You no longer have to change mobile PC related options in different places. With the Windows Mobility Center, you can change or access mobile PC related options all in one place. In the Windows Mobility Center (New!), you can adjust volume level and power options, check your network connectivity, connect to an external display, enable presentation settings, and access the Sync Center, which helps you keep files up-to-date when you’re working on different computers, such as a desktop computer and a laptop.

If you have a network projector at a remote location and you can connect to it, then you can operate the projector to give a presentation as if you were physically in the room. The Connect to the Network Project wizard makes it easy to establish a connection. Windows SideShow allows hardware manufacturers to build peripheral devices that you can use to view the information you need at a moments notice, such as e-mail or a meeting schedule.

Keeping track of the latest versions of all your files on your desktop computer and laptop can become a problem. With the Sync Center, you can keep files (including documents, music, photos, and in some case contacts) and other information up-to-date between your computer and mobile devices, network folders, and compatible programs. The Sync Center works with offline files and keeps them in sync.

If you have a Tablet PC or ink device, you can use the Pen and Input Devices and the Tablet PC Settings utilities in the Control Panel to customize and personalize the way you work. Windows Vista also comes standard with Tablet PC tools—Windows Journal, Tablet PC Input Panel, and Sticky Notes—that you can effectively use on a Tablet PC with a pen.

WINV-5.2.1,

WINV-5.2.2

With the Windows Mobility Center (New!), you can change or access mobile PC related options all in one place. You no longer have to change mobile PC related options in different places. In the Windows Mobility Center, you can adjust volume level and power options, check your network connectivity, connect to an external display, enable presentation settings, and access the Sync Center, which helps you keep files up-to-date when you’re working on different computers, such as a desktop computer and a laptop. You can make an option change in Windows Mobility Center, or click the icon on a tile to open the utility in the Control Panel, where you can make additional changes.

View Windows Mobility Center

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Windows Mobility Center icon in Classic view.

   

   Timesaver

   Click the battery meter icon in the notification area, and then click Windows Mobility Center, or press +X.

3. Click a button or change an option for any of the following settings (options vary depending on your system):

   • Brightness for the your display.

   • Volume for the speakers.

   • Battery Status for power usage.

   • Wireless Network on and off.

   • Screen Rotation for a Tablet PC.

   • External Display add or remove.

   • Sync Center to keep files up-to-date.

   • Presentation Settings on and off for giving a presentation.

4. When you’re done, click the Close button.

Change Presentation Settings

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Windows Mobility Center icon in Classic view.

3. Click the Presentation Settings tile icon.

   

4. Select or clear the Turn off the screen saver check box.

5. Select or clear the Set volume to check box. If you select it, drag the slider to adjust it.

6. Select or clear the Show this background check box. If you select it, select a background and specify a position.

7. Click OK.

See Also

See “Controlling Power Options” on page 350 for information on using battery power and usage.

See “Keeping Files in Sync” on page 352 for information on keeping files up-to-date on different computers.

See “Using Multiple Monitors” on page 106 for information on using more than one monitor.

See “Controlling the Volume” on page 260 for information on using the volume control.

WINV-2.1,

WINV-7.1.3

You can change power options properties (New!) for a portable or laptop computer to reduce power consumption and maximize battery life. For example, if you often leave your computer for a short time while working, you can set your computer to go into sleep, a state in which your computer saves everything in memory and turns off your monitor and hard disks after being idle for a set time. If you are often away from your computer for an extended time, you can set it to go into hibernate, a state in which your computer saves everything in memory and to your hard disk, and then shuts down. To help you set power options, you can choose one of the power plans included with Windows or modify one to suit your needs. A power plan is a predefined collection of power usage settings. The power options you see vary depending on your computer’s hardware configuration. Windows detects what is available on your computer and shows you only the options that you can control. If you want more options, you can set advanced options to define the power button (sleep, hibernate, or shut down) or other settings, such as hybrid sleep, which adds saving to your hard disk to sleep mode.

Select and Modify a Power Plan

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Power Options icon in Classic view.

3. Click the power plan option you want: Balanced, Power saver, High performance, or custom.

4. Click Change plan settings below the selected option.

   

5. Specify the amount of time before Windows turns off the display or puts the computer to sleep.

6. Click Save Changes.

Did You Know?

You can create a custom power plan. In Power Options, click Create a power plan in the Navigation pane, select a power plan close to the one you want, type a name, click Next, modify the power options, and then click Create. To delete a custom plan, click Change plan settings, click Delete this plan, and then click Yes.

Define Power Button and Set Password Protection

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Power Options icon in Classic view.

