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Windows 7's device stage interface: Useful, or just pretty?

Summary: So you've got a new printer -- let's say an Epson Artisan 800 -- and you've got Windows 7.Plug in the device to your machine.

Andrew Nusca

By for The ToyBox |

So you've got a new printer -- let's say an Epson Artisan 800 -- and you've got Windows 7.

Plug in the device to your machine. What happens? Well, this:

Windows 7 device stage

Pretty neat, huh? Plug in supported printers, cameras, scanners and the like, and you get a nice cached interface tailored to your gadget. How nice!

Windows 7 device stage

These screenshots are from Gizmodo's Wilson Rothman, who takes us step-by-step through the device stage and its components -- an icon within Devices and Printers, an XML page with links and taskbar icon -- and how he thinks it will affect how you manage your devices in Windows 7.

From what I see, it might be useful, too. Check out the menu of options for the Epson (and the little mini Epson in the taskbar):

Windows 7 device stage

The good news: It's pretty. The bad news: The supported gadget list is small -- so if Microsoft really wants users to use the pretty menus (er, webpages), they'll need to work with a whole lot of manufacturers to give the desired effect.

ZDNet's own Ed Bott didn't specifically include this on his list of notable changes of Windows 7, and rightly so, since it's more a tweak than a complete overhaul. Still -- it's worth noting if you're always swapping USB devices like me.

I haven't yet installed Windows 7 on my machine, but I know several of you have. Have you come across this menu? What did you think? Flash for the sake of flash, or utility in design?

Topics: Hardware, Microsoft, Operating Systems, Printers, Software, Windows

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25 comments
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  • Cupertino, start your photocopiers!

    We'll see Apple "invent" DeviceStage (to be called iDevice) in 3-5 years. :)
    NonZealot
    Reply Vote

    • Right? Wrong? Left? Right?

      Maybe so. Maybe so. I'll be right there with you telling the
      clueless that it was first on Windows, the good Lord willing and
      the netbooks don't rise.

      Now, can we get Microsoft to give up the NIH attitude and
      implement zeroconf/avahi/bonjour and begin to treat networked
      devices as services in an interoperable manner?

      Your cooperation is appreciated.
      DannyO_0x98
      Reply Vote

    • Already exists

      The dock already supports this kind of functionality for any app that wants to take advantage of it. HP's OS X drivers for their all-in-one devices use it the most extensively.
      frgough
      Reply Vote

    • What about BitLocker?

      Seems like none of the CrApple programmers out there are genius enough to make such an innovative feature for crap OS X :P
      shellcodes_coder
      Reply Vote

      • BitLocker? How about they start with copy and paste!

        Apple couldn't even get something as simple as copy and paste working in their mobile platform! They should start small and then worry about complicated things like BitLocker. :)
        NonZealot
        Reply Vote

        • :)

          :)
          shellcodes_coder
          Reply Vote

      • BitLocker is irrelevant...


        People have long since learned not to do any important work on a Microsoft system, so they have no important files they need to secure.

        bbneo
        Reply Vote

    • Hey NZ, I think it's back...

      to school for you.

      http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/

      ;-)

      C'est la vie.
      Arm A. Geddon
      Reply Vote

  • It is a lot more significantthen you ...

    ... and Ed give it credit for. First it combines the adding of devices in one place. You no longer have to go to a bluetooth explorer and printer setup to add devices. Secondly it is a more natural way for people to access their devices. With a properly written device interface I can go to my camera to access my photo organizer. When I have more then one thumb drive on a machine I can recognize them by the difference in physical IDs. I think users will find this feature very beneficial once the device manufacturers catch up to it's capabilities.
    ShadeTree
    Reply Vote

  • Um,

    Apple already figured out how to make devices work
    ...without having to turn the computer into a website.
    Len Rooney
    Reply Vote

    • Wow.

      yfio
      Hallowed are the Ori
      Reply Vote

      • Back to school for you too.

        http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/

        ;-)
        Arm A. Geddon
        Reply Vote

  • The problem will be getting hardware vendors on board

    These hardware vendors tend to do things their own way, whether or not it fits in with a Windows scheme. Heck, MS has a hard enough time getting them on board to get their drivers working correctly, and now they want them to fall in line to get this to work?

    Nice idea, but unless MS does all the work I don't see this as being an overwhelming success.
    Michael Kelly
    Reply Vote

    • Spot on!

      If Device Stage gets in the way of the Marketing Department (Which seems to be overseeing device driver development, I'M LOOKING AT YOU HP!) it probably wont catch on.

      Why make using the hardware easier when you could be up selling printer cartridges or online photo prints?

      That being said, I hope I am wrong.
      JoeMama_z
      Reply Vote

  • It's a beta, give hardware makers time

    For the record it didn't properly detect my Samsung stereo bluetooth headphones - it got the model number right but it showed me a picture of a regular single ear bluetooth ear piece. They worked, sort of, but if the problem was with the headphones or the USB bluetooth stick I may never know.
    eggmanbubbagee@...
    Reply Vote

    • MS depended on the hardware vendors cooperation for Vista's success

      and you see how far that got them.

      The fact is that if MS can't control its own destiny they're begging for failure. You can say the same thing about any company, really.
      Michael Kelly
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Windows 7's device stage interface: Useful, or just pretty?

    Wrong button. Um. Never Mind.
    DannyO_0x98
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Windows 7's device stage interface: Useful, or just pretty?

    Pretty and useful.

    The best way to change the O.S. paradigm.

    Onuora
    http://www.windows7update.com
    http://www.windows-vista-update.com
    Ammalgam
    Reply Vote

    • Go away spammer!

      .
      JoeMama_z
      Reply Vote

  • It's a good idea, give it time!!

    "The good news: It???s pretty."

    And it's centralized. Instead of having to go to a gazillion third party control panels, hopefully this will provide a central location to access controls for all of my devices. Not right now, but as more devices support it, it'll eventually move in that direction.

    "The bad news: The supported gadget list is small"

    What precisely were you expecting? It's brand new - the OS isn't even out of beta, and there's been very little time for manufacturers to implement it into their drivers. In addition, it's optional for now, so that backwards compatibility isn't killed.
    CobraA1
    Reply Vote
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