Windows 7 tips, tricks and secrets [part 1]

Whether you've just bought a new PC running Windows 7 or you've been using it for a while, there are bound to be things you didn't know you could do.



Whether it's tweaks to get the desktop the way you want it, tips for troubleshooting or ways to squeeze more performance from Windows 7, we've got it covered, including how to recover locked-up apps, how to extend your jumplists, leave a Windows 7 Homegroup, and more. Read on for 85 tips to help you get the best from Windows 7.

1. Problem Steps Recorder

As the local PC guru you're probably very used to friends and family asking for help with their computer problems, yet having no idea how to clearly describe what's going on. It's frustrating, but Microsoft feels your pain, and Windows 7 will include an excellent new solution in the Problem Steps Recorder.

When any app starts misbehaving under Windows 7 then all your friends need do is click Start, type PSR and press Enter, then click Start Record. If they then work through whatever they're doing then the Problem Steps Recorder will record every click and keypress, take screen grabs, and package everything up into a single zipped MHTML file when they're finished, ready for emailing to you. It's quick, easy and effective, and will save you hours of troubleshooting time.

2. Burn images

Windows 7 finally introduces a feature that other operating systems have had for years - the ability to burn ISO images to CDs or DVDs. And it couldn't be much easier to use. Just double-click the ISO image, choose the drive with the blank disc, click Burn and watch as your disc is created.

3. Create and mount VHD files

Microsoft's Virtual PC creates its virtual machine hard drives in VHD files, and Windows 7 can now mount these directly so you can access them in the host system. Click Start, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter, then click Action > Attach VHD and choose the file you'd like to mount. It will then appear as a virtual drive in Explorer and can be accessed, copied or written just like any other drive.

Click Action > Create VHD and you can now create a new virtual drive of your own (right-click it, select Initialise Disk, and after it's set up right-click the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume to set this up). Again, you'll be left with a virtual drive that behaves just like any other, where you can drag and drop files, install programs, test partitioning software or do whatever you like. But it's actually just this VHD file on your real hard drive which you can easily back up or share with others. Right-click the disk (that's the left-hand label that says "Disk 2" or whatever) and select Detach VHD to remove it.

The command line DISKPART utility has also been upgraded with tools to detach a VHD file, and an EXPAND command to increase a virtual disk's maximum size. Don't play around with this unless you know what you're doing, though - it's all too easy to trash your system.

4. Troubleshoot problems

If some part of Windows 7 is behaving strangely, and you don't know why, then click Control Panel > Find and fix problems (or 'Troubleshooting') to access the new troubleshooting packs. These are simple wizards that will resolve common problems, check your settings, clean up your system and more.

5. Startup repair

If you've downloaded Windows 7 (and even if you haven't) it's a good idea to create a system repair disc straight away in case you run into problems booting the OS later on. Click Start > Maintenance > Create a System Repair Disc, and let Windows 7 build a bootable emergency disc. If the worst does happen then it could be the only way to get your PC running again.

iOS vs. Android vs. Windows Phone [part 5]

Market share


Smartphone marketshare between iOS, Android and WP7 is fairly straightforward, though the numbers between different studies do vary. As in the picture above, Android has 42.8% of the smartphone market, while iOS has 28.3%. All the way on the right, WP7 has a measly 1.2%, as of November 29 in the US. Gartner shows worldwide market share is even higher for Android, with 52.5% (up from 25.3% a year earlier), while iOS has 15% and Microsoft (WP7 and older Windows Mobile OSs) at 1.5%.

Growth is also very pertinent, and Android is the only OS to show any growth worldwide. iOS dropped from 16.6% last year, and Microsoft went down from 2.7% (though many of those losses came from Windows Mobile 6.5 users). Furthermore, 56% of new smartphone users are opting for Android-based devices, compared to 28% of iPhone buyers.

Winner: Android

With overwhelming growth in both the US and worldwide, Android takes the cake. iOS takes a solid second, while WP7 is still behind Blackberry, HP’s WebOS, Symbian, and Microsoft’s own Windows Mobile.


TabletsIn the tablet space, iOS rules. According to a report by Canaccord Genuity, Apple is expected to have 65% of the tablet marketshare with the iPad and iPad 2. Samsung is the closest competitor with just 8% from a handful of their Galaxy Tabs, all Android-based. Combined, Android is expected to cover the majority of the remaining tablets sold, with Windows 7 tablets taking a minimal and ever-shrinking percentage.

