On-screen keyboard in Metro start screen

Question

Riddle me this Batman. If I'm on a slate, touch screen, in the Metro UI start screen, with all the cool live tiles, how do I bring up an on-screen keyboard so I can initiate a search. I can do this just fine if I have a real keyboard, start typing Wor.. and get Wordpad, Word etc to choose from. I can't see any way to pop up an on-screen keyboard from just the touch interface. I would suggest a swipe up from the bottom. or an icon in that panel you can pull in from the right. Or just tell me what I'm missing.

The MS dissertation on, why the new start thing, highlights this search capability, by just typing. Oddly it doesn't seem accessible from a touch screen device ;), only if you have a real keyboard.

 

Curiously when in the old desktop view I have a little on-screen keyboard icon in the notification section down on the bottom right. That is vesigal from Windows 7 Tablet support though ;) Trust me if I'm in the old desktop, I'm using a physical keyboard and mouse (touch pad).

Just FYI, I have the preview loaded on a Dell Duo. It's great because I get to experience both a pure slate experience as well as Win8 on a laptop. Granted a touch screen enabled laptop, but I can force myself to not touch the screen. I think it is important to recognize that some folks will not have touch screens and things still need to work.

Answer 1

OK, ask a silly question and the answer falls in your lap. There is indeed a search option on the thing that pulls in from the right. What is that called? tapping search and tapping in thr text block indeed brings up the keyboard. I'm appeased...and embarrased. Still think a swipe up from the bottom could bring up the keyboard and I could just start typing ;)

Answer 2

Hey Sven,

Its called the Charms Bar which pulls in from the right which has the "Search" option.

Regards,

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Gary

Answer 3

I think Microsoft should allow more swipe gestures like pulling from down to reveal the keyboard or pushing up to close an application... No use of having a multi touch OS which doesn't make use of some gestures right ?

Answer 4

Agreed, the swipe up and swipe down actions seem to invoke the same reaction - they bring up the app bar and bring down the top bar 'thing' (I will go and find the name of this component) and that seems like you are wasting a valuable edge swipe. I did think that bringing up the on screen keyboard was a good candidate but I think once MS fix the issues with the soft keyboard (eg it often hides the field you are trying to type into) I'm not sure how often you would want to show the keyboard in a situation not catered for by the auto popup in text field scenario 

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Acer W500 tablet Ageing HP laptop Too much apple stuff

Answer 5

OK, then I want a keyboard charm 😁 please ��