Microsoft A ‘Courier’ For Digital Content
Microsoft has lately been good at gaining ground in areas that aren’t typically its niche. The latest facet of this expansion could be with its still mythical tablet PC, the “Courier”. A few videos of this new device have been leaked and speculators are now desperate to get any information they can on this seemingly great new piece of technology. Some feel this could push aside the Apple Tablet and become to leading tablet PC, while others think it could have some limitations.
The leaked video reveals the Courier’s sleek, book like structure, in which the tablet unfolds into dual seven inch screens. It’s a touch and pen set up so there is no typing or keyboard involved and a write in stylus can be used. One cool feature evident in the video is the ability to scribble in URLs on the web browser as handwriting recognition deciphers it into the correct text. Another obvious plus is the fluidity between the two screens, acting as one extended monitor and allowing for items to be dragged, cut, pasted, modified and displayed across various programs. The drag to journal function allows for items to be clipped, stored and sorted from the web with extreme convenience. Literally the stroke of a brush will remove a section of online content, drag it to one’s ‘journal’, modify its format, annotate and highlight it, as well as save and share it. It is these functions, along with a built in camera, windows 7 operating system, as well as a slew of drawing and design tools, that have earned this tablet PC the nickname of the ‘infinite journal’.
But can Microsoft’s ‘Courier’ push aside the Apple Tablet and dominate this market? Some feel that this device will be much more of a next generation note-pad than an all purpose tablet. I suppose it does come off as a sort of digital planner, but with windows 7, internet connection, and dual touch screen displays, it seems to me like it could become a design staple. This would cover business execs and artists, but what about conventional PC users who want media capabilities? Microsoft has done nothing as of yet to indicate the Courier’s audio, video, and web app. functions, which could indicate that it is leaving it out somewhat and allowing the all purpose tablets, such as the Apple Tablet, to co-exist and handle these needs.
So the courier may be carving out its own slice of the portable PC market. Although it is still very distant from production in the development pipeline, sources say that Microsoft is considering making the device itself, which could in theory see it in stores mid-2010. I could see this device having a fairly wide appeal, and wonder whether Microsoft will lean more towards its design side or digital planner aspect. If some credible music and media functions are implemented than I could see the Courier replacing the current generation of PC tablets. How its development will rival that of the Apple Tablet will come down to execution. But with the increasing digitization of all content, the stakes are most definitely high.
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