Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Paper: the iPad sketchbook app from the brains of Courier (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/paper-ipad-sketchbook-app-now-available-download-video/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/paper-ipad-sketchbook-app-now-available-download-video/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/paper-ipad-sketchbook-app-now-available-download-video/#comments ImageGo figure -- Microsoft's Courier project lives again... as an exclusive app on Apple's iPad. FiftyThree, a company that features folks who previously worked on the aforesaid Courier initiative, has just put forth a monumental effort dubbed Paper. The app, which is available for free in the App Store, is a sophisticated sketchbook with a highly unique user interface that's seemingly designed with the budding artist in mind. Put simply, the company feels that this app is "where ideas begin," enabling users to capture mental light bulbs as sketches, diagrams, illustrations, notes or drawings before sharing them across the web.

Of course, "free" only gets you in the door; in-app purchases ($2 per brush, for example) keeps the creators in business, but it's unclear at this point if a paid edition will be offered for those who aren't much on cherry-picking what they do and don't want to pony up for. Not surprisingly, the app ships with native support for the new iPad's Retina display, and while fingers are welcome, a capacitive stylus is recommended. Eager to see more? Peek the video just after the break, and get your download on in the source link.

Continue reading Paper: the iPad sketchbook app from the brains of Courier (video)

Paper: the iPad sketchbook app from the brains of Courier (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appapp storeappleapple ipadAppleIpadAppStoreartcourierdrawingFiftyThreeiosipadipad appIpadApppapervideoFri, 30 Mar 2012 02:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Tapose resurrects Courier concept for the iPad, rubs salt in your wounds (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/28/tapose-resurrects-courier-concept-for-the-ipad/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/28/tapose-resurrects-courier-concept-for-the-ipad/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/28/tapose-resurrects-courier-concept-for-the-ipad/#comments ImageDid you, like most of us, mourn the death of Microsoft's Courier like it was a relative that you never got to know as well as you would have liked. Well, as long you're willing to settle for just a single screen and are comfortable with Apple products, you might be able to fill that void in your life. Taposé delivers many of the same features as the Redmond concept, but within the confines of the iPad's 9.7-inch display. The $2.99 app, which has been in the works for some time, hit the app store yesterday, delivering the ability to copy and paste content from the web, mark it up with text and doodles then sync your notes online. You get 400MB for free with the purchase of the app, but unlimited cloud storage will set you back $30 a year. The information collecting doesn't end with snapshots of websites either, you can add audio, video and maps and do it in a dual pane layout that mimics the two-panel Courier. Hit up the source link to download it now and see it in action after the break.

Update: In case you were wondering, this is, in fact, the same Kickstarter project that Courier creator J Allard threw his money at when his pet project was axed by Microsoft.

Continue reading Tapose resurrects Courier concept for the iPad, rubs salt in your wounds (video)

Tapose resurrects Courier concept for the iPad, rubs salt in your wounds (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appappscourieriosipadmicrosoft courierMicrosoftCouriernote takingNoteTakingTaposéTaposevideoWed, 28 Mar 2012 13:26:00 EST<![CDATA[CNET details the death of Microsoft's Courier and Bill Gates' 'allergic reaction']]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/01/cnet-details-the-death-of-microsofts-courier-and-bill-gates-a/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/01/cnet-details-the-death-of-microsofts-courier-and-bill-gates-a/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/01/cnet-details-the-death-of-microsofts-courier-and-bill-gates-a/#comments For those that follow the twists and turns of the technology news business, the Microsoft Courier has practically become the stuff of legend. First leaked on Gizmodo in the fall of 2009, the device was never even officially confirmed by Microsoft until it axed the project in April of last year. And while we wound up learning quite a bit about the dual-screen tablet despite that lack of official information, we never really got the full story of its rise and fall within the company. Now CNET's Jay Greene has published an extensive look at the device's short history, which he says was "pieced together through interviews with 18 current and former Microsoft executives, as well as contractors and partners who worked on the project." The story, as you might expect, is fascinating -- read on for some of the details.

