Windows 7: What's new in RC?

The latest official update to Microsoft's next OS is more than mere bug fixes as the operating system upgrades from beta to release candidate. The Windows 7 Release Candidate does contain several major and minor changes but the overall experience remains largely unchanged.

One of the biggest new features makes Windows Media Player useful again: users can now stream media files from one Windows 7 computer to another, across the internet and out of network.

Another important change to how removable drives are handled also can impact users' media. Unlike Windows XP and Windows Vista, Windows 7 will no longer AutoRun external hard drives and USB keys when they're connected. This kills off a risky vector for malware infections that has been the bane of many security experts.

Business users will appreciate the new XP Mode. If users need to access programs designed for Windows XP that have not been upgraded to Windows Vista or 7, XP Mode creates a virtual environment within Windows 7 that should assuage any fears of upgrading without backward compatibility.

In XP Mode, users will have full access to peripherals connected to Windows 7 hardware, including printers, and the clipboard can be used to cut and paste between the virtual operating system and the "real" one.

Windows 7's native search feature has been improved. Search result snippets now include a longer snippet, and highlight the snippet more clearly. This should appeal specifically to people who juggle large numbers of long documents.

Other changes stand out, too. Better Device Stage support for older devices makes one of Windows 7's best features applicable to peripherals and externals that don't need to be upgraded. Windows Media Player's mini mode looks much slicker, emphasising the album art - sometimes at the expense of clearly seeing the controls, but it's a definite improvement. Bluetooth support no longer comes baked into the operating system, however.

Windows 7 continues to get better but because this is the release candidate and unless Microsoft has some surprises up its sleeve, this is pretty much the final feature set.

Original article: What to expect in Windows 7 RC from CNET News.com