Earlier, I recorded a 5 minutes video explaining how one can use Windows 8 with mouse. In that video, I forgot to explain very basic conception behind Apps bar & Charms bar in windows 8. So, I have recorded below 2 minutes video to explain the analogy behind Apps bar and Charms bar in Windows 8. However, if you have not saw the first video, I will recommend you to see it first since below video builds over it.
Apps Bar
Apps bar slides up from top and bottom side. You can show up the App bar by right clicking when in the Windows 8 App or even when on the Start screen. Apps bar show APP SPECIFIC or EVEN CONTEXT SPECIFIC menus/options.
Chrams bar shows the MOST COMMON OPTIONS THAT EVERY APP CAN HAVE.
They are four:
Apps Bar
Apps bar slides up from top and bottom side. You can show up the App bar by right clicking when in the Windows 8 App or even when on the Start screen. Apps bar show APP SPECIFIC or EVEN CONTEXT SPECIFIC menus/options.
- For example, when in an app, you select some item, then App bar may slide up with the options to edit that item.
- The top App bar usually show navigation options. For example tabs in Internet Explorer 10.
Chrams bar shows the MOST COMMON OPTIONS THAT EVERY APP CAN HAVE.
They are four:
- Search Charm: Almost every app have search functionality. You may search hash-tag or twitter handle in twitter client. You may search a word in a dictionary app. All this will be done through Settings charm.
- Share Charm: Many apps share content with other apps. For example you may share an article from News app to People app (on facebook or twitter). You may share/recommend an app from Store app to twitter client say MetroTwit. All this occur through Share charm.
- Devices Charm: Many apps may need to connect to different devices. For example secondary monitor/external digital camera. This occur through the Devices Charm
- Settings Charm: It shows the settings related to currently viewed program in the upper area and the general PC settings (such as screen brightness, network settings, power options) in the bottom area. Thus, when on the Start screen, it shows settings pertaining to the Tiles etc, and when on some app, it shows settings related to that app (for example, when running Internet Explorer, then it shows Internet options), in the upper area.
Apart from this, Charms bar shows a Windows button at the center, which allows to switch back and forth from App to Start screen.