3. In the Navigation pane, click Choose what the power buttons do.

4. Specify the options you want when you press the power or sleep button, or when you close the lid.

5. Select the Require a password (recommended) or Don’t require a password option.

6. Click Save Changes.

WINV-2.5.4, WINV-2.5.5,

WINV-2.5.6

Keeping track of the latest versions of all your files on your desktop computer and laptop can become a problem. With the Sync Center (New!), you can keep files (including documents, music, photos, and in some case contacts) and other information up-to-date between your computer and mobile devices, network folders, and compatible programs. You can keep files in sync (short for synchronization) in one direction (changes on one computer get changed on the other) or in both directions (changes on both computers get changed on both). The Sync Center compares files between the two computers and then copies the latest version in the appropriate place. If the same files get changed on both computers, the Sync Center asks you to resolve it. The Sync Center also works with offline files and keeps them in sync.

Sync All Offline Files

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Sync Center icon in Classic view.

3. Click the Offline Files sync partnership.

4. If you want to sync the contents of a folder, open it up.

5. Click the Sync All button on the toolbar.

Sync Individual Offline Files

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Sync Center icon in Classic view.

3. Double-click the Offline Files sync partnership.

4. Select the folder you want to sync.

5. To open the folder to view its contents, click the Browse button on the toolbar. When you’re done, click the Close button.

6. Click the Sync button on the toolbar.

7. To schedule the time you want to sync this folder, click the Schedule button on the toolbar, and then follow the wizard instructions.

WINV-2.5.1,

WINV-2.5.2

The Sync Center works with offline files and keeps them in sync. An offline file is a copy of a network file that is stored on your local computer for use when the network connection is not available. Before you can make a network file available offline, you need to enable offline files in the Offline Files utility in the Control Panel, where you can also set disk usage, security, and network options. When you make a network file available offline, the Windows automatically creates a copy on your local computer. Whenever the network versions are not available, the Sync Center opens the offline copy and then syncs it back with the network version when the connection becomes available again.

Change Offline Files Settings

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Offline Files icon in Classic view.

3. Click the General tab.

4. To disable or enable offline files, click the Disable Offline Files or Enable Offline Files.

   

5. Click the Disk Usage tab.

6. To change disk space allocation for offline files, click Change Limits, drag the slider to adjust space usage, and then click OK.

7. Click the Encryption tab.

8. Click Encrypt or Unencrypt to add or remove file security.

9. Click the Network tab.

10. Select the check box and specify time, if you want to automatically work offline on a slow network.

11. Click OK.

Make Files Available Offline

1. Open the network file or folder you want to make available offline.

2. Right-click the file or folder, and then click Always Available Offline.

   Timesaver

   Select the file or folder, and then click the Work Offline button on the toolbar.

3. To check if you’re working offline or not, open the network folder with the offline files, and check the Details pane for offline status information.

View Offline Files

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Offline Files icon in Classic view.

3. Click the General tab.

4. Click the View your offline files button.

5. When you’re done, click the Close button on the window with the offline files.

6. Click OK to close the Offline Files dialog box.

WINV-5.2.3

A network projector (New!) is a video projector that is connected to a wireless or local area network. If you have a network projector at a remote location and you can connect to it, then you can operate the projector to give a presentation as if you were physically in the room. The audience for the presentation needs to be in the same room as the network projector and the presentation can’t be viewed over a network. To connect to a network projector, you can search for one on your network or you can enter a network or Web address provided from your network administrator or the person in charge of the network projector. If the projector icon you select contains a lock, it’s security-enabled and requires a password.

Windows SideShow (New!) allows hardware manufacturers to build peripheral devices—such as LCD displays, remote controls, Personal Digital Assistances (PDA), cell phones, or TVs—that can be used to view the information you need at a moments notice. Some devices are integrated into your computer, while other are separate from your computer. You can use Windows SideShow devices to check e-mail messages, view meeting schedules, or find addresses and phones numbers without having to start up your computer. To find a Windows SideShow device, check the Microsoft Web site for details and look for the Windows SideShow logo on the hardware device. This innovative technology is just getting started, so new hardware will continue to expand as Windows Vista continues to grow. You install gadgets, or add-in programs to determine what information you want to gather and display using a Windows SideShow device. After you install a gadget, you can use Windows SideShow in the Control Panel to turn it on.

View Windows SideShow

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Windows SideShow icon in Classic view.

3. To check more gadgets, click Get more gadgets online.

   Your Web browser opens, displaying the gadgets you want install. Follow the online instructions.

