Introducing fast Winodws 7

Intel and Microsoft say the Windows 7 operating system (OS) will give "better battery life and quicker boot times".

The firms made the claim at a press event in San Francisco where engineers put the new OS through its paces.

Microsoft is hoping its new system will perform as promised and avoid a repeat of the negative publicity associated with Windows Vista.

Both firms said they had collaborated more closely than ever before to deliver a product "they are proud of".

"We both made a larger investment than ever before on the engineer side to improve on the hardware and software," Microsoft's Mike Angiulo told the BBC.

The two firms, colloquially known as Wintel, said that the partnership involved hundreds of engineers and was started the day after Windows Vista was released more than two years ago.

"We have spent 20 years getting to know each other and have businesses that are very well aligned," said Steve Smith, vice-president of Intel's digital enterprise group.

Dean Takahashi of technology blog VentureBeat said that Microsoft's previous OS - the heavily criticised Windows Vista - had to be improved upon.

"The collaboration was in the name of making Windows 7 better and more bug-free than the January 2007 launch of Windows Vista, which was broadly criticised in the industry and was one of the best advertisements for buying a Mac in history," he said.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Microsoft shows 'faster' Windows