Latest on Windows 7: Coming Out as Soon as September

We featured Windows 7 beta here in TWS last month and here are some updates.

Microsoft ODM tells Bloomberg that Windows 7 is coming out as soon as September. While Microsoft continues to maintain that Windows 7 will launch “3 years from Vista,” or early 2010, a Microsoft ODM partner says otherwise. The president of Compal, a Taiwanese manufacturer that builds laptops for HP and Acer, told Bloomberg that Microsoft may begin shipping Windows 7 in late September or early October of this year.

Ray Chen made the statement at an investors’ conference in Taipei on Wednesday, adding that he hoped Windows 7 would help boost sagging PC sales due to the global economic crisis. Microsoft, for its part, didn’t say Chen was incorrect, but repeated its January 2010 timeframe to Bloomberg. Who to believe? It’s hard to say, although some signs have pointed to Microsoft fast-forwarding its release roadmap.

Some other recent Windows 7 developments are:

1. Windows Media Center Picture and Videos Features in the Windows 7 Beta

• Changes to the way videos are displayed in Video Library to include Thumbnails AND Names for each video.
• Support for H.264 Video – no 3rd party codecs are required to play H.264 content.
• Video Play-All Option (think of it as a “Video Slide Show”) with ability to navigate between each video.
• Developers can take advantage of the new Import API for Windows Portable Devices. The new API enables photos AND videos from portable devices to be imported directly within Windows Media Center.
• Ability to create Slide Shows (new Slide Show pivot) with your pictures and can contain pictures or music or both.
• New On-screen Keyboard (Touch-enabled).
• Improved Rating Controls within Windows Media Center UI.
• New Ratings Pivot for quick access to your favorite content.
• Play Favorites feature with new Slide Show style.
• Auto Slide Show feature acts as a screensaver for Windows Media Center.

2. New Internet Games in Windows 7

Internet Backgammon:

Internet Checkers:

Internet Spades:

The new versions of these games have been completely redesigned and improved over their old-school predecessors. With each game, you can:  Play online against human opponents (up to 4 players at the same time with Internet Spades).

• Select from 3 skill levels to be matched with similarly skilled players from all around the world.
• If your opponent drops out, a computer opponent takes over to finish the game.
• Choose from cool different backgrounds and piece/card designs.

3. Windows 7 Beta Brings New Functionality to Games Explorer

Games Explorer was introduced in Windows Vista. In Windows 7, Microsoft is introducing new functionalities to Games Explorer. These new features in Games Explorer can not only be appreciated by the casual gamer looking to play one of Windows 7’s many built-in games, but also the more advanced PC gamer too.

When you first fire up Games Explorer in Windows 7, you will notice that Games Explorer is divided up between Games and Game Providers. Game Providers are the companies that distribute the games you install on your PC. Games Explorer will deliver updates from Game Providers, including news and information regarding their own games. Updates from Game Providers appear in the right-hand Preview Pane when a Game Provider is selected. When you select the Microsoft Games Provider, you can see updates from them.

Another neat feature in the Windows 7 Games Explorer is the ability for you to see when an update is available for a game you have installed. I tried installing Halo 2 on my Windows 7 beta, and Games Explorer showed that an update was available for this game. Instead of having to launch the game and install the update through the game itself – you can now install game updates directly within Games Explorer.

Another thing, Games Explorer will track statistics for the games you play.  Statistics are tracked for the different levels for each game. In the future, expect to see many of your favorite games take advantage of this functionality.

Tags: microsoft, OS, Windows 7, Windows 7 beta