Access your computer remotely using PDA, Mobile
How about checking your e-mail, program guide for Windows Media Center or checking your flight reservation, even better if you can check top news stories and lots of other information without turning on your computer. This all can be done with the Windows SideShow in Windows Vista. Albeit you need a mobile phone/PDA.
Yes, the new tool Windows SideShow is accessible in Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Windows Vista Ultimate. This is the new tool in Windows Vista that supports a secondary screen on the computer and with the supplementary display you can view your important information if your laptop is on, off or in Sleep mode. Windows SideShow extends information from the computer to other device using gadgets (appropriate mini program). Gadgets can be installed on Windows SideShow compatible devices and can update the device with information from the computer. The platform allows for SideShow to be built into other devices as well, like keyboards, phones, display casings and remote controls.
How to locate the Windows SideShow:
- Open Control Panel
- Click on Windows SideShow
Here you can turn your gadgets on or off for each devices. There is no limit to the number of devices that you can install to use with Windows SideShow. And, there is no limit to the number of gadgets that you can turn on. However, the device has a fixed amount of space to store information, and this space is shared by all of the gadgets. The more gadgets that you add, the less space there is for each gadget. To increase the amount of space for a gadget, turn off some of your other gadgets.
Negative Point is that the data viewed on the SideShow display is stored when the main computer is turned off. So it is not actively updating. You will just get a picture of your recent gadgets that is storing the data. You will get the recent and the live data only when your computer is turned on.
SideShow is in the initial stage and implications are solemn for Mobile computing. It is also going to be added to different types of devices, like mobile phones, that will join up with your main Vista computer.
Comment by Andrew Flusche on 1 April 2008:
SideShow is definitely an interesting Vista feature. But I never got very interested in it.
Although, I saw a desktop computer that has a 3″ LCD display on the CPU. You can use it to access SideShow handily while the machine is off. That could be very neat.
Comment by Ajay M on 4 April 2008:
Yes Andrew that is waht Sideshow is meant for.
Comment by wooden garden benches on 5 April 2008:
I have been using windows vista for past one month and i had no idea of windows sideshow. For what purpose is it there. Now i got that. Thank you for your information and it was a useful one.
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Comment by Rob on 11 April 2008:
This is an interesting feature. I wasn’t aware of it although I have been using Vista for quite a while now.
I’m going to give it a try on my BlackBerry if it’s compatible.
Comment by ipodtouch on 3 May 2008:
I’m assuming this will also work with the iPod touch? I haven’t taken the step to upgrade to Vista yet as I’m content with my XP but it’s something I’ll definitely check out when I do upgrade.
Comment by casino on 9 May 2008:
But that option will give the hackers to access my pc so easily.
Comment by Ajay M on 11 May 2008:
@ ipodtouch, you can check that with touch and let us know if it works.
Comment by Gadget Mobile Lover on 19 January 2009:
Well, pda right now became a powerful gadget, make easier people jobs. Too bad i have no Vista operation system to try my IPAQ 6515 for Windows SideShow.