After a long post yesterday by Steven regarding Windows 7 feedback, which focussed heavily on how Microsoft was gathering the feedback for Windows 7 and the feedback process, the E7 blog has posted the changes that users will see from Windows 7 beta to RC.

Steven emphasized in his last post that Microsoft takes users feedback very seriously and are committed to it

“The work of acting on feedback responsibly and managing the development of Windows through all phases of the process is something we are very sincere about. Internally we’ve talked a lot about being a learning organization and how we’re always learning how to do a better job, improve the work we do, and in the process work to make Windows even better. We take this approach as individuals and how we view building Windows. We know we will continue to have tough choices to make as everyone who builds products understands and what you have is our commitment to continue to use all the tools available to make sure we are building the best Windows 7 we can build.”

Chaitanya from the E7 team has posted a detailed list of various changes in Windows 7 from beta to RC based upon customer feedback. Though there are number of bug fixes, performance improvements, compatibility fixes, we are more concerned on the changes in these three areas – User Experience, Find and Organize and Devices and Media. Below are some of the impressive changes amongst the various other changes highlighted in the blog post

Aero Peeks meets Alt-Tab
Many users who love aero peek (including me) wanted to have it implemented when flipping windows using the Alt-Tab keys. Now, this change has been added to RC. Users can still quickly flip through all the windows, but when you want to see more information about a particular window, aero peek would appear and this is triggered by a time delay while flipping windows.

More Shortcuts
One of the areas where Windows 7 received positive feedback was the new keyboard shortcuts introduced. As usual, we users wanted more (and still want more!) and here are few more shortcuts added to RC:
Windows Logo + <#> – opens an application corresponding to its order in the superbar (this is already present in the current beta)

• Windows Logo + <#> and Windows Logo + <#> (pressing twice) – Switches to the corresponding application to its order in the superbar
• SHIFT + Windows Logo + <#> – Opens application corresponding to its order in the superbar
• Holding the Windows Logo + tapping the <#> – Cycle through various windows in the same application, like tabs in IE
• ALT + Windows Logo + <#> – Access programs’ Jump List
• CTRL + Windows Logo + <#> – Flip back to last active window
• CTRL + mouse click on a superbar button – Flip back to last active window

Needy Window
In the current beta, the flashing animation which alerts when users require attention, like the messenger window when you receive a message, is very limited to 3 flashes. It is very easy to miss the alert and thus now it is increased to seven flashes!

Improvements to Color Hot-Track
One of the ways to differentiate between running and not-running applications in superbar is using the color hot-track. But this color hot-track is lost when the mouse hovers over taskbar thumbnails. In RC, the color hot-track stays active even when the mouse hovers over taskbar thumbnails!

Desktop Icons and Gadgets improvement
In Beta it was impossible to separate desktop icons from gadgets under the View setting available by right-clicking on the desktop. In RC, users can opt to hide just the gadgets or just the desktop icons.

User Account Control
This change was obvious as Microsoft had already confirmed that they are going to implement the change in RC. Due to this change, now users will get a prompt for any modification made to the UAC Control Panel

Cleaner Now Playing view in Media Player
Microsoft has responded with a visual update that is more lightweight and compact to the Now Playing view in WMP, based on customers’ feedback. However, there is no screenshot posted to see those changes.

Easier access to advanced settings
I myself was frustrated when I couldn’t find the Advanced Settings (equalizer, visualisations, enhancements) options in the Windows Media Player from the main window. However, they were accessible only via the List Pane Options in the Now Playing mode. Microsoft has responded to this and these options are now available via the Now Playing context menu under Enhancements.

Windows Logo+E shortcut
In Vista, Windows Logo+E launches “Computer” Explorer, but in current Windows 7 beta, it launches Libraries which is quite confusing and a change in a behavior which was prevalent for a long time! Microsoft has changed back this behavior and now in RC, Windows Logo+E will launch “Computer” Explorer.

