For those of you who don’t know, the Starter and Home Basic editions of Windows 7 have had some of the aero effects removed from them. The main reason for this is because the Starter and Home Basic editions of Windows 7 are designed to run on low powered devices like netbooks. So to ensure smooth seamless performance, Microsoft removed these more demanding features of Windows 7 from them.

This means that there’s no Aero Glass, Aero Peek, Aero Snap, Aero Shake or the Flip 3D feature. ( You can find out more about the aero effects here) I personally love all these little features and I think everyone should have them. Not only do they make Windows 7 more visual appealing, but they also make the OS a lot more productive.

Aero Peek

So for all of you who are running Windows Home Basic or the Starter edition, here’s how you can get all those Aero effects.

There is a small .EXE file which has been created which patches system files to enable  all the personalization features of Windows Ultimate – meaning that you can get all of those Aero effects at last. You’ll find the download link for it here

That’s all there is to it really, once you run the .EXE file your computer will restart so make sure you close all your running programs and save your documents before running it. And if for some reason you want to uninstall it, just run the .EXE again

So now you’ll be able to personalize your desktop a lot more. So be sure to check out the range of wallpapers and themes we have on offer for Windows 7.

Get All The Aero Features in Windows 7 Home Basic and Starter Edition was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.

If we look at the different versions of Windows, since Windows 1.0 until today’s brand new Windows 7, we’ll notice that there are some features, such as the taskbar and (obviously) windows, that exist in all of them and are actually the ‘heart’ of Windows. Apart from becoming more efficient with the release of every new version, they look better. Who wouldn’t like to work in an environment that’s aesthetically pleasing and relaxing to the eye? That’s why Microsoft came up with Windows Aero.

Windows Aero is the graphical user interface (GUI) that comes by default with Windows Vista and Windows 7. It stands for:

Authentic, Energetic, Reflective and Open

In Windows 7 however, Microsoft has introduced three new features to Windows Aero: Aero Peek, Aero Snap and Aero Shake. In addition to making Windows look more appealing, these features make managing open windows easier and more fun. In this article, we’ll discuss these new features as well as – but very briefly - ”Aero Flip” that comes with both Windows Vista and 7. Please note that you should have Aero enabled in order to benefit from these features. For more information about how to enable it, check out this article written by Robert B.

Aero Peek

If you hover over a taskbar button, a live thumbnail appears of its corresponding window(s). This allows you to see what’s going on in the window without actually switching to it. That was available in Windows Vista, wasn’t it? True, but what’s new is that when hovering over the thumbnail, Windows 7 shows you a full live preview of the window while hiding all other windows. In 32-bit versions of Windows 7, the thumbnail is only live if the window is active. Otherwise, the thumbnail would show a screenshot of how the window last appeared before it was deactivated (minimized for instance).

You can use the keyboard to toggle through the applications on the taskbar just the same way by pressing Windows Key + T. To cycle in the reverse direction, just press Windows Key + Shift + T.

Task Switcher

The task switcher appears when holding ALT + Tab keys and allows you to switch between running windows using the keyboard. In Windows 7, Aero peek does the same thing when focusing over a specific window: it shows you a preview of it with the others hidden.

Show Desktop

Microsoft has also added a “Show desktop” button next to the notifications area on the taskbar. When clicking on it, it does the typical task of going to the desktop. However, if you place the mouse over it, Windows 7 hides all windows, shows the desktop. Just like before, you can still see the borders of the windows, but their actual contents are not visible. If you move the mouse away from the button, you’re sent back to the window you’ve been working in. If you prefer to use keyboard shortcuts: hold Windows Key + Space to show the desktop and release them once you’ve done with your peek. If you’d like to switch to the desktop, you can either press Windows Key + D or Windows Key + M (to minimize all windows). This is very useful when choosing a theme and wanting to see the desktop background without having to leave the “Personalization” window.

To sum up, Aero peek basically allows you to take a peek at your windows without actually switching to them.

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In a previous post, we looked at  Customizing Window 7’s Taskbar. Now, we’ll go a little further and, while still accessing the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box, we’ll work on other sections involving:

• Changing the Taskbar’s Appearance
• Changing the Taskbar’s screen location
• Customize the Taskbar icons and Notifications that appear in the Notification area.
• Take a quick look at Aero Peek

So let’s resume our acquaintance with the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box.

1. Right click on a blank area of the Taskbar.
2. In the pop-up menu, select Properties.
3. The Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box opens.

Changing the Taskbar’s Appearance

Now you have opened the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box, let’s begin. We’re working in the section labelled, “Taskbar appearance”. Here there are three unchecked boxes.

1. Check each of these boxes.
2. After you do this, activate the changes by clicking the Apply button, followed by the Ok button.
3. Now let’s see what’s happened to your Taskbar. Incidentally, these changes will have an effect on your Desktop too. The Taskbar has disappeared.

But, what’s happened to the Taskbar icons? Let’s find out!
Just move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen. The Taskbar re-appears BUT the icons are now small.

