Some leaked details about Windows 7 Release Candidate indicate that Microsoft has made minor tweaks and added some new features to the new operating system. The new features introduced to Windows 7 Release Candidate include a feature that will help a Windows 7 PC to stream media from home to any Internet-connected Windows 7 PC. Furthermore, the Windows 7 OS will support a virtual Windows XP environment for running legacy Windows XP apps.

Microsoft has underscored these new features in 29-page document titled as "Windows 7 Product Update - Key Changes Included in the Release Candidate," sent to reviewers. The document has particularly identified the remote media streaming and XP Mode features as the new features in the Windows 7 OS.  The document has also notified that some of the features that were present in the previous beta versions, but will not be part of Windows 7 RC, for instance, the Bluetooth audio-class driver will no longer be included in Windows 7 RC, and the ability to drag and drop folders into Windows 7 Libraries will no longer be supported the Windows 7 RC.  

Some details about Windows XP mode appeared in the Windows SuperSite blog earlier Friday. According to the SuperSite blog, "Windows XP mode," previously known as Virtual Windows XP, uses virtualization to let Windows 7 easily run applications designed for Windows XP. The application compatibility mode is based on the Virtual PC technology that was acquired by Microsoft in 2003.

In the SuperSite blog, the bloggers Paul Thurrott and Rafael Rivera wrote that the Virtual PC technology was not part of the beta version of Windows 7, but will be the part of the Windows 7 Release Candidate, which will be released to developers next week and will be available for public from May 5. However, the XP mode will not come integrated with Windows 7, but it will be made available as a free download for those who buy the professional, enterprise, or "ultimate" versions of Windows 7.

There was no official word from Microsoft on the XP mode until Friday. In a blog posting late Friday, Microsoft confirmed XP Mode. In the blog, Microsoft's Scott Woodgate wrote, "Windows XP Mode is specifically designed to help small businesses move to Windows 7. Windows XP Mode provides you with the flexibility to run many older productivity applications on a Windows 7 based PC. All you need to do is to install suitable applications directly in Windows XP Mode which is a virtual Windows XP environment running under Windows Virtual PC. The applications will be published to the Windows 7 desktop and then you can run them directly from Windows 7. Microsoft will be soon releasing the beta of Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC for Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate."