New to Windows Vista is the Mobile PC Control Panel, which provides a centralized location for performing many of the configuration activities associated with portable computing. This Control Panel component appears only on mobile computers, including Tablet PC devices. Open the Control Panel and select Mobile PC to display the window shown in Figure 9.1, which features the following applets:

Figure 9.1. Portable computers feature the Mobile PC Control Panel category for performing activities specific to mobile computing.

Previous Windows versions required you to navigate to different locations to perform actions specific to portable computers such as adjusting the display properties, power conservation, wireless networking, and so on. Windows Vista centralizes these features in a new component called the Windows Mobility Center. This application enables you to configure a large range of features specific to notebook computers. Follow Step by Step 9.1 to access the Windows Mobility Center.

The mobile nature of these computers presents unique situations—for example, you might be connected to your office network in the morning; travel to a client or conference location in the afternoon and access a different network; and then at home in the evening, connect to your home desktop computer or even back to the office via a virtual private network (VPN) connection. This section expands upon networking situations introduced in Chapter 6 to include items of primary concern to mobile computer users.

Use of the Sync Center

New to Windows Vista is the Sync Center, which enables you to manage cached offline files and folders once you have configured them as described in the previous sections. Shown in Figure 9.6, Sync Center enables you to perform the following actions:

• Synchronization with different device types—. Sync Center enables you to synchronize data with other computers and with devices such as smart phones, digital media devices, personal data assistants (PDAs), and so on.

• Multiple synchronization—. You can synchronize files and folders with a single device or all available devices.

• Manage synchronization activities—. You can initiate manual synchronization, stop actions in progress, check device connectivity status, view the status of activities, and be notified about possible conflicts.

• Conflict resolution—. If different users have performed conflicting edits on a file such as a Word document, Sync Center informs you and enables you to save multiple copies of the edited file for later analysis.

• Sync partnerships—. Sync Center establishes sync partnerships for all shared folders that you have cached locally. You can configure these partnerships to specify how and when the folders are synced.

Figure 9.6. The Sync Center enables you to view and manage file and folder synchronization.

Follow Step by Step 9.5 to view sync partnerships and synchronize files.

Using the Sync Center to View and Synchronize Offline Files

1. Use one of the following methods to open the Sync Center:

   • From the Windows Mobility Center, click Sync Settings.

   • Click Start, Control Panel, Mobile PC, Sync Center.

   • Click Start, Control Panel, Network and Internet, Sync Center.

   • Click Start and type sync in the Search text box. Click Sync Center in the Programs list.

   • From the Offline Files dialog box previously shown in Figure 9.4, click Open Sync Center.

2. In the task list on the left side of the Sync Center, click View Sync Partnerships to display configured partnerships.

3. To synchronize all available partnerships, click Sync All.

4. To synchronize a specific network share, select its partnership, and then click Sync.

Sync Center also enables you to schedule synchronization activities to take place at any of the following actions:

• At a specified time and synchronization interval

• When you log on to your computer

• When your computer has been idle for a specified number of minutes (15 minutes by default)

• When you lock or unlock Windows

Follow Step by Step 9.6 to create a schedule.

Using the Sync Center to Schedule Synchronization

1. In Sync Center, select the required synchronization partnership, and then click Schedule.

2. On the Offline Files Sync Schedule dialog box that appears, select the items to be synced on this schedule, and then click Next.

3. To specify a time for the sync to begin, select At a Scheduled Time. To initiate synchronization when an event such as logging on to the computer occurs, select On an Event or Action and then select the desired action or actions.

4. If you select At a Scheduled Time, Sync Center automatically provides the current date and time as a start time and a one-day repeat interval (see Figure 9.7). Accept these or specify a different date, time, and interval as required, and then click Next.

   

   Figure 9.7. You can specify the date, time, and synchronization interval for your sync schedule.

5. Specify a descriptive name for the scheduled synchronization and then click Save Schedule.

After you have created a synchronization schedule, the Offline Files Sync Schedule dialog box provides additional options for viewing or editing an existing sync schedule or deleting the schedule.

If different users modify a synchronized file while working on different computers, a synchronization conflict occurs. Sync Center informs you when conflicts have occurred. To view information about sync conflicts, click View Sync Conflicts in the Tasks pane. As shown in Figure 9.8, Sync Center informs you about the file or files that are in conflict.

Figure 9.8. Sync Center informs you when synchronization conflicts occur.

To resolve a conflict, select it and click Resolve. As shown in Figure 9.9, Sync Center enables you to keep either or both versions by using an altered filename, thereby allowing you to compare them and resolve differences at a later time.

Figure 9.9. Sync Center enables you to decide which version of a file you want to keep, or keep both versions.

Many laptops are equipped with Infrared Data Association (IrDA) ports and can create ad hoc peer-to-peer network connections. An ad hoc network is one that does not need a central access point to direct traffic. Instead, each computer creates a mesh network of links to all other computers. Performance is typically lower in ad hoc networks than in those using access points.

Not only can two IrDA computers create a network link, but a computer can connect to peripheral devices, such as digital cameras and printers, through the same IrDA port. Using IrDA to link up to peripheral devices eliminates the need for cables, so it is very convenient.

Windows Vista should automatically detect and install IrDA devices. However, if the device is not detected, you can install it manually using the procedure in Step by Step 9.7.

To connect an IrDA device after it has been installed, you need to be within a fairly close range of the device—typically about three to four feet—with the infrared transceivers pointing toward each other. After the two devices are aligned, Vista alerts you to an IrDA link, by means such as providing an icon on the taskbar. You can also synchronize an infrared device by using the Sync Center.

You can monitor IrDA devices in Control Panel in the Wireless Link utility, which appears only after an IrDA device is installed. The Hardware tab of the Wireless Link dialog box shows the IrDA devices installed. Right-click the device and select Properties to view the device’s current status.

If your IrDA device does not appear to be working, it might be disabled. You can use the Device Manager to check its status. Open the Infrared Devices node to locate the device, right-click it, and select Enable.

The Windows Vista Mobility Center enables you to configure your mobile computer for presentation settings, which enables you to set up your computer rapidly for giving presentations. Gone are the days when your computer would display system notifications or even go to sleep while you were presenting an important event. The Presentation Settings feature looks after actions such as the following:

Follow Step by Step 9.8 to configure presentation settings.

When you are finished presenting, simply return to the Mobility Center and click Turn Off in the Presentation Settings panel.

Many conference rooms and boardrooms nowadays are equipped with a networked digital projector, which you can access in a manner similar to any other networked resource. This facilitates the giving of presentations by a user with a mobile computer, no matter where the presenter, her computer, or the projector are located.

Windows Vista provides the Connect to a Networked Projector Wizard to simplify the action of using a networked projector, as Step by Step 9.9 illustrates.

After you have connected to the projector, the wizard provides the Network Presentation dialog box, from which you can control your presentation. This dialog box enables you to pause or resume your presentation as required and to disconnect from the projector when you are finished. You can also choose to mirror or extend your display on the projector, in a fashion similar to that described in the next section for an external monitor.

If your notebook computer or its docking station is equipped with a VGA monitor port, you can attach an external monitor and configure it in either of the following ways:

After you have attached the external monitor, you can either mirror your notebook’s display or extend it onto the attached monitor. Step by Step 9.10 shows you how.

To disconnect the external display, simply remove its cable. Windows Mobility Center automatically detects the removal and reports it in the External Display module.

Many new mobile computers manufactured nowadays incorporate a small auxiliary display into the notebook lid. Such a display can alert you to events such as incoming email, actions scheduled in Windows Calendar, invitations to meetings run on Windows Meeting Space, and so on. You can even receive alerts when your computer is in Sleep mode or turned off. The auxiliary display functions independently of the main computer actions by means of an embedded memory cache, which saves copies of pertinent information such as email messages.

