This could be the first video footage of Windows 7

Obviously a lot of people cried fake when those screenshots purporting to show Windows 7 Ultimate popped up -- possibly because they looked a lot like rebadged Vista screens -- so the blogger who originally posted the images has followed up with a video for proof. And we do have to say, if this is fake, someone put a hell of a lot of work into pulling it off, from creating a new bootup screen to hacking the source code to adding fresh Media Center options. ThinkNext tells us that this release -- known as Milestone 1 -- expires in May of this year, although if Redmond and its team of crack Enemy of the State-types have anything to say about it, this particular blog will not be getting another preview copy next time around. Video after the break.

[Via Softpedia, image courtesy of ThinkNext, thanks Joshua]

[Evan @ Jan 25th 2008 4:51PM]

Still looks like Vista to me.

[phenom @ Jan 25th 2008 5:02PM]

this wouldnt really surprise me if it was real, seeing as OSX 10.1 exactly looks like 10.2 looks like 10.3 looks like 10.4 looks like...

and people still bought it. PS
to the people who are mad that new PC's come with vista (seeing as they run vista perfectly)
what about all the Macs that come with OSX standard? ....

yea suck it.

[Nathan @ Jan 25th 2008 5:10PM]

This is why MS is making so much money, it makes so much sense! Cereal, hear me out.

They release Vista which arguably strains systems that XP flew on, spurring a lot of hardware upgrading (and QQ-ing). Now they are going to release a "revolutionary" and "new" OS (built off Vista, wink wink) and all this upgrading is going to make systems run it very, very well.

MS will be praised for how much better this OS runs than the previous OS and the less tech-savy media will talk about how this is leaps and bounds a better product than Vista, and everyone not in the know will run out and get a copy to get away from that "awful, awful Vista."

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like a smart plan to this guy *points both thumbs at self*

[David @ Jan 25th 2008 5:12PM]

Early versions of Windows Vista aka Longhorn looked exactly like XP.

[Chebwa @ Jan 25th 2008 5:16PM]

This looks more like Vista SP2 than anything.

[Andrew Jones @ Jan 25th 2008 5:19PM]

Microsoft would NEVER release a terrible OS in order to later release something marginal so it looked good... no, no. Windows ME NEVER HAPPENED!
*waves his magic hands*

[wizzle @ Jan 25th 2008 5:46PM]

Go to channel9 - there's discussion of what's on tap for Windows 7. And guess what? It's not supposed to look like Vista.

This is an obvious fake - Microsoft doesn't all of a sudden have their shit together once Vista is out the door. But it speaks volumes about how many people are ready for the next Windows. I'm a PC guy, but let's be honest here; this is a case of OSX envy mixed with hope.

[DWells55 @ Jan 25th 2008 5:52PM]

phenom, it's the same hypocrites like you who show up into threads bashing Macs and people who buy them and then later go around complaining about how MAc suers are elitists. This article had absolutely nothing to do with OS X or Apple in any way, so take your pointless trolling elsewhere.

[MrFairladyz @ Jan 26th 2008 11:30AM]

Let me guess...instaed of stacks on OS 10 theyre calling it "piles" on windows 7... rip offffffffffffffffffffffff

[Ross Hines @ Jan 25th 2008 6:41PM]

Relax guys.

Remember a while back microsoft promised a big update to vista that would really improve it and windows media center? This is probably it. It might be why they kept delaying the service pack. Or it might be SP2. I'm not sure why they keep calling it 7 it just looked like a refined version of vista. Although, i could be wrong and it might just a very early build of whats to come. Maybe the main difference is under the hood and we can't tell ala a new filing system. Remember how microsoft had had plans to make vista off of some more robust filing system other than NTFS but backed out and instead inventing this tagging scheme? that could be a big leap that we can't see. I don't know guys. Just thinking. Any other ideas?

[phenom @ Jan 25th 2008 7:29PM]

Dwells, Evan said that this supposed build of windows 7 looks like Vista,

so i compared it to how Apple's OSX has looked the same for nearly 10 years now, how that is being hypocritical or trolling is a new concept to me, mister.

[wootman @ Jan 25th 2008 8:11PM]

question, why the hell would anyone upgrade from XP?

[K1Bond007 @ Jan 25th 2008 8:19PM]

Well it's 6.1. Not quite up to 7.0 yet. Gotta start somewhere.

[razer @ Jan 25th 2008 9:10PM]

if it's so genuine why can't they focus the camera?

[C.K. @ Jan 25th 2008 10:32PM]

You can change the graphic files in Windows.

[computer.dude.28 @ Jan 25th 2008 11:12PM]

I still have a copy of "Longhorn" build number 1015. It looks so much like Windows XP.

