Microsoft Surface 1.0 SP1: Getting Started Guide - Application Suite
Overview
There are three production-ready Microsoft Surface applications that you can download and deploy in your venue from Microsoft:
- Concierge 1.0 SP1
- Music 1.0 SP1
- Photos 1.0 SP1
These applications are optimized to run on Microsoft Surface 1.0 SP1. For more information about these articles, see their associated topics.
Note
If you are running Microsoft Surface 1.0 on your Microsoft Surface unit or computer instead of the current version (Microsoft Surface 1.0 SP1), you can download the previous versions of Concierge, Music, and Photos as part of Microsoft Surface Application Suite 1.0.
In addition, you can find a variety of sample applications to help demonstrate Surface features.
Concierge 1.0 SP1
Download: Microsoft Surface Concierge 1.0 SP1 (requires Microsoft Surface 1.0 SP1)
Microsoft Surface Concierge is a mapping application where you can create maps and menus for users to navigate, and you can highlight specific locations, such as your venue locations and locations in the surrounding area. Users can browse locations by categories, view the locations on a map, browse the map, and find driving directions to the locations. Concierge is a commercial production-quality application that you can deploy in your venue.
Concierge 1.0 SP1 is optimized to run on Microsoft Surface 1.0 SP1. With increased international support, users can view Concierge 1.0 SP1 in the following locations and languages:
- United States and Canada (en-US)
- United Kingdom (en-GB)
- France (fr-FR)
- Germany (de-DE)
- Spain (es-ES)
- Italy (it-IT)
For more information about the Concierge application, see the Concierge 1.0 SP1 Help documentation that is included with the Concierge download package. To configure Concierge, you can use the Concierge Administration tool to set up and customize the maps, points of interests, and other features of Concierge.
Concierge Overview
In Concierge, users interact with a card screen and a map screen.
Card Screen
When users open Concierge, Concierge displays the card screen. The card screen includes a map and different types of "cards" that users can interact with:
- Category cards list locations (called points of interest) for a specific category (for example, Restaurants or Bars & Clubs).
- The map card opens the map screen, which displays points of interests. (Users can also open the map from category cards.)
- Location cards include information about individual points of interest (for example, Coho Winery or Alpine Ski House).
- The search card enables users to search for the points of interest that you set up.
- The Reset button (http://i.technet.microsoft.com/dynimg/IC353817.jpg) moves all the cards back to their original locations.
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You can customize the card screen in the following ways:
- Create category cards (for example, Restaurants and Entertainment).
- Create subcategory filters for each category (for example, Restaurant subcategories might include Fast Food, Pizza, and Steak Houses).
- Decide which locations to include as points of interest and which categories and subcategories those locations fit in.
- Decide what location cards for specific points of interest should appear on the card screen (for example, Fourth Coffee or Woodgrove Bank).
- Add slide shows to point of interest cards.
Map Screen
Users can touch the map card on the card screen or interact with category cards to open the map screen. On the map screen, users can do the following:
- Explore the map.
- Switch between an illustrated road map that includes street names and an aerial map that is made from satellite images.
- Find their current location by going to the You are here location on the map.
- Find more information about a point of interest on the map.
- View a custom map that you associated with a point of interest on the Microsoft Virtual Earth map.
- Get driving directions from their current location to a point of interest.
- Print their directions. (This feature is an optional feature that you can enable.)
- Go back to the card screen.
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Users can explore a map by panning it, rotating it, and zooming in and out. Users can touch a point of interest to open a location card with information and images. On a location card, users can touch the Get directions button (http://i.technet.microsoft.com/dynimg/IC353820.jpg) to receive directions to the point of interest from their current location (the You are here location). If you enable and set up a printer, users can print their directions. They can also touch the Back button (http://i.technet.microsoft.com/dynimg/IC353821.jpg) to go back to the card screen.
When you configure Concierge, you can recommend points of interest. Recommended points of interest are the only points of interest that appear on the map when users touch the map card on the card screen.
Example Concierge Scenarios
You can use the Concierge application to highlight locations around your venue, and you can highlight attractions inside your venue. For example, if your venue is an airport, you might highlight the layout of the airport (including all the shops and attractions) and all the local sites around the airport. If your venue is a mall, you might include categories to divide the stores, but you might also include a custom category for the larger stores in the mall, highlighting specific departments in each store.
The following scenarios describe some example scenarios.
