14 DAY TRIAL // We already know that netbooks such as ASUS' Eee PC, Acer's Aspire One and MSI's Wind can handle all the major operating systems out there, namely Linux, Windows XP and Vista and, with some modifications, even Apple's OS X. However, talking about Windows 7, an operating system that is pretty much still in its development stages, in one of these netbooks is a whole new ball game. Still, some users seem to already be very enthusiastic about it, and what we get for it is videos of MSI's Wind running Microsoft's next-generation Windows 7 operating system.
As it has been said on numerous occasions, Windows 7 is built on Microsoft's Windows Vista, which means that people currently using Vista will have few problems with adjusting to the upcoming system. However, this is also the reason why no one can say with certainty that a video posted on YouTube is genuine or not. We’re talking about a clip showcasing a purported Windows 7 running on MSI's Wind. There are few elements indicating that we could be dealing with Microsoft's new and improved operating system, however, these could be the result of modifications made to turn Vista into a supposed lookalike of its follow-up.
In the video, a MSI Wind netbook is booted into a Microsoft operating system indicated to be Windows 7 by the logon screen, a desktop wallpaper and the system's information window. These are precisely the places where the Windows operating system is mentioned as being Windows 7. Nevertheless, no Windows 7-like feature is showcased, while the overall look of the operating system could prompt users to believe that it is nothing short of a modified Windows Vista.
A version of Windows 7 is expected to become available for netbooks, as ASUS' CEO, Jerry Shen, has already confirmed the company’s plans of making touchscreen and Windows 7-enabled Eee PCs available in the upcoming year. By that time, leaked details of Windows 7 running on MSI's Wind, or any other similar netbook for that matter, are bound to emerge.
Update #1: It appears that the folks over at Laptopmag have actually succeeded in installing the Windows 7 Beta disc they received at PDC earlier this week on an ASUS Eee PC 1000H, powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor and 1GB of RAM. After a first-hand experience with the new operating system, Joanna Stern of Laptopmag concluded that the Windows 7, its improved new wireless manager and new visual cues are quite adequate for netbook systems, but still, this is a beta release and a few more things need to be ironed out, as is the case with video playback.