows 7 now, particularly if you've been holding off corporate users waiting for a better version of Vista. By the point Windows Vista SP2 Beta is stable and out the door, you will be on the heels of Microsoft's Windows 7 release date. At the least you minimum you need to install a virtual machine on Vmware for familiarization.

If you have applications that have to be tested on Windows seven, the time to start that is now. Developers should have their beta copy very shortly.

Amazon.com is taking pre-orders for Windows 7. US buyers are able to purchase vista-windows 7 upgrades, European customers will only be able to purchase full versions as no upgrades are available.

Pre-order your copy of Windows 7 today.