Microsoft teases something 'flat' and 'touchy'
By Donald Melanson 
posted August 3rd 2010 2:19PM
posted August 3rd 2010 2:19PM
Microsoft Hardware was a bit of a late-comer to Twitter, but it sure is making up for lost time -- it's just posted a pair of intriguing tweets teasing as yet unannounced product. The first is simply the phrase "Don't be so touchy...flat is where it's at," while the second is the tiny image you see above. What is it? A trackpad would certainly fit the description, and you can sort of see what could be the side of one if you flip that image around -- although that's still just speculation at the moment. Considering it's coming from the Microsoft Hardware division, however, it seems likely that it's a peripheral of some sort and not something like a tablet PC. Feel free to leave your best guess in the comments below.
Update: As commenter edoles has pointed out, there's also a second image in Microsoft Hardware's Twitpic account, which was actually added six days ago. Check it out after the break, along with a composite of the two images pieced together courtesy of ChrissSk.
Update: As commenter edoles has pointed out, there's also a second image in Microsoft Hardware's Twitpic account, which was actually added six days ago. Check it out after the break, along with a composite of the two images pieced together courtesy of ChrissSk.
I'll guess a new zunehd or a microsoft branded phone.
@jagowar
looks like something of that form factor. You can see where the side of the device ends in the upper left. Looks too thin to be a tablet.
@jagowar
@jagowar
thats a really good guess. I think Microsoft is going to make its own iPod Touch Competitor, running WP7. (wifi only and all that nonsense)
@edoles
Another picture from their twitpic account.
http://twitpic.com/298y93
@boom roasted
You mean the ZuneHD wasn't an iPod touch competitor?
Interesting...
@jagowar
A large part of me wants to get it regardless of what it is.
@jagowar
Zune HD 2?
@jagowar something with a squircle.
@jagowar Its a mouse. Look at the twitter account's first tweet:
http://twitter.com/msfthardware/status/19600472768
It doesn't look like they talk about phones/zunes/tablets.
@Maxpower57
Yeah, right. If it was a phone, that initial tweet would have said:
"Welcome to the official Microsoft Hardware Twitter channel! If you want to talk mice, keyboards & webcams, oh, and that Phone we will tease you about in this same account in a few days -pssshht no one knows about that yet!- you’ve come to the right place."
since they decided not to do so, it is, by all means, impossible this is anything else than a mouse.
Flawless logic, indeed.
@Rem DX
The Zune HD didn't run WP7...
@Rem DX
i have a Zune HD and i Love it, but it has no apps. I dont really care cuz i just use it to listen to music. So if it ran WP7 it would be a better competitor
@jagowar a Zune HD2 with full flash capability, more 3rd party apps, AND.... drumroll please..... ITS RELEASED IN OTHER COUNTRIES BESIDES THE U.S. OHMYGOD
@Rem DX
It hardly was. It's an excellent media player, better than the iPod in some ways, but if you want a pocket computer, then the zune HD is not competitive with the iPod Touch.
A Trackpad/Mouse combo? A Trackuse? Moupad? Sorry, just throwing out random guesses here.. =P
@TruUnknowN how about "TrackMo" or "Usepad" ?
@TruUnknowN If its a trackpad its a damn sight uglier then apples.
@TruUnknowN +1 I think touchpad also
@fourthletter
Blackpad?
@TruUnknowN i would buy a trackpad with mouse capabilities... mouse for a lot of things i do that a trackpad couldnt handle and the trackpad for web surfing
More win7 pos
Looks to me like part of a windows phone 7 handset maybe? The glossy part of what would be the back would be the battery cover. My best wish would be for a windows phone 7 powered tablet, but I doubt they would announce a tablet for the OS before it even releases on a single phone.
It's stupid until I see it on store shelves.
@cdf74dc9
I only wish I had such wisdom 11 months and 19 days ago...(sigh). OK. Bye, bye now.
@angelusp
courier!
@angelusp w7p7s tablet
Dell if your listening, please make something similar to the HTC Evo with Windows Phone 7 and I will buy it... GSM too!
@totalfixation
Dell isn't listening..
@tylersmyler
Dell Never Listens..
A Kin coffin?
@Canucker
ok, that made me laugh :D
Knowing MS hardware it probably isn't anything very exciting but very practical. Would be awesome if it was something like Kinect for your computer.
@Canucker HAHA +1
@Canucker On the front it says, "Here lies KIN.........'Well, we tried.'" Towards the bottom it says, "Here lies WindowsPhone 7........'Well, we tried......wait, what? We didn't release that yet? Well, it's already on here, so, just wait till it releases and this part will make sense.'"
@Canucker
Hahahah! +1 fo sho. Tehe.
@Canucker man dont say that word! God forbid Chris Ziegler starts writing another 62 articles full of libel on the subject, AGAIN.
Maybe something in the ZUNE family...?
It is about that time...
Rebrand of kin ...more pos windoze 7
@Makali lol this is like your third troll comment on this article alone. Don't you have better things to do with your summer break kid?
MicPhoooooone!!!!!!
mPad
This changes everything?
@angelusp
Looking at the pic (sort of inverted..since microsoft logo is at the top)..it seems to be the form factor of a cell phone or a mouse of some sort.... def. not a tablet...
A trackpad even more magical than the magic trackpad?
@WhiteNiteLite
With full on double rainbow and unicorns..
@angelusp
No, definitely sex toys. I think that this has to be a sex toy. Makes perfect sense to me.
I mean, after all the tease with the courier and then no climax, MS might as well start making sex toys...
oh, I am sure its a resurrected courier!
@Marko
Nope.
I think it's a Microsoft phone running Windows Phone 7.
@dedparrot
Resurrecting the courier would be an appropriate reason to give "hints" away. But I'm setting my hopes low, its probably some stupid phone, at best we'll see a zune HD2.
@Maxpower57 hd2 is htc territory bud