Continue reading CNET details the death of Microsoft's Courier and Bill Gates' 'allergic reaction'

CNET details the death of Microsoft's Courier and Bill Gates' 'allergic reaction' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill gatesBillGatescouriergatesj allardJAllardmicrosoftmicrosoft courierMicrosoftCourierrobbie bachRobbieBachTue, 01 Nov 2011 12:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft shutters Pioneer Studios, we pour one out for J Allard]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/20/microsoft-shutters-pioneer-studios-we-pour-one-out-for-j-allard/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/20/microsoft-shutters-pioneer-studios-we-pour-one-out-for-j-allard/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/20/microsoft-shutters-pioneer-studios-we-pour-one-out-for-j-allard/#comments
It's been about a year since he left Microsoft, but the J Allard era came to a more definitive close yesterday, with the shuttering of his brainchild, Pioneer Studios. Microsoft opened the incubation lab more than three years ago as an entrepreneurial space where designers could toy around with new consumer technologies. The tragically shelved Courier tablet was first developed within Pioneer's exposed brick walls, where Allard and his Alchemy Ventures team also worked on the Xbox, Zune and Windows Phone 7. Now, however, a Microsoft spokeswoman has confirmed that the downtown Seattle office is no longer occupied, telling CNET that many of the lab's employees have either left, or moved on to different positions within the company. Pioneer co-founder Georg Petschnigg left Microsoft in April to pursue an "undisclosed new venture," while fellow godfather Jonathan Harris is still at Redmond, where he serves as "principle experience director," according to their respective LinkedIn profiles. The spokeswoman didn't offer a specific reason for the decision, but in a now-ominous video posted to Microsoft's developer site back in October, Petschnigg acknowledged that the unit's innovative spirit would frequently lead to dead ends. "Often times our work just doesn't go anywhere," he explained, adding that Pioneer would only pursue projects expected to bring in more than $100 million a year. "That's one of the perils of being an entrepreneur." See the full video after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft shutters Pioneer Studios, we pour one out for J Allard

Microsoft shutters Pioneer Studios, we pour one out for J Allard originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 May 2011 05:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alchemy venturesAlchemyVenturesallardclosingcourierCourierTabletdesignentrepreneurGeorg PetschniggGeorgPetschniggincubatorincubator labIncubatorLabindustryinnovationJ AllardJAllardlabMicrosoftmicrosoft pioneer studiosMicrosoftPioneerStudiosPetschniggPioneerpioneer studiospioneer studios closingPioneerStudiosPioneerStudiosClosingredmondseattletabletvideowindows phone 7WindowsPhone7xboxzuneFri, 20 May 2011 05:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft Research-backed e-reader prototype can't keep its text to itself (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/14/microsoft-research-backed-e-reader-prototype-cant-keep-its-text/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/14/microsoft-research-backed-e-reader-prototype-cant-keep-its-text/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/14/microsoft-research-backed-e-reader-prototype-cant-keep-its-text/#comments We've seen plenty of dual-screen devices over the past couple of years, and they never fail to make us a little sentimental for Microsoft's stillborn Courier concept. That goes double for this reader device, which made an appearance at this week's CHI conference in Vancouver, seeing as how Microsoft Research apparently played a role in its development. But this gadget, presented by the University of Maryland's Nicholas Chen, is clearly its own beast -- and it's an awesome looking one at that. The reader actually only has one screen, but it can connect wirelessly with other units, letting the users do things like send links between devices. It will also clip magnetically to another unit, so you can look at two pages of the same document at the same time, just like one of those oldfangled book-type things. Fans of awkward intros, check out the video after the break.

[Thanks, Winston]

Continue reading Microsoft Research-backed e-reader prototype can't keep its text to itself (video)

Microsoft Research-backed e-reader prototype can't keep its text to itself (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 May 2011 01:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chi conferenceChiConferencecourierdual screendual screen tabletDualScreenDualScreenTablete booke bookse readere readerse-booke-book readerE-bookReadere-bookse-readere-readersmicrosoftMicrosoft ResearchMicrosoftResearchvideoSat, 14 May 2011 01:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Switched On: Pen again]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/10/switched-on-pen-again/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/10/switched-on-pen-again/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/10/switched-on-pen-again/#commentsEach week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.