Reports of Android growth in the tablet space are inconsistent at best. New reports that come out every few months show growth, but that Apple remains on top of the tablet market by a wide margin. According to Microsoft, Windows Phone 7 will not come to tablets; instead, next version of Windows (for desktop and laptop computers) will be designed from the ground up for tablets as well. Windows 8 is expected to release sometime in 2012. The OS is currently available to developers now and will have an open beta in February.

iOS and Android for tablets share the same traits as they do for smartphones. While the version for Android is currently different (3.2 vs 2.3), it has remained largely unchanged since releasing in February this year. Google will, as with smartphones, upgrade tablet firmware to Android 4.0, but frankly software UI isn’t the problem with Android tablets: apps are the problem.

Both iOS and Android have all smartphone apps available for tablets, but there are pitifully few tablet-specific apps available for Android. While the iPad has the most and best apps by an incredible margin (including recent games like Infinity Blade II and Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies), various Android tablets have unique functions not available on other tablets. Amazon’s Kindle Fire, for instance, can stream any video content available on the Amazon Video Store.

Conclusions

In this battle royale between the two largest mobile OSs and the smallest up and comer, there is no clear winner. That’s up for you to decide, and perhaps rage about, in the comments. iOS is still the king of apps and has the best features, and Android’s openness has enabled it to be the easiest purchase decision and the leader in smartphones.

WP7, however, may yet be a trick pony. It does so much right, from the brilliant software design to simple yet perfect features like instant local search, and even Xbox Live integration. We’re not yet at the point where hardcore 360 owners will want to switch over, but if you aren’t dying to get the latest apps now, WP7 has a lot to offer.

If you’re looking for straight up gaming, iOS is your best bet. Just check out IGN Wireless and you’ll see the vast majority of games are for iOS, and for good reason: nearly every good game hits Apple’s devices first. For anyone living in the Google ecosystem, Android is by far the best. No other handset is built from the ground up for impeccable integration with Gmail, Google Talk, Google Voice, Google Music, or any other Google services.

Which OS is right for you?

iOS vs. Android vs. Windows Phone [part 4]

Smartphone and Tablet Hardware

iOS

iOS is considered the most closed OS because it’s only available to Apple. No other hardware manufacturers have access to making phones with iOS, and that’s not going to change. Apple controls every device it sells, as has been the company’s practice for over 30 years.

There are only three phones with iOS 5 today: the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S. There are three models of each, which vary in how much memory they hold. The 3GS, now over two years old, is still considered a capable smartphone, but battery life is severely handicapped under iOS 5. The iPhone 4 and 4S share a glass front and back, which has historically been very easy to break if dropped. The iPhone 4 also had very serious problems with its antenna when held.

However, every iPhone has received the highest praise from critics year after year. Many technology pundits not only claim that the iPhone is the best phone from a hardware perspective, but that it stands the test of time the longest because of exceptional quality and software built specifically for that hardware. The iPhone is, however, limited by the number of available devices. There is only one new model yearly, and it comes in one of two colors.

Android

Android phones are the easiest and most plentiful smartphones available anywhere in the world. Today, there are over 220 million Android smartphones in use, and half a million are activated daily, according to Google. Every major phone manufacturer makes Android handsets, as well as some major PC makers like Dell.

With literally hundreds of Android phones available, the range is as far as the eye can see. Quality varies just as greatly, with many Android phones as weak and impotent as feature phones. Android smartphones come in all shapes and sizes, have screens from 2.5”-5” in size, and almost always include upgradeable memory in the form of microSD cards. Android is also the only OS that runs on LTE networks in the US today.

Windows Phone 7

WP7 devices are few and far between, for now. As of this writing, there are only 12 WP7 devices available. This is due to the strict requirements Microsoft puts on all WP7 handsets, which includes a minimum processor speed, minimum RAM, minimum camera quality, etc.

Every WP7 device, however, is guaranteed by Microsoft to meet those requirements, which means every WP7 phone has a quality backing. While the iPhone only has one new model a year and Android has an overwhelming selection, Microsoft takes the middle route with pre-set features that are shared across all phones. So while there are differences between models, there is enough similarity between them to make a purchase decision based screen size, external QWERTY keyboard, screen type, or other features.

And with the Nokia-Microsoft deal revealed at the Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Nokia will start making WP7 devices exclusively. The once-largest smartphone maker has already released two models, and Microsoft expects significant growth in the number of WP7 smartphones in 2012.

