Device Stage is a feature introduced by Windows 7 which aims to provide a very friendly way of interacting with external devices connected to your computer. However, in order for the concept to work as intended, hardware manufacturers need to start providing proper support for this feature for all their devices. In this article, I will explain what Device Stage is, how it works and how to access it. I will also share some usage scenarios so that you understand better how to use it and why hardware manufacturers should not ignore it.

What is Device Stage

Device Stage can be accessed through the Devices and Printers panel in Windows 7. It is a feature which allows you to interact with all the external devices you have connected to your PC in one place. It depends a lot on the drivers & support available for each device. Most new devices have full Windows 7 compatibility and drivers which take advantage of Device Stage. These will allow you to completely manage them from the Devices and Printers panel. You will be able to do everything from this one window: see the device status, view information about it, share it over the network, change its settings, synchronize it with your PC, use all features of the device, do troubleshooting, etc.

For older devices, which don't take advantage of this feature, Windows 7 will still allow you to modify a basic set of configuration options & troubleshoot the problems you might have with them. While it might not be much, it is still better than searching for hidden administrative tools and guessing where you can change the device settings. Personally, I find the Devices and Printers panel much more user friendly than the Device Manager from Windows XP.

Where to Find Device Stage

As I mentioned earlier, Device Stage is actually named Devices and Printers in Windows 7. By default, its shortcut can be found on the right side of the Start Menu.

Another way is to go to Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Devices and Printers.

A third alternative is to search for the word devices in the Start Menu search box. The first result should be the shortcut towards Devices and Printers.

Devices Included in Device Stage

Device Stage will show your own computer plus the external devices connected to it. The list of devices included contains the following: mobile phones, portable music players, digital cameras, webcams, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, scanners, Bluetooth adapters, external hard drives, media extenders and network devices connected to your computer.

Devices Excluded from Device Stage

Device Stage will not show devices which are inside your computer case and which form the base of your PC. This means that you will not see the following types of components: internal hard disk drives, disc drives, sound cards, video cards, memory, processors, internal modems, network cards, etc.

Some external devices will not also be included. One common example includes your speakers or older mice and keyboards.

Examples of Device Stage Usage Scenarios

What you can do with a device listed in Devices and Printers depends a lot on the support provided by the manufacturer of the device for Windows 7. For example, when I access my Microsoft Digital Media Keyboard, i can quickly configure it, get support for the issues i have with it, register it or get access to a guide for healthy computing practices.

If i right click on the same keyboard, in Devices and Printers, i quickly have access to configuration options such as the region and language used when typing.

For my old Canon PIXMA iP2000 printer, I have a small but useful set of options. In its Devices and Printers window, I can quickly see how many files there are in the printing queue, if the printer is ready or not, what is the default setting for page size and orientation.

I also have options for changing the printing properties and getting support for my device.

For newer models of Cannon printers, you will have more options available. Also, other manufacturers seem to provide very good support for their new models.

Device Stage - Video Demo

For even more examples of usage scenarios and how this feature works, you can also try this video.

Conclusion

The concept for Device Stage is very good & useful. This feature can improve a lot the interaction people have with the devices connected to their computers. Unfortunately, it is up to hardware manufacturers to take full advantage of this feature. And, until Windows 7 gains a strong market share, they might be tempted to ignore it.

I would like to see also your opinions & views regarding this feature. Do you find it useful? Is there something you don't like about it?

Related articles:

How to Share a Printer with Your Network
Installing a Wireless Printer In Your Home Network
Importing Pictures from a Camera or Mobile Device into Windows 7
How to use the Resource Monitor in Windows 7