m Beta 2 Technical Reviewer’s Guide May 2006 Beta Code Recommendations and Restrictions This guide is designed to assist press in their review of the Beta 2 version of Microsoft® Windows VistaTM Ultimate. Please remember that this is a pre-release version of the operating system and should not be installed on your production machine. Specific product features are subject to change and performance testing or benchmarking of this pre-shipping code is inadvisable as it has yet to be optimized. And as always, be sure to back up your data often. To request a DVD of Windows Vista Ultimate Beta 2 for review or for questions about the information contained within this guide please contact: Rapid Response Team Waggener Edstrom Worldwide (503) 443-7070 [email protected] The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. 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All rights reserved Table of Contents Overview of Windows Vista ..........................................................................4 Boosting Security ............................................................................................34 Improving Productivity ......................................................................................................6 Isolation and Resiliency .................................................................................................. 35 Fostering a Highly Mobile Work Environment ............................................................6 Security Management .................................................................................................... 36 Boosting Security ................................................................................................................6 Access Control .................................................................................................................. 37 Optimizing the Desktop Infrastructure ..........................................................................6 Dynamic Security Protection with Internet Explorer 7+ ......................................... 40 What’s New ..........................................................................................................................7 Optimizing the Desktop Infrastructure ..................................................44 Windows Vista Editions .................................................................................................. 10 Networking ........................................................................................................................ 45 Fast Start and Resume .................................................................................................... 48 Improving Productivity ................................................................................11 Automatic Recovery ........................................................................................................ 48 A New User Interface ...................................................................................................... 12 WinFX .................................................................................................................................. 48 An Enhanced Visual Experience ................................................................................... 14 Improved Architecture and Better Manageability in Internet Explorer 7+ ........ 49 Better Searching and Organizing ................................................................................ 16 Deploying Windows Vista .............................................................................................. 50 Performance ...................................................................................................................... 18 Supporting and Managing Windows Vista ............................................................... 52 XPS Documents ................................................................................................................ 19 Windows at Home .........................................................................................54 Windows Sidebar and Gadgets .................................................................................... 20 Productivity ........................................................................................................................ 55 New Accessibility Features ............................................................................................. 21 Memories ........................................................................................................................... 56 A New Internet Explorer ................................................................................................. 22 Music ................................................................................................................................... 58 TV & Movies ..................................................................................................................... 59 Fostering a Highly Mobile Work Environment ....................................27 Communication ................................................................................................................ 60 Networking User Experience ......................................................................................... 28 Gaming ............................................................................................................................... 61 Corporate Roaming ........................................................................................................ 30 Parental Control Settings ............................................................................................... 62 Mobility Center ................................................................................................................. 32 Presentation Settings ...................................................................................................... 32 Summary ...........................................................................................................63 Feature List by Windows Vista Edition ........................................................................ 65 Improved Tablet PC Support ........................................................................................ 33 System Requirements ..................................................................................................... 74 Microsoft Windows Vista Reviewer’s Guide | Contents 3 Improving Productivity Overview of Windows Vista Fostering a Highly Mobile In today’s world of work, there’s more. More information. Work Environment More ways to communicate. More possibilities. And, of course, there are always more tasks to complete. Our Boosting Security digital world can be both exciting and overwhelming. For example, Internet use is at an all-time high and Optimizing the Desktop continues to grow. Consider this: Just 10 short years ago, Infrastructure only 4 percent of the population was online. By the end of 2006, 17 percent of the world’s population will be regular What’s New Internet users. And by the end of 2008, there will be 115 million broadband