When Vista was . launched last year, Microsoft chose a surprisingly nar¬row selection of new fea¬tures to shout about during the promotion of the latest Win,dows version. In fact, there's a lot more to Vista than you might think, and perhaps the most impressive aspect of Can't find a file or a program? Vista's new
all is the sheer number of Instant Search tool will track it down in a flash tools that have been introduced or updated to improve the home computing experience. From protection to productivity, and communication to customisation, there are dozens of handy new features - some of which are less'well advertised than others.

We provide you in-depth advice and step-by-step guides that demonstrate how to find and use many of the great lesser-known features, tools and settings included in Windows Vista. But before we get down to the fine detail, let's take a moment to introduce some of things you mayor may not already know your PC can do.

1. Find anything, fast

Vista has completely changed the way you search for documents, programs and settings. Unlike XP's Start menu, you don't have to manually hunt down what you need. Just press the [Windows] key and start typing the name of what you're looking for. As you type, Vista scours your hard disk for all files, programs and even its own settings for items that match, displaying applications at the top of the list and documents in the lower portion. The more characters you type, the more Vista filters out the results. Use it to find the features we're talking about throughout this introduction.

2. Flip through windows

When Vista first appeared, much was made of its new look. But the appearance isn't just skin deep - the new interface provides a handy way to browse the applications and documents open on your Pc. It's called Flip 3D and to use it just to hold down the Windows key and press Tab. Vista then displays a 3D image of all the programs you have open; pressing the Tab key again flips to the next application. This feature is not available in Vista Home Basic.

3. Print without waste

Most ofl,ls have felt at some point the need to print out a web page. In XP, printing web pages could be a frustrating experience, with ink and paper wasted as elements of the page that fell outside of a conventional A4 sheet were printed on new pages. Internet Explorer 7, which is include witk vista, has a Print Preview tool that enables you to manage how pages print. To access it, click the,down arrow next to the printer icon at the top-right of the window.

4. Keep the kids in check

Enquiring minds are to be encouraged, but meddling fingers can play havoc with your settings. Children need to be protected and supervised when using your PC, and Vista can help you do this. Vista Parental Controls . enable you to set specific times of the week when children can use the computer and block access to inappropriate websites and specific programs. Type parental' into the Start menu search box (see tip 1) to access the controls.

5. Record TV

With Windows Media Center, you can watch and record programs, providing you have a TV tuner built in or attached to the computer. Media Center uses an EPG, much like Freeview and subscription TV services, so you can see a schedule of what's coming up over the next seven days and plan what to watch or record. You can also access radio stations and manage your digital photo collection. Unfortunately, Home Basic users don't have this feature.

6. Make you an icon

Vista takes a new approach to file icons - the thumbnail-size images that represent your documents. Instead of using a single picture that simply denotes which application produced the document, Vista presents an image of the document itself. Open a folder and click the view menu and you have the choice of a number of different sizes that can help you identifY the file you're looking for.

7. Protect against crashes

Everyone has experienced the frustration of losing work because their PC crashes. The reasons behind crashes are many, but Vista includes a feature called Resource Exhaustion Prevention, which alerts you when Windows is showing signs that it can't cope, giving you the opportunity to save work quickly and even avoid the crash by closing applications.

8. Boost your memory

The amount of memory in your PC is one of the key elements that dictates its performance. This is of importance when you're working in applications that use lots of memory, such as video-editing packages, or when you have a Put a removable disk number of programs running at once. to work Windows Readyboost is a clever way of adding more memory as needed using USB memory keys or Flash memory cards. When you plug in such a device, Vista will give you the option to use its capacity to boost memory.

9. Shrink your programs

Gadgets are mini applications that. fdh 1ii' the Windows Sidebar (a pane that runs down the side of the screen at all times). You can choose to display either Vista's built-in Gadgets provided or head online for new ones. Calendars, photo viewers, Download new Sidebar Gadgets from the news updates, performance web
monitors and more can be accessed from your desktop without having to launch a program.

10. Stop you getting lost

Vista includes an enhancement to the Windows Explorer navigation bar. The bar now shows not just the folder you are currently navigating but also the folders that you had to open to get there, meaning that there's a visual trail of ' bread crumbs'. Each folder in the trail has an arrow next to it - click it and Explorer displays the other folders it holds, making it easier to retrace your steps.

11. Cut up your desktop

Vista's Snipping Tool gives you total flexibility, with options to grab the entire screen, a small selection or an area you have selectI ed in free-form. You can save snips to a folder or email them to friends. Go to Start > Control Panel > Programs and click 'Turn Windows features on or off to install the Tablet PC Optional Components, which includes the Snipping Tool.

12. Make a pretty picture

Windows XP's ability to store, edit and organise iinag.es needed a makeover - and it has been given one in Vista: Photo Gallery enables you to carry out simple editing tasks such as correcting red-eye or'adding tags to images to make it easier to manage them and email them to friends. You can even use Photo Gallery to cre¬ate a DVD slideshow that can be viewed on your TV.

13. Sleep easy

The older a PC gets, the longer it takes to start up and shut down as Windows launches or stops applications and loads updates. Click the gold power button from the Start menu and Vista saves your current documents and settings before switching to a low-power state. This means that when you start the PC up again, the computer doesn't have to go through that lengthy startup process. A real boon for people who use their PC often.

14. Listen to your voice

Tired of typing text into documents and weary of pushing a mouse around to navigate folders? Try telling Vista what to do instead. The Speech Recognition tool, in conjunction with a headset that includes a microphone, means you can do just that. You need to complete a tutorial so that Vista can 'learn' your voice and we have to say that it works far easier for dictating text into a document than actually controlling Windows, but it's definitely worth checking out.

15. Take control

Vista introduces us to a feature called User Account Control. This tool makes sure that only you are permitted to make changes to settings, install programs or initiate internet access. There is an abundance of web nasties (not to mention mischievous• household members) that are happy to throw a span- command your computer with only ner in the works - User Account your vOice Control is a vital protective barrier against their wicked ways.

16. Play the game

If you like playing the occasional computer game in your free time, whether it's a flight simulator, a frantic shoot-em-up or a civilised game of solitaire, Vista brings all your games together in one place. Of mterest to parents WIll be effective tool for burning video photo and the ability to hide specific data DVDs games by age-rating, while those who like to take on the latest 3D games can access performance tweaking options.

17. Make a date

One thing XP users lack is a decent calendar. Vista corrects this oversight with a simple calendar that can even be shared online with family and friends. It's a handy way for clubs and societies to keep track of activities when more than ene member is organising, events, and can display a choice of four views, from a single day to the full month ahead.

18. Burn a blockbuster

Vista finally includes a DVD-writing application as standard, and it's simple to use. Drag and drop clips to the window and follow the step-by-step guide to add an introductory DVD menu or a soundtrack for DVD slideshows of digital images. It's not as Mobility Center keeps your portables in sophisticated as some paid- power
for DVD creation tools but this lack of complexity translates into simplicity for those who don't need the bells and whistles.

19. Speed up Quicklaunch

The Quickiaunch toolbar that runs along the bottom-left side of the display in Vista is, unsurprisingly, a quick way to launch your favourite applications. If you find your mouse a bit of a bore, then Vista introduces a keyboard shortcut that gets those programs started even faster. Just hold down the Windows key and. tap the R ber key that indicates its position on the toolban.For example, to launch the first program from the left use the Windows' key and 1.