Now, are you happy or concerned?

If you find these settings are not to your liking, re-open the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box and uncheck the boxes in the Taskbar Appearance section.

This takes the Taskbar back to its original settings, known as “Default”.

Now we’ve tried the changing the Taskbar Appearance, let’s move onto the next challenge, Changing the Taskbar’s location.

Changing the Taskbar’s Location

Normally, the Taskbar is located at the bottom of your screen. This is the default placement. However, you can relocate it to another position if you wish. You can move it to the top of your screen or to the left and to the right.

Here’s how you go about it. We’ll be working in the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box again but this time with the “Taskbar Location on screen” box.

Your Taskbar is currently placed at the bottom of the screen: let’s try positioning it somewhere else.

1. Click the down arrow button.
2. In the drop-down list, select Left.
3. Click the Apply button followed by the Ok button.
4. The Taskbar changes position. It is now located on the left-hand side of your screen.
5. Now you know how to move the Taskbar, how about trying the other locations – right and top. Repeat Steps 1-3 and choose a new location.
6. If none of these re-locations suit you, reverse the process by repeating Steps 1 -3 and put the Taskbar back where it came from, at the bottom of the screen.
7. In the last illustration you can see the four possible locations for the Taskbar.

   

   The Notification Area

   Now let’s take a close look at the third customization option, the Notification area but before we do this, a little explanation about it.The Notification area appears on the far right-hand side of the Taskbar. The set of icons you see here depend on which programs or services you have installed and how your computer manufacturer set up your computer.Its display includes a digital time and date as well as a group of icons. On my computer it looks like this:

The icons on the Notification area indicate the status of active features on your computer and provide access to certain settings. Right clicking on any icon opens a menu providing further access.

Sometimes, the Notification area will display a small pop-up window; this is where the term notification originates. For example, if you add a new hardware device to your computer, you see a similar notification.

In previous versions of Windows some users regarded these pop-up notifications as a pest. Windows 7 comes with better control.

• Click the Close button, the small x on the upper right to dismiss it. Do nothing and the notification will fade away on its own accord after a short time.
• Click the small spanner, also on the upper right, it opens the Action Center. Here you can dispense with these pop-ups completely.

To reduce clutter, Windows 7 hides any icons in the notification area you haven’t used for a while.

If icons become hidden, click the Show hidden icons button to temporarily display the hidden icons. This opens a pop-up window. Double-clicking on an icon opens it.

While you are in this pop-up window, clicking the Customize button opens the Notification Area Icons dialog box. Here you can change the type of icons and their notifications. This is another way to access the Notification Area Icons dialog box.

Customizing the Notification Area

Meanwhile we return to the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box which was our starting point in this exercise.

Let’s look at the Notification area section of this dialog box.

1. Click the Customize button.
2. This opens up the Notification Area Icons dialog box.

Here you can change which icons and notifications appear on the Taskbar.

Inside this dialog box are two lists, Icons and Notifications. On the right of each item is a box with a drop-down list.

Let’s  look at the first three items, Action Center, Network and Volume.

Note: These are represented opn the right-hand side of the Taskbar.

The first three icons in the Icon list, Action Center, Network and Volume, are currently visible as the top option, “Show icon and notification”, is selected.

While these are important features of Windows 7 it’s best to leave them as they are. Having said that let’s see what happens to Action Center, if you select the second option, Hide icon and notifications.

Back on the Taskbar, the Action Center’s icon disappears. You have just hidden it.

Some users may prefer the third option, “Only show notification” which means you’ll only see pop-up messages like the one in the illustration below.

Stopping Annoying Messages

Some applications annoy users by forever popping up their messages on the Taskbar. So if this is bugging you turn off the notification completely by selecting “Hide icon and notification” and you will be free from annoyance.

Making a Blunder

If you make a big mistake and turn off the settings, you can restore sanity to your system by clicking the blue command, “Restore default icon behaviours” at the bottom of the dialog box.

Aero Peek

The last feature we’ll look at on the Taskbar is Aero Peek. This is located in the bottom section of the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box.

What is it?

Aero Peek allows you to bypass any open window and see what’s on the Windows 7 Desktop. Just point to the Show Desktop button on the right edge of the Taskbar and the current window you are using will be replaced, temporally, with a view of your Desktop. This is a handy feature for a quick check on other windows.

Aero Peek displays a transparent view of hidden icons, gadgets and other windows.

How do you use it?

As mentioned previously the clicking the Show Desktop button switches you to the Desktop. Just moving the mouse onto this button, no clicking here, displays the Aero Peek view of the Desktop.

1. Pass the mouse pointer over the Show Desktop button.
2. Aero Peek activates displaying the Deskop.

Tip! Should you wish to see what’s on your Desktop, press the Show Desktop button.

Customizing Aero Peek

Meanwhile, back in the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box, let’s look at the settings for this useful feature.

The information in the section labelled, “Preview desktop with Aero Peek” tells it all.