Scenario 1: Theme Park
A user approaches a Microsoft Surface unit in a hotel next to a theme park. She opens Concierge and taps the map card to open the main map. The screen changes to the Microsoft Virtual Earth map that displays some of the recommended locations outside and around the theme park. She sees that one of those locations on the Virtual Earth map is for the theme park. She taps the location to open a card that includes information about the park and a button to open a map of the park. She opens the map of the theme park to get a quick overview. She then exits the park map and taps the Close this map button to return to the Virtual Earth map, and then she taps the Back button to go back to the card screen.
There are custom category cards on the card screen (new category cards that feature each land within the theme park). One of those category cards is named Future Land, after a land in the theme park. She taps the card to open it. The Future Land points of interest are divided into subcategories that include Rides, Restaurants, Shops, and Restrooms. She taps a ride and goes to the custom Future Land map (all the locations in the Future Land category open on the Future Land map).
Later, she is in Future Land and approaches a Microsoft Surface unit. She opens Concierge and taps the map card to open the main map. The screen changes to a custom map of Future Land that was set as the main map. The map shows the recommended attractions inside Future Land. After browsing the map, she then taps the Close this map button to go back to the card screen. Instead of the Future Land category card, there is now a card titled "Outside the Park." She taps that card and opens several categories. She opens the Restaurant subcategory, taps a restaurant, and then taps Show on a map to see the restaurant on the Virtual Earth map.
Scenario 2: Casino
A user approaches a Microsoft Surface unit in a casino. He opens Concierge and taps the map card to open the main map. The screen changes to a custom map with the casino's floor plan that displays some of the recommended shows and attractions. He taps one location. A card opens to show that it is a comedy show. He then taps the Close this map button to go back to the card screen. There are custom category cards on the card screen (new category cards that feature other locations). One of those category cards is named after a nearby casino, and another category is named "Local Night Clubs." He taps that category, he chooses the "Jazz Club" subcategory, he taps a particular club, and then he taps Show on a map to see the club on a Virtual Earth map.
Scenario 3: Store
A user approaches a Microsoft Surface unit in a store that sells devices. She opens Concierge, opens a category card for the phone section of the store, taps a subcategory that is a brand name of phones, taps the specific phone, and then taps Show on a map on the phone's card. The screen changes to a floor map of the store. She sees detailed information about the phone and knows exactly where the phone is in the store.
Scenario 4: Cruise Ship
A user approaches a Microsoft Surface unit on the upper deck of a cruise ship. He opens Concierge and taps the map card to open the main map. The screen changes to a custom map with the ship’s upper deck floor plan that displays the recommended shows and attractions. He taps one location. A card opens to show that it is a casino. He then taps the Close this map button to go back to the card screen.
There are custom category cards on the card screen. One of those custom category cards is named "Lower Deck." He taps that category, he chooses the "Restaurant" subcategory, he taps a restaurant, and then he taps Show on a map to see the restaurant on a custom map of the lower deck. He then taps the Close this map button to go back to the card screen.
He taps another custom category card titled "Bermuda." Because the cruise ship is stopping in Bermuda, he wants to see what his options are. While the Shops subcategory is opened, he taps Show all locations on a map. A Virtual Earth map opens and shows all the recommended shops in a coastal town in Bermuda.
Customizing Concierge for Your Business
Concierge creates an opportunity for businesses to engage users and sponsor partners through a unique, interactive experience that uses Microsoft Surface. Users can navigate maps and menus, browse locations by categories, directly search for locations, view local attractions and other locations on a map, and find and print directions. Customize the Concierge application to create a return on investment, increase customer satisfaction, and differentiate from competition in the industry.
Customize the Concierge application in the following ways:
Deliver brand awareness with a customized background image and with a logo on point of interest cards and several screens in the application.
Create a unique customer experience by including customized category and subcategory names, card colors, icon images, points of interest background images, and category card background images.
Customize the application for each Microsoft Surface unit by adding locations or points of interest and specific text and images for each location.
Create marketing opportunities by adding other branches of the business, partner locations, or co-branded venues as points of interest and by including images, videos, or slide shows on the cards.
Achieve flexibility by selecting the Microsoft Virtual Earth map or a custom map as the main map. With the Virtual Earth map, add custom maps (such as the floor plan of a building) and link them to locations on the Virtual Earth map.
Deliver functionality by enabling users to print directions and view customized print messages on the screen.
Increased reach through international support for operating systems beyond English and viewing in several international markets.
Easier installation and configuration through updated administrative features and an individual Concierge 1.0 SP1 installer.