These are not the only changes that are to be made available in the Windows 7 RC. To know more about the other changes, visit the E7 blog post.

Having seen the various feedback submitted by other users and by myself for Windows 7 , I am very much satisfied with these changes for the RC. It is not possible for Microsoft to satisfy every user, but the changes highlighted here clearly shows that Microsoft is indeed taking an open approach to the Windows 7 feedback program.

Lets all hope now that Windows 7 RC gets released as expected and move to RTM soon!

News source: Neowin.net

There have been so many dates flying around concerning the upcoming Release Candidate for Windows 7, and it’s beginning to become a daily subject in the blogosphere. Just when you thought that we were going to see a Windows 7 RC by the end of February, a trusted source within Microsoft has informed Neowin that the RC will not be ready by the end of February.

At this time, Windows 7 RC is internally being tested and the official release date is set for April 10, 2009. The Windows team is right on schedule with development, and if there are no significant problems over the next few weeks the April 10, 2009 release date will remain in tact.

Not much information is available at this time. We’re uncertain if the release will be a world-wide, and Microsoft is expected to do more testing before releasing a RC build to the public. With that in mind, TechNet and MSDN subscribers should be the first to receive the RC build. A recent email conversation between Paul, over at GeekSmack, and Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft Senior Vice President of Windows, revealed that there have been over 500,000 suggestions since the public launch of the Windows 7 Beta.

Sinofsky mentioned that, “recently we’ve seen people talk about ‘RC Builds’ and the like. First, all builds since the beta are RC builds since by definition that is the next milestone. But by far the most humorous element has been that the build numbers blogged about are higher than our current build. Today’s build is 7046, but it hasn’t completed yet :-).”

Other than the UAC fixes that were highlighted earlier this month, not much is known as to what has been changed or fixed in these internal builds, we’ll keep you up to date with more information as it comes our way.

Update (1:14 PM -6 GMT): Emil Protalinski over at Ars Technica has apparently spoke with Steven Sinofsky, and he has said, “The build will be available broadly”. This isn’t a normal thing for Microsoft to do, however we will wait and see what Microsoft has in store for us in the coming weeks.

News Source: Neowin.net

WinnFuture, a German website reports that the one and only RC build of Windows 7 will be ready at the end of February to be sent to select testers.

According to WinFuture’s sources, the first-RC build has been compiled by now. The build number currently under test is not known, however WinFuture reports that 7048 was the latest build of Windows 7 and might be the RC, created a few days before and confirms that work is currently going on around the Windows 7 RC build.

The German website also reports that MSDN/TechNet subscribers along with the other private beta testers, would receive the RC build after 27th February, but not sure about the public beta which ended few weeks back.

Neowin earlier reported that we could be seeing the Windows 7 RC in early April, but with the rumor that Windows 7 is set to hit RTM in August, no wonder we can expect the RC build very soon!

News source: Neowin.net

Well, I can’t wait to get my hands on this 🙂

Cnet has come up with a report saying that Microsoft is set to release Windows 7 by the end of this year’s holiday shopping season based on PC industry sources in Asia and the U.S. According to the ZDNet Taiwan site, Taiwan hardware vendors are certain about Windows 7’s final official release in 2009.

As pointed out by some computer manufacturers, the official version of Windows 7 will be available ahead of the planned schedule, that is before October this year. The English version of the OS will be available to system operators in August, and the Chinese version in October. Microsoft will officially pre-market Windows 7 now by labeling Windows Vista computers with Windows 7 ready stickers.

Even though Microsoft has denied any such rumors on an early release, it still sticks to its original schedule of Windows 7 official release, which is January 2010. Hardware vendors interpret that Microsoft does not want Windows 7 listed ahead of the schedule due to the economy downturn.

Microsoft’s senior VP Bill Veghte cautioned in CES 2009 that the release still could be pushed into 2010, depending on customer feedback. Microsoft will ship Windows 7 when the quality is right, and earlier is always better, but not at the cost of ecosystem support and not at the cost of quality.

