Some of the most exciting new options presented in this version of PowerPoint are the image editing features.  When your image is projected onto a huge screen, you want to make sure it looks its best.  Previously, you would probably have had to use a different program to get it to look just right.  Microsoft doesn’t want you to have to switch any longer and have built surprisingly robust photo editing tools into this version of PowerPoint (as well as into the rest of the 2010 Office suite).  You’re able to crop, change colour saturation, temperature, brightness, and contrast, and apply a host of artistic filters like paintbrush, watercolour, and mosaic.  You can even remove unsightly backgrounds, focusing on the part of the picture you need the most.

Even more helpful for business users is the ability to collaborate real-time on presentations with colleagues near and far.  You won’t find that you’re locked out of a presentation because someone else is working on it.  Instead, you’re able to see their changes in real-time and can start a conversation right in the window, so you can work together without extra steps or hindrances.

Video is a huge focus these days in the professional world.  Rather than switching between programs to display your video and the slides relating to it, you can now embed and even edit videos right inside PowerPoint.  You’re also consistently linked into the web, so the minute you’ve given your presentation at a conference, you can share its URL worldwide at the click of a button.  Even if your audience doesn’t have PowerPoint installed, they’ll be able to see your slides.  And if you really want them to feel like they were there, you can turn your presentation into a video and share it through any video site you like.

PowerPoint has also had a few smaller changes to the way it normally works.  There are a few new slide transitions and animated effects that replace and add to the existing, somewhat old-fashioned options.  Microsoft has also changed the “ribbon” navigation bar slightly to make things a little bit easier to look at and find, with a new feature called “backstage view” where you can share, save, print, and publish presentations easily.  You will also be able to open multiple presentations in different windows – so if you need to tweak two at once, you can even have them open in two different monitors for ultimate ease of use.

From a business perspective, Microsoft Office is one of the most valuable and most important productivity suites available.  It’s virtually a requirement.  With these upgrades, PowerPoint is certainly going to get better, and we’re already looking forward to viewing some of the amazing slideshows that will result from the improvements.

First and most important are the speed improvements that Microsoft has made.  Anyone with a Vista PC that has been in use for more than a year will be familiar with how slow the start-up and shut-down can be.  We’ve seen Vista computers take a full ten minutes to start up, a complete waste of employees’ time. This can, of course, be optimised with some attention to the PC in question, but Windows 7 completely eliminates this need, cutting down on costs and increasing productivity.  Those extra minutes add up fast and help you get more work for your money.

Windows 7 introduces a few new features designed to help your employees get faster access to their important documents.  In Windows Vista, important programs can be “pinned” to the top of the Start menu, making them accessible in two clicks.  Windows 7 adds the ability to pin documents to the taskbar, so your essentials are available in just one click, and Microsoft has also retained your ability to pin programs to the start menu and taskbar.  This feature immediately cuts down on the time required to keep finding and opening important documents you need to get work done fast.

Windows 7 also introduces the snap and shake features.  “Snap” enables you to quickly and easily resize documents so that it’s easier to instantly place them beside one another.  This allows for easy comparisons without a ton of time spent trying to resize windows in an attempt to get all of their content visible next to one another.  The “shake” feature is neat, too; by shaking the window you can remove all the other windows on the desktop, reducing distractions and allowing you to see your desktop more clearly.  Shake again, and the windows will all come back, so don’t worry, you haven’t lost anything.

Federated search is another tool that is purposely designed to increase workplace productivity.  The new search bar is available right from the start menu, like in Windows Vista, but doesn’t search just programs or just documents.  It provides everything at a glance, so even if you barely remember what you’re looking for, you’ll find it a whole lot easier and less time-consuming to find it.  Like search online, results are split into categories with your search terms highlighted, making it easier to identify at a glance whether or not you have found what you’ve been looking for.  Windows 7 can also search external hard drives, networked PCs, and libraries, so you’ll never lose your documents.

Windows 7 has even more features to build up your small business’s productivity and increase the amount of work your employees can do with a minimum of effort.  If that’s not worth the cost of upgrading, we’re not sure what is.

 Shows all the features and perks of this operating system. I’ve also found that you can tie your media library to your windows ID and access your own music anywhere on the net!!

 Handy.

 Though based on Vista, Windows 7 has removed several of the annoying features of Vista.

 1)     It runs smoothly, and doesn’t pester the user for admin prompts when installing new products and applications

 2)     Browsing is easy. It still has the Aero feature of rolling through windows and Snapping windows to the sides of the monitor,  ‘Peak’ allows you to see through your windows and check the desktop. Browsing explorer also seems effortless. Each window opened shows a preview on the bottom taskbar and internet explorer displays all webpages as thumbnails within a session etc.

 3)     From an admin perspective setting up networks and configuring properties of the profile is also very easy. The GUI is very user friendly and yet although the interface of Vista is still very noticeable, the difference in performance and usability is fantastic.

 4)     Windows 7 is also touch screen compatible. Again introducing the user to a new era of operating systems.

 Definitely a strong operating system after XP.

 My verdict is – its about time Microsoft rolled out a solid operating system which can deliver both commercially and domestically.

 I definitely can see this Operating System creeping into businesses into 2010 and Microsoft have already released the Windows 7 Configuring exam 70-680. To keep the service desk air tight on this new OS, I will be sitting this one in the new year to cover all bases.

http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/article.html?Windows_7_rush_breaks_UK_retail_records&in_article_id=756285&in_page_id=150

But is this rush justified? The same newspaper today said that experts have advised users to avoid using Windows 7 for at least the first year.

‘Software bugs are par for the course for newly released programs and operating systems are no exception,’ said John Bogue, from Which? Computing. ‘Unless you like downloading patches and updates, we recommend waiting a year.’ 

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?Dont_touch_Windows_7_for_a_year,_say_experts&in_article_id=756470&in_page_id=34

One very interesting review has carried out a comparison of XP, Vista and 7.  This review is incredibly detailed and the reviewer concludes that they believe that Windows XP is the best operating system of the three.

http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/information/windows-xp-vs-vista-vs-7/

I guess only time will tell … What do you think of Windows 7? Have you installed it yet?

Were you at the event? What did you think?