Music 1.0 SP1
Download: Microsoft Surface Music 1.0 SP1 (requires Microsoft Surface 1.0 SP1)
Microsoft Surface Music is a music-listening application to which you can add your music album collection, including albums and songs from CDs or digital downloads, to a Microsoft Surface unit for users to browse and listen to. Users can browse through albums, select songs, and play them from the playlist. The Music application does not enable users to add their own music at this time. Music is a commercial production-quality application that you can deploy in your venue.
Note
If you will use the Music application in a public venue, check with your legal department about proper licenses because you might be required to obtain public performance licenses from music performance societies, such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.
With increased international support, users can view Music 1.0 SP1 in the following locations and languages:
United States and Canada (en-US)
United Kingdom (en-GB)
France (fr-FR)
Germany (de-DE)
Spain (es-ES)
Italy (it-IT)
For more information about the Music application, see the Music 1.0 SP1 Help documentation that is included with the Music download package. To configure Music, you can use the Music Administration tool.
The rest of this topic includes:
Music Overview
When users start Music, they see the player in the center of the Microsoft Surface screen. You can set up which albums and custom collections you want to load and scatter on the screen around the playlist. The rest of the albums and collections are displayed in the scroller and sorted alphabetically by genre.
You can also add your own songs, albums, and custom collections, or change the background image, set the default volume, and enable the global music feature so that users can hear songs in Music while they interact with other Microsoft Surface applications.
Music includes 10 sample albums (for demonstration only) that are installed unless you choose not to install them in the Microsoft Surface Application Suite setup.
Player
The player is a control in Music that enables users to control, organize, and play songs.
The front of the player shows the album art of the currently playing song. Users can move, resize, and rotate the player, and they can pause a song, play a paused song, skip to the next song, skip to the previous song, and adjust the volume.
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Users can also touch the front of the player to turn it over. The back of the player shows the playlist, which lists songs in the order that they will play. (When Music starts, the player automatically turns over to show the playlist.)
On the back of the player, users can scroll through the list of songs, play or pause a song, skip to the next or previous song, adjust the volume, change the order of songs, add songs to the playlist, and remove songs from the playlist. They can touch the top of the playlist to turn it over to the front of the player. Users can also clear all the songs off the playlist by touching the Clear the playlist button.
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You can set up the default volume level for the Music application. You can also set up custom collections so that you can feature songs or other audio clips from albums.
Albums
Albums represent music albums or custom collections that you add to Music. Users interact with albums and collections in the same way.
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Users can interact with the albums from all sides of the Microsoft Surface unit at the same time and move, resize, and rotate them.
The front of each album includes an image for the album (the album art). Microsoft Windows Media Player (or the digital download that you might have purchased) automatically adds album art that is associated with the albums that you add to the Music application.
Users can touch anywhere on the front of the album to turn it over and see the song list on the back side. On the back side of an album, users can add songs to the bottom of the playlist by dragging songs to the playlist. Users can also touch the songs to play them immediately. To turn over the album back to the front side, users can touch the top of the album.
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You can also add custom collections to the Music application, and you can add your own album art on the front side of the collections. These custom collections have the same features as albums.
Scroller
All of the albums and collections in Music are displayed in the scroller. The scroller displays content (albums and custom collections) in a horizontal row, with the name of the current genre category on the top of the scroller. Users can select a different genre by touching the category menu, scrolling through the menu, and then touching a different genre. Users can also scroll the scroller to the left or right to see content in other genres.
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Users can move content out of the scroller and scatter it on the Microsoft Surface screen by dragging it by using their fingers. Users can move content back into the scroller in the same way. When users move content out of the scroller, the content appears dimmed in the scroller.
Users can also move, rotate, and resize the scroller by touching any area on the scroller except the category menu or the middle scroll area on the scroller. The scroller always appears on top of the albums and collections (except any content that users are currently moving or scaling).
You can decide which content (albums and custom collections) is scattered on the Microsoft Surface screen when users first open Music. The content that is already scattered on the screen when Music starts appears dimmed in the scroller.
Interacting with the Music Application
Users can interact with Music by using various gestures. They can move an album (or the player or a custom collection) by dragging it, or they can move it quickly by flicking it across the screen. They can also rotate an album by touching one corner or side with one finger and moving the finger around the center of the album, or by touching the album with two fingers and moving both fingers in a circle around the album in the same direction (clockwise or counterclockwise).
Users can also scroll through the song list on the back of an album, custom collection, or the player by dragging the list up or down. To add a song to the playlist, users can drag the song into the player. To play a song in the player, they can touch the song.To change the order of songs in the playlist, users can drag a song out of the playlist to one of the sides (not the top or bottom), and then move it back into the playlist to a new location. To remove a song from the playlist, they can drag a song out of a side of the playlist.
