This is the second in a series, the first post is Windows 8: The Start Screen.
Windows 8: The Charms Banner
Two challenges have persisted through many iterations of the Windows operating system. Windows needs to communicate important things for you to do quickly, easily and in language that is easily understood by non-computer professionals. Also, a quick and easy method for these same computer users to tell Windows what they want it to do. Additionally, with Windows 8, these challenges need to be addressed both for a touch-screen environment and a mouse-driven interface in a consistent manner.
The end result was a “Charms banner”. To access this banner on a touch screen device, you simply put a finger in the upper or lower right-hand corner of the screen – then slide it toward the center of the screen. In a non-touch environment, you’ll move your cursor to the upper or lower right-hand corner of the screen. In either environment, when the black banner appears you will move to select the desired charm without moving from the banner.