diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index db25993c..6e6c6fb0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@
               ".git",
               "env",
               "venv"
-            ]
+            ],
+            "description": "Files to be ignored by Pymakr."
           },
           "pymakr.advancedMode": {
             "type": "boolean",
@@ -135,9 +136,15 @@
               "type": "string"
             },
             "default": [
-              ".*"
+              "manufacturer=Pycom",
+              "manufacturer=Pycom Ltd.",
+              "manufacturer=FTDI",
+              "manufacturer=Microsoft",
+              "manufacturer=Microchip Technology, Inc.",
+              "manufacturer=1a86"
             ],
-            "description": "Filter devices to include in the devices list. Uses regular expression. Will not include devices that match the exclude list."
+
+            "description": "Filter devices to include in the devices list. Uses regular expression. Matches can be done against any property, eg. \"Microsoft\" or against a specific property, eg. \"manufacturer=Microsoft\r\n\r\nFor a list of available devices, run the command \"list devices\"."            
           },
           "pymakr.devices.exclude": {
             "type": "array",
@@ -145,7 +152,7 @@
               "type": "string"
             },
             "default": [],
-            "description": "Filter devices to exclude from the devices list. Uses regular expression. Takes precedence over includes."
+            "description": "Same as Devices: Include, but for exclude. Excluded devices will not show, even if listed in the include list."
           }
         }
       },
@@ -208,6 +215,10 @@
       ]
     },
     "commands": [
+      {
+        "command": "pymakr.listDevices",
+        "title": "List devices"
+      },
       {
         "command": "pymakr.resetDevice",
         "title": "Hard reset device"
diff --git a/src/PyMakr.js b/src/PyMakr.js
index 8c9b2ca8..35ba3e33 100644
--- a/src/PyMakr.js
+++ b/src/PyMakr.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const { writable } = require("./utils/store");
 const { coerceDisposable } = require("./utils/misc");
 const manifest = require("../package.json");
 const { createVSCodeHelpers } = require("./utils/vscodeHelpers");
+const { TextDocumentProvider } = require("./providers/TextDocumentProvider");
 
 /**
  * Pymakr is the root class and scope of the extension.
@@ -58,6 +59,8 @@ class PyMakr {
     /** Provides device access for the file explorer */
     this.fileSystemProvider = new FileSystemProvider(this);
 
+    this.textDocumentProvider = new TextDocumentProvider(this)
+
     this.registerWithIde();
     this.setup();
   }
@@ -74,6 +77,7 @@ class PyMakr {
       vscode.workspace.registerFileSystemProvider("telnet", this.fileSystemProvider, { isCaseSensitive: true }),
       vscode.window.registerTreeDataProvider("pymakr-projects-tree", this.projectsProvider),
       vscode.window.registerTreeDataProvider("pymakr-devices-tree", this.devicesProvider),
+      vscode.workspace.registerTextDocumentContentProvider("pymakrDocument", this.textDocumentProvider),
       vscode.workspace.onDidChangeConfiguration(this.onUpdatedConfig.bind(this)),
       vscode.window.registerTerminalProfileProvider("pymakr.terminal-profile", {
         provideTerminalProfile: () => ({
@@ -98,7 +102,7 @@ class PyMakr {
   /**
    * Registers usb devices and scans for projects in workspace
    */
-   async setup() {
+  async setup() {
     await Promise.all([this.devicesStore.registerUSBDevices(), this.registerProjects()]);
     await this.recoverProjects();
     this.projectsProvider.refresh(); // tell the provider that projects were updated
diff --git a/src/commands/index.js b/src/commands/index.js
index b8fb117a..165e810f 100644
--- a/src/commands/index.js
+++ b/src/commands/index.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ const { mkdirSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } = require("fs");
 const { writeFile } = require("fs").promises;
 const vscode = require("vscode");
 const { msgs } = require("../utils/msgs");
-const { mapEnumsToQuickPick, getRelativeFromNearestParent } = require("../utils/misc");
+const { mapEnumsToQuickPick } = require("../utils/misc");
 const { relative } = require("path");
 
 /**
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ class Commands {
   }
 
   commands = {
+    // todo link to this command from configuration's "Devices: Include" section
+    listDevices: async () => {
+      let uri = vscode.Uri.parse("pymakrDocument:" + "Pymakr: available devices");
+      let doc = await vscode.workspace.openTextDocument(uri); // calls back into the provider
+      await vscode.window.showTextDocument(doc, { preview: false });
+    },
     /**
      * Reboot device
      * @param {DeviceTreeItem} treeItem
@@ -320,7 +326,7 @@ class Commands {
       device.disconnect();
     },
     /**
-     * Creates a new terminal. If a terminal already exists for the given device, prompt 
+     * Creates a new terminal. If a terminal already exists for the given device, prompt
      * the user if they want to to open a new shared terminal or the existing terminal
      * @param {ProjectDeviceTreeItem} treeItem
      */
diff --git a/src/providers/TextDocumentProvider.js b/src/providers/TextDocumentProvider.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3ef03470
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/providers/TextDocumentProvider.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+const { SerialPort } = require("serialport");
+const vscode = require("vscode");
+const { serializeKeyValuePairs } = require("../utils/misc");
+
+/**
+ * @implements {vscode.TextDocumentContentProvider}
+ */
+class TextDocumentProvider {
+  /**
+   * @param {PyMakr} pymakr
+   */
+  constructor(pymakr) {
+    this.pymakr = pymakr;
+  }
+
+  provideTextDocumentContent(uri) {
+    const doc = this.paths[uri.path];
+    if(typeof doc === 'undefined') throw new Error('could not find pymakr document: ' + uri.toString())
+    return doc()
+  }
+
+  paths = {
+    'Pymakr: available devices': async () => {
+      const devices = await SerialPort.list();
+      const devicesStr = devices.map((e) => serializeKeyValuePairs(e)).join("\r\n\r\n");
+
+      return devicesStr;
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+module.exports = { TextDocumentProvider };