Hot damn, this looks impressive!

http://gizmodo.com/5365299/courier-first-details-of-microsofts-secret-tablet
(video embedded @ gizmodo)

Quote :

"It feels like the whole world is holding its breath for the Apple tablet. But maybe we've all been dreaming about the wrong device. This is Courier, Microsoft's astonishing take on the tablet. Courier is a real device, and we've heard that it's in the "late prototype" stage of development. It's not a tablet, it's a booklet. The dual 7-inch (or so) screens are multitouch, and designed for writing, flicking and drawing with a stylus, in addition to fingers. They're connected by a hinge that holds a single iPhone-esque home button. Statuses, like wireless signal and battery life, are displayed along the rim of one of the screens. On the back cover is a camera, and it might charge through an inductive pad, like the Palm Touchstone charging dock for Pre."

[Edited on September 22, 2009 at 11:56 PM. Reason : ]

9/22/2009 11:55:59 PM

man, that looks and sounds badass... now I am sure someone will come in here and tell me some shit on why it sucks...

9/23/2009 12:48:29 AM

lol? the amount of horsepower needed to pull off a UI with even half that fluidity with that much screen real estate is gonna be way tough in a box that small that doesn't get hot or make a lot of noise. a software keyboard (ergo style with half on each screen or landscape on 1side) is a must as well.

[Edited on September 23, 2009 at 1:00 AM. Reason : the entire underside of one of the screens would have to be a battery too]

9/23/2009 12:59:25 AM

Think of a newer, more powerful set of 7" Zune HD's hinged together. Small factor chipsets are growing leaps and bounds right now, first run Tegras are just the tip of the iceberg. This is completely doable.

9/23/2009 2:16:57 AM

looks pretty neat. then again, so did Surface. wake me up when it hits shelves

9/23/2009 7:58:08 AM

aren't they jumping the guy? they need to wait for apple to release a tablet so they know what to copy.

9/23/2009 9:00:40 AM

i NEED this

plz come in sub-$500

9/23/2009 9:01:12 AM

^^gun, perhaps? and yes, yes they are. haha

9/23/2009 9:16:50 AM

Quote :

"Small factor chipsets are growing leaps and bounds right now, first run Tegras are just the tip of the iceberg. This is completely doable."

Yep. The "you can't fit it in the form factor" argument is pretty much dead with the commercial Tegra chipsets.

And FYI, Microsoft makes devices like this all the time, but they are done as proof-of-concepts and ODM platforms. If it gets made it'll be through an ODM/OEM like Asus. Kind of a shame, I've seen a half dozen or so awesome working concept devices that never saw the light of day.

9/23/2009 2:00:08 PM

y'all remember message_topic.aspx?topic=391068?

9/23/2009 2:13:27 PM

^Yep. Little different game now. The technology has caught up, the form factory is larger and people understand these kinds of devices now thanks to Apple.

Good performance, good battery life, finger+pen touch make for a usable platform

9/23/2009 2:17:37 PM

I just hope i would be able to fold the left side over to the back. I can't write on a open notebook in my lap. Something like this isn't meant to be used on a desk - at least not in my world.

9/23/2009 8:56:02 PM