Windows 7 accessories have seen some nice upgrades. These improvements are long over-due.
Windows 7 Calculator
The Windows 7 calculator has some nice new features. The keyboard is subtly redesigned and is easier to read.
You now have the option of a a multi-line display that shows a history of what you’ve keyed into the calculator.
There are more calculation modes. Besides simple mode, there is scientific mode, a programmers mode and a statistics mode.
The digit grouping makes it much easier to read long numbers.
There is also a whole raft of extra functionality that takes place in an additional pane to the right of the calculator when these special functions are enabled.
Functions include:
- Unit conversion
- Date calculations
- Mortgage worksheet
- Vehicle lease worksheet
- Fuel consumption worksheets (mpg and L/100 km)
The new Windows 7 calculator is now more useful than ever.
Perhaps some day they will add plugins to the mix. Those worksheets have really captured my imagination. A financial calculator would be great. Such things may be on the way.
Windows 7 Microsoft Paint
Microsoft Paint has seen a big upgrade. It has more of the Microsoft office look with a modern ribbon design, and more functionality to go with it.
There are a variety of brushstrokes to choose from, more powerful text functions (for example, the text changes as you hover over the drop down menus for different fonts), there is a crop tool (it’s about time!) and a number of other nice features.
Microsoft paint is beginning to go beyond a toy. All they need to do is to keep the various shapes and lines as objects, add some alignment tools, and it will be come a handy little graphics tool for quite drawings and annotating images and screen captures.
Certainly it is a lot more fun than it ever was before, and a lot more usable too. At least it has rulers and gridlines to help out with your design work.
Windows 7 WordPad
WordPad has been upgraded as well. It too has a new ribbon giving it a more modern look.
Added functions like inserting pictures and direct integration with Paint are nice touches.
It’s a pretty decent little word processor if you don’t need anything beyond the most basic formatting. I doubt it will ever see more powerful formatting options like styles and tables.
I’m so used to Microsoft Word, or Open Office Writer that I don’t see myself using WordPad. But I do think it will be useful for some people who only need the basics.
Your thoughts?
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