Touch capable Windows 7

I read this blog about Windows 7 multi touch ( not Multi-Touch, as it is patented byApple ) support. It is the extension of borrowed feature from Microsoft Surface Computing include in Microsoft Surface. Microsoft Surace is a table like computer with its screen acts as tabletop; where user is able to use their fingers to navigate. Users are able to use multi fingers, hence multi touch, to make gestures which the computer interprets into action. For example moving one’s finger across the surface to move a window from one side of the screen to another, or spreading one’s fingers to  zoom in on a picture. Surface computing is also made popular in CSI:Miami tv series as well as in lates James Bond’s ‘Quantum of Solace’.

Microsoft has announced that Windows 7 will support multi touch. Good feature to be included as the concept is being adopted by some manufacturers such as HP and Dell. Although there are still not many  computers supporting it, I believe that with the release of Win7, many companies would start to produce one. Perhaps as early as 1st quarter next year we might even have a netbook with multi touch screen produced. I wonder if with the next generation e-Book program in Malaysia especially would sport this feature also?

Touch capable Windows 7

I read this blog about Windows 7 multi touch ( not Multi-Touch, as it is patented byApple ) support. It is the extension of borrowed feature from Microsoft Surface Computing include in Microsoft Surface. Microsoft Surace is a table like computer with its screen acts as tabletop; where user is able to use their fingers to navigate. Users are able to use multi fingers, hence multi touch, to make gestures which the computer interprets into action. For example moving one’s finger across the surface to move a window from one side of the screen to another, or spreading one’s fingers to  zoom in on a picture. Surface computing is also made popular in CSI:Miami tv series as well as in lates James Bond’s ‘Quantum of Solace’.

Microsoft has announced that Windows 7 will support multi touch. Good feature to be included as the concept is being adopted by some manufacturers such as HP and Dell. Although there are still not many  computers supporting it, I believe that with the release of Win7, many companies would start to produce one. Perhaps as early as 1st quarter next year we might even have a netbook with multi touch screen produced. I wonder if with the next generation e-Book program in Malaysia especially would sport this feature also?

Touch capable Windows 7

I read this blog about Windows 7 multi touch ( not Multi-Touch, as it is patented byApple ) support. It is the extension of borrowed feature from Microsoft Surface Computing include in Microsoft Surface. Microsoft Surace is a table like computer with its screen acts as tabletop; where user is able to use their fingers to navigate. Users are able to use multi fingers, hence multi touch, to make gestures which the computer interprets into action. For example moving one’s finger across the surface to move a window from one side of the screen to another, or spreading one’s fingers to  zoom in on a picture. Surface computing is also made popular in CSI:Miami tv series as well as in lates James Bond’s ‘Quantum of Solace’.

Microsoft has announced that Windows 7 will support multi touch. Good feature to be included as the concept is being adopted by some manufacturers such as HP and Dell. Although there are still not many  computers supporting it, I believe that with the release of Win7, many companies would start to produce one. Perhaps as early as 1st quarter next year we might even have a netbook with multi touch screen produced. I wonder if with the next generation e-Book program in Malaysia especially would sport this feature also?

Windows 7 RC : Built-in applications & tools.

Last time I wrote about setting up Windows 7 RC in a virtual environment, namely VMWare. The testing is stil on-going. Now I want to concentrate on the built-in applications and tools within Windows 7.

First of all the Desktop Gadget. A gadget is like a mini apps that placed on the desktop, each programed for a particular task or job. For example a clock gadget; its task is to display the current time. Windows 7  includes several desktop gadget built-in.  Mostly these are the same as those in Vista, but now it is not required to run sidebar to use the gadget.

To put a gadget on the dektop just right click on the dektop and select gadgets. You will get a windows with list of available gadget. The default includes clock, calendar, CPU meter, slide show and a few others. Select the gadget you wish to use and drop it on to the desktop. You can always download more gadgets online. There are a variety of gadget available, system tools, e-mail helper, monitoring gadget etc.

