More memory under Windows means that more applications can run without creating slow swap files on the hard drive. RAM is much faster than your disk. With USB memory sticks (and other types of portable memory) becoming increasingly prevalent and inexpensive, Microsoft has decided to give you the option to harness this type of memory to speed up your PC. When combined with SuperFetch, this technique delivers significantly faster application loading. ReadyBoost works with USB 2.0 drives, Secure Digital cards and Compact Flash cards. It also works with Seagate's 2.5GB, 5GB and 6GB Pocket Hard Drives, which use a USB connection but are actually tiny external hard drives. And while all of these memory options are slower than RAM, they're unencumbered by other chores and in most cases faster than your hard disk. Data stored on your USB-connected memory in conjunction with ReadyBoost is encrypted, to prevent unauthorized access to your data. You can also remove your memory device at any time, without loss of data or other negative effects. Of course, any performance gain you might have seen will also be removed.

5. Hybrid hard drive support with Windows ReadyDrive

Of all the power and performance technologies Vista will enable, the most interesting is the hybrid hard drive, developed by Samsung and Microsoft. Hybrid hard drives combine flash memory with a conventional hard drive. The advantages of hybrid hard-drive technology include extended battery life for notebooks, faster application and data load times and faster resumes from Vista's Sleep mode.

The flash memory in a hybrid drive becomes a buffer for newly created data storage that allows the hard drive to power off until the flash memory fills up again. So instead of spinning all the time, hybrids are able to save considerable battery life by shutting down the power-hungry platter motor.