Late last week, Microsoft announced it had finished work on Windows 7. The final version won’t be released to the public until the end of October, but you can already download the RC (release candidate) for free here.
I’ve tried it out, and so far Windows 7 seems to be everything Vista should have been and more. It has more than a few great features, including an improved taskbar. The taskbar in Windows 7 allows you to:

• simply click and drag to rearrange icons
• pin any program so it’s always ready to be launched
• preview programs that are running by just hovering over them

One of my favorite taskbar features is the way it streams live videos even when the mouse hovers the program’s icon on the taskbar. Way cool.

Want to make the most out of your taskbar? Here are a few totally useful tips:

• Tip 1: Change the look and feel of your taskbar
  Tired of the default taskbar? Well, with taskbar properties you can change the position, size and buttons. Just right-click any empty space on the taskbar, then click “Properties”.

• Tip 2: Pin your favorite folder to the taskbar
  Everyone has a folder they access frequently, so why not pin it to the taskbar so it’s easily accessible?
  To pin your favorite folder, simply open it up in Windows Explorer, then right-click and drag it to the taskbar. The folder then pins itself to the taskbar’s “Jump List”.

• Tip 3: Navigate the taskbar without a mouse
  Tired of moving your hand all the way from the keyboard to the mouse? Well, now you can navigate the taskbar without making that arduous trek. All you have to do is hit the Windows key () + T. This makes the taskbar the active screen, so you can use left/right arrows to scroll through each application and the up/down arrows to preview the window. To launch the application, just hit Enter. To exit, hit escape.
  
  Psst… you can use this tip in Windows Vista too!!

• Tip 4: Double up your windows
  To run multiple instances of the same application, all you have to do is hold Shift as you click the taskbar icon. You can also use the middle button on your mouse to do the same thing.

• Tip 5: A new way to quick launch your favorite applications
  The drag-and-drop feature also lets you rearrange the icons on your taskbar. Then, any of the first five icons can be opened when you click the Windows key + 1, +2, etc.

Have you found tips you’d like to share? Please let us know either by e-mail or by contacting us below!