Windows 7 Is Here!

The much-awaited Windows 7 is finally here!

Over the past few years, Microsoft has had difficulty with their Windows Vista operating system, due to its early compatibility issues and taxing use on system resources. In fact, it increased demand for its previous version of operating system, Windows XP. Customers proved that they were willing to pay PC suppliers extra to downgrade from Vista to XP.

While Microsoft eventually resolved most of Vista's compatibility problems, the OS continued to struggle to please users. Learning from their past mistakes and listening carefully to the needs of their customers, Microsoft quickly went to work developing its next generation of operating system, titled Windows 7.

Beta testing for Windows 7 began in early 2009, earning quite the positive reception. Its interface is much more customizable, bringing back the "personal" in "personal computer". At first glance, Win7 appears similar to Vista. However, the most notable features are what's under the hood. So far, Win7 has both XP and Vista beat in several performance tests, proving that it's faster and easier to use.

These test results come from the open Beta version of Win7, though many more improvements are expected to be made by its commercial release version.

Microsoft has put effort into simplifying the differences between its edition of Windows 7, making it less confusing for consumers to determine which one best suites their needs. Win7 comes in three flavors: Home, Professional, and Ultimate. Home Edition is designed for basic home use. Professional Edition has more features that benefit a work environment. Ultimate Edition is loaded with additional features and is intended for those who have network administration. There is a Starter Edition of Win7, though that will be reserved for pre-installation on netbooks and simple computers.

In order to ease skeptics and to insure better compatibility with older hardware and software, Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate come with an XP mode. This feature runs a virtual machine that basically runs WinXP on the same installed PC. Users will be able to run their old software as before, though it will appear through XP's older interface.

Users who want to streamline the operating system further will have the ability to disable many more components than in Vista. This includes the Internet Explorer web browser, Windows Media Center, and Windows Search.

For PC gaming, Win7 will continue supporting the Games for Windows features that began in Vista: The Game Advisor and Games Explorer. Game Advisor is a handy tool that evaluates the PC's hardware and determines which video games will run the smoothest on it. Games Explorer simplifies accessing your installed games by displaying them all in one spot. It can also automatically checks for any new patches that update your games' software.

Over the past few months, Microsoft has offered free upgrades to Win7 for consumers who have recently purchased a PC with Vista pre-installed. If you have purchased a new computer after June 26, 2009, you may qualify. Check with your manufacturer for details on their procedure for receiving the free upgrade.

Triangle Laptops, as part of our laptop repair services, will also soon be offering upgrades and installations for Windows 7. More details will be added shortly to our laptop repair page regarding benefits, services, and prices. If you would like to have your laptop or desktop PC upgraded by our skilled professionals, please contact us by email or call toll-free 1-877-456-7869.