We know, we know -- you're probably still waiting for the Apple tablet that'll never come, but how's about a prototype alternative from said outfit's arch enemy to tide you over? Gizmodo has just let slip details surrounding what was previously a top secret project deep within the lairs of Redmond, but given that this is more of an advanced proof of concept than anything else, we're doing our best to curb our inner enthusiasm about a near-term release. We're told that the folding device could eventually ship with dual 7-inch displays, both of which support multitouch gestures and can also be controlled via a stylus. It should too boast a camera and possibly an inductive charging pad on the rear, though we can't help but be a wee bit frightened by hearing that the user interface is "complex." Essentially, the Courier is a touch-friendly, two-screen tablet that can't let go of the tried-and-true pen input method, and your guess is as good as ours when it comes to purpose. Though, something tells us ASUS might just have the answer. Video's after the break.
I would rather have both screens full quality. If they build it right with dual tegra processors they could really stretch out the battery life.
Microsoft really excels in their stylus input, it's virtually 100% correct recognition when I used it 2 years ago, i can only imagine it's gotten even better. I'm also seeing more tablets around campus, something like this would be outstanding for work and classes.
Apple has no need to leak a late prototype of it's tablet. Apple's tablet will be for sale, this Courier concept device won't (at least not in the near future). Microsoft just threw this out as an attention getter and I can see it really is exciting the Engadget crew who have generally been negative towards tablets and insisting tablets can't possibly become mass market items.
What is it with your obsession with touch and anti-stylus? Touch is great for some things, keyboards are great for others, and styluses can fall somewhere in between. Inking is far easier and more natural with a stylus...as long as you can do both touch and stylus, why WOULDN'T you offer both? Touch is not the answer to every input problem! Do not believe the hype!
You don't get it, do ya? Stylus input is more conventional in official or academic settings. Honestly speaking, I feel much better using a tablet pc and inputting data with stylus than when I just use the keyboard.
Sure, finger touch input has it's advantages, but you lose that conventionality.
THANK YOU! Some of us use tablets all day for digital art and photo editing! This thing would be a graphic designer/illustrators dream portable powerhouse. I'm giddy right now just thinking about it! (it doesn't take much but seriously this is awesome)
This looks amazing. A proper digital companion that comes in a practical form factor and looks genuinely useful. Would be fantastic for working, reading and web browsing.
I'm loving the whole design shown on the video. But let's just hope this doesn't get bogged down by the inevitable integration with Windows and Office suites.
Also, while it might probably affect the multi-touch experience, it would be amazing if they could replicate the feel of pen against paper.
Been looking forward to something like this for years.
Looks great but the software has shitty flow logic. God dammit I hope thats just something MS is dreaming about. I want a great tablet that allows me to write digitally and type with a virtual keyboard and then allows me to have the freedom to do anything with it. I would love it to be installed with a version of windows so i can easily use vb.net to write some nice little apps without learning some new app to program.
Chances are, if you were to write apps for this device, you would write it with vb.net, or C++, or C#.
.NET is on nearly every Microsoft device. You don't have to learn anything new. All you would have to do is study up on new API's for the hardware functions. Otherwise, I don't see MS using anything but .NET for all of their hardware.
it does has two screen. i would imagine that they would allow you to turn it vertically and a virtual keyboard would pop up on th lower screen. thats the logical approach. and if it only took me a couple of seconds to think of that idea. I'm sure Microsoft has thought of it as well, plus the guys who make and design these things a pretty bright. I'm also sure it will have many new and innovative features. this looks like that one netbook that is supposed to come out for kids in impoverished countries. (1 laptop for every child) i think. Microsoft procured this idea from them. i saw a video of kids playing pong on a device like this with multi touch screen. it is irrelevant who pioneered the idea. im just happy that such great extraterrestrial tech is poping up from mircosoft now a days. lol
Gizmodo has the infos and says that it's in "late prototype status". Engadget copies that info, adds a ton of snark and headlines "isn't near production".
And really, take a look at Gizmodo's video and tell me again - what about that UI is "complex"?
Mr Murph, how about a little less bias? Is it really too much to ask for more facts and less stupid, unsourced blablaing?
Mr. Murph would probably prefer both screens to just house a grid of icons with the apps you want to run, and nothing else at all.
If theres more going on than that, then its too complex.
I see one action screen, and one journal screen. Get info from the left using your hand. Compile notes and mesh that information on the right (ill assume it switches based on your dominant hand).
On second thought, my head is about to explode. I'm so confused. Which side do i write notes on again?
Read enough to be able to come to that conclusion. And based on the level of rank our comments received, we are not the only ones that believe this. After reading the article about the Hybrid Mercedes. http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/12/mercedes-benz-vision-s-500-its-the-plug-in-hybrid-for-old-peop/ I was taken back on how little he knew of how Mercedes revealed their autos for press. Gaudy stickers are their forte. For all of their models... not just ones that Darren Murph feels are for 70+y/o's Then, the very next day - http://www.engadget.com/tag/prius/ a Prius, covered in stickers, but is for the kids of today. These are only two of his worst articles that I can think of off the top of my head lately. I use them because it really shows off his biased, and hypocritical ramblings.
