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So, do you ever use the Windows button?

CrippsCorner

Well-Known Member
No, I must admit I hardly ever use it. As others have said, my main use for it is screen shots. On Windows 8 I could use it to go between the desktop and Smart Screen, but in Windows 8.1 that's changed so now I must swipe in... bit annoying really!
 

Arizona Willie

Active Member
I don't know what you are calling " the Smart Screen " but mine works perfectly in 8.1 to switch between the desktop mode and Modern mode ( tiles ).
 

kodos

Member
In my opinion, having the Windows Button is a decent idea - but terribly executed on the Surface. When holding it as a tablet, my thumb wants to brush up against it and it causes the tablet to lose focus on what I'm doing. If it were physical then I would have some indication of where it is at night. At night, I cannot see it - I really do fumble around for it. It's probably funny, except my wife doesn't like me moving around much at bed when she's trying to sleep, and she certainly doesn't want me to turn on the light to look for a button :-D.

The iPad had this thing going for it - the physical button was always easy to find and know where it was.
 

pallentx

New Member
I don't know how you could eliminate it. How would you get back to start if you only have one app open? I would be ok with relocating it or making it a physical button you had to press with force.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
I don't know how you could eliminate it. How would you get back to start if you only have one app open? I would be ok with relocating it or making it a physical button you had to press with force.

Well you can always Swipe from the right bezel and touch the Windows Logo from the Charms Menu....
 

daniielrp

Active Member
I sometimes use it when using the device as a tablet, but I mostly use it with the Type Cover in laptop mode. And here it seems a bit redundant, especially when on the desktop as it means I can 4 different windows keys at once (Bottom left corner of Desktop, in the Charms Bar, on the device itself, and on the keyboard).

Ideally I would have it as a softkey (like the Nexus 7 home key) that can move around the screen as you rotate so that it's always at the bottom, or disappear entirely when the keyboard is attached to provide more screen real estate.
 

CrippsCorner

Well-Known Member
I don't know what you are calling " the Smart Screen " but mine works perfectly in 8.1 to switch between the desktop mode and Modern mode ( tiles ).

Sorry, *Start Screen. I made a video before to show what happens on my set up, so here we are again...

[video=youtube;m3VvmYPG62U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3VvmYPG62U[/video]

Pressing the physical Windows Key on the Type Cover or on the Surface makes the second screen switch, whereas swiping in and pressing the Windows Logo (either from charms or recent opened apps) makes the first screen switch. On Windows 8.0 they all did the same thing.
 

bluegrass

Well-Known Member
If they're going to put a hardware button on the Surface, I suggest they give it much more power then the following: 1. switch between desktop and Start screen, screen shot (I assume only for Start screens), & voice output). I use the new on screen start menu button in the lower left when I want to go back to the Start menu.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
I don't know it seems pretty powerful...

Currently you can use it to switch from Start Screen and Desktop, Windows Button+Power = CTRL/ALT/Delete, Windows Button+Volume Rocker Down = Print Screen...
 

Nuspieds

Active Member
Yeah, I agree.

The button wasn't meant to replace a keyboard. ;) But it performs several functions by itself/in combination with keys/buttons, so no complaints from me regarding its capabilities.
 
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