There are several mini tools included in Windows 7. One of them is sticky notes. It is the electronic version of your Post-It-Note. You can change the colors and resize it. To change the color right click on the note and select the color you want. To add sticky note just click on the + icon placed on top-left.

Another tools is math input panel. This tool allows you to write mathematical expression on a writing pad much like a tablet input and convert the handwriting into proper math expression.

 Wordpad is also included in Windows 7, with upgraded interface like in Office 2007. Nice improvement . All other features remain the same. It will work well as a basic word processor.

Windows 7 included a new  tool called snipping tool. It allows you to capture the screen output. You can select from the whole screen, just the selected window, a rectangular area or free-form. Great tool to do documentation. Once you capture the contet, you can edit it by highlighting, send via e-mail, save it or put it into clipboard.

The calculator has been upgraded. It has additional views programmer and statistic; in addition to standard and scientific. Paint has got upgraded interface, with additional features throws in such as brushes and shapes. Pretty decent for a basic drawing program.

With Windows 7 Microsoft has included support for Powershell. As the name imply it is a spruce up shell scripting program. Think of it as an upgraded Windows Shell Script joined with the command line. With Powershell you are able to lots of cool scripting within the command line which otherwise you couldn’t do with the normal command line (CMD). For example, you could select objects such as files or directory, of certain size or type,  sort the display  according to your specified format. With Powershell you could actually automate your routine administrative tasks. But with Windows 7 Microsoft also included Powershell ISE (Integrated Shell Editor). Much like an IDE, it is a GUI program that allows you to program Powershell. Cool.

Many other standard programs sucah as task manager, resource monitor and task scheduler also got upgraded. Most of the upgraded interface are Windows 2008 inspired.

Overall I am satisfied with the improvements in the basic apps included with Windows 7.

Windows 7 RC : Built-in applications & tools.

Last time I wrote about setting up Windows 7 RC in a virtual environment, namely VMWare. The testing is stil on-going. Now I want to concentrate on the built-in applications and tools within Windows 7.

First of all the Desktop Gadget. A gadget is like a mini apps that placed on the desktop, each programed for a particular task or job. For example a clock gadget; its task is to display the current time. Windows 7  includes several desktop gadget built-in.  Mostly these are the same as those in Vista, but now it is not required to run sidebar to use the gadget.

To put a gadget on the dektop just right click on the dektop and select gadgets. You will get a windows with list of available gadget. The default includes clock, calendar, CPU meter, slide show and a few others. Select the gadget you wish to use and drop it on to the desktop. You can always download more gadgets online. There are a variety of gadget available, system tools, e-mail helper, monitoring gadget etc.

There are several mini tools included in Windows 7. One of them is sticky notes. It is the electronic version of your Post-It-Note. You can change the colors and resize it. To change the color right click on the note and select the color you want. To add sticky note just click on the + icon placed on top-left.

Another tools is math input panel. This tool allows you to write mathematical expression on a writing pad much like a tablet input and convert the handwriting into proper math expression.

 Wordpad is also included in Windows 7, with upgraded interface like in Office 2007. Nice improvement . All other features remain the same. It will work well as a basic word processor.

Windows 7 included a new  tool called snipping tool. It allows you to capture the screen output. You can select from the whole screen, just the selected window, a rectangular area or free-form. Great tool to do documentation. Once you capture the contet, you can edit it by highlighting, send via e-mail, save it or put it into clipboard.

The calculator has been upgraded. It has additional views programmer and statistic; in addition to standard and scientific. Paint has got upgraded interface, with additional features throws in such as brushes and shapes. Pretty decent for a basic drawing program.

With Windows 7 Microsoft has included support for Powershell. As the name imply it is a spruce up shell scripting program. Think of it as an upgraded Windows Shell Script joined with the command line. With Powershell you are able to lots of cool scripting within the command line which otherwise you couldn’t do with the normal command line (CMD). For example, you could select objects such as files or directory, of certain size or type,  sort the display  according to your specified format. With Powershell you could actually automate your routine administrative tasks. But with Windows 7 Microsoft also included Powershell ISE (Integrated Shell Editor). Much like an IDE, it is a GUI program that allows you to program Powershell. Cool.