Last week's Switched On discussed how some next wave notions from a decade ago were trying to reinvent themselves. Here's one more. Surging smartphone vendor HTC is seeking to bring back an input method that many wrote off long ago with its forthcoming Flyer tablet and EVO View 4G comrade-in-arms: the stylus.

A fixture of early Palm and Psion PDAs, Pocket PCs and Windows Mobile handsets, slim, compact styli were once the most popular thing to slip down a well since Timmy. Then, users would poke the cheap, simple sticks at similarly inexpensive resistive touchscreens. After the debut of tablet PCs, though, more companies started to use active digitizer systems like the one inside the Flyer. Active pens offer more precision, which can help with tasks such as handwriting recognition, and support "hovering" above a screen, the functional equivalent of a mouseover. On the other hand, they are also thicker, more expensive, and need to be charged. (Update: as some have pointed out in comments, Wacom's tablets generate tiny electromagnetic fields that power active digitization, and don't require the pen to store electricity itself.) And, of course, just like passive styli, active pens take up space and can be misplaced.

The 2004 debut of the Nintendo DS -- the ancestor of the just-released 3DS -- marked the beginning of what has become the last mass-market consumer electronics product series to integrate stylus input. The rising popularity of capacitive touch screens and multitouch have replaced styli with fingers as the main user interface elements. Instead of using a precise point for tasks such as placing an insertion point in text, we now expand the text dynamically to accommodate our oily instruments. On-screen buttons have also grown, as have the screens themselves, all in the name of losing a contrivance.

Continue reading Switched On: Pen again

Switched On: Pen again originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Apr 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ASUScapacitivecolumnCourierDigital ScribeDigitalScribeDSEee PadEee TransformerEeePadEeeTransformerhandwritingHTCMicrosoft ResearchMicrosoftResearchN-trigNintendoNintendo DSNintendoDspalmpalm pilotPalmPilotPDAPsionRoss RubinRossRubinScribestyliistylusSwitched OnSwitchedOntouchscreenSun, 10 Apr 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft's new 'dual display device' patent re-opens old Courier wounds]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/30/microsofts-new-dual-display-device-patent-re-opens-old-courie/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/30/microsofts-new-dual-display-device-patent-re-opens-old-courie/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/30/microsofts-new-dual-display-device-patent-re-opens-old-courie/#commentsMicrosoft's new dual display device patent re-opens old Courier wounds We were just starting to get over the Courier, moving on after the tantalizing first reveal, the delish conceptual walkthrough, the heartbreaking cancellation, and the inevitable fallout. Now, Microsoft is dragging us back down memory lane with the receipt of a new patent covering the design of the thing. It was filed back on January 19, right after the CES that we'd (futilely) hoped would give us a glimpse of Courier in the flesh, and that patent has just now been approved. So, Microsoft officially owns the design of the thing, and the question now is whether they'll ever actually do anything with it other than sprinkle mementos like this about from time to time and remind us what might have been. You're a cruel mistress, Steve Ballmer.

[Thanks, Basil]

Microsoft's new 'dual display device' patent re-opens old Courier wounds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>courierdual-screendual-screen tabletDual-screenTabletheartbreakmicrosoftmicrosoft courierMicrosoftCourierpatenttabletusptoWed, 30 Jun 2010 12:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Market caps and dunce caps]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/entelligence-market-caps-and-dunce-caps/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/entelligence-market-caps-and-dunce-caps/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/entelligence-market-caps-and-dunce-caps/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

The buzzword of last week was "market cap." To those unfamiliar, market cap is the total value of outstanding shares of a company, and on May 26th at around 3PM Eastern, Apple's market value reached $225.1 billion, surpassing Microsoft's $222.3 billion. Apple isn't the largest technology company around, but it's become the most valuable, and it's valuation is second only to Exxon in the US. Later that same week, Microsoft announced that Robbie Bach and J Allard, the head of its Entertainment and Devices group and the division's CTO, were both leaving the company. There's been speculation that these two events were somehow intertwined, but I don't think that's the case. In addition, as good as Robbie and J are, there's more to the E & D team than two people -- as grandpa used to say, the cemeteries are full of people who couldn't be replaced.

