Unauthorized - Parent Directory - Support

Recommendations

Info

VISTA PREVIEW Why You Want Vista Now! It won’t be on Wal-Mart’s shelves until next year, but Microsoft has let loose the next Windows. We went under the covers to find the secrets in the new OS. BY JOHN CLYMAN MICROSOFT WINDOWS duce Vista into your organization and manage migration and training. At PC Magazine, we’ve been diving Vista, the long-awaited and long-delayed successor to Windows XP, Technology Preview), uncovering useful little secrets deeper into Vista with each new CTP (Community is still in the beta- testing and powerful new capabilities, excitedly sharing our stages. Until recently, discoveries with each other—and now with you. Microsoft held firm to a In February, Microsoft released a version of Vista release date in the second half of this year. (And let’s be candid: When the basic functions that will be in the final product. that it calls “feature complete”—that is, including all Microsoft uses a vague term like “second half,” that That CTP was available only to select beta testers and sure doesn’t mean July). But then, on March 21, members of MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) the company announced that though Vista would and Microsoft TechNet. Soon after you read this, be available to businesses in November, consumers we expect Microsoft to release a consumer-oriented would have to wait until January 2007. So why would CTP that anyone should be able to get their hands you want Vista now, when the product is likely six to on. As we go to press, Microsoft hasn’t said how that nine months away from shipping? public CTP will be distributed, but as soon as that Two words: More fun. Like a new car, Vista practically begs you to play with all its shiny new gad- .com/vista with the rest of our ongoing coverage. information is released, we’ll have it at go.pcmag gets, see how hard you can drive it, and luxuriate in Make no mistake: We’re not advocating that the novelty of the experience. you urge Uncle Jim—or whoever calls you for help We admit that’s not the most rational justification. Fair enough. There are plenty of down-to-earth installed too many adware-laden screensavers—to after his system has ground to a halt because he’s reasons Vista is appealing. Improved security, for start working with Vista today. Nor would we recommend installing Vista on a production system where one. Dramatic improvements in tools that can help you cope with information overload, for another. incompatibilities, crashes, or data loss would prove Better support for multimedia and mobile devices, catastrophic. Betas are by definition unfinished a better version of Internet Explorer, and a dramatically revamped UI, to name a few more. If Vista de- from seamless—it can be slow, crash unpredictably, products, and our experience with Vista has been far livers on all its promises, you’ll spend much less time refuse to work with various hardware, cause glitches performing tedious maintenance and configuration in a variety of software, and generally be a hassle. tasks and much more time being productive—or (And yes, we can hear the more cynical among you just keeping yourself entertained. grumbling about how that doesn’t sound any different from any other Microsoft OS, but we disagree; If you’re an übergeek, you’ll want to try Vista so you can retain your reputation of staying on the if you’ve kept Windows XP patched and up to date, bleeding edge. If you’re a developer, you’ll want to see your computing should be pretty predictable.) But if how Vista offers the opportunity to write compelling you’ve got a spare machine around and are comfortable living on the edge in exchange for a little excite- new applications. If you’re an IT manager, you need to start thinking about how you’ll eventually introment, then get your hands on Vista now. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for <strong>Support</strong> MORE ON THE WEB You’ll find PC Magazine’s ongoing coverage of Vista as it’s revealed at go.pcmag.com/ vista. This page includes reviews of Vista CTPs (Community Technology Previews) as they’re released, columnists’ opinions on the emerging OS, and “Vista Revealed,” handson, in-depth looks at new features. And don’t miss the Vista coverage at ExtremeTech, our sister site, including Jason Cross’s optimistic “Why Windows Vista Won’t Suck,” at go.extremetech.com/vista. MAY 9, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 59