4. Click the Close button to exit your Web browser.

5. Click the Close button.

If you have a Tablet PC or ink device, you can use the Pen and Input Devices utility (New!) in the Control Panel to set the options you want. You can adjust how quickly you tap the screen when you double-tap or the distance the pointer can move between tapping when you double-tap, and then test your settings to make sure they are what you want. If you want more visual feedback when you perform a specific pointer action, you can display the ones you want. A flick is a quick stroke of the pen to navigate and perform shortcuts using your tablet pen. On the Flicks tab, you can select options to use flicks to perform common commands and adjust the sensitivity slider to set the right recognition level for your flicks.

Change Pointer Options and Flicks

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Pen and Input Devices icon in Classic view.

3. Click the Pointer Options tab.

4. Select the visual feedback check boxes you want:

   1. Single-tap

   2. Double-tap

   3. Press the pen button

   4. Press the pen button and tap

5. Select or clear the Show pen cursors instead of mouse cursors when I use my pen check box.

   

6. Click the Flicks tab.

7. Select the Use flicks to perform command actions quickly and easily check box.

8. Click the Navigation flicks or Navigation flicks and editing flicks option.

9. Drag the Relaxed slider to adjust sensitivity.

10. Select or clear the Display flicks icon in the notification area check box.

11. Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can take flick training. Click the Flicks tab in the Pend and Input Devices dialog box, click Practice using flicks, and then follow the wizard instructions.

Windows Vista comes standard with Tablet PC tools that you can effectively use on a Tablet PC with a pen. The tools are also available on a standard PC and you can them with a mouse, but not as effectively. Windows Vista comes with three tools: Windows Journal, Tablet PC Input Panel, and Sticky Notes. Windows Journal allows you to handwrite notes and draw pictures that mimic a notebook pad. Tablet PC Input Panel allows you to enter text without using a standard keyboard. You use the writing pad or the character pad to convert your handwriting into typed text. You can also use the on-screen keyboard to enter characters. Sticky Notes allows you to create notes that mimic the paper version and add writing to a 30 second voice note.

Handwrite Journal Entries

1. Click the Start button, point to All Programs, click Accessories, click Tablet PC, and then click Windows Journal.

2. Click the Pen button arrow on the toolbar, and then select a pen style.

3. Handwrite notes or make a drawing.

4. To make corrections, click the Erase button arrow, select an eraser size, and then drag to erase on the page.

5. Use many of the common tools on the toolbar and menus to create a handwritten document.

6. When you’re done, click the Save button on the toolbar, type a name, specify a location, and then click Save.

7. Click the File menu, and then click Exit.

Use the Tablet PC Input Panel

1. Open a document to insert handwriting.

2. Click the Start button, point to All Programs, click Accessories, click Tablet PC, and then click Tablet PC Input Panel.

3. To write continuously, click the Writing Pad button, handwrite a message, and then click the Insert button.

4. To convert handwriting to text, click the Character Pad button, handwrite characters, and then click the Insert button.

5. To use an on-screen keyboard, click the On-Screen Keyboard button, and then click the keys.

6. When you’re done, click the Tools menu, and then click Exit.

Create Sticky Notes

1. Click the Start button, point to All Programs, click Accessories, click Tablet PC, and then click Sticky Notes.

2. Write a note in the note pad area.

3. To create a new note, click New Note.

4. To create a 30 second voice note, click the Record button, speak, and then click the Stop button.

5. To move between notes, click the Previous Note or Next Note button.

6. To delete a note, click the Delete This Note button.

7. When you’re done, click the Tools menu, and then click Exit.

If you have a Tablet PC, you can use the Tablet PC utility (New!) in the Control Panel to set the options you want. You can specify whether you are right-handed or left handed and calibrate your tablet pen to improve accuracy on the screen. You can also change the screen orientation and preview the results. The Tablet PC utility also connects you to display brightness settings in Windows Mobility Center, and pen and input device settings in the Pen and Input Device utility in the Control Panel.

Change Tablet PC Options

1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Tablet PC icon in Classic view.

3. Click the General tab.

4. Click the Right-handed or Left-handed option.

5. To calibrate your tablet pen for more accuracy, click Calibrate.

   

6. Click the Display tab.

7. Select the orientation, preview, and rotation sequence you want, and use the link to change display brightness using Windows Mobility Center.

8. Click the Handwriting Recognition tab.

9. Select the Use the personalized recognizer (recommended) check box

10. Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can access pen and input device settings from Tablet PC Settings. In the Tablet PC utility, click the Other tab, and then click the Go to Pen and Input Devices link.