For months we've been hearing that Microsoft had netbooks in mind when it was developing Windows 7, and that the new OS should do wonders for netbooks and other underpowered devices.

However, Computerworld has taken some time to investigate a number of reviews, forum discussions and user comments concerning netbook battery life under Windows 7, and things aren't looking rosy for Redmond's new OS. According to Computerworld, reviewers and netbook users who have tried it out, reported a drop in battery life anywhere from 6 to 30 percent compared to XP.

Most reports state that you'll end up with just under 10 percent less endurance when running Win 7. Microsoft, however, was promising an improvement in battery life with Windows 7, and it officially said it would get you 11 percent more time on the go.

There could be a silver lining to all this, as Microsoft still has plenty of time to tweak the OS before OEMs get it and start shipping Windows 7 netbooks. Furthermore, Microsoft will probably optimize it for upcoming netbook models, based on Intel's Pine Trail platform, rather than waste time on the current platform which has been around for more than a year.

It may take Microsoft some time to optimize its code, but with future updates it could indeed live up to its 11 percent promise, but don't expect Windows 7 to be a great choice for current netbooks. It's unlikely Microsoft will waste resources on optimizing a new OS for a dieing platform, and OEMs will probably follow suite and won't bother with driver updates for Win 7.

More here.