Okay, it’s not really alive. They stuck a fork in that poor bastard for good. That said, they seemed to like the form factor enough to patent it — if not anything else about the device. If the dimensions shown here reflect what the device really would have been like, I miss it more than ever. Pretenders like the Kno will never win my heart, Courier! You’re always be the only dual-screen touch device for me!* *Probably not true [via TechFlash] → Read More
The Microsoft Courier might be dead at Microsoft, but Sony just filed a patent that describes almost the exact same thing — but better. → Read More
The Microsoft Courier will never make it out of Microsoft’s labs and into consumers hands. The project is dead. Kaput. Finished. At least that’s what two sources told Gizmodo.
Apparently the Courier team got an email from Microsoft execs that stated the project will “no longer be supported,” which pretty much means the project is dead. Even though it’s somewhat surprising that the project was axed seeing as it was reportedly close to completion, it’s not unheard of in other industries for companies to spend untold fortunes on a concept just for the hell of it. → Read More
So if you’re still interested in the Courier tablet, Microsoft will be releasing it in 2011. In case you haven’t paid attention these past few weeks, the Courier is Microsoft’s double-screened tablet aimed at, apparently, a market consisting of folks who may or may not want to own an iPad or any of the other *pads that may appear in the next year. → Read More
Hmm. What does this remind me of? Oh, that’s right, the Courier. The ability to use both finger and pen on the Courier concept seems like it would benefit from these UI elements — and probably is. I doubt the two projects could be working on ideas so complementary and not be aware of each other. Or could they? Whatever the case, it looks pretty cool. When I talk about touch-based interfaces, I think of stuff like that little pull-out toolbar and natural gestures like holding something down with one hand and tapping it with another — not the multi-touch-for-baby of the iPad/iPhone interface. → Read More
Ever since we saw those first leaked shots and videos of Microsoft’s Courier, we’ve all been itching for more. I personally thought it was particularly wonderful, and was dismayed when they decided to show off a lackluster Windows 7 tablet at CES.
I’ve asked about the Courier at very nearly every Microsoft event I’ve gone to, and asked all my contacts to keep their ears to the ground… but Engadget, damn their eyes, got to them first! Well, I’m just happy to see my baby again. → Read More
The trickle of news about Microsoft’s Courier device continues, and this time there’s a bit more of a realistic walkthrough. The device is being shown to be much more of a next-generation notepad than all-purpose tablet, and that’s probably for the best; Microsoft overreaching with a device like this could result in a real crash and burn. I suppose the best way to picture the Courier is just as a web-connected organizer — you know, one of those leather-bound ones that business people used to have, and which the Courier seems clearly designed after.
Of course, with an internet connection and full-color touchscreen, much more is enabled and the device becomes much more complicated. Microsoft’s (and Pioneer’s) task has been to pare that down to a product, and it really looks like they’ve done it right. → Read More
Well, that’s it, I guess. The CrunchPad and Apple Tablet had a good run (in their mysterious ways), but Microsoft has come out of left field to deliver what appears to be the coolest tablet-like computer we’ve ever seen. Those lucky ducks over at Gizmodo appear to have a pretty solid exclusive on it, though, but I’m burning through my little black book of Microsoft guys to get more info. → Read More
