Codex and InkSeine -- the roots of Microsoft's Courier?
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted Sep 23rd 2009 10:54AM
posted Sep 23rd 2009 10:54AM
The article in question points to two very revealing projects within Microsoft's R&D labs that have marked similarities to the Courier. The first is its prototype tablet PC interface called InkSeine. InkSeine works on a strikingly similar premise to the UI shown in the demo video, including a heavy reliance on pages in "notebooks," and the ability to scrapbook pieces of websites by screen-capping certain areas. InkSeine also bares resemblance to the Courier interface in its use of circular context menus which surround bits of content. While there are clearly major differences, it's easy to see a lineage from this interface to the more polished iteration from the Courier demo.
InkSeine UI
Courier UI
The second item of note is Microsoft Research's Codex Project (a project we covered back in October of 2008). This is perhaps more remarkable than InkSeine, as it is a nearly identical two-screen tablet like the one shown in the demo. While the prototype version of this setup is much less polished and finalized than the render seen in that clip, it's clear that there is a connection at Microsoft to this piece of demo hardware, and the mocked-up version in the Courier video.
Most interesting of all is that these two projects have been put into play in tandem, with InkSeine running on the Codex Project's dual-screen tablet. Even photos from Microsoft's Codex page show the two projects used to compile what looks like an artist's scrapbook for a project -- almost the exact example used in the Courier demo. Whether or not Courier ever comes to light, seeing these two projects from Microsoft's recent research past tells us two things: the first is that it's very possible some physical prototype of the Courier does actually exist, and the second is that Microsoft has been plugging away at these ideas for some time now. With rumors that Redmond is planning something post-CES (and supposedly post Apple tablet), it might only be a matter of time.
[Thanks, Polo]
Read - Microsoft's Courier Tablet details
Read - Codex project
Read - InkSeine project
W.O.W ,one word, Awesome !
Fuck yea--go America!
its says OQO? WTF?
My first thought too - guess they must not have got the memo :)
@OneLove
The Concept was based on two OQO MIDs linked together, rather than try to create a whole new hardware platform.
It was more of a Proof of concept/OS demo than an actual Hardware piece.
this is one thing i love about MS...they dont do it that often, but they've had a lot of things over the years to come out of their labs/research that just makes me think wow. like...this is honestly one of the coolest things i've seen in a very very very long time.
They also can't spell 'Monaco'
Oh really... . So how do YOU spell Monaco?
Can't wait to see the real thing. Just hope it soon so I can start to choose which limbs to sell (or possibly the wives). I like some of the new UI in Microsoft devices and software like the zune software for the pc. I kind of hope we see some of these new UI changes in windows in the future.
An OQO 2 by 2! Neat. The case needs some work though. I expect them to work that out when it's released.
On another note, can the OQO Model 02 be upgraded to Windows 7?? My brother says he's sick of lampooning his memory and battery life on that OS.
"Lampooning?" Does your brother know what that word means?
So a hacked together version of this has been in use for a while. Maybe a final product isn't as far off as I originally thought.
Looks impressive.
Looks Expensive
Would this take stylus input? I'm an art whore and I would love to draw in this like a sketchbook. = ]
the concept video from yesterday shows that it does
Well I am SOLD when this comes out! I wanted to go with an Apple Tablet, or a Cintiq12WX, but they didn't fit my needs and were too expensive (respectively).
The whole point of the interface is pen input, to use a computer as if it's a traditional notebook. So, yes. Though to truely sketch, the touch software would have to be pressure sensitive...
Yeah, the Cintiq12WX was like $1000 dollars and was only for indoor use (although it was a highly professional piece of machinery). If the concept pic of the Courier UI book live up, this will be very portable, especially for my needs.
@N900. What Apple tablet is that, that didn't meet your needs? I guess if you can't buy it, it doesn't meet your needs.
@johnny5: "I guess if you can't buy it, it doesn't meet your needs." -- I thought that would be obvious? By the way, I like your movies.
@Miguel
I've heard that it has a WACOM digitizer beneath a capacitive screen so it should be pressure sensitive.i just hope all that technology does not push the price through the roof.
@johnny5
I was talking about the rumors in which they said that the Apple Tablet might not take stylus input, causing me to go "Why would I pay 899 for a tablet I can't draw on?". I don't even know if those rumors are debunked.