Microsoft has already said that there is no Windows 7 beta anymore and will go ahead with the RC build for Windows 7. Microsoft stopped offering the Windows 7 beta downloads this week. According to an official hint we could be seeing the Windows 7 RC build in early April but nothing has been confirmed yet. And not to forget that the company is also planning on allowing users who purchase new PC/laptop hardware (with Vista) from 1st July 2009 onwards, a free upgrade to Windows 7.

News source: Neowin.net

We recently revealed that Microsoft still hadn’t announced how many flavors Windows 7 would ship in. In a recent briefing with Paul Thurrott, Microsoft Senior Vice President Bill Veghte revealed the SKUs that Windows 7 will ship in. “We feel that this lineup offers a clear onramp for Windows 7, making it easier than ever to find the right version for your needs”, Veghte added. So without further ado, here is the official lineup of Windows 7 versions with an outlined overview:

Windows 7 Starter
Market: Emerging markets, with new PCs only
Key features: Enhanced taskbar, Jump Lists, Windows Media Player, Backup and Restore, Action Center, Device Stage, Play To, Fax and Scan, basic games
What’s missing: Aero Glass, many Aero desktop enhancements, Windows Touch, Media Center, Live thumbnail previews, Home Group creation

Windows 7 Home Premium
Market: Mainstream retail market
Key features: Aero Glass, Aero Background, Windows Touch, Home Group creation, Media Center, DVD playback and authoring, premium games
What’s missing: Domain join, Remote Desktop host, advanced backup, EFS, Mobility Center, Offline Folders

Windows 7 Professional (superset of Home)
Market: Mainstream retail market
Key features: Domain join, Remote Desktop host, location aware printing, EFS, Mobility Center, Presentation Mode, Offline Folders, Media Center
What’s missing: BitLocker, BitLocker To Go, AppLocker, Direct Access, Branche Cache, MUI language packs, boot from VHD

Windows 7 Enterprise
Market: Volume-license business customers only
Key features: BitLocker, BitLocker To Go, AppLocker, Direct Access, Branche Cache, MUI language packs, boot from VHD
What’s missing: Retail licensing

Windows 7 Ultimate
Market: Retail market, limited availability
Key features: BitLocker, BitLocker To Go, AppLocker, Direct Access, Branche Cache, MUI language packs, boot from VHD
What’s missing: Volume licensing

There will be a Home Basic edition, but it will only be released to emerging markets. “We know emerging markets have unique needs and we will offer Windows 7 Home Basic, only in emerging markets, for customers looking for an entry-point Windows experience on a full-size value PC”, said Windows General Manager Mike Ybarra. Paul Thurrot is reporting that Home Basic will lack “Aero Glass, Live Thumbnail Previews, Internet Connection Sharing, and a few other goodies.”

As with Windows Vista, each different SKU offers unique features, with the most advanced in the Ultimate edition. Microsoft has yet to release any retail suggests pricing for these editions. Consumers now have three versions to choose from: Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. Compared to the Windows Vista line up, which offered editions. What are your thoughts? Has Microsoft made it easier for the average PC user to choose which version is right for their PC and day-to-day use with the three versions they will be able to purchase?

Personally I believe the lineup has been made clearer compared to Windows Vista. Each tier offers a specific version for a specific audience. The biggest plus for consumers with these editions is the fact that the hottest feature of Windows Vista, Aero and its extras, are now offered in Starter and Home Premium editions rather than in Ultimate. But what about Ultimate? With the majority of consumers buying Vista Ultimate for Aero effects and it’s extras, how will Windows 7 Ultimate be marketed to gain consumer attention? Has it became a redundant SKU?

Article last updated at: 1:53 P.M. (-6 GMT) to make the Author’s opinion clearer.

News source: Neowin.net