Reviews
| Windows Me: A radical upgrade? By Edward Mendelson, PC Magazine July 18, 2000 |
| The name says it all. Microsoft Windows Me -- short for Millennium Edition -- is designed for individual home users, not for business. Available as an update package ($110 street; PC Magazine Editors' rating: 3) and expected to ship on many desktop and notebook systems in September, Windows Me is the most radical upgrade yet in the Windows 9x family. Major enhancements over Windows 98 Second Edition include multimedia features such as an automated video editor with high-powered compression and simple import from video cameras, a wizard to automate scanners and still-image cameras, and a "skinnable" media jukebox/recorder. New system-protection features include a wizard that restores a dysfunctional system to an earlier, functional state and new easy setup features simplify home networking and broadband access. In addition, support for the Universal Plug and Play specification will let Windows communicate with devices such as refrigerators and wearable computers. Crucial under-the-hood changes include the removal of the Windows 9x option to restart or boot to the MS-DOS command prompt (DOS applications are still usable in DOS windows, however) and an overhaul of Windows' Internet plumbing that improves performance but causes incompatibilities with some widely used Internet software. The help system has vastly improved troubleshooters and more informative error messages; the whole system is friendlier to experts and novices alike. SOURCE: PC Magazine |
| Windows Millennium Edition Preview Behind the familiar face of Windows 98, Microsoft's latest OS hides new features and lots of enhancements. By John Morris, ZDNet Reviews May 5, 2000 |
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Despite its lofty-sounding name, Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me for short) is less the operating system for the new century and more of an update to the Windows versions of the previous one.
On the surface, Windows Me looks nearly identical to Windows 98, and you have to look closely to spot the subtle changes in the desktop icons, Start menu, and Control Panel (many of which are borrowed from Windows 2000). Scratch beneath the surface, though, and you'll find a few new features and loads of little enhancements that will make Windows Me a compelling upgrade for most users. These improvements fall into three general categories. First (and perhaps most important), Microsoft has added features that make the OS faster and more reliable. Windows Me should boot up more quickly, prevent you from deleting critical files, and, if your system really gets out of whack, even turn back time to restore your system to working order. Second, Windows Me makes it easier to set up home networks and share Internet connections through new wizards and improved hardware support. Finally, Windows Me has improved support for digital imaging and multimedia, with new applications for grabbing images from digital cameras, making your own movies, and tuning in to streaming audio and video (see our review of the beta version of Windows Media Player 7). Microsoft has been mum on when exactly you'll find Windows Me in stores, aside from saying it will be sometime in the second half of this year. In the meantime, check out our guided tour to learn more about the new features of the OS that's coming soon to a PC near you. SOURCE: ZDNet Reviews |