Historically, Microsoft has always been two companies, the parts that made lots of money (Windows, Office, Server) and the parts that don't make money yet but might someday soon. E & D is the latest incarnation of the latter. Let's take a closer look.

Continue reading Entelligence: Market caps and dunce caps

Entelligence: Market caps and dunce caps originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecolumncourierentelligencej allardJAllardmarket capMarketCapmicrosoftrobbie bachRobbieBachwindowswindows phone 7windows phone 7 seriesWindowsPhone7WindowsPhone7SeriesxboxSun, 06 Jun 2010 19:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft: Windows Phone 7 not planned to hit tablets, Courier was always a concept]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/02/microsoft-windows-phone-7-not-planned-to-hit-tablets-courier-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/02/microsoft-windows-phone-7-not-planned-to-hit-tablets-courier-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/02/microsoft-windows-phone-7-not-planned-to-hit-tablets-courier-w/#comments Microsoft has been all over Computex this week, and we caught a few minutes with the software giant's OEM vice pres Steve Guggenheimer (aka the Guggs) after his keynote this afternoon. Obviously, tablets were top of mind for us and he reinforced that Microsoft plans to push Windows 7 hard for the category, just as we have recently heard. "People are looking for a premium experience and the benefit of Windows familiarity," he said. When we asked him about Windows Phone 7 scaling up into the larger-screened devices or even a tablet version of Windows 7, he was quite firm in saying that the current PC offering is the platform of choice. He cited netbooks being the record for the company, and that people want to use slates not only for "content consumption," but also creation. On the other hand, Microsoft also has its Embedded Compact 7 for ARM-based tablets and devices.

Lastly, we couldn't let Guggs talk about tablets without answering our questions about the Courier. As we have previously heard, he cited that the dualscreen tablet has always been a concept for the company. To paraphrase, he said that Microsoft's constantly envisioning new platforms to see what flows. Well, that's that then.

Microsoft: Windows Phone 7 not planned to hit tablets, Courier was always a concept originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 05:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>computexcomputex 2010Computex2010courierCourierTabletguggenheimermicrosoftMicrosoft CourierMicrosoftCouriersteve guggenheimerSteveGuggenheimerwindows 7windows phone 7windows phone 7 oswindows phone 7 seriesWindows7WindowsPhone7WindowsPhone7OsWindowsPhone7SeriesWed, 02 Jun 2010 05:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Robbie Bach: Project Natal a 'midlife kicker' for Xbox 360, 'absolutely confident' Courier innovations will appear elsewhere]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/25/robbie-bach-project-natal-a-midlife-kicker-for-xbox-360-abs/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/25/robbie-bach-project-natal-a-midlife-kicker-for-xbox-360-abs/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/25/robbie-bach-project-natal-a-midlife-kicker-for-xbox-360-abs/#comments Now that the proverbial cat's out of the bag, Tech Flash has caught up with Robbie Bach about his impending retirement from Microsoft. In a far-reach interview, the former President of Entertainment & Devices Division says he made his ultimate decision just last Thursday, and that while he and also-gone J Allard "had been talking [Allard's] situation for awhile," the conversation never went both ways and the timing of the departures is "pure coincidence... serendipity." Bach further claims that it was his choice and was not asked to leave, and as for pundits who might've thought he was in line for one day taking the reins from CEO Steve Ballmer, Bach downplays that possibility and says he never had interest and such discussions never took place.