Winner: Android

Android may have the worst handsets, but it also has some of the best, as seen with phones like the Motorola Droid Bionic and Samsung Galaxy S II. The iPhone may have an edge at release, but as seen with the iPhone 4S, it only took a month for competing handsets to match its overall design and hardware features.

iOS vs. Android vs. Windows Phone [part 3]

Apps and Games

iOS

Apple’s App Store is the largest repository of both free and paid apps in the world. With over 600,000 apps currently available, all of which have been vetted by Apple to ensure quality and meeting Apple’s app requirements, the App Store has not only the most apps available, it often has the newest apps first. iOS app development has become a business. Companies like Rovio (Angry Birds) have sprouted from just a few guys, and established developers like EA and Epic Games have found equally high levels of success.



However, because Apple checks every app before it is available in the App Store, new apps are slow to come, and it may take weeks for individual apps to go through the process. Many apps are turned away, and every few months there’s another story of an app removed from the store for breaking one of the rules. Even then, there have been over 18 billion app downloads on iOS, and we expect that to break 20 billion by the end of this year.

iOS also has the largest selection of games, with tens of thousands of games, already more than every dedicated mobile console ever made combined. Many of those games are free or under a dollar, but so far iOS devices are the only ones that are regularly compared to consoles like the Nintendo 3DS or Sony’s upcoming PS Vita.

Android

Google’s Android Marketplace has the second largest offering of apps, with over 320,000 according to Google. What’s startling about the Android Marketplace, compared to Apple’s App Store, is that 67% of all apps for Android are free. Google just hit 10 billion app downloads, and with that achievement Google released a detailed infographic on the types of apps downloaded, and some fun data regarding apps on the Android Marketplace.

Because Android is the most prominent mobile OS, and because developing for Android is completely free, more and more developers are working either on both iOS and Android simultaneously, or just on Android alone. However, Android still tends to be second when it comes to today’s most popular apps. Games like Angry Birds, Doodle Jump, Words with Friends were all released months after the iOS versions as ad-based free games.

Case in point, Android owners are less likely to spend money on apps. Only two of the top ten grossing games in the Android Marketplace aren’t free. Like iOS, the majority of them are games. While Apple makes billions in gross revenue on apps, analysts think that Android still hasn’t broken the $1 billion barrier, from launch through September grossing only $341.8m. That may change in the future, but it has kept developers who have been successful on iOS to jump over to Android.

App development is also more difficult on Android because of the number of different Android devices. Rockstar Games recently announced Grand Theft Auto 3 will release on iOS and Android, but only on select devices. Of the hundreds of Android devices, only seven will be able to play the game.

Windows Phone 7

As the youngest OS of the bunch, it comes as no surprise that WP7 has the fewest available apps. With just over 45,000 apps, 55% of those apps are free according to WP7 Applist, which monitors all WP7 apps.

What WP7’s apps have that both iOS and Android lack is trials for apps. That is, the option to download the full app to try it out, free of charge. 15% of all apps have trials, including all of the games available through Xbox Live. That means 70% of all apps on WP7 are free to use or try. Neither Android nor iOS allow for app purchasing on a trial basis.

Winner: iOS

With both the largest number of apps and the most well-developed apps, Apple's iOS is king. Not only is it the platform that most developers opt for because iPhone owners are more likely to purchase apps, but the platform has a better application store and is more likely to earn money.

PC vs. Mac

Since PCs and Macs hit the market, the debate has existed over which is best. Depending upon who you're talking to the PC vs. Mac debate is often even hotter than politics or religion. While you have many who are die hard Microsoft PC users, another group exists that are just as dedicated to Apple's Mac*. A final group exists in the undecided computer category.

Cost

For many users, cost is key. You want to get the absolute most for your money. In years past, PCs dominated the budget friendly market, with Macs ranging anywhere from $100 to $500 more than a comparable PC. Now this price gap has lessened significantly. However, you will notice a few key features that Macs tend to lack in order to provide a lower price: memory and hard drive space.

Memory

Most PCs have anywhere from 2GB to 8GB of RAM in laptops and desktops, while Macs usually have only 1GB to 4GB. Keep in mind, this is for standard models, not custom orders.

Hard Drive Space

Macs typically have smaller hard drives than PCs. This could be because some Mac files and applications are slightly smaller than their PC counterparts. On average, you will still see price gaps of several hundred dollars between comparable Macs and PCs. For computing on a budget, PCs win.

There are a few things to take into consideration that may actually make Macs more cost effective: stability and compatibility.