Note
To change the order of the songs or to remove a song, users must drag the song out of the playlist to the left or right side. If they drag the song up or down, the playlist scrolls instead.
Users can remove all the songs from the playlist by touching Clear the playlist, and then touching Clear all the songs. Users can also pause a song, play it, skip ahead to the next song, skip back to the last song, and change the volume.
Users can also scale the back of an album or collection by touching the top of bottom of the album with two fingers and then moving the fingers closer together or farther apart. Users can also scale the playlist to see more songs in the list.
Example Music Scenarios
The following scenarios describe some examples of how you can use Music.
You can use Music to play entertaining songs in your venue (which might match your venue’s theme). You can use music albums or create custom collections that include your staff’s favorite songs, popular songs, a genre, or another particular theme (such as beach songs, songs about New York City, or love songs).
If your venue includes entertainment shows (such as comedy shows or concerts), the albums and custom collections might feature audio clips from the shows. If your venue is a retail store, the albums and custom collections might feature ring tones, advertisements, or audio instructions. If the Microsoft Surface unit is on a cruise ship, you might want to include clips from books on tape. (These scenarios require manually adding information about audio clips in Microsoft Windows Media Player. For more information, see the Windows Media Player Help.)
After you configure Music, you might want to change the title, description, icon, and preview of Music that appears in the Launcher on Microsoft Surface units (for example, if you are highlighting ring tones in the Music application, "Music" might not be the best title).
Customizing Music for Your Business
Music presents an opportunity to attract customers to a social experience around music. Users can listen to songs, browse songs on albums, browse custom collections by genre, and control their playlist. Add a digital music library to Microsoft Surface units to create a unique experience for users.
Customize the Music application in the following ways:
Deliver brand awareness with a customized background image.
Create a differentiated experience by adding music to the included library to attract users who have various tastes in music.
Establish brand awareness by creating customized albums with any songs on the Surface unit, including the album artwork, album title, and song list.
Control the user experience by choosing which albums scatter on the screen when the application opens and by using the global music control to play the music when a user switches applications.
Increased reach through international support for operating systems beyond English and viewing in several international markets.
Flexible installation and configuration through an individual Music 1.0 SP1 installer.
Photos 1.0 SP1
Download: Microsoft Surface Photos 1.0 SP1 (requires Microsoft Surface 1.0 SP1)
Microsoft Surface Photos enables users to browse and control photos and videos. The Photos application is a commercial production-quality application that you can deploy in your venue, and it includes default content that you can use. You can also add your own photos and videos to the default content or replace the default content with your own photos and videos. And you can replace the background image of Photos and rename the Photos application if you want to tailor it for a specific purpose or topic.
For more information about the Photos application, see the Photos Help documentation that is included with the Photos application.
The rest of this topic includes:
Photos Overview
When users first open the Photos application, it shows five photos and videos scattered over the screen and the stack, which is a circular container that contains a stack of photos.
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Users can scatter as many photos and videos as they want over the Microsoft Surface screen. People standing on all sides of the Microsoft Surface unit can interact with the photos and videos at the same time by moving, rotating, and resizing them.
Videos include a button in the center of the image that users can use to play and pause the video. (When users play a video, the pause button moves to the bottom. When users pause a video, the pause button changes to a play button, and the play button eventually moves back to the middle of the image.)
Users can move, resize, and rotate videos, even while they are playing. However, only two videos can play at the same time. When a video is large enough, users can also drag the video's playback slider and adjust the volume.
Stack and Scroller
All the photos and videos in Photos are displayed in the stack and scroller. (If you include less than 20 pieces of content [photos or videos], Photos does not use the stack or scroller. Instead, Photos scatters all the photos and videos on the Microsoft Surface screen.)
The five photos and videos that are scattered on the Microsoft Surface screen when Photos is first opened are the first five photos or videos in the library of Photos content. (The photos and videos are listed alphabetically by category and then by the file name of the photo or video.) If none of the first five pieces of content are videos, the first video (listed alphabetically) in the first category (also listed alphabetically) is displayed with the first four photos.
When Photos first opens, the content is organized with the stack. The stack is a circular container that displays the content as a stack of photos and videos. (The stack does not display content that is scattered on the Microsoft Surface screen.) With the stack, users can do the following:
Touch or flick the top content (photo or video) to send it to the bottom of the stack; the next item in the stack moves to the top.
When a video appears on the top of the stack, play videos by touching the play button.
