Flip 3D for Task Switching in Windows Vista

Chris Pirillo — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 22:28:05 +0000

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http://live.pirillo.com/ -My brother-in-law Travis emailed to ask me why the new computer doesn’t have that “cool” little 3D popup to help switch between open windows. He is wondering if something is configured wrong, or if it’s because he’s running Vista Home Basic.

What Travis is talking about is called Flip 3D. Using the new Windows Aero technology, available in Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate editions, Windows Flip and Windows Flip 3D render live thumbnail images of the exact contents of your open windows, making it easier to identify the one you want. Windows Flip improves on the ALT+TAB method for flipping between windows, while Windows Flip 3D dynamically displays all open windows in a graceful three-dimensional view.

Personally, I don’t think Flip 3D is all that cool, nor does it make anything easier. I prefer the Expose in OS X. . Type the F9 key and Exposé instantly tiles all of your open windows, scales them down and neatly arranges them, so you can see what’s in every single one. ONE keystroke? It doesn’t get any better than that.

There is a download available of Expose available for Windows called iEx. This basically does the same thing, it just isn’t quite as good as the OS X version.

My advice is to not spend the money to upgrade your copy of Vista, nor to worry about Flip 3D. Honestly, Vista isn’t ready yet for mass marketplace… and neither is Flip3D.

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Flip 3D for Task Switching in Windows Vista

Chris Pirillo » flip-3d

Flip 3D for Task Switching in Windows Vista