Windows SideShow is a new application in Windows Vista that enables the auxiliary display to perform all these functions and others. It is available in all editions of Vista except Home Basic and operates by means of a series of gadgets that are not unlike the gadgets included in the Windows Sidebar.

Windows SideShow can work with the following two types of devices:

Tap Start, Control Panel, Mobile PC, Tablet PC Settings to access the Tablet PC Settings dialog box shown in Figure 9.15. Settings available from this dialog box enable you to control the following basic behavior of Tablet PC:

You can also select any of the four display orientations from the Windows Mobility Center, which includes a Screen Orientation panel on a Tablet PC. Tap Rotate Screen and then choose the desired option.

The Tablet PC Input Panel enables you to use the digital pen rather than the keyboard to enter handwritten text. It consists of a writing pad and a character pad that converts handwriting into typed text. An on-screen keyboard enables you to type individual characters with the pen.

You can display the Tablet PC Input Panel as shown in Figure 9.16 in any of the following ways:

Figure 9.16. The Tablet PC Input Panel enables you to use the digital pen or mouse to enter handwritten text.

Besides a Tools menu and a Help menu, the title bar of the Tablet PC Input Panel contains three icons that control what is displayed by the Input Panel. The first one, which is selected by default, displays the writing pad, in which you can write words that Tablet PC translates into text for you. The second icon displays the Character Pad, in which you can write individual letters, numbers, or special characters. Tablet PC translates each character as you write it. The third icon displays the on-screen keyboard, enabling you to type by tapping the desired key with your pen.

Input Panel Options

Tap Options from the Tools menu in the Input Panel to display the Options dialog box shown in Figure 9.17, which provides the following settings for controlling the Input Panel:

• Settings tab—. Enables you to choose the location and action of the Insert button for inserting text. You can also turn on AutoComplete and reset the Input Panel to its default settings.

• Opening tab—. Enables you to determine how the Input Panel is opened. It contains the following items:

  • Actions that open Input Panel—. You can choose to open the Input Panel by either pointing to the Input Panel icon or tapping it.

  • Displaying the Input Panel icon—. Positions the Input Panel icon as close as possible to the text entry area. You also have the option to display an Input Panel icon on the taskbar.

  • Displaying the Input Panel tab—. You can choose to display the Input Panel tab and specify its default location.

• Writing Pad tab—. Controls the pen action when writing text into the Input Panel. You can select your ink thickness, automatically insert text characters after a pause, and control how close to the end of the writing line you want to write before a new line is started.

• Character Pad tab—. Controls the ink thickness when inserting characters and converts characters to text after a pause.

• Gestures tab—. Enables you to choose the desired gesture for scratching out written text. You can choose a horizontal straight or wavy line, an M- or W-shaped gesture, circular gestures, or angled straight or wavy lines. You can also restrict the scratch-out gesture to the Z-shaped gesture that was available in the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

• Advanced tab—. Enables you to control the password security level used by Vista when you use the pen to enter a password into a password text box. This helps to prevent others from viewing your passwords.

Figure 9.17. The Options dialog box enables you to configure the Tablet PC Input Panel to match your usage style.

Pen Flicks

Pen flicks are actions that you can use with the pen to navigate a document or perform editorial actions. Click Start, Control Panel, Mobile PC, Pen and Input Devices (or type pen in the Start Menu search field) to bring up the Pen and Input Devices dialog box. Click the Flicks tab to display the dialog box shown in Figure 9.18.

Figure 9.18. The Flicks tab of the Pen and Input Devices dialog box enables you to define pen actions used for navigation and document editing.

You have the following default navigational actions:

• Scroll up—. Move the pen upward in a straight line.

• Scroll down—. Move the pen downward in a straight line.

• Navigate forward—. Move the pen to the right in a straight line to navigate forward in Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer.

• Navigate back—. Move the pen to the left in a straight line to navigate back in Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer.

In addition, if you select the Navigational Flicks and Editing Flicks option, you have the following default editing actions:

• Copy—. Move the pen up and to the left in a straight line.