But enough business talk, what about some of the projects Bach oversaw? There were a couple choice quotes we noted from the report. First up is Natal, a motion-sensing project that he views as a "midlife kicker for the [Xbox] 360." For those watching a calendar, that would give the console an approximately nine-year perceived lifespan on the corporate side -- from November 2005 to 2014. Of course, we could be reading too much into that, but we could certainly believe it. On the subject of Courier, Microsoft's now-cancelled internal tablet project, Bach is "absolutely confident... a bunch of that innovation will show up in Microsoft products." It's a stronger wording that what we originally read, and given just how excited we were watching that leaked video, we can only hope his prophecy is foretold. Do yourself a favor and take 15 minutes to read through the interview -- hey, you're welcome.

Robbie Bach: Project Natal a 'midlife kicker' for Xbox 360, 'absolutely confident' Courier innovations will appear elsewhere originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 May 2010 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>360bachcouriere and d divisione d divisionEAndDDivisionedEDDivisionentertainment and devicesentertainment and devices divisionEntertainmentAndDevicesEntertainmentAndDevicesDivisionj allardJAllardkinectmicrosoftmicrosoft courierMicrosoftCouriernatalproject natalProjectNatalrobbie bachRobbieBachxboxxbox 360Xbox360Tue, 25 May 2010 16:14:00 EST<![CDATA[J Allard leaving Microsoft over Courier axing?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/j-allard-leaving-microsoft-over-courier-axing/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/j-allard-leaving-microsoft-over-courier-axing/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/j-allard-leaving-microsoft-over-courier-axing/#comments Well, it looks like the Courier's demise could be having some far bigger implications for Microsoft than anyone had suspected. According to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft's Chief Experience Officer and CTO for its Entertainment and Devices division, J Allard, has been on sabbatical from the company for the past short while and is "unlikely to return" -- all due to the fate of the Courier. According to Foley's sources, Allard was "the champion" of the Courier, and had reportedly made his feelings about the device and its ultimate demise clear on numerous occasions -- including, of course, directly to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. According to another of Foley's sources, things eventually got so heated that Ballmer "showed Allard the door" because of their disagreements about the Courier's potential. So, did he jump or was he pushed? Microsoft isn't saying, and Allard is seemingly nowhere to be found.

J Allard leaving Microsoft over Courier axing? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 May 2010 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allardballmercourierdramaj allardJAllardmicrosoftquitsteve ballerSteveBallerFri, 21 May 2010 12:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Bill Gates: Microsoft pursuing 'a lot of' tablet projects, pen-based input will be 'mainstream for students']]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/bill-gates-microsoft-pursuing-a-lot-of-tablet-projects-pen-b/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/bill-gates-microsoft-pursuing-a-lot-of-tablet-projects-pen-b/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/bill-gates-microsoft-pursuing-a-lot-of-tablet-projects-pen-b/#comments Few people would've taken the news of the Courier's demise lightly, and while Microsoft sought to comfort us, it's never quite as reassuring as when you hear it from the progenitor himself:
"Microsoft has a lot of different tablet projects that we're pursuing. We think that work with the pen that Microsoft pioneered will become a mainstream for students. It can give you a device that you can not only read, but also create documents at the same time."
So yes, Microsoft ain't quttin' on tablets just yet, and don't you even dare question the utility of the stylus. Bill Gates has been an unashamed promoter of pen-based computing for the longest time, and it's fun to see that even cold hard facts are insufficient to shake his confidence. Having spoken out against the iPad's lack of keyboard or pen input back in February, Bill has seen the American market gleefully embrace Apple's touchscreen device, something he acknowledges by agreeing that "both in general and in the specific, Apple's done a great job." But he still expects students to be drawn to pen-friendly mobile devices. Well Bill, give the other Steve a call and get him to bring one out and we shall see, eh?

