Anything else?
Windows Live Photo Gallery, pictured above, is Microsoft's all-in-one photo-management hub, and it's a very solid offering. Windows 7, as standard, ships with only a basic Photo Viewer, and the addition of Windows Live Photo Gallery brings a whole new set of features to the operating system.
In addition to adding photo editing functionality to the mix - including the ability to crop, adjust exposure, remove red-eye, and more - Windows Live Photo Gallery offers automatic people-tagging, and the ability to publish and share images via online services such as Windows Live Photos or Flickr.
Windows Live Movie Maker (pictured above), is one the most recent additions to the Windows Live Essentials suite, and it acts as a new-and-improved replacement for Vista's Windows Movie Maker.
Designed to "quickly and easily" create home movies, the software offers amateur editors a one-click AutoMovie option, and created content can be easily turned into a DVD, or uploaded to popular video-sharing services such as YouTube.
What's surprising is Microsoft's decision to make certain applications part of Windows Live Essentials, but not others. For example, Windows Live Movie Maker is now part of the optional pack, but Windows DVD Maker continues to ship as part of Windows 7. Why one but not the other?
It's a solution that may confuse consumers in the short term, but looking ahead, Windows Live has plenty to offer, and though 7 doesn't offer a lot in terms of out-the-box applications, Windows Live should continue to keep Microsoft's flagship operating system updated with new technologies. Given the shortcomings of Windows Media Player 12, we'd like to have seen that too become a Windows Live application. Such a change would also bring to an end the need for Windows 7 "N" editions - specific versions of the software sold in Europe without a built-in Media Player to comply with EU law.
In a weird sort of way, Windows Live, albeit optional, is arguably one of Windows 7's most exciting features - expect to hear a lot more about it in the coming months as Microsoft rolls out a new wave of applications designed to synchronise multiple systems with the cloud.
HEXUS: Windows 7 review index |
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