Productivity

Windows Vista includes built-in accessibility settings and programs that make it easier for you to see, hear, and use your computer. The accessibility settings and programs in Windows Vista are particularly helpful to people with visual difficulties, hearing loss, pain in their hands or arms, or reasoning and cognitive issues.

• See how Accessibility options work in Windows 7

Live Icons display a thumbnail image of the actual contents of every file to help you select a given item. Scalable "live" icons show thumbnail previews of the actual content of a file, rather than a simple, generic representation of the application associated with that file. You can see previews of your files—including the first pages of your documents, your photos, or even album art for your songs—without opening them.

• Learn more about the Windows 7 desktop

Speech Recognition in Windows Vista allows you to interact with your computer by voice. With Windows Speech Recognition, you can dictate documents and e-mail in mainstream applications, use voice commands to start and switch between applications, control the operating system, and fill out forms on the web.

• See how Speech Recognition and other Accessibility options work in Windows 7

Tablet PC features in Windows Vista include integrated pen support, touch-screen support, digital-ink input, and handwriting recognition technologies.

• See how Tablet PC features work in Windows 7

Welcome Center consolidates all the tasks you'll most likely want to complete when you set up your computer and displays them in a single location. Welcome Center automatically appears when you use the computer for the first time. You can choose to have it appear every time you start your computer or turn it off.

• See how this feature works in Windows 7

Windows Aero is the desktop experience available to PCs using a compatible graphics adapter and running the Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise editions of Windows Vista. Windows Aero offers a user experience that makes it easier to visualize and work with your information, and it provides a smoother, more stable desktop experience.

• See how Aero works in Windows 7

Windows Calendar is a tool for planning and managing all of your activities and coordinating your schedule with other people's. Windows Calendar also includes a feature you can use to create a personal task list and to receive automatic notifications and reminders about specific tasks or upcoming appointments.

Windows Easy Transfer helps you transfer personal files, e-mail, data, files, media, and settings from your old computer to your new one. Windows Easy Transfer is a wizard that helps you transfer the data that is important to you, including user accounts, files and folders, program data files and settings, e-mail messages, settings, and contacts, photos, music, and videos, Windows settings, and Internet settings.

• See how Windows Easy Transfer works in Windows 7

The Windows Experience Index measures the capability of your computer's hardware and software configuration and expresses this measurement as a number called a "base score." A higher base score generally means that your computer will perform better and faster than a computer with a lower base score, especially when performing more advanced and resource-intensive tasks. This base score rating will help you to more confidently buy additional hardware, programs, and software that are matched to your computer's base score.

• See how the Windows Experience Index works in Windows 7

Windows Flip 3D renders live thumbnail images of the exact contents of your open windows, making it easier to identify the one you want. You can also use Windows Flip 3D to switch between open windows while dynamically displaying them in a three-dimensional view.

• See how this feature works in Windows 7

Windows Meeting Space is a tool that enables you to work face-to-face with small groups of Windows Vista users. With Windows Meeting Space, you can collaborate with one person or as many as nine others over a wired network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), or an ad hoc (PC-to-PC) wireless network.

Windows Mobility Center, available in premium editions of Windows Vista, puts the most frequently used mobile PC settings in one location.

• See how Windows Mobility Center works in Windows 7