Bill Gates: Microsoft pursuing 'a lot of' tablet projects, pen-based input will be 'mainstream for students' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 05:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill gatesBillGatescourierfox businessFoxBusinessinterviewliz clamanLizClamanmicrosoftmicrosoft courierMicrosoftCourierpen-based inputPen-basedInputplansquotequotesstylustablettabletsTue, 04 May 2010 05:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft confirms, kills Courier in one fell swoop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/microsoft-confirms-kills-courier-in-one-fell-swoop/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/microsoft-confirms-kills-courier-in-one-fell-swoop/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/microsoft-confirms-kills-courier-in-one-fell-swoop/#comments Well this is depressing. Word has just gone fluttering out of Redmond that work on the Courier project -- a heretofore rumored dual-screen tablet which rightfully set the tech world ablaze -- has been spun down by the company. Here's the official line from Frank Shaw, Microsoft's VP of corporate communications:
At any given time, across any of our business groups, there are new ideas being investigated, tested, and incubated. It's in Microsoft's DNA to continually develop and incubate new technologies to foster productivity and creativity. The "Courier" project is an example of this type of effort and its technologies will be evaluated for use in future Microsoft offerings, but we have no plans to build such a device at this time.
All very sad, of course. So how did we get here? And was this thing ever really real to begin with? After all, it's hard to kill something that never lived. Well here's the deal, according to a source familiar with the situation: the Courier did indeed start life as a potential new product category for the company, one which was being incubated internally with very real plans for a marketable device. It seems, however, that things just didn't manage to take shape, and word was handed down very recently that the incubation period had reached its conclusion -- sans product -- and resources would be directed elsewhere. Now, that doesn't mean that we won't see some of this technology turn up in other products which Microsoft has in the pipeline (the company does keep quite a few balls in the air), but it does mean that those rendered videos of the Courier in action will remain, unfortunately, renders. As far as the Engadget team is concerned, there isn't a dry eye in the house right now -- but the Courier will always remain in our hearts as one of the finest unicorns that ever unicorned across our screens.

Microsoft confirms, kills Courier in one fell swoop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewscourierdeaddemisedoakilledmicrosoftmicrosoft courierMicrosoftCourierslatetabletThu, 29 Apr 2010 16:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba reveals more tablet details, confirms Windows and Android versions]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/15/toshiba-reveals-more-tablet-details-confirms-windows-and-androi/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/15/toshiba-reveals-more-tablet-details-confirms-windows-and-androi/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/15/toshiba-reveals-more-tablet-details-confirms-windows-and-androi/#commentsMore details on Toshiba's upcoming tablets, Windows and Android versions confirmed It wasn't that long ago that we heard confirmation from Toshiba America's Jeff Barney that there was a slate coming from the company in early 2011. Now Jeff has disclosed a bit more information to Reuters, including the presence of not one but at least two of the things, and he's saying they'll be out before the year is through. The first will be a premium model running Windows 7, roughly 10 inches in size and, interestingly, having not one but two screens. (Is this you, Courier?) The second will run Android and is said to come in at a lower price, though beyond that it's up to you to decide what kind of specs it should have. The prime intent for both is "media consumption" according to Barney, who sees the presence of slates as "expansive like netbooks." In other words: not stealing sales from the company's laptop business. Given he also took the time to talk up the 50-percent boost in Toshiba laptop and PC sales this year, he'd better hope that's the case.

Toshiba reveals more tablet details, confirms Windows and Android versions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid tabletAndroidTabletcourierjeff barneyJeffBarneyslatetablettoshibatoshiba americatoshiba slatetoshiba tabletToshibaAmericaToshibaSlateToshibaTabletwindows 7windows 7 tabletWindows7Windows7TabletThu, 15 Apr 2010 08:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: What can Courier teach the market?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/11/entelligence-what-can-courier-teach-the-market/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/11/entelligence-what-can-courier-teach-the-market/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/11/entelligence-what-can-courier-teach-the-market/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

A few months ago, some videos leaked from Microsoft showed a book-like device with two touch screens and a stylus. The user is seen researching, creating and designing content in a manner that looks both intuitive and innovative. Called Courier, the product doesn't (yet) exist beyond the conceptual videos, but it shows Microsoft is thinking in some new ways. Ross Rubin discussed Courier's role for creative professionals last week but I think there's even more at stake here -- I think the concept shows computing models are evolving. Here's what Courier represents to the market:

