Desktops and Notebooks: Microsoft Windows 7, Windows 8 Look to Redefine PC Experience

Microsoft says advances in touch, 3D and high-definition display technologies have created new possibilities, from changing the way people watch movies to how we take pictures. In the enterprise, collaboration has also been redefined, thanks to these technical advances, with large-scale touch-screens helping employees stay productive while making it possible to interact with colleagues in new ways, no matter where they are located. For Microsoft, the current Windows 7 and the upcoming Windows 8 operating systems hold the key to combining these various technologies and changing the way people work and consume media, while giving a whole new meaning to the concept of the "consumerization of IT." Windows 8 is a chance for Microsoft and its partners to put the PC back at the center of people's lives, while also expanding into tablets—an area Apple has dominated with the iPad. On May 21, Microsoft shared details on the multi-monitor experience for Windows 8. "From the very first public release and demonstrations of Windows 8, we have shown improvements over Windows 7 for multi-monitor scenarios and have shown how we support new Metro-style apps within a multi-monitor environment," said Microsoft's Windows president Steven Sinofsky. "We have continued to develop and refine features for multiple monitors and have significantly enhanced the experience as we move to our next milestone, the Release Preview." Here, eWEEK looks at what Windows 7 has to offer both business users and consumers, and previews what people can expect from Microsoft Windows 8 and what the company has done since the release of the Windows 8 Consumer Preview and earlier versions of the new operating system.