Windows 7 Hot Tips Series: 11 through 15
Tip #11: Change the Scenery
Windows 7 allows you to personalize your desktop background with a new shuffle feature for your desktop.
You can program your desktop background to shuffle through your favorite images and get a change of scenery as often as you like.
To enable the shuffle feature, right click on your Desktop and select “Personalize,” then “Desktop Background.” Choose the folder where your favorite images or photos are stored and select as many as you like. Make sure you check the “Shuffle” box, and choose how often you’d like your images to shuffle.
Tip #12: Crunch The Numbers
The new Windows 7 calculator is a number cruncher’s dream.
New functionality allows calculations in the following modes:
* Standard
* Scientific
* Programmer
* Statistics
And that’s not all! Conversion formulas are available for:
* Temperature
* Weight
* Area
* Time
Templates for gas mileage, lease estimations, and mortgage estimations are available as well!
Tip #13: Smart Printing
Windows 7 allows for several default printers in several locations with Location Aware Printing.
There is no need to reset your default or remember what the printer name is; Windows 7 will figure out whether you’re at home or at work with Location Aware Printing.
Tip #14: Shake It Up
Remember the Etch-a-Sketch where you would shake it to make things disappear? Windows 7 uses the same shake concept to help you manage your windows.
Windows 7 Aero Shake allows you to clear the inactive windows from your desktop by “shaking” over the window you’re working. Hover your mouse over the title bar of your active window, left-click and shake from side to side, and all your inactive windows will disappear.
To bring them back, repeat the procedure and shake everything back into view.
Tip #15: Clean Your Desktop! And Order It Too
You’ve always been able to auto-arrange your desktop icons by right-clicking on the desktop and choosing “Sort By.”
Windows 7 makes it even easier. To auto-arrange the desktop icons according to your default settings, simply press and hold F5.
Order is instantly accomplished.
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