Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system is built to replace Windows Vista. This version of the operating system, according to Microsoft, claims to have “many great new features,” which will help productivity increase and allow for an easier time of using it. The new user interface and other various new features and tweaks promise to make this the best version of Windows yet. Check out 10 of the best new features!

• Windows 7 Parental Control: These controls have been upgraded to include the ability to set restrictions on various programs and web applications and these restrictions can be tailored to fit the needs of each person for which the restrictions are set.
• Windows Taskbar: The changes in the Windows taskbar are greatly improved for better performance and looks very different, using larger icons. The user also has the ability to pin anything to the taskbar by right clicking the icons or descriptions in the Start Menu. Hovering over the icons on the taskbar allows the user to look at the page or program that is open.
• Media Center: The Media Center combined with Windows Media Player 12 makes the user experience easier and much more enjoyable. These programs combined make it much easier to play and stream both audio and video as well as view the menus while playing the media.
• Networking: One of the most hated features of Windows operating systems is the way the networking works – or does not work, as the usual case is. However, in Windows 7, the networking abilities are greatly improved, allowing users to join a “Home Group,” which automatically shares everything between computers that have joined the group. This and other improvements make this version of Windows better than any previous version in terms of sharing.
• Native ISO Burning: Along the lines of Media Center, Windows 7 offers ISO burning as a native feature, finally. This is one thing that Windows operating systems have always lacked, making users have to download another program to burn anything.
• Windows Logo Key: This is now mapped to offer various shortcuts and other hotkey commands that were previously unavailable, finally making the Windows key useful and usable for a change.
• Calculator: For those who are financially minded, the calculator has an additional way of using it. The calculator now has the added function for mortgages, which can calculate interest rates and payments, among other things in addition to the usual scientific and regular calculator.
• Sleep function: Windows 7 now has the ability to “Resume” when the user needs it too, not five minutes later. Traditionally, when a user wanted to resume working, they were made to wait a lengthy amount of time to load open programs again.
• Device Stage: The driver control center promises to make driver integration easier. Additionally server, taskbar and other device integrations are greatly simplified. Users can pre-configure device drivers as well with fewer issues with their compatibility.
• User Account Controls: Lastly, one of the other major improvements includes better and more streamlined control of the User Account Controls. In the past, users were constantly interrupted with a seemingly endless stream of menus asking for security passwords, administrator access and other items. Now, simply by sliding the User Account Control button up or down, specific settings are created and users can do what they need to again.

While many Microsoft Windows users are still having difficulty with the decision of migrating to Windows 7, these are some great new features that are relished by many tech lovers. These features drastically improve the performance of the operating system and the ease of which the user can control it. The new features make this a much better operating system release than Vista ever was.

This is a guest post by James is a technology analyst and designer working for a UK based print cartridge supplier specialising in ink cartridges for the creative industry. He writes about the latest in hardware and design on their blog.

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