Chapter 2:
Working with Windows Vista
19
Windows Vista significantly enhances the taskbar by modifying taskbar grouping and also
providing the following taskbar improvements:
■
Live taskbar thumbnails
■
Windows Flip
■
Windows Flip 3D
Using Live Taskbar Thumbnails
When you move the mouse pointer over a taskbar button, Windows Vista displays a live
thumbnail of the window, showing the content of that window. The thumbnail is displayed
regardless of whether the window is minimized and regardless of the type of content. If
the content in the window is being updated, such as with a running process or a video, the
thumbnail continuously updates to reflect the live state of the window. For grouped taskbar
buttons, Windows displays a thumbnail of the most recently opened window and makes
the thumbnail appear to include a group of windows.
Using Windows Flip
When you press Alt+Tab, Windows Vista displays a flip view containing live thumbnails of all
open windows, as shown in Figure 2-2. Holding down the Alt key keeps the flip view open.
Pressing Tab while holding down the Alt key allows you to cycle through the windows.
Because the thumbnails are live views, the thumbnails continuously update to reflect their
current state regardless of the type of content. When you release the Alt key, the currently
selected window is brought to the front. You can also select a window and bring it to the front
by clicking the thumbnail.
Figure 2-2
Working with Windows Flip view
Using Windows Flip 3D
When you press the Windows logo key and Tab, Windows Vista displays a 3D flip view. As
Figure 2-3 shows, the Flip 3D view provides a skewed 3D view of all open windows. Holding
down the Windows logo key keeps the Flip 3D view open. Pressing the Tab key while holding
down the Windows logo key allows you to cycle through the windows. Because the 3D win-
dow views are live, the windows continuously update to reflect their current state regardless
C02622841.fm Page 19 Wednesday, May 17, 2006 8:40 AM
