Using the Pen

The pen interface designed for Ultra Mobile PCs and tablets is a bit different than the traditional keyboard and mouse combination most appraisers are familiar with. While there are variations in the feature set that may come with your device, if you're using the pen as an interface there are several standard functions you can use to navigate through any software on your mobile PC. Here are several key items.

• Clicking —A click of the pen simulates a single click.
• Double‑Clicking — Like single clicks, double‑clicking the pen simulates a double‑click.
• Right‑Clicking —Since there are no right and left mouse buttons to choose between, there are a few variations on how to right‑click with a pen.
  1. If your pen does not have any buttons on it, you simply click down the pen tip — holding it firmly in place — and wait for a circle of red dots to appear. Then, lift the pen to pull up the "context menu" that normally appears when you right‑click something.
  2. If your pen does have a button on it (usually near the tip), hold down the button and click the screen. If the button is a right‑click button, a red circle of dots will appear. Then, lift the pen and release the button to pull up the "context menu" that normally appears. If this does not work, the first method should.
• Writing/Typing — UMPC's and tablet devices all have built in handwriting recognition software to help you avoid the slow "hunt and peck" alternative that most portable PC's sport. In order to leverage these handwriting tools, you must call up the Windows input options. There are two ways to do this:
  1. Click the keyboard icon to the immediate right of the Start menu if you're using Windows XP. For Vista, simply click the glass‑like drawer on the left edge of the screen.
  2. In some screens, a separate keyboard icon is provided as a floating button around the center of the screen. If you see one of these keyboard buttons appear, click it instead.

  Once the input options are on screen, there are two different handwriting recognition tools: handwriting and block writing.

  • Handwriting — To access the handwriting recognition tool, click the topmost icon on the left and then write normally in the box provided. As you write, Windows translates your handwriting into text. Once the full text is available, just click Insert to place the text into the field.

    While good, the handwriting recognition software built into Windows isn't perfect. Depending on the clarity of your handwriting, Windows may still misinterpret your handwriting. Depending on your pen, you can either scribble horizontally over top of writing to erase it or flip the pen and use the other end as a virtual electronic eraser to remove the incorrect text.

  • Block Writing — To access the block handwriting tool, click the middle icon on the left side of the input tools. Block writing works just like regular handwriting does but it provides markers to indicate separations between characters. Particularly if you're having difficulty with the default handwriting recognition tool, this tool can save you some time and frustration entering text responses into fields. When you're finished, click Insert to place the text into the field.
  • Typing — In some situations, it may be appropriate to type instead of write. To access the virtual keyboard, click the bottommost icon on the left side of the input tools. Then, use the pen to click out virtual keystrokes and click Insert when you're finished typing to place the text into the field