All in One, the concept interpreted, can tells us much. The greatly developed Windows 7' Superbar gives you the taste of this concept by integrating functionality ranging from Quick Launch, recently-opened documents lists, new less noisy notification area, differenced icons and shortcuts, and running application windows into the new Taskbar.
Even it is still in the Beta stage, Windows 7 Superbar delivers you balance between application-launching and window-switching to another unachieved level of GUI.
The Start Button
Microsoft has renewed the appearance of the Windows Orb button with the new one in order to visually align it with other 32x32 icons on the Superbar. In additional to it, this Redmond Company also add bedazzling light effect when mouse hovers over the button.
Icons
Microsoft has chosen large icons with no more text as the default for the Superbar. It now gives confidence to users that they will be able to quickly identify the item they are looking for, from a bunch of applications listed, launched or not, and restored windows. On the new taskbar, Microsoft has shared same space for all launched and not launched icons. To differ it, launched application icons will get smooth, embossed edge effect, while programs that are not running feature no edge effect.
The glass-emboss effect on the border of the icon is not used just to visually separate Windows 7 running application from just Superbar icons, it also separate single opened window applications from those with multiple opened windows.
Not just stop on that, Microsoft gives another feature, called Color Hot-track, that delivers different colors to different mouse hovered launched items.
The icons are now also capable to show you progress of a specific task, such as file downloads, or copying process, by placing another progress bar as the background of the icons.
To replace the flashing applications that are trying to attract users' attention, Microsoft colored yellow-orange effect to it.
Show Desktop
The Show Desktop button has been moved from the Quick Launch area to the most right side of the Superbar, past the Notifications area. By hovering the mouse over the button, all opened windows will transform into glass and let the user see background through the transparency. By clicking it, all applications will be minimized, or maximize them if they are all minimized.
Adding Superbar Items
Users will find it very easy to add superbar icons. Via drag-and-drop, it is now possible to place new icons to the taskband. In addition, right-clicking icons in the Start Menu will offer a choice to pin that item to the Taskbar too.
Superbar Thumbnails
In contrast to Windows Vista, Windows 7 thumbnails for active Superbar items are now more interactive and grouped into one. New instances of an opened application will not add new icons, but new thumbnails to that single master Superbar item on the superbar. This evolution will permit users to easily navigate all running instances of an application while also quickly identify an instance they are looking for.
Windows 7 also enabled mini-toolbars for some thumbnail on specific items. Through it, users will find it easy to close and have basic control over an app, such as stopping a song that is playing in Windows Media Player, without opening the application window.
Aero Peek
This new feature works interactively with the Superbar thumbnails. When hovering the mouse over the thumbnails, the specified windows on the preview will be brought to the foreground with their actual content, size and locations, while also transform another windows to glass effect.
Notification Area
The modified Windows 7 Notification area gives you choices to customize its behavior of showing alerts or displaying icons. It seems that Microsoft has successed the noisy volume of the notifications and alerts, via another window called Action Center.
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