I don't know about this whole tablet idea... I've used tablets, and honestly, the thrill of selecting things with a stylus or your finger gets old really, really fast. The only use I can find for tablets are in the art and note-taking world. Doing things (such as posting a comment on engadget) are 10x easier with a keyboard and mouse than having to awkwardly write it.
Have you watched the video? Seriously, you can tell the purpose of this is to organize workflow and whatnot. I agree a keyboard is nice, but for note-taking and such, tablets are almost undeniably better.
it'll run some form of windows so im sure someone will find a way to turn one screen into a display and the other into a 7 inch touchscreen keyboard to use like a normal notebook according to your convenience.Problem solved.
I'm sure with such a big screen and advanced touch registration, you could just create a roll-out keyboard you can sit on the screen to make it easier to touch type. :]
Besides Apple is so right when "it" says "consumers don't know what they want". In no time all of you will be complaining about loosing your STYLUS or how you got pinched in the butt by your STYLUS or how you poke your eye with your STYLUS Blah blah blah. Then you will go back to using your body parts, how it was meant to be from the start. The STYLUS effect or precision can always be addressed with software and more sensitive hardware. That's that.
You iDiot this can use both multitouch and stylus input to suit your style........imagine how cool it would to use both together.This is the next gen of touchscreens IMO
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posted Sep 22nd 2009 7:47PM
WOW
I don't know, seems like it wants to be everything, so fails at everything.
This thing is incredible! You are saying there is no purpose to this? I would buy this thing in a heartbeat!
I agree - WOW. First tech bit in awhile that got my jaded heart thumping!
"your guess is as good as ours when it comes to purpose"
Um... how about this just about fulfills all my school / general mobile computing needs:
stylus - check!
decent screen(s) sizes - check!
good notes system - check!
small - check!
awesome - check! check! check!
Sure its not a full featured laptop, but... it still meets a lot of general needs.
this thing is absolutely ridiculous. I want one!
... well if you look at olpc2
If it costs less than 1200 dollars, I'm getting this mo'fucka, or the other Asus one!
And now it's a race between Asus and Microsoft. The first to deliver a smooth OS and dual touchscreen gets to own my soul.
It would be nice if one side was e-ink, but of course ... the price would be too high for that.
I would rather have both screens full quality. If they build it right with dual tegra processors they could really stretch out the battery life.
Microsoft really excels in their stylus input, it's virtually 100% correct recognition when I used it 2 years ago, i can only imagine it's gotten even better. I'm also seeing more tablets around campus, something like this would be outstanding for work and classes.
That thing is amazing just the way it is!
Microsoft kept it secret !!!!!!!
not that well it seems
Are you seriously asking what the purpose of this? Seriously?
no kidding...I could think of a few ways to use it
apple didn't tell them what to do with it, so they don't know.
Can't wait to see how many limbs this is going to cost. I just hope I don't have to sell any of my wives.
I was thinking the same thing.
Great concept, but if the cost is only for the likes of Beyonce and the Prince of Egypt then it's fairly pointless for another decade or so.
I can see Apple "suddenly leaking" a late prototype of their own soon....if it does exist.
Apple has no need to leak a late prototype of it's tablet. Apple's tablet will be for sale, this Courier concept device won't (at least not in the near future). Microsoft just threw this out as an attention getter and I can see it really is exciting the Engadget crew who have generally been negative towards tablets and insisting tablets can't possibly become mass market items.
Information about Apple's Arch enemy, coming from YOUR arch enemy. :)
How so very true.
And as far as fanboyism goes, Engadget is better. Not that this is pertinent or anything.
What is it with your obsession with touch and anti-stylus? Touch is great for some things, keyboards are great for others, and styluses can fall somewhere in between. Inking is far easier and more natural with a stylus...as long as you can do both touch and stylus, why WOULDN'T you offer both? Touch is not the answer to every input problem! Do not believe the hype!
Oh noes.. not the evil stylus. Too bad we dont do writing with fingerpaint instead of pencils too..
You don't get it, do ya? Stylus input is more conventional in official or academic settings. Honestly speaking, I feel much better using a tablet pc and inputting data with stylus than when I just use the keyboard.
Sure, finger touch input has it's advantages, but you lose that conventionality.
its*
Whooosh
THANK YOU! Some of us use tablets all day for digital art and photo editing! This thing would be a graphic designer/illustrators dream portable powerhouse. I'm giddy right now just thinking about it! (it doesn't take much but seriously this is awesome)
This looks amazing. A proper digital companion that comes in a practical form factor and looks genuinely useful. Would be fantastic for working, reading and web browsing.
