Discover new features in Windows Vista

Windows Vista offers a considerable number of new and improved features over Windows XP. Some of these great new features include:

Windows Aero: Windows Vista features a totally different look for its interface—a cleaner, transparent look with impressive graphic quality, not to mention Live Icons and the new Windows Flip 3D feature. Windows Aero requires a higher-end video graphics card; otherwise, Windows Vista is displayed using Windows Basic. Check with your computer manufacturer, or use the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor to see whether your video card is ready for Windows Aero.

Windows Sidebar: Windows Vista offers a panel (transparent, if you're using Windows Aero) that displays your selection of Windows gadgets—mini-applications that perform useful functions, such as a clock, a calendar, a Microsoft Office Outlook inbox representation, and currency exchange.

Microsoft Windows Media Player 11: While you can download it for Windows XP, this latest and greatest version of Windows Media Player is designed for Windows Vista and shouldn't be missed. With its new graphics-oriented interface, Windows Media Player 11 abandons the text-oriented look and field of previous versions. Did I mention that you can also use Windows Media Player 11 to share your media over your private home network?

Windows Search: One of the most helpful new features in Windows Vista, you can now search for files or applications from almost anywhere. Unlike in Windows XP, with Window Search, you can simply type a few letters of your search request, and the results appear on the fly—a helpful feature when looking for a file or application from the Start menu. For example, type fir, and Windows Firewall entries appear in the Start menu.

Enjoy better security

People are concerned about security these days—not only Windows security but also how to protect themselves and their families when using their home computers. Microsoft has addressed both of these issues head on in Windows Vista. Some of the improved security features in the new operating system include:

Parental Controls: Windows Vista includes Parental Controls that let you as the computer administrator set highly specific boundaries for other users, including separate standard user accounts for family members, especially children. You can set rules such as which sites a certain user can or cannot access and hours during which a particular user can use the computer; you can also curtail access to specific applications and view where other users have been on your computer and on the Web.

Windows Vista User Account Control (UAC): UAC is a new security feature that lets you operate Windows Vista more as a standard user than as a true administrator, where you have complete access to everything. Features that UAC protects, denoted with a multi-colored shield, require your permission or validation before you can access them.

Windows Firewall: Windows Vista now features two different firewalls: the standard firewall that was available in Windows XP and Windows Firewall with Advanced Features. The latter offers true firewall protection, including bidirectional filters, meaning that both incoming and outgoing data are scanned.

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