Microsoft to launch Windows 7

Microsoft will launch its Windows 7 Operating System - the latest version of Microsoft Windows for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs and media centre PCs.

Windows 7 was released to manufacturing in July, 2009, with general retail availability set for October 22, 2009, less than three years after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista. Windows 7’s server counterpart; Windows Server 2008 R2, is scheduled to be released parallel. The global product launch will be on October 22, 2009.

Windows 7 is projected to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being fully compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista is already compatible.

Microsoft Sri Lanka Marketing Director Manoji Samararatne said, “The introduction of Microsoft Windows 7, built fully around customer feedback, highlights Microsoft’s commitment towards our faithful customers and their requirements. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet”.

Produced to the theme ‘Your PC Simplified’, users of Windows 7 will enjoy better ways to find and manage files, through the Jump Lists functions and improved taskbar previews, previews, bigger icons, pinning, and creative ways to personalize help the user to speed through everyday tasks.

Added features like Windows Media Centre and Windows Touch make are new features introduced to the consumer. Windows 7 supports the latest advances in PC hardware, like 64-bit computing and multi-core processors, and improved memory utilization helps your hardware reach its full performance potential.

With Windows 7, consumers across the world will experience more simplicity, more choice, and more value than any launch of an OS. Improvements in the user interface, performance and reliability translate to a wider range of innovations on PCs that run Windows 7.

The taskbar has seen the biggest visual changes, where the Quick Launch toolbar has been replaced with pinning applications to the taskbar. Additionally, there is a feature named Aero Snap that automatically maximizes a window when it is dragged to either the top or left/right edges of the screen. This also 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.