Windows 7 Gives More Mobility and Security

The least obvious but an important factor is the Windows 7 customizable power management features. In addition to simply customizable power management plans, the software giants has finally come up with a running form of hibernation. Closing your notebook lid puts it to sleep, whilst re-opening it means near-instant wake up.

While it is not likely to be helped by many existing notebooks, Windows 7 is also sensor-savvy and can deploy GPS, light sensors and 3G modems to bring a couple of added intelligence into mobile computing. Notebook screens can be smartly brightened and dimmed, in consonance to ambient light levels. Location smarts can generally add smarts to Windows 7's integrated search capabilities.

Add to this a mobile control centre for easy access to frequently used mobile settings, simple to use wireless connectivity, and location aware printing which can itself know which default printer to use depending which network a notebook is connected to, and also things are looking decidedly good for mobile users. Microsoft will include a Windows 7 Starter Edition, which is crafted for low-end notebooks and Notebooks, replacing XP without the performance ultimatums associated with migrating to Windows Vista.

Maybe Vista's greatest flaw was its over-zealous User Account Control (also known as UAC, or universal annoyance control). Twitching the wrong way on your PC usually resulted in pop up UAC windows inquiring if you really wanted to go ahead with the task. Having this happen too many times a day quickly became unbearable. UAC is deployed in Windows 7, but Microsoft has sensibly chosen to make it far less complicated.

The new Windows 7 default UAC's setting will only tell you when an application tries change settings on your PC and will otherwise leave you to yourself. UAC settings can also easily be changed thanks to a slider control which ranges from Vista level alerts through to 'never notify.'

Windows 7 also won't Auto-run external storage when it is connected, significantly reducing the scope for virus infections. One will though need to add your own security software to Windows 7, but the software giants has also tweaked the Windows 7 Firewall.

Where firewall settings falling in Vista were at best limited, Window 7's are far more granular, enabling easy access to features such as filtering outbound traffic.

With the final retail version of Windows 7 it's hard not to be impressed. Where Vista was a swollen monolith that seemed hell-bent on making its presence conspicous, Microsoft has got Windows 7 right to a mark where it unobtrusively lets you get on with the task at hand.

Getting Windows 7 or purchasing it is a no-brainer if you're buying a new PC. Upgrading from Vista will also give performance gains. Migrating from XP may need a fresh install but will give you a largely more secure and stable PC.

Thomas is a technical expert associated with numerous tech firms including iYogi. iYogi is synergistic ally aligned to offer services and support like Computer help, computer troubleshooting and computer support.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Jon_White

Can free security save the web?

Protecting Windows from malware has always been a sensitive subject for Microsoft, given that many people blame the software giant for causing all the problems in the first place.

The operating system is notoriously susceptible to attack and Microsoft has known for several years that it must do more to protect users. Malware is so pervasive that one could argue Windows isn't fit for purpose out of the box - any PC connecting to the web without security software is living on borrowed time.

Therefore, Microsoft has been treading a fine line since launching its OneCare security product two years ago. Critics claimed the firm was charging Windows users for a second product just to make sure the first operates safely. It's a bit like buying a car, only to find out the brakes are an added extra.

This is slightly unfair on Microsoft, whose software is a target for hackers and malware writers largely because it's so widely used. And over the past 10 years we've come to terms with having to fork out for third-party security software.

However, if you believe some of the headlines over the past few weeks, that may be about to change. Microsoft announced that it will kill off OneCare next summer, and replace it with a free antivirus product codenamed ‘Morro'.

At the heart of this strategy is a drive to increase the number of computers with antivirus protection installed. Microsoft cites some pretty worrying statistics to explain the problem: as many as 50 percent of computers aren't properly protected. This seems an incredible figure to those of us who have been studiously installing and updating antivirus for years.

Microsoft contends that many consumers are confused by the bloatware that's preinstalled on brand-new PCs - they think a trial version of Norton ensures they've got security sorted, blissfully unaware that it can become a hindrance once the 90-day trial is up. So, despite running on OneCare's less-than-convincing antimalware engine, Morro will be better than nothing.

But Morro won't include the bells and whistles provided by specialists in the field, such as Symantec, McAfee and Kaspersky; the latest suites offer a combination of malware protection, PC optimisation, antispam and backup features. Microsoft is unlikely to provide these for free because of antitrust concerns.

However, if Morro convinces those who take a slack attitude to security to finally get some antivirus protection, their systems will present less of a threat to the internet at large. Unprotected PCs are an easy target and many of them are recruited into the botnets responsible for distributing malicious code in the first place.

So while the prospect of a Microsoft product that's secure out of the box remains a distant one, Morro is a step in the right direction that could benefit us all.

Do-it-yourself security

You can, of course, already get security software for nothing. Some of the products that made it into our list of the 50 best Windows programs provide decent protection from online threats, and many of them are free.

The only problem with a do-it-yourself security setup is that it takes a bit of managing and updating. You won't be able to leave these products running in the background unattended. But for those who like to get their hands dirty, there are some real gems. Pick up a copy of our February issue to see for yourself.

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