• To keep it on, leave the box checked.
• To turn it off uncheck the box.

Modifying Windows 7′s Taskbar was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.

Credit:Redmond pie

Microsoft released the Zune HD earlier this week, and one of their selling points for it was that the associated software and the Zune  were optimized for Windows 7 which is available to the public on the 22nd October.

The Zune software takes advantage of the new Windows 7 jump lists and you can easily access albums that you’ve pinned to your jump list and access Smart DJ stations. A Quickplay option is also available where you simply navigate to the Zune software in your start menu and the expanded list will give you options to play your Quickplay lists. The mini player is also a great feature and some of you may be familiar with it when using Windows media player, it allows you to rate, change and pause/play songs in the taskbar preview area for Aero peek

Another nice feature with the Zune is reverse sync which easily allows you to copy your music library to one computer. Something Apple is very strict and cautious over….

Obviously it is expected of Microsoft to ensure all their products are compatible with their OS’s and software but they seem to be trying to sell Windows 7 here at the same time by emphasizing the fact that the Zune HD is optimized for Windows 7. I don’t blame them either, it’s just another good thing that Microsoft have going for them with Windows 7.

What’s also interesting is that Apple have quietly admitted that not all of their iPod and iPhone users own macs and have made iTunes 9 fully compatible with Windows 7 aswell. Even Apple likes Windows 7!

Sources: Cnet , ditii.com and Redmond pie

Zune HD Works Well With Windows 7 was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.

Although Microsoft don’t intend to make a big splash when launching Windows 7, it will probably be Microsoft’s finest release yet if the feedback from testers and readers on our sister site Windows 7 News is anything to go by.

There’s still plenty of room for improvement in Windows 8.  Mike from the Windows 7 News editorial team has published a series of posts detailing what he’d like to see in Windows 8:

• Looking Forward To Windows 8 Part I
• Looking Forward To Windows 8 Part II
• Looking Forward To Windows 8 Part III
• Looking Forward To Windows 8 Part IV

Features Mike would like to see improved in Windows 8 include a better explorer, improved libraries and game support.  Personally I would like to see more options for organising multiple windows.  Aero Peek helps, but I don’t want to go over to the sidebar everytime I want to locate one of the many windows I have open.  There has to be a better solution that ALT+TAB and Aero Peek.

What features would you like to see in Windows 8?

Windows 8 Feature Wishlist was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.

Windows 7 has introduced a lot of new keyboard shortcuts for those of us who prefer to use keyboards to mice for speed. Martin has already listed some shortcuts here, but I will keep this post updated with all Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts, so keep checking back for new Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts.

If you have any Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts that are not listed, then please leave a comment and I will update the list.

Master List of Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts (Mar 09)

Managing Windows

1. [Win+M] – Minimize all open windows
2. [Win+Shift+M] – Undo all window minimization
3. [Win+D] :- Toggle showing the desktop
4. [Windows+Up] – Maximize window
5. [Windows+Down] – Minimize windows / Restore
6. [Windows+Left] – Dock window to the left side
7. [Windows+Right] – Dock window to the right side
8. [Windows+Shift Up] – Maximize vertical size of window
9. [Windows+Shift Down] – Restore vertical size
10. [Windows+Shift Left] – Move window to left monitor
11. [Windows+Shift Right] – Move window to right monitor
12. [Win+Spacebar] – Aero desktop peek
13. [Win+Home] – minimize/maximize all inactive windows
14. [Alt+F4] - Close the active window
15. [Alt+Tab] - Switch to previous active window
16. [Alt+Esc] – Cycle through all open windows
17. [Win+Tab]- Flip 3D
18. [Ctrl+Win+Tab]- Persistent Flip 3D

Taskbar

1. [Win+Any number (1, 2, 3, .., 0)] – open the corresponding taskbar pinned program
2. [Ctrl+Click a pinned taskbar icon] – cycle through the program’s open windows
3. [Shift+Click a pinned taskbar icon] -run a new instance of the program
4. [Ctrl+Shift+Click a pinned taskbar icon] – run a new instance of the program as administrator
5. [Shift+Right-click on icon] – Show window menu (Restore, Minimize, Move etc)
6. [Shift+Right-click on grouped icon] - Show window menu (Restore All, Minimize All, Move All etc)
7. [Win+T] – Cycle through applications on taskbar (showing its live preview)
8. [Win+Shift+T] – As above, but in reverse order
9. [Win+R] - Opens Run dialog box

General

1. [Win+P] – show presentation mode projector options
2. [Win+G] – show desktop gadgets
3. [Win+L] – Lock computer
4. [Win+X] - Mobility Center
5. [Win++] - Zoom in
6. [Win+-] – Zoom out
7. [Win+=] – Magnifier

Windows Explorer

1. [Alt+P] - Show/hide Preview Pane
2. [Alt+Up] - Go up one level
3. [Alt+Left/Right] - Back/forward

Master List Of Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.