But you clearly got so riled off because you thought I didn't wan't an Apple Tablet because of the price. It's so easy for you to think that people don't want to buy Apple's products simply because of the price (even the iFans would be paranoid to believe EVERYONE perceives this notion). Either way it's my money so please....go fuck yourself.\
btw, big fan
If they sold this, I think I even could settle for this, not even wait for Courier.
Good Old Microsoft can pull stuff like this, 3 years of shitty products, and in 2009 they come up with Windows 7, Zune HD, now Courier. Damn, I'm excited about this.
@N900... johnny5 never said a word about the price: "What Apple tablet is that, that didn't meet your needs? I guess if you can't buy it, it doesn't meet your needs."
You said "it didn't fit my needs"... not "it doesn't exist". So, you not only look like a MS fanboy (which you claim), you look like an idiot in the process.
Just a little word of caution there, before you get back on the internets and do it again.
Oh boy =S
Missed it by that much..I'm far from an MS fanboy?
I think it's cause you said "iFans", but yeah no one was talking about pricing, dude. You kinda failed on that one.
Anyways leave this reply zone alone because you guys are blowing up my inbox....-_-
I hope this idea is already patented or at least already in the works before the fruit sheeps come out and say the fruits invented that..
They will anyway, just look at Surface. Public demos dating back to 2005(in blockbuster movies at that) and they still claim anything with multitouch abilities made by Microsoft copied the iPhone.
The graph paper sheet on the Inseine render does look at lot like OS X's Ink. graph paper and all.
Damn... well played Microsoft, well played.
wow...Microsoft is finally starting to "get it".
Damn straight.
I have been an Appe man since my first LC back in 1991 and this - along with Windows 7 and the Xbox 360 (hardware probs aside - have all made me think Microsoft is doing good.
I agree. Microsoft is really rolling out some favorites. I loved Service Pack 2, and now 7, then the Zune HD, Project Pink, WM7, now this.
Ya done good kid, ya done good =P
haha don't think Microsoft was ever the "kid".
This looks really cool and the Courier demo has made things a lot cleaner than the InkSeine demo, but it still looks a little convoluted for the average user to me. Also, I have my doubts that the handwriting recognition works that well for everyone - especially someone with really sloppy handwriting like me. I'd prefer to type my notes, anyway, so an on-screen or slide-out keyboard would make it look even better to me.
You'd be surprised. If you have Vista or Windows 7, you already have Microsoft's handwriting recognition installed. Open up the Tablet Input Panel and draw some letters with your mouse and I think you'll be shocked, as I was before I moved to a Tablet PC, with how good the accuracy is for bad handwriting.
Wow, you're right, this thing is amazingly accurate, and with a mouse at that.
I've been holding off on getting a new laptop for sometime now because I've been waiting on a portable tablet, and then Microsoft comes out with these new tablet videos and has me thinking I should wait just a bit longer because it will be worth it.
Now, hurry up and release these things MS!
OK. I'll admit that the handwriting recognition in Windows 7 surprised me, too. I was purposefully sloppy as hell, and it still understood 95% of what I wrote.
Still, this Courier device seems almost too search/business oriented for an average consumer. It's great if you work in a place where you're juggling projects, but for day-to-day use, I can't see any advantage.
"the ability to scrapbook pieces of websites by screen-capping certain areas"
Sounds like Safari's Web Clip (under OSX). Still some nice UI direction.
shut up
Web clip is a ripoff of Internet Explorer 4.0's Active Desktop.
your famous "Web Clip" sounds like a OneNote Function that I've been using for years!!!
Damn! What's next?? Apple saying they invented MMS?! LOL
I have no real use for it, but I'd find one just so I could buy it. Please be real.
Funny how i said the same thing on Gizmodo yesterday so according to the apple fanboys you are totally ripping me off of my ideas LOL
wait Microsoft already has tablets, god forbid them rethinking their approach! No I'm certain now, Microsoft has had the tablet perfected for a while now and every competitor is either trying to copy them or create a cheaper version... wait... this can't be true if they're rethinking their own approach... NOOO!!!
What?
Yeah I didn't...get that..either..
Microsoft doesn't make any tablets yet. This would be a first.
OTHER vendors make tablets for Windows. It isn't the same thing.