Stability

In years past, PCs were known to crash and users would get the “blue screen,” but, Microsoft has made their operating systems more reliable in recent years. On the other hand, Mac hardware and software has tended to be stable and crashes occur infrequently.
Compatibility

Unlike with a PC, a Mac can also run Windows. If you want to have a combination Mac and PC, a Mac is your best option.

Availability

Macs are exclusive to Apple. This means for the most part, prices and features are the same no matter where you shop. This limits Mac availability. However with the new Apple stores, it’s even easier to buy Macs and Mac accessories. Any upgrades or repairs can only be done by an authorized Apple support center.

PCs, on the other hand, are available from a wide range of retailers and manufacturers. This means more customization, a wider price range for all budgets and repairs and upgrades available at most electronics retailers and manufacturers. It also makes it easier for the home user to perform upgrades and repairs themselves as parts are easy to find.

Software

The final Mac vs. PC comparison comes down to software. For the most part, the two are neck and neck. Microsoft has even released Microsoft Office specifically for Mac, proving Apple and Microsoft can get along. All and all, Macs are more software compatible as PCs only support Windows friendly software. Both systems support most open-source software. Software for both systems is user friendly and easy to learn.

In the end, the choice comes down to personal preference. Due to price and availability, PCs tend to be the winner, while Macs remain the choice for the more elite or anti-Microsoft computer users.

iOS vs. Android vs. Windows Phone [part 2]

Features and Functions

iOS:

iOS does many things right, but the one thing it does exceptionally well is act as a media player. Thanks to a simple and intuitive design with the iPod app (now known as Music and Videos), iOS is the staple media player software. iOS 5 improved on that with wireless syncing and cloud storage, which makes it surpass the more user-friendly WP7.

iMessage is another addition in iOS 5, which provides free texting to any iOS 5 device, include iPods and iPads. iCloud allows for instant syncing and backups of music, photos, apps, and documents, all under one username. Siri (for iPhone 4S owners only) allows for users to tell the phone what to do, be it send an email or set a reminder or find a local movie theater. There is nothing quite like it to compare to, and Siri blows away the competition when it comes to speech commands.

Because gaming is so prevalent on iOS, every device comes with Game Center installed, which mimics Xbox Live with achievements, an easy way to connect with friends in games, and a repository for your game data. It includes cloud storage, so games played on one device can be immediately continued on another, like starting a game of Infinity Blade II on your iPhone and continuing on an iPad.

Android

As a Google device, Android is the best OS to connect all of your Google webapps in one phone. Both included apps and downloadable apps (Google Voice, Google Music) instantly sync in the cloud, so maps will have previously-searched locations so you don’t have to type them again. Upgraded in Android 4.0 is turn-by-turn voice navigation, which is available through 3rd party apps on most smartphones, is free on the newer Android OS. On older Android firmware, users still get Navigation, but without voiced directions.



Android also supports NFC (near-field communication), which is so far used for paying through the phone at compatible terminals. They are hard to find, and the technology is limited to a few hundred stores nationwide, but Android is the first to offer the feature with the ability to actually use it.

Windows Phone 7

“With Mango, WP7 has caught up with Android and iOS in nearly every way, and in some areas it’s even surpassed the other two in functionality.” – Engadget

Microsoft released WP7 with limited features, but supplemented its mobile OS with a wide array of updates. In many ways, WP7 is the most convenient phone to use in day-to-day activities as-is, without any 3rd party apps. Built-in apps like Local Scout, which takes user locations and finds restaurants, attractions, shopping, and local highlights, has no direct comparison. The iPhone 4S’ Siri is a close second, because of the realistic talking experience, but Local Scout is just as fast and easy to use with the press of a button.

WP7 also has direct compatibility with Xbox Live and the Xbox 360, so users can control their consoles with their phone. Games played on WP7 share Achievement Points cross-platform, and users can do basic Xbox Live functions like communicate with friends, check who is online, and watch videos all through the single built-in app.

Every WP7 device also comes with Microsoft Office for free, which includes OneNote, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, all of which are connected to the cloud via SkyDrive, Office 365, or a SharePoint address. The closest comparison is Apple’s iWork for iOS, which is a separate $30. Photos can also automatically be stored in the cloud.

Finally, WP7 has the biggest assortment of social media integration, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Windows Live. These all work in tandem with the address book, messaging, and sharing.

All of these features are supplemented by powerful, though comparatively primitive voice recognition software. It isn’t nearly as robust as the iPhone 4S’ Siri, but it is far more practical and capable at speech recognition than Android.

