Windows 7- Improvement since Beta for the RC

When we are now enjoying the happiness and convenience Windows 7 Beta brought, the engineering team of Windows 7 are busying on RC (Release Candidate). Since we got this news, most of us feel curious about the change. What will we get from RC since Beta? Yesterday, we finally got the changes from official engineering blog of Windows 7.

Totally, there must be some improvements, many under the hood but also many visible. For the visible changes, we discuss from three points of view: Core User Experience, Find & Organize and Devices & Media.

Core User Experience
1. Aero Peeks supports ALT+TAB
Customers have overwhelmingly given positive feedback about Aero Peek. Some users wondered the reason why Peek was never made in application for the ALT+TAB window. When we hold the mouse over the taskbar, the thumbnail shows the same way. Hence in RC, Windows took this request into it.

As a new piece of improvement in Windows 7, the selected windows show normally. With a partially transparent frame，some website windows are mostly transparent. This time in RC, customers can switch them with ALT+TAB. Aero Peek will appear when more window information is needed. There is also another application. Some users are dedicated to touch benefits. So, the Aero Peek let us drag our fingers in taskbar's thumbnails. the show desktop button is improving, we can conveniently see our desktop in a press-and-hold way.

2. Improved Color Hot-Track
Color Hot-Track is used to judge whether the program in taskbar is running. But we get no color changes when we move and clip our mouse in thumbnails. Color Hot- Track in RC can be identified in taskbar thumbnails easily.

3. Windows Logo + <#> keyboard shortcut
As in Windows, efficiency is the key for keyboard shortcuts. We do hope we can use more and more shortcuts to make our programs simplified. Pressing Windows Logo+ <#> in a program order, the item is simply launched. Just imagine ALT+TAB for the first 10 items on the taskbar. Easily flip back to the last window by CTRL+ Windows Logo + <#>. We get keyboard convenience!

Find & Organize
There is a specific control panel. As we all know Windows is engaged in the UAC control panel improvement. There will be more specific user settings. This will be also a spotlight in RC. With Windows 7, you will lock your computer without any screensaver. Do not trouble yourself on the screensaver! The RC will try to make a change in where we can not specify any screensaver to lock computer during a certain part of time.

There will be also some desktop icon improvements. In Beta, it is hardly to separate icons and tools with View Setting. We are looking forward to show desktop icons and tools optionally in RC.

Devices & Media.
Improved Windows Media Player leads us a more clearly video preview. In RC, the previewing videos will be clearer when Media Player is in process. Also, Windows Logo +E, which can open Windows Explorer before, have been altered back in RC. There will be no any use for some people who use the shortcut to open Media library in Beta. But let’s practice it!

More details about Windows 7 RC, you can visit Windows 7 engineers' blog.

Since the Windows 7 released until now, there is an "everyone Windows 7" Era. For the stability, function and usability, we know, windows is always on the path working towards RC and of course we feel anxious about the next phase of RTM. Absolutely, we are also on the path expecting it!