11. Device Stage
Where Devices and Printers really shines is
in its interaction with Device Stage. This is a new way to interact
with items you plug in to your computer, such as your phone, digital
camera, printer, or portable media player. It works for USB devices and
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices as well.
When you first plug in a
device, instructions, called drivers, are loaded (if Windows 8 has
them) that tell Windows how to access and use your device. If a driver
isn’t found, Windows 8 searches for the driver on the Windows Update
website. Device Stage shows you all the applications, services, and
information for a device. The manufacturer can create a device that
supports Device Stage so that it appears on the taskbar with the
correct image of the device and offers jump list displays for things
you can do with the device.
This is a change from operating systems prior
to Windows 7. With the older operating systems, you had to locate an
application that went along with a device (such as a scanner). That
meant clicking through various menus and applications to try to locate
the feature you needed. If you didn’t use the features for a while, it
could digress into a lengthy search on how to perform a simple task.
Now, with Device Stage, the device becomes the focus.
Because Device Manager features a device and
all it can do, you now need only click on a device and all features
associated with it appear front and center. The result is a far more
logical approach to utilizing your hardware. Instead of searching for
the scanner application, you can simply click Devices and Printers and
locate the scanner. The entire experience makes Device Stage one of the
most significant additions to the Windows operating system and quickly
makes for a “must-have” feature.
Using Device Stage to View a Device and Its Corresponding Jump List
The following steps show you how to access
Device Stage. To view a device, you must have device hardware already
attached to your computer.
1. From the Start screen right-click on the screen.
2. Click the All Apps button that appears on the lower-right corner of the screen.
3. Select Control Panel.
4. Click Hardware and Sound.
5. Click Devices and Printers.
6. Locate an enhanced
device icon and double-click it. Device Stage items appear, including
various menu items (depending on your device).
7. On the taskbar, right-click the device icon.
8. A jump list opens, showing available tasks you can perform with this device.
12. Display
When using
the Control Panel, the initial screen shows you ways to adjust the size
of text and other items on your screen by using radio buttons (see Figure 12).
On the left of the page, you will find links for the following options:
Adjust Resolution, Calibrate Color, Change Display Settings, and Adjust
ClearType Text.
Figure 12. Display options
Ease of Access Center
Accessibility Options are included in Windows
to enhance the functionality for users with limited vision, hearing,
manual dexterity, or reasoning abilities. Microsoft has made some
excellent efforts in these areas and we applaud their efforts.
When you open up the Ease of Access Center
from the Control Panel, you immediately see several tools you can
configure. You may notice one additional tool added since Windows 7 at
the bottom of the Make Touch and Tablet Easier to Use list (see Figure 13).
If you are not sure which tool is the right one, a special survey is
available that might point you in the right direction from the start.
Figure 13. The Ease of Access Center
Getting Recommendations to Make Your Computer Easier to Use
The following steps show you how to open the
Ease of Access Center. You can choose from among several options to
make your computer easier to use.
1. From the Start screen right-click on the screen.
2. Click the All Apps button that appears on the lower-right corner of the screen.
3. Select Control Panel.
4. Select Appearance and Personalization.
5. Click Ease of Access Center.
6. In the center of
the page, in a yellow box, click the Get Recommendations to Make Your
Computer Easier to Use link. The first page that appears is specific to
Eyesight.
7.
Read through the statements in each page and select each statement that
applies to you. Click Next after each page, which progresses you to
pages for Eyesight, Dexterity, Hearing, Speech, and Reasoning. If you
want to go back to review or change any answers, click the blue arrow
in the upper-left corner of any page.
8. When you have completed all five pages, click Done.
9. The Recommended
Settings page opens, presenting you with customized choices based on
your selections. Review the recommended settings and select the options
you want to use.
10. Click Apply.
11. Click OK.
Some settings require you to log off and log on again to use them.
Enabling Other Ease of Access Tools
At the top of the Ease of Access Center page
is the Quick Access to Common Tools feature, which provides you with
access to Magnifier, Narrator, On-Screen Keyboard, and High Contrast
tools. You can turn them on with a mouse click or you can hear the
options read out loud to you (which occurs by default). You can press
your spacebar to choose one of these options.
• Magnifier—Magnifier
enlarges different parts of the screen. This comes in handy when you
are viewing objects that are hard to see. It also allows you to see the
whole screen more easily. Select from three modes:
• Full-Screen Mode—With Full-Screen mode activated, your entire screen is magnified. Magnifier can follow the mouse pointer for you.
• Lens Mode—When you
select Lens mode, the area around the mouse pointer is magnified.
Moving the mouse pointer causes the part of the screen that’s magnified
to move along with it.
• Docked Mode—By
choosing Docked mode, only a portion of the screen is magnified.
Everything else on your display is normal size. This gives you control
over which area of the screen is magnified.
• Narrator—Narrator
is a simple application that reads aloud any text on the screen and
requires that your speakers work. Several options are available,
including changing the narrator’s voice.
• On-Screen Keyboard—This
lets you use the mouse to enter text onscreen. With the On-Screen
Keyboard turned on, you can still use your traditional keyboard.
• High Contrast—This
provides choices from several High Contrast Windows themes. A link here
takes you to the Personalization menu, where you can select a High
Contrast theme at the bottom of the page.
Located at the bottom of the Ease of Access
Center is the Explore All Settings section. The options presented here
help you utilize special tools to make Windows more accessible:
• Use the Computer Without a Display—This
presents you with two main sections. The first, Hear Text Read Aloud,
gives you an option to have Narrator open each time you log on.
• Make the Computer Easier to See—This feature optimizes your visual display so the computer is easier to see.
• Use the Computer Without a Mouse or Keyboard—This allows you to work with alternative input devices. One of these devices controls your computer through Speech Recognition.
• Make the Mouse Easier to Use—You
can increase the size and contrast of the mouse pointer, helping you
more easily see it onscreen. You can also use Mouse Keys, which is a
way to use the numeric keypad to move the mouse around the screen.
• Make the Keyboard Easier to Use—You
can turn on features such as Sticky Keys, which allows you to enter
keyboard shortcuts (such as Ctrl+Alt+Del) one key at a time.
• Use Text or Visual Alternatives for Sounds—Turn on visual cues and visual warnings here.
• Make it Easier to Focus on Tasks—These options make it easier for you to type and manage windows, among other things.
• Make Touch and Tablets Easier to Use—Designed to make it easier to use touchscreens and tablets.