Many other standard programs sucah as task manager, resource monitor and task scheduler also got upgraded. Most of the upgraded interface are Windows 2008 inspired.

Overall I am satisfied with the improvements in the basic apps included with Windows 7.

Windows 7 RC : Built-in applications & tools.

Last time I wrote about setting up Windows 7 RC in a virtual environment, namely VMWare. The testing is stil on-going. Now I want to concentrate on the built-in applications and tools within Windows 7.

First of all the Desktop Gadget. A gadget is like a mini apps that placed on the desktop, each programed for a particular task or job. For example a clock gadget; its task is to display the current time. Windows 7  includes several desktop gadget built-in.  Mostly these are the same as those in Vista, but now it is not required to run sidebar to use the gadget.

To put a gadget on the dektop just right click on the dektop and select gadgets. You will get a windows with list of available gadget. The default includes clock, calendar, CPU meter, slide show and a few others. Select the gadget you wish to use and drop it on to the desktop. You can always download more gadgets online. There are a variety of gadget available, system tools, e-mail helper, monitoring gadget etc.

There are several mini tools included in Windows 7. One of them is sticky notes. It is the electronic version of your Post-It-Note. You can change the colors and resize it. To change the color right click on the note and select the color you want. To add sticky note just click on the + icon placed on top-left.

Another tools is math input panel. This tool allows you to write mathematical expression on a writing pad much like a tablet input and convert the handwriting into proper math expression.

 Wordpad is also included in Windows 7, with upgraded interface like in Office 2007. Nice improvement . All other features remain the same. It will work well as a basic word processor.

Windows 7 included a new  tool called snipping tool. It allows you to capture the screen output. You can select from the whole screen, just the selected window, a rectangular area or free-form. Great tool to do documentation. Once you capture the contet, you can edit it by highlighting, send via e-mail, save it or put it into clipboard.

The calculator has been upgraded. It has additional views programmer and statistic; in addition to standard and scientific. Paint has got upgraded interface, with additional features throws in such as brushes and shapes. Pretty decent for a basic drawing program.

With Windows 7 Microsoft has included support for Powershell. As the name imply it is a spruce up shell scripting program. Think of it as an upgraded Windows Shell Script joined with the command line. With Powershell you are able to lots of cool scripting within the command line which otherwise you couldn’t do with the normal command line (CMD). For example, you could select objects such as files or directory, of certain size or type,  sort the display  according to your specified format. With Powershell you could actually automate your routine administrative tasks. But with Windows 7 Microsoft also included Powershell ISE (Integrated Shell Editor). Much like an IDE, it is a GUI program that allows you to program Powershell. Cool.

Many other standard programs sucah as task manager, resource monitor and task scheduler also got upgraded. Most of the upgraded interface are Windows 2008 inspired.

Overall I am satisfied with the improvements in the basic apps included with Windows 7.

Windows 7 on Laptop

I got 1 Dell Notebook D600 from ITD yesterday. I’m going to use it for testing Windows 7 on laptop. It has Pentium M 1.6GHz,with 2 GB of RAM, with built-in wireless (Intel Pro/Wireless LAN 2100). It has windows XP Installed.

Upon inserting the CD, it pop up a windows 7 installation dialog, which allow the user to check for compatibility online or install. I tried to click install now which led me to another dialog with 2 options, to check lates updates or not. I choose not to. Then the standard EULA.

I just accept the term. It then pop up another dialog asking wheteher I want to upgrade or choose custom. First I tried upgrad.. and Windows 7 says “You cannot upgrade from this Operating System..” and exit. Well have to try again from the beginning.

I choose custom, since I had been given the green light to reformat the laptop. It seems that it need about 12 GB of free space to install. Unfortunately none of the partition have enough space… so I have to install using the installation disc.

I opted to remove all partitions and create 1 partition since it it only have 40 GB storage. The installation took about 45 mins. It cannot detect the network card, multimedia card and the cardbus. Perhaps the drivers are not included. These needs to be resolve first.

Since I have to pick up my kids.. I have to stop. I ‘ll continue to resolve the issues other time.