While it'll be another year or two before most people can get their hands on Windows 7, Microsoft began making an early build of its next generation operating system available to a select group of developers this week. And that means a ton of information is popping up on the old
telegraph internet alerting us to new and (hopefully) improved features tucked away in Windows 7. Here's a little roundup of Windows 7 news from around the interwebs:
- Windows 7 will actually be Windows 6.1
While Microsoft has explained that the reason the next version of Windows will be 7 (in spite of the fact that there have actually been more than 20 Windows releases), is that it will be seventh build number (Windows XP was 5, Windows Vista was 6), it turns out Windows 7 will actually have a build number of 6.1.6801. The reason? So that programs designed for Windows Vista will run out of the box on Windows 7 without running into compatibility problems. But no, this isn't Vista SP3. It's a whole new OS. Mmm hmmm.
- Tablet PC features
Like Windows Vista, Windows 7 will have built in Tablet PC functionality. This week screenshots emerged of the handwriting and on-screen keyboard features.
- Touch and multi-touch gestures
Windows 7 will include support not just for touch-screen devices, but for multi-touch devies (think iPhone). In other words, you'll be able to manipulate images and documents by pinching, rotating, and doing other unspeakable things with your fingers.
- Next version of Windows Embedded will be based on Windows 7
While the kids on the street had all been expecting the next version of Microsoft's embedded Windows operating system to be based on Vista, it looks like it will actually be Window 7-based, and due out sometime in 2010.
- First look at Windows Media Player 12
The next version of Windows Media Player has a new, brighter theme. And the playlist view replaces the now playing view. You can switch to a compact now playing view if you want to actually see the file you're looking at. The media player will also support H.264, AAC, Xvidand DivX out of the box, in addition to all of the formats supported by Windows Media Player 11.
You can also read more about Windows 7 by checking out our
previous coverage of the new operating system, including a preview of the new
Windows 7 Media Center application.
Tags: multi-touch, osupdates, tablet-pc, windows-7, windows-media-player, windows-media-player-12
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Comments
9
Subscribe to commentsTired of poor coverageOct 30th 2008 11:01AM
For the record, you are doing a disservice to many people that read DS who are interested in tech and software and also happen to be windows users each time you deride MS without real cause. Dont become the FoxNews of the tech blogs.
Brad LinderOct 30th 2008 11:02AM
What did I say in this post that could be taken as a derision of MS?
Tired of poor coverageOct 30th 2008 11:07AM
Brad, i did enjoy your article, but this is a snowball thats been building for a while and i didnt mean to single you out.
"But no, this isn't Vista SP3. It's a whole new OS. Mmm hmmm."
Brad LinderOct 30th 2008 11:12AM
That's not a slam on Microsoft. That's me poking fun at a silly naming convention. Microsoft's decision to call this Windows 7 seems to be arbitrary. Doesn't mean I don't use Microsoft products every day and find many of them useful. But it's not our job to tell you how awesome everything is when we find clear faults or funny bits in some of it.
Personally I use Windows more than any other operating system, so I'm more likely to point out its flaws, or the areas where it shines than I am other operating systems. But if you check out our list of featured posts, you'll notice that I also have issues with other operating systems like Ubuntu Linux.
Part of what sets Download Squad apart from traditional news outlets (we are a blog, after all), is that we offer our opinions on the software we write about. We can do that because we rarely write about software that we don't use.
Tired of poor coverageOct 30th 2008 11:16AM
Point taken.
Brad LinderOct 30th 2008 11:19AM
No worries. I'm always open to criticism. I just find it funny that people constantly bash me as an MS hater or Apple fanboy when I use it every single day as my primary operating system. I've never even owned an Apple system.
That said, there is a line between gently ribbing and flat out bashing a company. And I hope never to cross it.
Eating CrowOct 30th 2008 11:31AM
hmmmm........in fact now that ive reread alot of your MS coverage, i rescind my statements and will promptly be fired from the internets.
SDreamerOct 30th 2008 1:10PM
Just FYI Windows XP is Windows 5.1 and Windows 2000 is Windows 5, just like Vista is Windows 6 and Windows & is actuall 6.1 >.>
RahabibOct 30th 2008 3:08PM
so is this going to be Vista 98 or Vista ME? lets hope its for the best and ends up Vista 98.