4 Ways Win7 is Unlike Any Previous Windows System

While many are expected to snap up Windows 7 when it becomes available in October, there may still be a few of you reluctant to trade in your more familiar Vista or XP operating systems.

If you are one of those people that believe you can fine-tune these older models to perform almost the same functions as Windows 7, think again. Here are a few compelling reasons why Win7 is unlike any other Microsoft operating system to date:

Device Stage: Device Recognition

The first feature is something known as Device Stage. This pertains to camera, phone, printer and other external device recognition. Win7 dedicates a status window to every device, so that you can browse files, manage media and perform other device-specific tasks. Vista and XP have been criticized in the past for trouble recognizing these devices, so the change is as necessary as it is neat.

HomeGroup: Networking Made Easy

Another interesting feature is something called HomeGroup. While home networking is nothing new for Microsoft users, the hassles of establishing a viable network has been a long-standing roadblock in the past. Now you can set up a HomeGroup, add other PCs and devices and get set to share files, printers and other important documents. (Source: pcworld.com)

Jump Lists: Browser Shortcuts

Win7 also offers Jump Lists. In a nutshell, Jump Lists provide quick access to application-specific documents and/or tasks. Example: right-click onto the Internet Explorer taskbar icon and select from a list of frequently visited websites. Think of it as a super fast way to activate your "Favorites" menu without having to go through all those additional clicks. Jump Lists are also great for finding shortcuts to additional tasks like New Tab, etc.

Librarian: Keep Tabs on Media Files

Lastly, Microsoft did a great job organizing the Libraries section in Win7. If you are like me, you have hundreds of video, music and picture files in countless folders hidden throughout your computer. I tend to get pretty lazy and lose track of all these semi-important files. Now Libraries is able to catalog all of these items under a single roof for easy retrieval, regardless of where you actually store them on your hard drive. (Source: ecoustics.com)

Microsoft hopes that these new features make it easier for you to say goodbye to those older versions of Windows.