Configuring Tablet PC Options

A variety of new and improved features for working with a Tablet PC are built in to Windows Vistayou don't have to purchase a different edition of the operating system for a laptop than you would for a desktop PC. The most visible improvement is the updated Input Panel, which is readily available as a tab at the edge of the screen. Tap the tab, and the Input Panel opens, ready to receive your written input. This input is more likely to be interpreted accurately if you take a little time to train the handwriting recognition program.

You can enter information into a Tablet PC with a pen and, if your computer supports touch input, with your finger. You can configure options to support pen and finger flicks as a means of navigating in documents and other files.

In this exercise, you will explore the Tablet PC configuration options, as well as those for your pen and the Input Panel. There are no practice files for this exercise.

1.	In the Control Panel window, tap Mobile PC. Then in the Mobile PC window, tap Tablet PC Settings. Troubleshooting If your Control Panel does not include the Mobile PC category, click Hardware And Sound, and then click Tablet PC Settings. The Tablet PC Settings dialog box opens. On the General tab, you can indicate whether you are right-handed or left-handed, and you can calibrate the screen for better pen tracking.
2.	Tap the Handwriting Recognition tab. On this tab, you can set options that will allow the handwriting recognizer to progressively "learn" about your style of writing.
3.	Tap the Display tab, and then tap the Orientation arrow. In the list, tap the Primary option that is not your current orientation, and then tap Apply. The screen orientation changes. If you do not want to keep this orientation, switch it back before continuing. Tip If your Tablet PC has tablet buttons, you can tap the Change button and set up the orientation sequence for a button.
4.	Tap the Other tab. This tab provides access to options for configuring your pen and the Input Panel.
5.	Tap the Go to Pen and Input Devices link. The Pen And Input Devices dialog box opens. The Pen Options tab displays a list of the pen equivalents of various mouse actions. You can adjust the settings for each pen action other than single-tapping to conform to the way you use the pen. You can change the size of the gesture required to start Input Panel, the speed and duration of the pen equivalent of right-clicking, and the speed and location variance that constitute a double-tap. (You cannot change the single-click action.)
6.	Tap the Press and hold action, and then click Settings. In the Press And Hold Settings dialog box, you can turn the press and hold for right-clicking action on or off, and you can set the speed and duration of the action.
7.	Tap Cancel, and then in the Pen and Input Devices dialog box, tap the Pointer Options tab. The options on this tab control the feedback you receive in response to pen actions.
8.	Tap the Flicks tab. On this tab, you can set whether you can navigate and edit content with a flick of the pen. You cannot customize navigation flicks, but you can customize editing flicks.
9.	Experiment with the options on this tab, and then tap Cancel to close the Pen and Input Devices dialog box.
10.	On the Other tab of the Tablet PC Settings dialog box, tap the Go to Input Panel Settings link. The Options dialog box opens, with the Settings tab active. On this tab, you can specify the location and functionality of the Insert button that appears when you are writing in the Input Panel. You can also turn the AutoComplete feature on or off and restore the default Input Panel settings. Tip You can also open this dialog box from the Input Panel, by tapping Tools and then Options.
11.	Tap the Opening tab. On this tab, you can choose how to open the Input Panel and where its tab and icon appear on the screen.
12.	Explore the other tabs of the Options dialog box. Then close the dialog box and the Mobile PC window.
13.	Locate the Input Panel tab on your screen, point to it to open the tab, and then tap it to open the Input Panel. By default, the Input Panel floats on the screen and can be dragged to any convenient location.
14.	On the Input Panel, tap Tools, and then in the list, tap Dock at Top of Screen. The Input Panel stretches to fill the full width of the screen and anchors itself at the top. [View full size image]
15.	Restore the default Float setting, and then close the Input Panel.