The pen isn't dead. The pen's been searching for a place in computing for more than a decade. We've seen experiments in all different types of pen computing from the PC to the PDA and the phone. They've all pretty much failed, and today's hot commodity is capacitive touch. Microsoft's Courier video shows how the pen can play a prominent role in the evolution of computing interfaces. While fingers are great for many things, there are tasks better served by the ability to manipulate at the pixel level. Handwriting and the ability to take written notes is one of them. Content creation and painting is another. It's clear Microsoft knows all this -- in addition to Courier, there's the Deskterity project that melds pen and touch on Surface.

Continue reading Entelligence: What can Courier teach the market?

Entelligence: What can Courier teach the market? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncourierentelligencemicrosoftpenSun, 11 Apr 2010 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft's Manual Deskterity project reveals pen and touch input, Courier's future?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/09/microsofts-manual-deskterity-project-reveals-pen-and-touch-inpu/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/09/microsofts-manual-deskterity-project-reveals-pen-and-touch-inpu/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/09/microsofts-manual-deskterity-project-reveals-pen-and-touch-inpu/#comments
Apple may have made its thoughts on the stylus clearer than ever at its iPhone OS 4 event, but it looks like Microsoft Research is intent on redefining what's possible with a little pen-based input and, if this recently-revealed video is any indication, we're not about to stop them. Dubbed Manual Deskterity, the project is currently based around a Microsoft Surface device, and shows how pen and touch input can be combined for a range of tasks that wouldn't be possible with just one or the other -- using a photo as a straight-edge (as seen above), for example, or using the pen as an X-acto knife to cut a photo while you hold it in place with your finger. Of course, while the project is currently using a Surface, it's hard not to see how it could also be applied to something like Courier, especially considering the strong emphasis on creativity that echoes the Courier demo videos. Head on past the break to check out the whole thing for yourself.

Continue reading Microsoft's Manual Deskterity project reveals pen and touch input, Courier's future?

Microsoft's Manual Deskterity project reveals pen and touch input, Courier's future? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>courierManual DeskterityManualDeskteritymicrosoftmicrosoft researchMicrosoftResearchpenpen inputpen-based inputPen-basedInputPenInputresearchsurfacetouchtouch interfaceTouchInterfacevideoFri, 09 Apr 2010 13:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft invites us to mystery event, April 12th! (update: for Pink phones?)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/05/microsoft-invites-us-to-mystery-event-april-12th/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/05/microsoft-invites-us-to-mystery-event-april-12th/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/05/microsoft-invites-us-to-mystery-event-april-12th/#comments Well... we don't know what to make of this one. Microsoft just snail-mailed us a circular package with an invitation to an event on April 12th in San Francisco. They also tell us that it's "time to share," and apparently intend that sharing to go on between young, attractive Urban Outfitters models (according to the images on the notice). Okay. So what is this? Pink? Courier (gasp!)? Windows Phone 7 Series Phone Series 7? Only Microsoft knows for sure. We're searching for more info, so stay tuned! One more pic after the break.

Update: Windows expert Paul Thurrott says definitively that this will not be a Courier event, rather it will be entirely focused on Pink phones, as does CNET's Ina Fried, who adds that they'll be released on Verizon as rumored. We can't say we're surprised, but we're seriously hoping Microsoft makes that tablet a reality.

[Thanks, Kevin]

Continue reading Microsoft invites us to mystery event, April 12th! (update: for Pink phones?)

