When Intel decided to pilot Windows 7 internally I was keen to be involved being the Microsoft Alliance manager at Intel in EMEA. I got a new Centrino 2 with vPro laptop and I was soon running the Beta version of Windows 7.
I was amazed at the responsiveness of the platform and the speed at which I was able to get things done. All my applications worked straight away with no support required from IT and so far all my hardware peripherals have also worked straight away. Some of the new features in Windows 7 such as the new Task bar make navigation a lot simpler and the whole operation of Windows 7 seems quicker with fewer clicks to get to the end goal e.g. finding a file and opening it. The snap feature is great for comparing two documents side by side and the shake feature is nice when I have opened too many Windows and I just want to de-clutter my desktop. On top of all this the battery life is exceptional and I no longer seem to be looking for seats next to power sockets.
I am now running the 64 bit finished version of Windows 7 and it’s a marked difference to running my old PC with Windows XP. Work colleagues and family who have seen the new platform are also impressed with the new features and the overall look and feel of the PC. As Intel starts to roll out Windows 7 across the company it will be great to see how vPro technology will be used to enable the migration and to continue to manage the platform on an ongoing basis through our IT help desk. I can’t wait to see the new business features in operation e.g. Direct Access, and I know the data I put on to my USB sticks will now be more secure with Bit-Locker-To-Go. If you want to read more about Intel ITs experience of running a Windows 7 pilot see here: http://www.intelalliance.com/microsoft/download/brief/Win_7_IT_Intel_Brief.pdf
The next step for me is to get Windows 7 installed at home and I know for sure my children will be looking for a new laptop for Christmas. I have seen the new Windows 7 Home Group feature and this will be great in order to be able to connect up the PCs in my house to share photos and music. We will be spending much less time hanging around whilst we import music in to iTunes or creating a panoramic photo in Windows Live Photo gallery. With the new Intel Core family of processors and Windows 7 we’ve just managed to get some time back to do the jobs a PC can’t do - like walking the dog (see everyone’s happy).
In my blog tomorrow, I’ll summarise why Intel based PCs are the right choice to run Windows 7, and why you should be looking for the Core Processor as the essential element of your new PC.