• Paste—. Move the pen up and to the right in a straight line.

• Delete—. Move the pen down and to the right in a straight line.

• Undo—. Move the pen down and to the left in a straight line.

If you want to substitute other editing or navigational actions for these defaults, tap Customize to display the dialog box shown in Figure 9.19. Tap the drop-down list corresponding to the action you want to modify (for example, to substitute Cut for Undo, select it as shown in Figure 9.19). Tap OK to apply your change, which brings up the Pen and Input Devices dialog box, or tap Restore Defaults to return the flick actions to their defaults.

Figure 9.19. You can customize the actions initiated by pen flicks to suit your own desires.

Additional Pen Options

The Pen Options tab of the Pen and Input Devices dialog box enables you to define pen actions that correspond to mouse actions. As shown in Figure 9.20, single and double taps of the pen correspond to single and double clicks, while pressing and holding the pen corresponds to a right-click. You can also control actions initiated by use of the pen button or the top of the pen, where available.

Figure 9.20. The Pen Options tab of the Pen and Input Devices dialog box defines how Tablet PC responds to various actions with the pen.

In addition, Tablet PC provides feedback on tapping the pen and use of the pen button. These appear as visual icons on the screen as defined in the Pointer Options tab of the Pen and Input Devices dialog box. If you do not want these feedback actions to appear, clear the corresponding check boxes in Figure 9.21.

Figure 9.21. The Pointer Options tab of the Pen and Input Devices dialog box enables you to receive visual feedback on various pen actions.

Handwriting Recognizer

Tablet PC includes a handwriting recognition software package that you can train to translate your handwritten words accurately into typed text. This facilitates the use of your Tablet PC computer in situations where it is more convenient to write notes into your computer rather than typing, such as during a meeting or interview. Individual differences in handwriting style can result in improper translation of often-confused characters such as the capital “I”, lowercase “l” and number “1”, the uppercase “O” and number “0”, and so on.

Follow Step by Step 9.14 to train the handwriting recognizer.

Training the Handwriting Recognizer

1. From the Tools menu of the Tablet PC Input Panel, select Personalize Handwriting Recognition to open the Handwriting Personalization dialog box shown in Figure 9.22.

   

   Figure 9.22. The Handwriting Personalization dialog box enables you to train the handwriting recognizer according to your writing style.

2. The best way to start training the handwriting recognizer is to select the Teach the Recognizer Your Handwriting Style option, which brings up the dialog box shown in Figure 9.23.

   

   Figure 9.23. You can enter numbers, symbols, and letters, or entire sentences when training the handwriting recognizer.

3. Select Sentences and use the tablet pen to write the sentence supplied in your natural handwriting style. When finished, tap Next and repeat as many times (up to 50) as desired.

4. To train the recognizer specifically on individual numerals and letters, return to the dialog box shown in Figure 9.23 and select Numbers, symbols, and letters. Use the tablet pen to write the characters supplied in your natural handwriting style.

5. Repeat these steps as often as desired. Repetition improves the accuracy of the recognition process by providing additional samples that demonstrate the variability inherent in your writing style.

6. When finished, tap Update and then tap Exit to add your handwriting samples to the recognition library.

After you have used the Tablet PC Input Panel several times and noted that it fails to recognize certain characters properly, you can improve the training by returning to the Handwriting Personalization dialog box shown in Figure 9.22 and selecting Target Specific Recognition Errors. This brings up the dialog box shown in Figure 9.24. Select the option that is most appropriate for the problem you are encountering and then follow the instructions provided.

Figure 9.24. The handwriting recognizer provides two additional options that assist you in correcting specific recognition errors.

The Handwriting Recognition tab of the Tablet PC Settings dialog box previously mentioned has several additional controls that determine how the handwriting recognizer operates. You can configure the following options:

• Use the Personalized Recognizer (Recommended)—. Enables the handwriting recognizer to collect samples of your personal handwriting as already described and store this data in your user profile. Clear this check box to suspend the use of the recognizer temporarily without deleting previously collected data.

