‘Jump Lists’ swaps ‘My recent documents’: Jump Lists is a feature giving an ease of access to programs and docs that users often use. It is kinda ‘My recent documents’, but is indeed more simplified. Whenever a user hover the mouse over a program on the start menu, the right column displays the most recent docs/files of that program (see image 1). The ‘My recent documents’ is no more and has been replaced by a very simplified and a real handy ‘Jump lists’.

‘Pin’ to taskmaster: The other feature which eases as far as access is concerned. The taskbar is all rejuvenated and unlike earlier versions of Windows, users now can drop items on the taskbar and it has been termed as ‘Pin to taskbar (or Windows Explorer)’. That item pinned remains static on taskbar and can be used as a quick launch shortcut. Apart, when you right click the Pinned item, multiple categories (see image 1) may be displayed. These could be ‘frequent’, ‘recent’, ‘pinned’ and the last option ‘unpin from taskbar’. ‘Pin’ is again quite alike ‘Jump lists’, but it is controlled under the taskbar area whereas ‘jump lists’ is a feature of the start menu!

‘Search’ it real-time: Windows Search utility always needed an enhancement and yepe it has got! Windows 7 features the Search utility which is more dynamic and works real-time. The moment you start typing in the search bar, you start getting results. It is more efficient and is very simplified. It too the query (see image 2) with a different color (predominantly yellow) too.

Let ‘Libraries’ manage docs: Like earlier version, 7 too has designated folder as ‘My documents’, ‘my pictures’, ‘my videos’ and ‘my music’. But what has been included in here is the ‘libraries’ feature. A library will simply gather files that are located on different locations. For an example, if you have documents on the HDD as well as a flash media, documents of both will be displayed in the particular library. What folders to include are on the user’s discretion and can be customized. By default, Windows 7 has four libraries viz. Documents, Videos, Music and Pictures and is too synced with the above mentioned folders. 

Get connected easily: If you run a system which can connect via wirelessly to a network, you surely have a reason to smile! Windows 7 has a ‘connections’ button (see image 1) which shows the available wireless networks and you could connect to them with just mere 3 steps. Further, if you don’t have wireless connectivity, configuring the internet connections is as simple as it was before and again using the button on the notification area, you can easily connect to any network.

The efficiently efficient ‘Power Management’: Unlike other versions, now it’s too simple to configure the way your system consumes power (see image 3). And for systems running on battery power, this feature is like cherry on the icing!  

The ‘Aero’ improvement: Vista saw ‘Aero 3D’ introduced and it is still present. The new member in the Aero family is ‘Aero Peek’. This isn’t something which is very desirable but is a real utility if want to see how many windows are open or could use just for fun. To use this, click on the button on extreme right on the taskbar which on clicking shows the desktop, but, hovering the mouse over this button, shows just the borders of every open window and desktop as its background (see image 4). Further, if you want to just see a window and minimize rest all with a single step, use aero shake. All you need to do is to shake the window you want to highlight and whola, the rest stand minimized! 

Tap the ‘touch’: One of the best features of Windows 7 is the touch interface. Now, if you have a touch enabled screen, you can work with most of your apps using touch. It can understand the touch and finger gestures quickly. You could even use your fingers in Microsoft paint to use a specific function!

Overall, Windows 7 is something not be missed and is as of now the best OS if you’re a PC! It is more simplified and is much more efficient than Windows Vista and Windows XP.