The latest version of Microsoft Windows, Windows 7 OS slated to be released on October 22, 2009 is designed to be more focused on incremental upgrade thereby providing full compatibility with devices and applications with which Windows Vista is already compatible.

Windows 7 includes a stream of new features like advancement in touchscreen, speech, and handwriting recognition, support for virtual hard disks, support for additional file formats, improved boot performance and kernel improvements. This explains Windows 7’s superiority over Windows XP, Windows Vista.

Windows 7 Features

Windows 7 includes a number of new features, such as advances in touch and handwriting recognition support for virtual hard disks, improved performance on multi-core processors, improved boot performance, Direct Access. Windows 7 has inbuilt mechanism which adds up as support for systems using multiple heterogeneous graphics cards from different vendors.

The operating system also includes a new version of Windows Media Center with a Gadget for Windows Media Center, improved media features, the XPS Essentials Pack and redesigned Calculator with multi-line capabilities including programmer and statistics modes along with unit conversion.

Introduction of new features presents an all new Control Panel. The list includes Clear Type Text Tuner, Display Color Calibration Wizard, Gadget Recovery, Troubleshooting, Workspaces Center, Location and Other Sensors, Credential Manager, Biometric Devices, System Icons, and Display.

Renaming of Windows Security Center to Windows Action Center as part of Windows 7 streamlining process encompasses both security and maintenance of the computer.

A new improved visual appearance to taskbar includes, the Quick Launch toolbar's replacement with pinned up applications to the taskbar. These pinned applications are integrated with the task buttons, thereby enabling the Jump Lists feature to allow easy access to common tasks. This feature enables effective reordering of taskbar buttons. Show Desktop icon present on the far right of the system clock in form of a small rectangular button is part of a new feature called Aero Peek introduced in Windows 7. Hovering over this button makes all visible windows transparent for a quick look at the desktop. In touch-enabled displays, such as touch screens, tablet PCs, etc., this button is slightly wider to accommodate being pressed with a finger. Clicking this button minimizes all windows, and clicking it a second time restores them.

Additionally, another feature named Aero Snap has been added, that automatically maximizes a window when it is dragged to either the top or left/right edges of the screen. This allows users to snap documents or files on either side of the screen to compare them. When a user moves windows that are maximized, the system restores their previous state automatically. This functionality is also accomplished with keyboard shortcuts. Unlike in Windows Vista, window borders and the taskbar do not turn opaque when a window is maximized with Windows Aero applied. Instead, they remain transparent.