| Windows 7: Exclusive Microsoft Hardware Features
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(Follow me on Twitter: UX Evangelist) On June 2, 2009, Microsoft Hardware announced that its current line of just about everything will be fully compatible with Windows 7 at launch, which will be October 22, 2009. Additionally, Microsoft Hardware will be launching many Windows 7-exclusive features over the course of the next few months or so. Currently, the press release has mentioned 4 of these exclusive features followed by a brief description: Taskbar Favorites: A feature that gives Microsoft keyboard users a smart new way to access their most frequently used programs and documents. Taskbar Favorites will map to the location of applications on the improved Windows taskbar. The applications in the taskbar can be easily rearranged just by clicking and dragging, and Taskbar Favorites will automatically adapt to the applications’ new locations. Device Stage: Microsoft Hardware mouse and keyboard products will support Device Stage, a Windows 7 feature that gives customers quick and easy access to common tasks, including product information, registration, settings and more for popular device categories such as cell phones, cameras, printers, portable media players and input devices. Windows Flip: Microsoft mouse and keyboard users can easily see a thumbnail preview of all open windows with the press of a button. A full-screen preview of the application will automatically display, enabling the user to better identify and select the desired application. Windows Live Movie Maker and Windows Live Photo Gallery: LifeCam users will be able to do more with photos and movies. With Movie Maker they can start a movie project with one click, and then upload video to social networking sites. Photo Gallery access will enable them to easily upload a photo that they can edit, tag and share with friends and family. For those of you wondering about the availability of such functionality, Microsoft has stated that beta versions of the Microsoft mouse, keyboard, controller, and webcam software for are currently available for Windows 7. The final versions of said software, which includes all of the exclusive features listed above, will be available June 26, 2009 for mice and keyboards, and July 31, 2009 for LifeCam products. If you’re using Windows 7 and are interested in downloading the beta software, please reference the, “Beta Software” link at the bottom of this entry. All hardware products, “tested under Microsoft specifications for compatibility with the new operating system will display a Windows 7 logo on the product.” Last of note, the only product listed to not be compatible with Windows 7 is the Fingerprint Reader. My guess is that it will still work just fine, but something funky must be happening when they slap it under their testing conditions. Reference: Click Here -Stephen  |
