Windows 7 features and functions

The Windows 7 operating system shares many features and functions with Windows Vista. It also improves on Vista. Here is a list of features and functions that are unique to Windows 7:

Action Center – allows users to see what alerts Windows 7 shows; a handy way to control those annoying UAC messages while not having to disable it.

Explaining the Windows 7 Action Center

Using the Action Center

Action Center consolidates and gives you control of all Windows 7 message alerts. It allows you to configure what messages you do and do not see from Windows maintenance and security, including Windows Defender and User Account Control.
When Windows 7 requires your attention, the Action Center icon appears on the taskbar. If you click the icon, you will see the alerts and suggested actions for any issues listed.
Within the Action Center:

• Red items are labeled Important - indicate issues that should be addressed as soon as possible (like outdated anti-virus program).
  
  
• Yellow items are suggested tasks - like recommended maintenance tasks.

To view details about either the Security or Maintenance section, click the heading or the arrow to expand or collapse the section. If you don’t want to see certain types of messages, you can choose to hide them from view. If Windows pop-up balloon messages bother you, you can customize those settings as well in the Action Center.

Aero Shake – click and shake one open window and all others on the desktop will minimize.

Aero Snap – drag a window to any edge of the display and it will automatically re-size.

Aero Peek - point to the right edge of the taskbar to watch open windows turn transparent, revealing all your hidden icons and gadgets

Introducing Aero Peek - a Fast Way to View the Desktop

Windows 7 Aero Peek

Aero Peek allows a user of Windows 7 to peek through all open windows to the desktop underneath. Point the cursor on the right edge of the taskbar - open windows instantly turn transparent, revealing all icons and gadgets on the desktop.

To quickly show a hidden window, point to its taskbar thumbnail; only that window appears on the desktop.

Aero Peek is included in Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate editions.

 

Aero Templates, Themes – new backgrounds and themes unique and created for Windows 7 (including free additional themes downloadable from Microsoft).

Themes and Backgrounds Available with Windows 7

New Windows 7 Themes

This feature lives up to the hype: The work Microsoft has done is stellar. There are an awesome collection of Backgrounds and Themes included with Windows 7 and others you can download free. Also, the new desktop slide show can display a rotating series of pictures (either yours or Microsoft’s) - yet one more reason to like the Aero interface.

Check out the available Themes and Backgrounds on Microsoft's web site for more information.

Device Stage - helps users interact with any compatible device connected to a Windows 7 computer; view device status and run common tasks from a single window. The key words here are "compatible devices."

• Domain Join – helps business users quickly connect to different office networks.
  
• Gadgets (Improved) – the Sidebar has been eliminated; Gadgets can be placed anywhere;

 New Gadgets have more functionality.

• Home Group – enables users to quickly and easily create home networks between computers using Windows 7.

• An Easy Way to Setup Home Network Sharing - HomeGroup

  

  Windows 7 HomeGroup
  HomeGroup takes the complexity out of sharing files and printers on a home network. HomeGroup makes it easy to connect two or more PCs running Windows 7 and automatically share music, pictures, video, and document libraries with others.
  HomeGroup is also password-protected: After HomeGroup has been setup on the first computer, it generates an alphanumeric password that other computers will use to connect – if the password is not right, there will be no connection.
  The user decides what gets shared and what stays private. Files can be marked "read only," so others can see but not edit or delete data.
  Users can join a HomeGroup with any edition of Windows 7, but only users with Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate can create a HomeGroup. Also, it does not work with other versions of Windows – only Windows 7 computers.
  
  
• Jump Lists - right-click a program icon and see a list of recently used files that use that program.

• A Faster Way to Find Your Stuff

  

  Windows 7 Jump Lists
  Jump Lists (new in Windows 7) is a quick way to take you right to the documents, pictures, songs, or websites you use each day. This feature is an updated version of the “Recent Items” feature and is now included in the right-click menus of programs and shortcuts.
  To open a Jump List, right-click on a program in the Windows 7 Taskbar or Start Menu. You will see a Jump List (titled "Frequent") of the latest items opened with that specific program. This feature is a real time saver.
  
  
• Libraries - make it easier to find, work with, and organize documents, music, pictures, and videos scattered across your PC or network.

• Using Windows 7 Libraries

  

  Windows 7 Libraries
  In previous versions of Windows, users managed files by organizing them in different folders and sub folders. In Windows 7, libraries can be used to organize and access files regardless of where they're stored.
  A library gathers files from different locations (different folders, computers, hard drives) and displays them as a single collection, without moving them from where they're stored.
  There are four default libraries (Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos). Users can also create new libraries or modify existing ones to suit their needs and share them with people in your Home Group. Within a library items can be ordered by folder, date and other user-chosen properties.
  
  
• Location-Aware Printing – if you travel between offices or home and office, this feature is handy: Windows 7 remembers which network and printer you're using and automatically switches the default printer to match the one you last used.
  
  
• Multiplayer Games – Microsoft has revived 3 XP multiplayer games: Internet Checkers, Internet Spades, and Internet Backgammon.

• Microsoft Brings Back Favorite Games From Vista and XP

  

  Windows 7 Games
  In Windows 7, Microsoft has brought forward successful games from Vista and revived several multi-player games from Windows XP. The list of games for Windows 7 includes:
• Chess titans
  
  
• FreeCell
  
  
• Hearts
  
  
• Mahjong Titans
  
  
• Minesweeper
  
  
• Purble Place
  
  
• Solitaire
  
  
• Spider Solitaire
  
  
• Internet Backgammon
  
  
• Internet Checkers
  
  
• Internet Spades
  
  

All three of the multi-player games are included in the Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate editions of Windows 7.
Also provided in the Game Explorer is a link to more games from Microsoft.

• Networking (Improved) – improved task bar widget that allows for quick network connection and configuration.
  
  
• Play to function - right-click the music tracks you’d like to hear and select Play To. Play To works with other PCs running Windows 7 and devices compliant with the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) media standard. 
• Task Bar (Improved) - "pin" favorite programs anywhere on the taskbar; rearrange programs in any way you like by clicking and dragging. Point to a taskbar icon to see a thumbnail preview of open files or programs. Then, move your mouse over a thumbnail to preview the window full-screen.

• Using the Taskbar

  

  Windows 7 Taskbar
  The Windows 7 taskbar is the horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen. The taskbar can usually be seen, regardless of the open program or file. It provides quick access to applications, information and open files even if the desktop is obscured.
  The taskbar has three main sections:
• The Start button - opens the Start menu.
  
  
• The middle section – Quick Launch icons that can start applications and hold open files and programs. You can "pin" favorite programs anywhere on the taskbar; rearrange programs in any way you like by clicking and dragging. Point to a taskbar icon to see a thumbnail preview of open files or programs. Then, move your mouse over a thumbnail to preview the window full-screen.
  
  
• The notification area - the clock/date and icons that communicate program status, computer settings and the Aero Peek Button.
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• Windows Media Center (Improved) – a few new features and integrates with Home Group.
  
  
• Windows Media Player 12 – An upgrade from version 11 that plays the most popular audio and video formats—including new support for 3GP, AAC, AVCHD, DivX, MOV, and Xvid; also available by download, no doubt.
  
  
• Windows Touch – support for computer touchscreens.
  
  
• Windows XP Mode – Allows an XP session of Windows to run so that Business applications will work within Windows 7 – however, will not work with most current Intel and some AMD-based computers.
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