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(Confidential) Revision 1.2
Geode™
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01
1.0
User Interface
The National Semiconductor WebPAD™ system’s tablet
user interface is simple and easy to use. It consists of an
interactive touch screen, scroll pad, and several user-con-
figurable buttons. Speakers and a microphone are built in.
Additionally, several ports have been added to the side of
the tablet to allow for connectivity to USB devices such as,
an external keyboard, headphones and an external micro-
phone.
The main way to interact with the tablet is through the
touch screen. Links and menus are accessed by touching
the screen directly over their titles. Additionally, the touch
screen is sensitive enough to allow for handwriting recog-
nition software to be used as a means of inputting charac-
ters. The touch screen on the tablet works with any type of
pointer, from a stylus (included) to the simple touch of a
finger.
All of the buttons on the tablet, including the scroll pad,
are user-configurable, except the power button. The user
can change the definition of the buttons by entering the
system configuration mode (see section 2.0 "System Con-
figuration"). Some of the buttons suggest clearly defined
operations, like the scroll pad, but the definitions are
changeable.
To input text, whether for an email, search criteria, or to
enter a URL, a virtual keyboard is available. The keypad
works the same as a normal keyboard and is accessed
from the QNX menu button or the Virtual Keyboard task
box at the bottom of the screen. The user touches the
screen just above the desired key and the letter appears
next to the cursor.
1.1
GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE
When the tablet finishes booting, the graphical user inter-
face (GUI) is started, as shown in Figure 1. The GUI con-
tains a window area and a task bar. The background of
the window area contains an application launcher. Touch-
ing either the icon or button beneath the icon invokes the
desired application. When applications are invoked, their
windows reside in this area.
The task bar contains a menu button and two icons in the
lower right corner for the virtual keyboard and RF link sta-
tus. The menu button is labeled “QNX” and offers the user
another method of launching applications. To use the
menu, touch the QNX button and then the desired appli-
cation.
Touching either of the icons in the lower right corner starts
the corresponding application. A task box then appears
on the task bar (see sections 1.1.2 "RF Link Icon" and
1.1.3 "Virtual Keyboard Icon").
FIGURE 1. Application Launcher Screen
QNX
®
Menu Button
Invoke
Email Reader
Invoke
News Reader
Invoke Web Browser
RF Link Icon
Virtual Keyboard Icon
Task Bar
Window Area