[michael @ Jan 25th 2008 11:31PM]

I saw this video, and if anything looks like Windows 7, it has got to be this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78z_cAOKMng

Shows the "connectivity" and "integration" across other platforms. And the sort of look maybe for Win7.

I'm not saying it's real though. Just a thought.

Also same video-like thing for this other Win7 concept: http://www.istartedsomething.com/20070314/microsoft-2010-rtc/

[Allister @ Jan 26th 2008 3:50AM]

Did anyone else notice that in the 'about' for Media Centre it actually says 'Windows Vista'?

[Garst @ Jan 26th 2008 3:28AM]

Yes I did notice. At 2:47, you can clearly see that it says "Vista" right above "version 6.1.6519.1" It also says "copyright 1985-2006" but if it's been updated, would almost need to say 2007 at least. It's a weird coincidence that both the OS and media center have the same build number, seems how they are two separate products. One last thing, it's also atypical for Microsoft to use the same naming system in its products: Windows 7 "Ultimate," NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

[yelohbird @ Jan 26th 2008 8:31AM]

Windows 7 should be an updated kernel underneath the GUI, so it really doesn't matter what GUI they put on top of it...it could look like Vista, XP, or 95, or even KDE if someone bothered to tweak a KDE GUI for the Windows kernel.

Worry not...they'll have a separate team of design guys somewhere working 24/7 dreaming up a marginally different design for the start button.

[bondsbw @ Jan 26th 2008 12:02PM]

I would rather Microsoft take a "refinement" approach than a "revolutionary" approach with Windows. Microsoft used to do this... think about the best (IMO) versions of Windows at their time: Windows 3.1 (a refinement of 3.0), Windows 98 SE (a refinement of 98, and 95), Windows 2000 (a refinement of NT 4), and Windows XP SP2 (a refinement of XP). Mac OS has more recently gained popularity for this exact thing by making all the 10.X versions refinements over the previous version (of course, excluding 10.0, which I think most people didn't like).

That said... there has to be something good to refine. In the case of Mac OS, the Darwin switch was necessary before it could be well refined. The same thing applied for Windows... Vista had to come out before it could be refined. And, of course, all software is like this... the best versions are never the "revolutionary" versions, but rather the "evolutionary" ones.

[Evan @ Jan 26th 2008 2:52PM]

I had no idea I had the first comment lol, I've got to uncheck that email when replies thing more often.

Seriously, that might be an early build of Windows 7, but they didn't change much except for the "about" section. Also, in the Media Center it says "Vista."

With Windowsblinds and all that stuff from XP, I can imagine that someone would be able to tweak a few of these things to make it look like "7" while it was still Vista.

Regardless, there really isn't anything to see just yet.

[thetinguy @ Jan 26th 2008 4:36PM]

It's very clearly a windows 7 build. The is UI usually one of the last things finalized, and it is usually one of the last things to go into windows.

[AJ @ Jan 29th 2008 5:10PM]

Agree with phenom. ^^

[Sixty-Six @ Jan 30th 2008 7:38PM]

I saw what the media center about screen said..... "Windows Vista"!! Dude, it looks so much like Vista its not even funny. If this is real, then there's seriously nothing new from Vista yet. Oh ya the copyright for that media center was for 2006! Know how to spot fakes...know by knowing how easy it is to rebrand and hack windows.

[retro77 @ Jan 25th 2008 4:51PM]

Still fake! lol

[Gremlin @ Jan 26th 2008 3:41AM]

Seems pretty real to me, but whatever. I guess this is what it feels like when Engadget bites its tongue.

Honestly though, for as cool as the substance of this video was, it was incredibly boring.

[Gremlin @ Jan 26th 2008 3:23AM]

... by substance, I mean the fact that Microsoft is beginning work on the next OS and there must be some significant things that are already in. The video is just really slow and boring. It could REALLY use some music too.

[Chris Flynn @ Jan 26th 2008 5:53AM]

To the guy who said this is why Vista is making so much money ;

No - the reason is that during the emergence of Personal Comuting as a global phenomenon Apple CEO John Sculley( hired by Steve Jobs himself) FIRED Steve Jobs from his own company in 1985 ( before the wave really got rolling!) and then signed away all the secrets to Microsoft who then proceeded to have ZERO competition for the next 15 years until Steve Jobs returned to Apple.

By then the 97% dominance was created and even to that day millions continue to mindlessly defend and rally around the weaker products of Microsoft because they are 'the market leader' - maybe in market share and copying but not in innovation or product excellence they're not...but the times they are a changing ( oh apart from the fact that Microsoft has roadblocked Linux 5 years from now and employ a vast army of PR people to spread anti-Apple FUD to try and retain 'mob style' their leadership...

but hey ho 'I'm just another Apple fanboi' right?'

[retro77 @ Jan 26th 2008 9:53AM]

I was just messing around. It could be real. It probably is real.

