Extending the Windows Desktop Interface With Connected Handheld Computers

Increasingly, people will be in situations where there are multiple communicating computing devices that have input / output capabilities. For example, people might carry their handheld computer, such as a Windows CE device or a Palm Pilot, into a room with a desktop or an embedded computer. The handheld computer can communicate with the PC using wired or wireless technologies, and then both computers can be used at the same time. We are investigating many ways in which the handheld computer can be used to extend the functions of existing and new applications. For example, the handheld’s screen can be used as a customizable input and output device, to provide various controls for desktop applications. The handheld can contain scroll bars, buttons, virtual knobs and menus. It can also display the slide notes or a list of slide titles for a presentation, the list of current tasks and windows, and lists of links for web browsing. The user can tap on these lists on the handheld to control the PC. Information and control can be flow fluidly among all the user’s devices, so that there is an integrated environment.