Touch a corner of the content on the bottom of the stack to move it back to the top.
Move content out of the stack and scatter it on the Microsoft Surface screen by dragging it.
Move content back into the stack by dragging it back onto the stack.
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The name of the current category appears on the top of the stack. This name is the category menu. Users can touch the name, slide a finger up and down to scroll through the names of other categories, and touch again to select the category that they want.
The scroller is another view of the content. It displays content (photos and videos) in two horizontal rows, with the name of the current category on the top of the scroller. Like the stack, users can move content out of the scroller and scatter it on the Microsoft Surface screen by dragging it with a finger. Users can also move it back into the scroller in the same way. Unlike the stack, when users move content out of the scroller, the content appears dimmed in the scroller (instead of not appearing at all, like in the stack). Users can change the category just as they do with the stack (by touching the category menu), or they can scroll the scroller to the right or left to see other categories.
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Users can also move, rotate, and resize the stack and the scroller. To move, rotate, or scale the stack or scroller, users must touch around the content and not touch the content, the menu list on the stack and scroller, or the middle scroll area on the scroller. The stack and the scroller include the Change View button (http://i.technet.microsoft.com/dynimg/IC353742.jpg) on the bottom that users can touch to switch between the views. No matter which view appears, it always appears on top of all the photo and video content (except any content that users are currently moving or scaling).
Categories
Categories correspond to folders of photos and videos on the Microsoft Surface unit. Categories appear alphabetically in Photos by their corresponding folder name, and the photos and videos within them are displayed alphabetically by file name. (Users do not ever see the file names.)
Photos includes the following default categories:
Animals
Beaches
Cities
Flowers
Nature
People
Memory Cards
The Photos application includes the functionality to read photos and videos from a memory card. If you set up a media card reader and configure Photos to use the memory card feature, users can insert their memory card into the media card reader and then their photo and video content temporarily replaces the venue content in Photos with their photo and video content. When users remove the memory card, the venue content returns.
(The memory card content is cached and is never stored in memory. When users remove their memory cards, the content is completely removed from the Microsoft Surface unit.)
When users insert a memory card, the content from the card animates on the screen. You can specify the media card reader's location so that the memory card content animates in from the direction of the media card reader.
For guidelines about which media card reader to use with Photos, download the Microsoft Surface Media Card Reader Guidelines.
Featured Content
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You can select a photo or video (called the featured content) to be one of the five pieces of content that appear when Photos starts. For example, this content might highlight attractions or might be a Help video that explains how to use Photos or any other applications on the Microsoft Surface unit.
Photos does not include default featured content.
Interacting with Photos
Users can move content (a photo, a video, the stack, or the scroller) in Photos by dragging it or flicking it across the Microsoft Surface screen. Users can rotate content with one finger by touching a corner or side and moving their finger around the center of the content, or with two fingers by moving both fingers in a circle in the same direction (clockwise or counterclockwise). Users can also resize content with two fingers by moving their fingers closer together or farther apart.
Example Photos Scenarios
You can use the Photos application to display a wide variety of content. You can show photos and videos of your venue, or you can show the local sites and attractions. Your videos could be Help videos (how to use Photos or other applications), videos about how to do something in your venue or how to use your products, videos of employees answering frequently asked questions about your venue or products, or even video logs from the venue manager or company president.
You could rename the application to "Videos" and include only videos. You could rename it to "Shows" and fill the Photos application with posters and videos of your shows. Or, you could rename it to "Products" and feature advertisement images of your products, videos of the products in use, or even videos of TV commercials.
After you configure Photos, you might want to change the title, description, icon, and preview of Photos that appear in Launcher on Microsoft Surface units.
You can also set up where the content appears from when Photos first opens or when users insert a memory card. For example, when Photos first opens, if you want your venue content to appear from the direction of a hotel lobby information desk, you could set the position of the content to animate in from that direction.
Customizing Photos for Your Business
Photos enables businesses to show photos and videos to users on a Surface unit, including default content or their own content. Users can view and share content, browse content by categories in the stack and scroller, control videos, and explore their own content by using a media card reader.
Customize the Photos application in the following ways:
Deliver brand awareness with a customized background image.
Create marketing opportunities by adding images or videos of products, services, shows, other branches of the business, partner locations, or co-branded venues.
Create a unique customer experience by installing a media card reader to let users add their own photos and videos to share with others on the Surface unit.
Increased reach through international support for operating systems beyond English and viewing in several international markets.
Flexible installation and configuration through an individual Photos 1.0 SP1 installer.