Customers experience Windows 7, the latest Windows operating system, in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 23, 2009. Microsoft Corp. launched Windows 7 in China on Friday. (Xinhua) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Oct. 26 -- Windows 7, Microsoft's latest operating system, was officially launched last Friday. What improvements does Windows 7 have compared to Windows XP and Vitsa? What's the price tag for this new system and will it be acceptable to Chinese consumers?

    Acccording to Time.com, Windows Vista, predecessor of Windows 7, is the "Biggest Tech Failure of the Last Decade". Three years after the release of Vista, Windows 7 appears to be an upgrade of Windows Vista with faster speed and better compatibility with applications and hardware.

Copies of Microsoft Windows 7 are displayed in Redmond, Washington, Oct. 22, 2009. Microsoft Corp launched Windows 7 on Thursday in its most important release for more than a decade, aiming to win back customers after the disappointing Vista and strengthen its grip on the PC market.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Cheng Gang is a computer professional who has just installed the Windows 7 the first time.

    "Compared to Windows XP, Windows 7 has better visual effect, simpler operation and higher level security. For instance, the windows can overlap at one another in order of preference; the security center will warn the user if any unsafe program is going to be installed," said Cheng Gang.

    Windows 7 also supports more hardware such as graphic cards, flash disks and network cards. Users won't need so many extra device drivers and will find the installation process much easier.

    "If the windows 7 is really that convenient, I would like to update my current Windows XP. It is also a good chance to refresh my computer and simplify my future work," said customer Han Xiao, a college student.

    But computer professional Cheng Gang warned that Windows XP must be completly removed before Windows 7 is installed. He suggested customers move their personal files from the system disk to a safer location such as an external disk.

    According to trading website, Amazon.cn, Windows 7's home edition is 399 yuan for each.

    "399 yuan is too expensive. I would like to pay half. My current Windows XP is not bad, so I'll wait and see," said Han Xiao. 

    Mikako Kitagawa is a research analyst at Gartner, a technology research and advisory company.

    "Consumers usually do not do the complex PC applications. They usually do web browsing, internet, photo editing, video editing or listening to music. You can do all of these on the Vista or XP. XP is good enough for most consumers. I do not say tech service people or gamers. They might have different opinions."

    Professional Cheng Gang agreed. He said it's just like cell phones -- some users keep updating to newer models for more functions and fashion, while some stick to the old ones for custom.

    (Source: english.cri.cn)

Windows 7 to boost IT sector

Microsoft (China) President and CEO Liang Nianjian (L) and Mike Nash, a corporate vice president for Windows Platform Strategy, introduce the functions of Windows 7, the latest Windows operating system, in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 23, 2009. Microsoft Corp launched Windows 7 in China on Friday. (Xinhua) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Oct. 25 -- Microsoft Corp launched Windows 7, which is the most significant upgrade in the global personal computer industry in eight years and is the latest version of the Windows family, in China on Friday.

    More than 1 billion people, or 95 percent of the global PC users, install various Windows systems in their computers, and analysts said demand by users to upgrade to Windows 7 will give the PC and the entire IT industry a huge boost. Full story

Microsoft rolls out Windows 7

    SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Microsoft Corp. began to roll out Windows 7 operating system on Thursday with the hope of shaking off the negative image created by previous Vista version and maintain its dominance on the global market of personal computer (PC) operating systems.

    New Zealand became the first country to kick off the global launch of Windows 7, as hundreds of people attended events in Wellington and Auckland on Thursday morning. Full story

Microsoft Windows 7 launched in New Zealand

    WELLINGTON, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of people attended events in New Zealand's Wellington and Auckland on Thursday morning to mark the world's first launch of Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system.

A Windows logo is seen before Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer speaks about the upcoming release of Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 7, in Toronto, Oct. 21, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    In Auckland's Queen Elizabeth Square in the CBD, throngs of people tried to win Hewlett-Packard computers loaded with the new operating system, given away every 10 minutes throughout the event by All Black rugby team captain Richie McCaw. Full story