I'm loving the whole design shown on the video. But let's just hope this doesn't get bogged down by the inevitable integration with Windows and Office suites.
Also, while it might probably affect the multi-touch experience, it would be amazing if they could replicate the feel of pen against paper.
Been looking forward to something like this for years.
I dunno, it looks like a combination of OneNote and Inkseine, both Microsoft products that look like they would integrate quite naturally.
Integration with Office and Windows are a must for this to work, otherwise it's just another information silo.
"you're probably still waiting for the Apple tablet"
I didn't know I started waiting, let alone still waiting.
Looks great but the software has shitty flow logic. God dammit I hope thats just something MS is dreaming about. I want a great tablet that allows me to write digitally and type with a virtual keyboard and then allows me to have the freedom to do anything with it. I would love it to be installed with a version of windows so i can easily use vb.net to write some nice little apps without learning some new app to program.
Chances are, if you were to write apps for this device, you would write it with vb.net, or C++, or C#.
.NET is on nearly every Microsoft device. You don't have to learn anything new. All you would have to do is study up on new API's for the hardware functions. Otherwise, I don't see MS using anything but .NET for all of their hardware.
well.........
it does has two screen. i would imagine that they would allow you to turn it vertically and a virtual keyboard would pop up on th lower screen. thats the logical approach. and if it only took me a couple of seconds to think of that idea. I'm sure Microsoft has thought of it as well, plus the guys who make and design these things a pretty bright. I'm also sure it will have many new and innovative features. this looks like that one netbook that is supposed to come out for kids in impoverished countries. (1 laptop for every child) i think. Microsoft procured this idea from them. i saw a video of kids playing pong on a device like this with multi touch screen. it is irrelevant who pioneered the idea. im just happy that such great extraterrestrial tech is poping up from mircosoft now a days. lol
Gizmodo has the infos and says that it's in "late prototype status". Engadget copies that info, adds a ton of snark and headlines "isn't near production".
And really, take a look at Gizmodo's video and tell me again - what about that UI is "complex"?
Mr Murph, how about a little less bias? Is it really too much to ask for more facts and less stupid, unsourced blablaing?
Mr. Murph would probably prefer both screens to just house a grid of icons with the apps you want to run, and nothing else at all.
If theres more going on than that, then its too complex.
I see one action screen, and one journal screen. Get info from the left using your hand. Compile notes and mesh that information on the right (ill assume it switches based on your dominant hand).
On second thought, my head is about to explode. I'm so confused. Which side do i write notes on again?
So true. Worst, writer, ever.
Apparently you guys haven't read many of Murph's articles...
Read enough to be able to come to that conclusion.
And based on the level of rank our comments received, we are not the only ones that believe this.
After reading the article about the Hybrid Mercedes. http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/12/mercedes-benz-vision-s-500-its-the-plug-in-hybrid-for-old-peop/ I was taken back on how little he knew of how Mercedes revealed their autos for press. Gaudy stickers are their forte. For all of their models... not just ones that Darren Murph feels are for 70+y/o's
Then, the very next day - http://www.engadget.com/tag/prius/ a Prius, covered in stickers, but is for the kids of today. These are only two of his worst articles that I can think of off the top of my head lately. I use them because it really shows off his biased, and hypocritical ramblings.
I don't know about this whole tablet idea...
I've used tablets, and honestly, the thrill of selecting things with a stylus or your finger gets old really, really fast. The only use I can find for tablets are in the art and note-taking world. Doing things (such as posting a comment on engadget) are 10x easier with a keyboard and mouse than having to awkwardly write it.
Have you watched the video? Seriously, you can tell the purpose of this is to organize workflow and whatnot. I agree a keyboard is nice, but for note-taking and such, tablets are almost undeniably better.
it'll run some form of windows so im sure someone will find a way to turn one screen into a display and the other into a 7 inch touchscreen keyboard to use like a normal notebook according to your convenience.Problem solved.
I'm sure with such a big screen and advanced touch registration, you could just create a roll-out keyboard you can sit on the screen to make it easier to touch type. :]
Hmm, I gues I'll display this on my Microsoft Surface.
Mmmmmm, Surface.
Guess who's back?
Allard's back...
Been wondering where J has been.
Besides Apple is so right when "it" says "consumers don't know what they want". In no time all of you will be complaining about loosing your STYLUS or how you got pinched in the butt by your STYLUS or how you poke your eye with your STYLUS Blah blah blah. Then you will go back to using your body parts, how it was meant to be from the start. The STYLUS effect or precision can always be addressed with software and more sensitive hardware. That's that.
Stylus are soooo 2004. Get your act together Microsoft.
Some of us are past the finger painting age, you know...
You iDiot this can use both multitouch and stylus input to suit your style........imagine how cool it would to use both together.This is the next gen of touchscreens IMO