Abstract: A multi-finger touchpad gesture refers to a movement of multiple fingers in a particular pattern across a touchpad. The touchpad senses the multiple fingers, and based on the sensed finger locations and finger movements, one of multiple multi-finger touchpad gestures is detected. A user interface being presented on a display is altered as appropriate in response to the detected multi-finger touchpad gesture. Various different multi-finger touchpad gestures can be detected. The multi-finger touchpad gestures can include a gesture that traverses different hierarchical views of the operating system user interface, a gesture that switches between two recent windows, a gesture that traverses a back stack of windows, a gesture that displays a window selection view and selects a particular window, and a gesture that moves a window to a different location (including snapping a window to an edge or corner of the display).

Abstract: A computing environment in which devices interoperate with a plurality of hardware components. Inconsistencies in user experience when operating devices that may use different components are avoided by generating a signature for the components. The signature may be computed as a function of a first key and one or more parameter values obtainable from the component. The signature and parameter values may be stored in the component's memory, and may be obtainable while the component is in operation as part of the computing device. The device may validate the component by performing at least one function based on the signature, the one or more parameter values obtainable from the component, and a second key, which may or may not be identical to the first key. The device may change its interaction with the component, depending on whether the component was successfully validated.

Abstract: A multi-finger touchpad gesture refers to a movement of multiple fingers in a particular pattern across a touchpad. The touchpad senses the multiple fingers, and based on the sensed finger locations and finger movements, one of multiple multi-finger touchpad gestures is detected. A user interface being presented on a display is altered as appropriate in response to the detected multi-finger touchpad gesture. Various different multi-finger touchpad gestures can be detected. The multi-finger touchpad gestures can include a gesture that traverses different hierarchical views of the operating system user interface, a gesture that switches between two recent windows, a gesture that traverses a back stack of windows, a gesture that displays a window selection view and selects a particular window, and a gesture that moves a window to a different location (including snapping a window to an edge or corner of the display).

Abstract: A computing environment in which devices interoperate with a plurality of hardware components. Inconsistencies in user experience when operating devices that may use different components are avoided by generating a signature for the components. The signature may be computed as a function of a first key and one or more parameter values obtainable from the component. The signature and parameter values may be stored in the component's memory, and may be obtainable while the component is in operation as part of the computing device. The device may validate the component by performing at least one function based on the signature, the one or more parameter values obtainable from the component, and a second key, which may or may not be identical to the first key. The device may change its interaction with the component, depending on whether the component was successfully validated.