• Use Automatic Learning (Recommended)—. Ensure that this radio button remains selected to continue using the handwriting recognizer.

• Don’t Use Automatic Learning and Delete Any Previously Collected Data—. Select this radio button and tap Apply to clear previous data from the handwriting recognizer. Use this option only if you need to start over again in training the handwriting recognizer for any reason.

For more information on the handwriting recognizer and additional hints in its use, consult the Windows Vista Help and Support Center.

Tip: Time is of the essence

When training the handwriting recognizer, each exercise you complete improves the capability of the recognizer to provide accurate results. Keep working on this activity. Samples you provide are never thrown out unless you click or tap Cancel. Do this task when you do not have any other pressing activities at hand.

The snipping tool enables you to capture an object from any application active on your screen. You can add a handwritten comment if desired and save it as an image file or paste it into a document such as a Microsoft Word file. Follow Step by Step 9.15 to use the snipping tool.

Some Tablet PC models possess touch screen capabilities, in which the screen responds to finger touches. You can use your finger to perform actions such as configuring screen items, navigating web pages, or even writing and using touch flicks in the same manner as pen flicks already described. Vista includes a new feature called the touch pointer, which is a mouse-like icon that floats on the screen below your finger when in use. It includes a drag area, a pointer area, and buttons for left- and right-clicking.

Tablet PC in Windows Vista includes a Tablet PC Touch Training module, which assists you in working with the touch pointer. For more information, consult Vista Help and Support.

Microsoft has supplied three preconfigured power plans that help to strike a balance between usability and power conservation. The high performance power plan optimizes the computer for performance at the expense of battery life and is suitable for individuals who run graphics-intensive or multimedia applications frequently. The power saver plan optimizes battery life by slowing the processor down and is suitable for those who use the computer primarily for purposes such as email, Web browsing, and word processing. The balanced plan strikes a balance between these extremes. You can edit one of these power schemes or create a new one if the preconfigured power schemes do not fulfill your needs. Table 9.1 compares the three preconfigured power plans.

Additional Power Plan Options

Vista enables you to perform additional power management actions that you can use to tailor your computer’s power scheme to your needs.

Selecting any of the top three options in the Power Options window previously shown in Figure 9.26 brings up the screen shown in Figure 9.27, which enables you to perform the following actions:

• Power and sleep buttons and notebook lid—. You can choose from Do Nothing, Sleep Mode, Hibernation, and Shut Down for each of these actions on battery or AC power. The Shut Down option is not available for the sleep button.

• Password protection on wakeup—. You can choose whether or not to require a password when the computer wakes from Sleep mode. To change this setting, you need to select the link provided and respond to a UAC prompt.

Figure 9.27. The Define Power Buttons and Turn on Password Protection dialog box enables you to define actions on closing the lid and configure password protection.

You can also modify any of the existing power plans or create your own custom power plan. To do so, select the Change Plan Settings link under the desired power plan or any of the last three links on the left side of the Power Options window previously shown in Figure 9.26. You receive the window shown in Figure 9.28, focused on the power plan currently in use or the plan whose link you selected.

Figure 9.28. You can modify the settings for any of the predefined power plans.

Advanced Power Settings

Click Change Advanced Power Settings to bring up the dialog box shown in Figure 9.29 for the following additional options, each of which you can define separately for operation on battery power or plugged in:

• Hard disk—. You can specify the number of minutes of inactivity after which the hard disk is turned off.

• Wireless adapter settings—. You can specify a maximum performance, or low, medium, or maximum power saving for the adapter. The more power saving you specify, the poorer the signal throughput might become.

• Sleep—. You can specify the number of minutes after which your computer enters Sleep mode or hibernation. You can also turn on hybrid sleep, which saves all open documents to both memory and the hard disk. Should a power failure occur when in hybrid sleep, Windows can restore your data from the hard disk. If hybrid sleep is not enabled and a power failure occurs, your data is lost.