Winner: iOS

Unified cloud storage, as well as a personal assistant via voice recognition, are a step above both Android and WP7.


Part 1

iOS vs. Android vs. Windows Phone [part 1]

The biggest players in the field are Apple with iOS, Google with Android, and Microsoft with Windows Phone 7 (WP7) when it comes to app development, smartphone sales, and the future outlook of each OS. But which is the best? We compare to find out.

User interface

iOS:

Apple's mobile OS has long been considered one of the cleanest interfaces in every way, from general software functions to adjusting basic settings. Built-in apps have straightforward names (calculator, mail, clock, etc.), the settings menu is clear and easy to use, and apps are built with navigation options closer to the bottom so users can reach them easily. Menu navigation and nearly all OS functions have slight graphical chimes, like sliding between home pages or smooth scrolling. More recently iOS has been updated to include more social media applications like Twitter, and cloud storage and backup through iCloud. Almost all functions of the iPhone are very clear and straightforward, and require minimal (if any) prior knowledge to operate. The new notifications bar, which is very similar to Android’s notification bar, is customizable and shows all of the latest app notifications.

For the iPhone 4S specifically, with Siri users can voice commands and the phone will open applications, type dictated messages, provide internet searches, and do it all with everyday speech. Not the robot-talk you use when speaking to automated tech support.

iOS, however, does have some severe limitations. Ringtones and notification sounds must be in the list of available sounds or purchased directly through iTunes. Some functions just aren’t available, like opening driving directions from locations listed in the calendar. Multitasking, which Apple touts though in reality isn’t true multitasking, has serious limitations for users.

Android:

There are a number of Android OSs in the wild today, anywhere from Android 1.6 to Android 4.0. The UI differs only slightly between these different versions, but because Android is highly customizable, phone manufacturers and cell providers (AT&T, Verizon, etc.) all have their own design preferences. This makes Android a mess of differing UIs. Simple tasks like moving apps are different between not only different versions of Android, but different phones sharing the same Android firmware. This fragmentation means updates to Android phones, and thus UI improvements are sparse and sometimes simply unavailable. Android is the only mobile OS with phone and software fragmentation.

The general OS functions are very similar to iOS. It uses home pages with apps, while also including a full menu of apps so users can choose which apps appear on a home pages. Menu navigation (in the US) relies on four hard buttons: home, menu, back and search. Android 4.0 eliminates the back menu and search button, replacing both with an apps-open button. Built-in functions act differently across all overlays; HTC’s TouchSense, for instance, includes a built-in phone button, while Samsung’s TouchWiz is more similar to iOS’s four bottom apps which are the same on every home page.

Android is the first and currently only OS to feature widgets. Android also has live wallpapers, which are interactive wallpapers for the home screen, completely adjustable ringtones and notification sounds, and even adjustable lock screens. There is no limit to the level of customization available on Android, from ringtones to virtual keyboards. Social media integration is limited to Facebook and Twitter.

Windows Phone 7:

Microsoft's mobile OS is a far departure from the app-centric designs of both iOS and Android. Everything about WP7 is different from its competition thanks to a feature-centric design. Like Microsoft’s desktop OS, WP7 is based around centralized apps (like Internet Explorer and Office) and folders (like Xbox Live, which opens a list of owned games). This UI is so different from iOS and Android that critics like PC World have called it “refreshing”.

The home screen uses large tiles that act like Widgets. Any app can be added to the single home screen, and they act either as a shortcut to the app or open the folder to the apps. Xbox Live, for instance, houses all games; Pictures stores all photos in sections based on what’s on the phone, what’s in the cloud, etc.

The general layout of apps, and the build quality, is superb. The Metro UI uses subtle pictures or visual cues to hint that users should slide to the right to see the next screen, or slide up to unlock the screen. This implementation is unlike any OS available, and is far more intuitive than iOS or Android. WP7 uses three hard buttons – back, start, and search – which help users navigate between menus or activate features like speech recognition.

Built-in apps like Internet Explorer feel great, and feel as though they’re designed for both one- and two-handed use. Options are a simple tap away, and navigation is easy thanks to the option selection staying near the bottom of the screen. The keyboard is almost as precise as on iOS, but with word prediction it is the best virtual keyboard available.

Winner: Windows Phone 7

Microsoft's mobile OS takes the cake with the most intuitive and easiest-to-use user interface. It’s not app-centric, but it is the most functional and the most convenient mobile UI to date.

Part 2