devicestage - Gizmodo

posts about #devicestage more →
Windows 7 Device Stage and Productivity Tips
Windows 7 Windows Media Player 12, Play To and Media Compatibility
Win 7 Tip: Device Stage Gadget Interface Is Gorgeous (When Supported!)

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

BeautifulAgony
02/10/09

In reply to Windows 7 Device Stage and Productivity Tips
The Device Stage is a brilliant update to the Device Manager, which wasn't user friendly. This is a much nicer way for those easing themselves into hardware territory to see what's conected and what it can do.

On my little Toshiba U305, Win7 correctly identified the built in webcam (which even XP had issues with detecting/identifying) without specific drivers, as well as the biometric fingerprint reader. Drivers are still wonky; people Anti-MS love to use that as "proof" Win7 is a failure, but seriously, in beta? Hell, half my hardware has gotten beta drivers from developers who are eager to get on the Win7 train, and, Win7 integrates driver updates very nicely.

I think it is important to note, that although the added functionality of the Splash Page requires manufacturers to be onboard, with that support it would have the same, or better, operation as XP ever gave.
Reply

BeautifulAgony was starred BeautifulAgony was unstarred

akashhhhh
01/23/09

In reply to Win 7 Tip: Device Stage Gadget Interface Is Gorgeous (When Supported!)
I don't understand the taskbar icon...when would it be there? Like, I'm not gonna pin it and if the managing window is already open why do I need the jump list off the taskabr? Maybe I'm confused.
Reply

akashhhhh was starred akashhhhh was unstarred

Wilson Rothman
01/23/09

@akashhhhh: The icon can stay when the managing window goes away, so you can get easy access. Maybe a printer isn't the best example, but think of cameras or phones—something with storage that you want to get at randomly. One of my points is that the jump menu is way better than that managing window for most regular workflow stuff, so odds are, that icon will be your friend long after you've forgotten what the XML page even looks like.
Reply

Wilson Rothman was starred Wilson Rothman was unstarred

Davide Canavesi
01/23/09

In reply to Win 7 Tip: Device Stage Gadget Interface Is Gorgeous (When Supported!)
Any chance of having Device Stage with HP printers?
Reply

Davide Canavesi was starred Davide Canavesi was unstarred

Wilson Rothman
01/23/09

@Davide Canavesi: My edumacated guess is that the chance of HP on Device Stage is 100%.
Reply

Wilson Rothman was starred Wilson Rothman was unstarred

ZLevee
01/23/09

@Davide Canavesi: there are already several in this list - follow the link in the article
Reply

ZLevee was starred ZLevee was unstarred

bonedog73
01/23/09

In reply to Win 7 Tip: Device Stage Gadget Interface Is Gorgeous (When Supported!)
All I know is that Windows 7 runs like crap on my laptop...and all this HYPE makes me think it's Vista all over again.
Reply

bonedog73 was starred bonedog73 was unstarred

Futrell
01/23/09

@bonedog73: What are your specs? (I'm thinking of trying it out on my relatively wimpy lappy that's currently running Vista...)
Reply

Futrell was starred Futrell was unstarred

ZLevee
01/23/09

@Futrell: as I've said in other Win 7 posts, I've got it on my oldest rig that's about a decade old (except the video card), with full Aero: Single core 32 bit AMD Athlon XP 2600+ @ 2.13GHz w 266MHz FSB; 1GB DDR SDRAM @ 266MHz; ATI Radeon 2600XT w 512MB GDDR3 (gimped by AGP 8x interface, and further gimped by 4x AGP slot on the motherboard).
Reply

ZLevee was starred ZLevee was unstarred

JeffEd
01/23/09

@Zlevee: My guess is you've got some driver issues. The weakest machine I've installed 7 on was my Wind netbook's Atom. And it works as well if not better than XP. Same story for dual-core Atom 330 and 64-bit VMware'd on my MBP.

It's a huge step over Vista, As long as they get the Beta kinks worked out. I've been overly impressed.

Check the forums (google) and see if anyone else has installed the Win7beta on a system similar to yours. Maybe you can find the conflict.
Reply

JeffEd was starred JeffEd was unstarred

ZLevee
01/23/09

@JeffEd: I'm assuming you meant this for bonedog73. I was saying it runs fine for me on an old system.
Reply

ZLevee was starred ZLevee was unstarred

vladdybear
01/23/09

In reply to Win 7 Tip: Device Stage Gadget Interface Is Gorgeous (When Supported!)
This is so sad. Windows Just getting to this?
Reply

vladdybear was starred vladdybear was unstarred

ZLevee
01/23/09

@vladdybear: Just getting to what? Presenting a unified UI? I'm sure there was soem resistance to that by 3rd parties.
Reply

ZLevee was starred ZLevee was unstarred

mocax
01/23/09

In reply to Win 7 Tip: Device Stage Gadget Interface Is Gorgeous (When Supported!)
i was kinda surprised when the device stage for my Motorazr2 V8 popped up almost immediately after i plugged the phone in.

doesn't work if i set my phone to "storage device" mode though.
Reply

mocax was starred mocax was unstarred

Wilson Rothman
01/23/09

@mocax: What kind of functionality did you get?
Reply

Wilson Rothman was starred Wilson Rothman was unstarred

mrzippy
01/23/09

In reply to Win 7 Tip: Device Stage Gadget Interface Is Gorgeous (When Supported!)
This feature is very similar to what happens on my Mac, can safely say I have never installed a driver since 2003 and all my printers have been recognised and shown an icon that looks just like the printer!

Nice feature though, more detailed images than the current Mac equivalent.
Reply

mrzippy was starred mrzippy was unstarred

pdditty
01/23/09

@mrzippy: i was about to say the same thing, the icons on my Mac arent this big but still they are there. Nice feature but its not the first time we've seen this
Reply

pdditty was starred pdditty was unstarred

Wilson Rothman
01/23/09

@pdditty: Actually, about half of this functionality is stuff you haven't seen before on the Mac. I should know—what do you think I used to type this article? Drivers are definitely old hat. Even XP had certain device drivers pre-installed. But rich, specific menus accessible from the taskbar and the XML pages pushed through a content network as they're built, man, that's all new.
Reply

Wilson Rothman was starred Wilson Rothman was unstarred

Anarian
01/23/09

In reply to Win 7 Tip: Device Stage Gadget Interface Is Gorgeous (When Supported!)
Sweet... Seems like Windows 7 may be a great success afterall
Reply

Anarian was starred Anarian was unstarred

IN THE FACE!
01/23/09

@Anarian: SShhhh! Musnt wake the fanbois...
Reply

IN THE FACE! was starred IN THE FACE! was unstarred

mynamesafad
01/23/09

In reply to Win 7 Tip: Device Stage Gadget Interface Is Gorgeous (When Supported!)
Cant wait til my cell phone is supported.
Reply

mynamesafad was starred mynamesafad was unstarred

lexz11
01/23/09

@mynamesafad: even my iPhone isn't supported, neither is my HP printer or any other gadget.
Reply

lexz11 was starred lexz11 was unstarred

Wilson Rothman
01/23/09

@lexz11: Just wait for it—this list is growing every day. Some good cameras (including the Nikon D90) are coming very soon.
Reply

Wilson Rothman was starred Wilson Rothman was unstarred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion