As part of Windows 7, Microsoft is polishing more than just the operating system itself; the company aims to ease interaction between you and your cell phone, printer, camera, and more, with a new feature called Device Stage. Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc describes the feature pretty well on the The Windows Experience Blog, as a “new visual interface that makes it easy to find the things you want to do with your devices on your Windows 7 PC.” With Device Stage, a photo-realistic picture of your gadget can live in your taskbar, providing one-click access to relevant apps, services, and information. The feature is barely finished (and there are only a handful of working devices), and I’ve already got it working with a couple devices.
In order for Device Stage to work, Windows 7 loads a custom XML file (and possibly custom drivers) when you first connect a printer, scanner, whatever. LeBlanc points out that Device Stage “not only works for devices connected to a Windows 7 PC via USB, but also Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as well. In many cases, software installation isn’t required for Device Stage – with any additional drivers that might be needed automatically retrieved from Windows Update.” Maybe in the final iteration things will work that smoothly, but it’s proved a challenge so far. I’ve gotten two devices working at present: a Canon MP980 (flawlessly) and a Nokia N95 8GB (laboriously).
I’ll post a wealth of screen shots and information soon, about how I did it, how well it works, and what to expect from your devices. In the meantime, feast on a few neat screen grabs that highlight some of the features, after the jump.
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