It’s a new version of Windows, there’s more technologies and more settings to play with, and that means the Control Panel has become substantially more packed with settings, options, tweaks and performance modifiers. Here’s a list of the new Control Panel applets and what they do.

Audio Devices and Sound Themes
From here, you can configure all of your sound settings and configure a number of audio devices. Choose which sounds are heard when a certain action is performed, such as logging on and out of Windows.

AutoPlay
The simpler and more effective way of selecting how Windows reacts to a new media device, and what happens when you insert a specific type of device. If you insert a DVD, you can select it to play automatically in Media Center, meanwhile if you have files mainly, you can select Windows Explorer to view them instead.

Backup and Restore
Backup all your documents, images, and other files using the new wizard Windows Backup. You can also image your entire system so that in case your machine gets lost or stolen, you have a full image file which you can then restore from another location.

BitLocker Drive Encryption
A brand new security technology which has caused some controversy especially in the UK. It prevents unauthorised users from accessing or editing your files or other Windows system files. If your machine gets lost or stolen, this can be very difficult for thieves to restore what you have encrypted. BitLocker also comes as a chip on new motherboards which then adds to hardware security, so it’ll be almost impossible to break into.

Colour Management
This was initially seen as a downloadable add-in to Windows XP, where you can manage the colours on-screen and control how devices connected to the computer render colour.

Default Programs
This is now been bumped up to be the “advanced file management and Folder Options” bit. From here you can set the default programs (Windows Live Messenger instead of Windows Messenger) and also change a file type or protocol - meaning that you can change which program opens up ftp:// - as well as change AutoPlay settings for CD’s and portable media players.

Device Manager
Enabling you to change or add device drivers, and also check the status of all devices connected to your computer at any given time. You can also update the driver from Microsoft Update with a few clicks of a button.

Digital Identities
Using “InfoCard” technology, it enables you to create digital cards of which helps fill out data on web pages for you. You can set new cards and different cards to handle individual data such as Windows Live ID data which is separate to your credit/debit card details.

Ease of Access Center
Renamed from “Accessibility Options” - these are per user settings so that individual users can have different options depending on their needs. This Control Panel applet holds options for the Magnifier, the On-Screen Keyboard, the Narrator as well as other display and keyboard settings.

Indexing Options
Firstly in XP in the System Properties section and now here. You can modify how the Windows “spider” indexes your files and how search finds them to overall make things easier to find on large storage computers.

Network and Sharing Center
The new name for Network Connections as seen in XP. The central station for network settings and configuration. Within this applet you have access to other Control Panel applets also relating to networking.

Network File and Printer Sharing
Enable file sharing on your network, and also change settings on how your local printer is accessible to other people on your network.

Network List
Depending where you are with your machine, this displays and manager the list of networks you can or have connected to.

Network Map
A new addition to compliment My Network Places, to display a map of computers connected to the network you are connected to.

Offline Files
Moved from Folder Options to the Control Panel. You can configure from here network folders which can be synchronised with your machine or network when you are working offline or not connected to that network.

Parental Controls
Modify user settings for different age groups to control which games they play, which Internet sites they visit and the general content of what they see.

Pen and Input Devices
The “Tablet PC configuration” area where you can configure settings for your pen and calibrate your screen.

People Near Me
Designed to work with Windows Collaboration, to participate in presentations and online meeting spaces with colleagues on your network.

Performance Rating and Tools
Check on how your computers health is, including the current speed and overall performance. If there is a performance issue or resolveable problems, Windows will try and find solutions to these.

Personalisation
Modify how Windows looks to you. You can alter the theme, the screen saver, as well as the screen resolution and other visual settings.

Problem Reports and Solutions
This is the more advanced and buffed up Windows Error Reporting section, enabling users to check problems on their machine, get feedback from Microsoft on how to fix those problems and also find solutions to things such as device drivers breaking as well as start-up programs which cause the machine to be slow.

Programs and Features
The center of which you can add programs to Windows, changed installed programs and installed updates, as well as modify which programs automatically start on boot-up. In the Advanced Options, you can modify things like Windows Features and settings in the Security Center - some options taken straight from the Control Panel.

Scanners and Cameras
The new place of which you can configure, install and manage cameras and scanners attached to the computer.

Speech Recognition
You can set up speech recognition here and basically control your entire computer with it. You can also set up text-to-speech (which is great fun with making it say rude words and stuff) and train the computer to understand you better. With this, you can write full text documents with it and basically use the computer “hands-free!”

Sync Center
Part of the Windows Vista slogan was “connected” and now it really is. You can synchronise your mobile device, whether it be a portable media device, Pocket PC or a laptop with your computer or another machine on the network.

Tablet PC Settings
Where users of Tablet PC’s will be able to set controls for their device, such as hotkey options and calibrating your pen with the screen.

Text to Speech
The new “Speech” Control Panel applet which appeared in Windows XP - where you can configure your speech options, train your computer to recognise your voice, and set the Text to Speech and Speech to Text options for handsfree document writing.

Welcome Center
The most basic of settings which help you set up Vista from the word go, and see what’s going on. You can alter Windows accounts, see what’s in your computer in terms of hardware and the settings, transfer all your old files in and check which devices are installed (and which ones you may have to install yourself from setup!)

Windows Defender
Formerly known as Microsoft AntiSpyware, as it does exactly that. Now as a system service, you can customise how Windows Defender protects your computer and when and where to scan.

Windows Sidebar
Ahh the sidebar, first seen in the early alpha builds of Windows “Longhorn” and it’s finally resurfaced! Here you can modify where the Sidebar appears, which monitor it appears on (if you have more than one screen hooked up) and modify the running gadgets you have installed in there.

Windows SideShow
This is a new technology of which allows you to see certain “sidebar” content on a small external screen on your laptop. When I say “sidebar” content, I mean content which is XML based and similar to what you would see in the Sidebar. This includes calendar appointments, a clock, and other gadgets which are useful to show even when your computer isn’t turned on.