Has it really been 2 years since Microsoft released Windows Vista? While many have adopted Vista (on great Dell systems :)), it’s no secret that some larger organizations continue to run Windows XP. As we near the end of life for Windows XP, it’s time to prepare for the next OS transition.
That’s where Windows 7 comes in. According to public statements from Microsoft, Windows 7 may be available for purchase later this year or early next year. This will be first of many blogs to will help you prepare for Windows 7. Our development effort will track the major OS milestones as they are announced by Microsoft (Beta, Release Candidate, and final code.)
As you evaluate Windows 7, consider the following:
- Focus on 64-bit – The majority of mainstream PCs are “64-bit ready” and it’s a must for PCs with more than 4GB systems RAM.
- Look at Virtualization – Multi-core processors in mainstream systems provide ample horse power to run virtualized sessions while letting you enjoy the enhanced security and management capabilities of newer operating systems. Virtualization also provides innovative new ways to maintain access to legacy applications. Visit our Virtualization web portal today to learn more.
- Windows Live Essential Pack – The new and improved mail, messaging, photo and blogging suite is also available for download. Lionel recently shared more details about the apps and explained that we’ll soon be shipping Windows Live Essentials as standard software on Windows-based consumer and small business systems worldwide.
Last week at CES 2009, lots of folks reacted to Steve Ballmer’s keynote there. A big part of that buzz was that Microsoft announced the release Windows 7 beta code. You can download the Windows 7 Beta here. For a bit more clarification on the Windows 7 Beta download process, take a look at Brandon LeBlanc’s post.
If you intend to evaluate Windows 7 Beta on your existing Dell system, please utilize the built-in “bug reporting” capabilities to report any issues that you might experience. Microsoft shares this feedback with us to help prepare the entire eco-system for Windows 7. For those doing touch development on the Latitude XT Tablet, N-trig has developed an alpha multi-touch driver – Click here to download.
It is exciting to see Windows 7’s improvements in performance, reliability and simplicity and we will continue to be work closely with Microsoft to deliver the next groundbreaking software experience on Dell systems.