Tablet PCs for Dummies
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I have been very grateful to computer help systems over the years - because they have kept me in business writing computer books for people who find most Help less than helpful. Well, even I have to admit that Help is getting more sophisticated these days, what with interactive tutorials, connections to online help resources, and more. So the help system may actually provide something you need in your quest to master your Tablet PC. It's worth a look . . .
. . . but I won't quit my day job.
Welcome to the Tablet PC
I admit that some of the information built into Windows XP for Tablet PC Help is useful to the first-time user. In the Help and Support Center, for example, there's a Welcome to Tablet PC link that provides information about Tablet PC features, tools to do things like calibrating your pen to work optimally on your screen, and demos and tutorials (as shown in Figure 1-8). You can display the Help and Support Center by tapping the Start button on the Windows taskbar with your pen, and then tapping on the Help and Support link on the Start menu.
Note that there is also a list of Help and Support Resources on the Help and Support Center screen. Here's what they offer:
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Remote Assistance is a feature that enables you to invite a friend to access your computer online to see whether he or she can help solve your problem. You can also use this feature to allow a tech-support person to fix your problem for you, rather than walking you through the steps while you juggle a phone and try to figure out what they're talking about when they say 'Now just defrag the hard drive while repeatedly pressing F2 and whistling Dixie.'
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Windows Update takes you to the Microsoft site for downloading any updates to the operating system that might help solve the problem you're having.
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Compatible Hardware and Software connects you to the Microsoft list of products compatible with Windows XP. If you have a hardware or software incompatibility problem, downloading an updated driver from this site may resolve things for you.
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Tools is a link to features such as Network Diagnostics and System Restore that you can use to scan your system for problems or restore earlier settings.
Tip Check out the option for customizing how your computer buttons function (tap Welcome to Tablet PC, then Customizing Your Tablet Computer). Though the buttons on each tablet model differ somewhat depending on the computer's design, this portion of the Help system has been customized to your specific unit's tablet buttons.
Get going with Tablet PC tutorials
The Tablet PC tutorial for working with the Input Panel and speech are perhaps most useful to new users because these features are most likely new to you. You can use simple controls to play, stop, and pause the narrated tutorials (illustrated in Figure 1-9).
You can select Tablet PC Tutorials from the Welcome to Tablet PC area of the Help and Support Center.
Getting help on the Web
The Help and Support Center offers a few options for online help. First, you can tap the Support button and choose Go to a Windows Web Site Forum to visit Windows newsgroups. These are forums where you can chat with other Windows users about what works - and what doesn't - in Windows XP. You may pick up some useful tips from somebody who has gone boldly before you into this territory and found some answers.
The Did You Know? feature in the Help and Support Center offers links to recently released help documents or updates to Windows XP. You can often access live WebCasts that offer information about computing from here as well.
Tip You have to be connected to the Internet for links to the latest news and support information to be available.
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