• USB Settings—. You can enable the USB Selective Suspend setting, which enables Vista to turn off the USB root hub when not in use.

• Power buttons and lid—. You can define the action that occurs when you close the lid or press the power or sleep buttons, in a manner similar to that described previously. You can also define the action (sleep, hibernate, or shut down) that occurs when you select the power off button from the Start menu.

• PCI Express—. You can define the level of power savings for link state power management, which controls the power management state for devices connected to the PCI Express bus if present in the computer.

• Processor power management—. You can control the minimum and maximum power status of the processor, also known as throttling the processor. Reducing the processor power levels saves battery power at the expense of lengthening the time required to respond to keyboard and mouse actions.

• Search and indexing—. You can balance how actively indexing operations are performed, and save power by allowing the index to be less up to date.

• Display—. You can control the display brightness and the length of time before it is turned off. You can also enable Adaptive Display, which increases the waiting time before turning off the display if you wake the computer frequently.

• Multimedia settings—. You can control whether the computer enters Sleep mode when sharing multimedia with other users. By setting this option to Prevent My Computer from Sleeping after a Period of Inactivity, the computer will not go to sleep if media is being shared with other computers or devices.

• Battery—. You can specify actions to take place when the battery power reaches a low or critical level, as well as the battery level at which these events occur. By default, low battery level is at 10% and produces a notification but takes no action. The critical level is at 5%; you are notified and the computer is put into hibernation when running on battery power.

Figure 9.29. The Power Options dialog box provides several options for configuring power management.

Exam Alert: Configure power plans to turn off components after a period of inactivity

If you set up a power plan to turn off components separately after an interval of nonuse, the computer progressively moves toward Sleep mode. This should happen if a user is away from his laptop for 20 or 30 minutes. At the same time, a user doing presentations should not have her computer go into Sleep mode. Remember that the user can enable presentation settings so that this and other actions do not occur. An exam question might ask you what to do if a user’s computer goes to sleep during a presentation.

You can customize a power plan to suit your needs if required. Follow Step by Step 9.16 to create a custom power plan.

Creating a Custom Power Plan

1. From the left pane of the Power Options window previously shown in Figure 9.26, click Create a Power Plan.

2. On the Create a Power Plan dialog box that appears, select the default plan (balanced, power saver, or high performance) that is closest to your desired plan.

3. Provide a descriptive name for the plan, and then click Next.

4. On the Change Settings window, select the time interval after which the display is turned off and put to sleep, choose the display brightness, and then click Create.

5. You are returned to the main Power Options window. If you want to configure additional settings for the plan you just created, click Change Advanced Power Settings to display the dialog box previously shown in Figure 9.29.

Vista uses the battery meter to help you keep track of remaining battery life. This is represented by a battery icon in the notification area, which also contains a plug icon when the notebook is plugged in to AC power. Hover your mouse over this icon to view the percent battery power left and the power plan in use. To view the battery meter in full as shown in Figure 9.30, click the battery icon.

Figure 9.30. The battery meter informs you of the current battery charge level.

From the battery meter, you can also perform the following tasks:

When the battery power drops below 25%, the notification area icon and the full battery meter display a yellow exclamation point triangle. When the power drops below 10% (or any other value configured in the Power Options dialog box), you receive the warning message shown in Figure 9.31, and the battery meter and icon display a red “X” icon. Some computers can sound an audible notification. You should plug your computer into AC power when this message appears.

Figure 9.31. The battery meter warns you when you reach the low power threshold level.

New to Vista is the capability for configuring power management settings in Group Policy. When you configure policies for power management, a non-administrative user cannot modify the power settings. It is expected that Group Policy in Windows Server 2008 will include the capability of configuring domain- or organizational unit (OU)-wide policy settings that will improve power management in companies that possess a large number of mobile computers.

Step by Step 9.17 shows you how to use Group Policy to configure power management settings.

The following are some recommended readings on the subject of configuring and troubleshooting mobile computing in Windows Vista: