Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed to simultaneously displaying proxy windows for application windows and/or tabs included in such application windows via a graphical user interface of an operating system. For instance, an application programming interface (API) associated with an application that supports a tabbed document interface (TDI) provides information associated with each tab opened within an application window associated with the application. An API of the operating system receives and utilizes such information to generate and display a proxy window for each tab. The proxy windows for the tabs may be displayed alongside proxy windows of application windows for other applications. The proxy windows may be generated and displayed in response to user invocation of various features of the operating system graphical user interface, including, but not limited to, a task switcher feature, a taskbar feature, or a window snap feature.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage mediums described herein enable a dashboard panel application to make “widgets” available to a user on a computing device that provide application functionality without corresponding applications having to be installed on the computing device, and without the use of a conventional web browser. Configuration information is accessed that identifies a plurality of widgets selected for display in a dashboard panel of a dashboard panel application. Account credentials for the widgets are transmitted to corresponding server-hosted services at network addresses indicated in manifests of the widgets. Data associated with the widgets is received from the server-hosted services. A view of the dashboard panel is composed that includes a view of the widgets incorporating the received data. The dashboard panel view is caused to be rendered on the base graphical canvas.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed to simultaneously displaying proxy windows for application windows and/or tabs included in such application windows via a graphical user interface of an operating system. For instance, an application programming interface (API) associated with an application that supports a tabbed document interface (TDI) provides information associated with each tab opened within an application window associated with the application. An API of the operating system receives and utilizes such information to generate and display a proxy window for each tab. The proxy windows for the tabs may be displayed alongside proxy windows of application windows for other applications. The proxy windows may be generated and displayed in response to user invocation of various features of the operating system graphical user interface, including, but not limited to, a task switcher feature, a taskbar feature, or a window snap feature.

Abstract: Implementing people as operating system level objects. A method includes, for a user logged in to an operating system, identifying a person with a relationship to the user. For the person, the method further includes identifying information, including information that can be used to communication with the person. The method further includes storing the information related to the person in a data store that is a global data store with respect to the operating system such that the information related to the person can be accessed at the operating system level. The method further includes using the information related to the person stored in the data store to identify applications or services that can be used to communicate with the person. The method further includes displaying in a user interface for the person an enumeration of applications or services that can be used to communicate with the person.

Abstract: Implementing people as operating system level objects. A method includes, for a user logged in to an operating system, identifying a person with a relationship to the user. For the person, the method further includes identifying information, including information that can be used to communication with the person. The method further includes storing the information related to the person in a data store that is a global data store with respect to the operating system such that the information related to the person can be accessed at the operating system level. The method further includes using the information related to the person stored in the data store to identify applications or services that can be used to communicate with the person. The method further includes displaying in a user interface for the person an enumeration of applications or services that can be used to communicate with the person.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media are provided for enabling a reliable indication of the amount of time a battery will provide sufficient charge to power a computing device. One or more profiles of user activity on a computing device are created. A drain rate for each profile of user activity is determined and stored. An analysis of the user activities being engaged in on the computing device is conducted, and a profile of user activity is determined to describe the user activities. An amount of remaining charge stored in the battery is determined, and the period of time that the battery will provide sufficient charge to the computing device is determined based on the amount of remaining charge and on the drain rate at which charge is drained from the battery for the determined profile of user activity.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media are provided for enabling a reliable indication of the amount of time a battery will provide sufficient charge to power a computing device. One or more profiles of user activity on a computing device are created. A drain rate for each profile of user activity is determined and stored. An analysis of the user activities being engaged in on the computing device is conducted, and a profile of user activity is determined to describe the user activities. An amount of remaining charge stored in the battery is determined, and the period of time that the battery will provide sufficient charge to the computing device is determined based on the amount of remaining charge and on the drain rate at which charge is drained from the battery for the determined profile of user activity.

Abstract: A method and medium are provided for enabling reliable indication of the amount of time a battery will provide sufficient charge to power a computing device. In one embodiment, the time interval that lapses from the charge draining from the battery between two thresholds is determined, and the thresholds are adjusted based on the time interval. Other embodiments provide for classifying a battery as no longer capable of maintaining sufficient charge by comparing the maximum amount of charge the battery could store to the current maximum amount of charge the battery can currently store. Another embodiment determines how long a battery will provide sufficient charge to power a computing device based on profiles of user activity and associated battery drain rates. The current amount of charge stored in the battery is divided by the profile drain rate to determine how long the battery will provide sufficient charge to power the computing device.

Abstract: A method and medium are provided for enabling reliable indication of the amount of time a battery will provide sufficient charge to power a computing device. In one embodiment, the time interval that lapses from the charge draining from the battery between two thresholds is determined, and the thresholds are adjusted based on the time interval. Other embodiments provide for classifying a battery as no longer capable of maintaining sufficient charge by comparing the maximum amount of charge the battery could store to the current maximum amount of charge the battery can currently store. Another embodiment determines how long a battery will provide sufficient charge to power a computing device based on profiles of user activity and associated battery drain rates. The current amount of charge stored in the battery is divided by the profile drain rate to determine how long the battery will provide sufficient charge to power the computing device.

Abstract: An improved system and method for personalizing recognition of an input method is provided. A trainable handwriting recognizer may be personalized by using ink written by the user and text authored by the user. The system includes a personalization service engine and a framework with interfaces for collecting, storing, and accessing user ink and authored information for training recognizers. The trainers of the system may include a text trainer for augmenting a recognizer's dictionary using text content and a shape trainer for tuning generic recognizer components using ink data supplied by a user. The trainers may load multiple trainer clients, each capable of training one or more specific recognizers. Furthermore, a framework is provided for supporting pluggable trainers. Any trainable recognizer may be dynamically personalized using the harvested information authored by the user and ink written by the user.