[Goatee Man @ Jan 27th 2008 3:51AM]

Chris, I'm a linux user, and what you just said quite literally made me laugh I loud.

You watch too many movies.

[Jim @ Jan 25th 2008 4:52PM]

No sound?

[Mayank Agarwal @ Jan 25th 2008 4:52PM]

So if it looks like Vista, acts like Vista, but says Windows 7, its a new OS?

What new features can I expect to get pushed to a later release of Window?

[TJ Johnson @ Jan 25th 2008 5:11PM]

If it acts like Vista, looks like Vista, and says it's Vista, it's XP in a pretty frock.

Sorry, I had to. Please don't let any flame wars start on account of my inane comments...seriously.

[bendis79 @ Jan 25th 2008 5:03PM]

Welcome to what Apple has been doing with OSX. I think Microsoft should give it a snappy name like Wolf or Dingo.... Chances are if this is what the end product will look like Microsoft would just make it a service pack, for a new OS release they always step it up (ME being the one exception...but that's like Rocky 5, it never really happened in my mind)

[Todd @ Jan 25th 2008 5:08PM]

How have the last 5 updates to Mac OS X looked? The same.

Plus, look at old videos of Vista or XP development. The UI often doesn't change until very late in the revision cycle. I'm calling this plausible.

[retro77 @ Jan 25th 2008 5:09PM]

I wote for the name Dingo! "Dingo stole my baby!"

[Andrew Campbell @ Jan 25th 2008 5:53PM]

Todd: I suggest you compare Cheetah to Leopard. There have been significant cosmetic changes since OS X 10.0.0, and even more significant changes under the hood.

[diemacht @ Jan 25th 2008 6:23PM]

EA does it all the time. for example Fifa.
it looks like fifa, feels like fifa plays like shit? ok then its the new fifa2010...

[The Grand Master @ Jan 25th 2008 7:03PM]

People who say the appearance of Mac OS X has stayed the same are just flat out wrong, case in point:

10.1 : http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/92/Mac_OS_X_10.1_Puma_screenshot.png

10.5 :
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c0/Leopard_Desktop.png

Identical never looked so different.

[Tony @ Jan 25th 2008 7:25PM]

@The Grand Master

Case in point. They look identical.

[Amit @ Jan 25th 2008 8:14PM]

@Andrew Campbell
Comparing Cheetah to Leopard is not the same thing as comparing Vista to this "Windows 7". That would be closer to comparing XP to this version.
With each update Apple has made some small cosmetic changes in order to keep the users comfortable. Over time and with many updates, yes, it seems like a big change.

I agree with Todd, I think this is very plausible. Microsoft wanted to change to a nicer looking OS and they did that with Vista. By doing that, they pissed of a lot of users by changing the look of their OS. Now that a lot of people have already adapted to the new look why would they drastically change it again? I think that they will stick with a very similar look and just make many changes "under the hood". Hopefully many of those changes will cause it to be more efficient and thus not require more upgrading.

And a note on the upgrading.. people really need to stop complaining about it. It is bound to happen every once in a while. Also, don't try to compare it to Apple either, they strictly control the hardware on their system and are thus able to prepare their users for upgrades as they come - not to mention the fact that you are paying double or triple. So unless you want MS to go nazi on you and drastically narrow down your options in hardware, just deal with it.

P.S. I have a MBpro so don't try to write me off as some MS fanboy.

[jon @ Jan 26th 2008 12:17AM]

There is no way this is real. I did not see 1 thing(except the logos but those are easy to change) that said it was windows 7. Everything there I have now on vista. What is engadget calling new media center features?

[Poonanny @ Jan 25th 2008 4:54PM]

Many may not agree but...

How do you improve perfection? ;-)

[Paul @ Jan 25th 2008 5:07PM]

I have to say I don't agree.

[retro77 @ Jan 25th 2008 5:11PM]

/dont-agree

Vista works, but it aint "perfect"

[Jeff @ Jan 25th 2008 7:42PM]

Paul, retro77....

did you see the "winky" smiley? jeez.

[ethana2 @ Jan 25th 2008 8:02PM]

compiz

[jbhitter24 @ Jan 25th 2008 4:56PM]

of course it will look like vista in this stage. honestly, do you think adding eye candy and making new toolbars is the first thing that gets done in an OS? i'm sure when vista was first designed, the earlier builds were probably using an xp or 98 theme.

[Seoultrain @ Jan 25th 2008 5:03PM]

Thank you. It's good to see that they're not wasting their time on more eye candy. Hopefully, there will be a lot fixed behind the scenes.

Alternatively, why don't they admit their mistakes and release this as SP2 instead of making everyone pay for another OS altogether? It'd be a nice gesture after Vista.