VISTA PREVIEW Because It’s Cool SEE-THROUGH WINDOWS Partially translucent windows cast thin shadows on items below, giving a 3D look and feel. TASK SWITCHING The old Alt-Tab key combination provides thumbnails and descriptions as well. INSTALL IT AND YOUR JAW WILL DROP. THE VISTA GUI IS SO SLICK, so cleverly put together, that it may even impress a few Mac users. Unlike Windows XP, which had a “new” look and feel that seemed like the same ol’ same ol’, Vista takes you to a different world. Tiny widgets hover in the corner. Translucent windows flit to and fro like Disney characters. The Start Menu is actually easy to use. Not since the summer of ’95 has the Windows interface taken such a giant leap forward. —Cade Metz THUMBNAIL Mousing over a minimized window gives not only a description of the app, but also a live thumbnail. Vista Secrets Vista includes speech recognition for both entering text and executing Windows commands. Get started in the Control Panel’s Speech Recognition applet. There are six Vista variants: For the home, Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate; for businesses, Business and Enterprise; and for emerging markets, Starter. MINI- APPLICATIONS Running along the edge of your desktop, Sidebar gives quick access to all sorts of mini-applications. You can even drag the miniapps onto the desktop. THE START MENU Rather than fanning out across your desktop, as it did in the past, the Start Menu stays compact. NEW AND IMPROVED TASK SWITCHING Using the new “Windows-Tab” key combination, you can instantly spin through a 3D “Rolodex” of open applications. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for <strong>Support</strong> 60 PC MAGAZINE MAY 9, 2006
Page 1 and 2: THE BEST Photo Printers • $20 Key
Page 3 and 4: PCONTENTS FUTURE GADGETS KEEPING UP
Page 5 and 6: www.pcmag.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jim L
Page 7 and 8: FEEDBACK SAFEGUARDING YOUR PHOTO CO
Page 9 and 10: PIPELINE WHAT’S NEW FROM THE WORL
Page 11 and 12: TECHNORIDE MORE ON THE WEB Want the
Page 13 and 14: FIRST LOOKS WHAT THE RATINGS MEAN:
Page 15 and 16: Dual 160GB hard drives HP Pavilion
Page 17 and 18: FIRST LOOKS HARDWARE Lexmark E120n
Page 19 and 20: FIRST LOOKS HARDWARE BUYING GUIDE D
Page 21 and 22: FIRST LOOKS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS Po
Page 23 and 24: 1.3-megapixel camera CINGULAR’S M
Page 25 and 26: Controls are recessed into the fram
Page 27 and 28: ANALYST’S VIEW BY SASCHA SEGAN li
Page 29 and 30: FIRST LOOKS SOFTWARE BUYING GUIDE P
Page 31 and 32: FIRST LOOKS SMALL BUSINESS One-touc
Page 33 and 34: WHAT TO BUY MEDIA CENTER DESKTOP HP
Page 35 and 36: MICHAEL J. MILLER An Open Letter to
Page 37: YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Sup
Page 41 and 42: word-wheel search) within a Web pag
Page 43 and 44: VISTA PREVIEW Because It’s Loaded
Page 45 and 46: Unlike the firewall in Windows XP,
Page 47 and 48: VISTA PREVIEW To Work Together Bett
Page 49 and 50: A fleet of concept designs that pro
Page 51 and 52: SMART PILL BOTTLE The Concept: Elec
Page 53 and 54: Power for the display is created by
Page 55 and 56: BY LOYD CASE if you do find them, t
Page 57 and 58: ADVERTISEMENT Maximum System Perfor
Page 59 and 60: BUILD IT Making a Quiet Case Quiete
Page 61 and 62: BUILD IT CPU Cooler and Graphics Vo
Page 63 and 64: CONNECTEDTRAVELER SAN FRANCISCO WOR
Page 65 and 66: ASK LOYD SATA AND PATA HARD DRIVES
Page 67 and 68: ASK NEIL 96 pixels wide For those w
Page 69 and 70: SMB BOOTCAMP Your Site’s Stats We
Page 71 and 72: GAMING + CULTURE PS3: What We Know
Page 73 and 74: GEARLOG Full-color OLED screens MOR

Unauthorized - Parent Directory - Support

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?