Microsoft invites us to mystery event, April 12th! (update: for Pink phones?) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewscouriereventmicrosoftmicrosoft eventMicrosoftEventpinkprojectpinkMon, 05 Apr 2010 11:01:00 EST<![CDATA[iPass? The best present and future alternatives to the Apple iPad]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/02/ipass-the-best-present-and-future-alternatives-to-the-apple-ipa/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/02/ipass-the-best-present-and-future-alternatives-to-the-apple-ipa/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/02/ipass-the-best-present-and-future-alternatives-to-the-apple-ipa/#comments
 When Steve Jobs introduced the iPad he was quick to shake his finger in the nose of the other devices out there attempting to fill the gap between cell phone and full-sized laptop, and in particular those market-dominating netbooks. In Apple's opinion, the iPad may be the gadget for surfing the web, watching movies, reading books and running apps, but it's surely not the only game in town. And if you aren't sold on the iPad, but happen to be someone who's looking to buy a secondary computing device to use while traveling or while simply lying on the couch, your choices at the moment come down to netbooks and... well, more netbooks. And that's not such a bad thing, especially if you need a feature Apple's tablet can't offer, like multitasking, a keyboard, or Flash support. So, before you get up on Saturday morning and run off to purchase that iPad, you may want to peruse the best current (as well as coming) alternatives we've rounded up after the break.

Continue reading iPass? The best present and future alternatives to the Apple iPad

iPass? The best present and future alternatives to the Apple iPad originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adamAppleapple ipadAppleIpadchrome osChromeOscourierdelldell mini 5DellMini5fusion garageFusion Garage Joo Joofusion garage joojooFusionGarageFusionGarageJooJoogoogle chrome os tabletGoogleChromeOsTabletHP Mini 311hp slateHpMini311HpSlateideapad s10-3tIdeapadS10-3tipadipad alternativesIpadAlternativesLenovolenovo ideapad s10-3tLenovoIdeapadS10-3tMicrosoft CourierMicrosoftCourierMini 311mini 5Mini311Mini5NetBookNetBooksnotion inknotion ink adamNotionInkNotionInkAdams10-3tslatetablet pcTabletPctabletstoshibatoshiba miniToshiba Mini NB305toshiba nb305ToshibaMiniToshibaMiniNb305ToshibaNb305Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Switched On: Courier courts the creative]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/30/switched-on-courier-courts-the-creative/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/30/switched-on-courier-courts-the-creative/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/30/switched-on-courier-courts-the-creative/#commentsEach week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Call it Apple's populist paradox. The Macintosh's human-centered design inspired its being called the "computer for the rest of us," but the Mac also long been associated with exceptional creative individuals, a message Apple has driven home in campaigns ranging from "wheels from the mind" to "think different." In the early days of the Web, it was said that Web pages were created on Macs and viewed on PCs -- and served on Unix workstations.

Should the concepts in a video detailing a new Microsoft-developed device dubbed Courier come to fruition, though, Microsoft and Apple may find themselves on unfamiliar sides as an old rivalry turns to the new frontier of convergence tablets, with Apple providing the workaday access product and Microsoft providing a niche but empowering tool aimed at creative professionals.

Continue reading Switched On: Courier courts the creative

Switched On: Courier courts the creative originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsconceptcourieripadmicrosoftswitched onSwitchedOntabletTue, 30 Mar 2010 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft Courier existence confirmed on the company's JobsBlog?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/microsoft-courier-existence-confirmed-on-the-companys-jobsblog/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/microsoft-courier-existence-confirmed-on-the-companys-jobsblog/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/microsoft-courier-existence-confirmed-on-the-companys-jobsblog/#comments Well this is something. According to Peter Kafka at All Things D, as well as a few tipsters, Microsoft has all but confirmed the existence (and likely actual launch) of the Courier tablet. In a post on the site by Thomas Kohnstamm (or The JobsBloggers, hard to say) touting Microsoft innovation, this passage was originally posted:
Do you already know everything about Project Natal and the Cloud? Is Blaise Aguera y Arcas' jaw-dropping TED talk on augmented-reality Bing Maps and Photosynth last month's news? Then check out some of the online chatter surrounding new releases of Window Phone 7 series handsets, Internet Explorer 9 and the upcoming Courier digital journal."
That last bit -- you know, about the Courier -- was linked to our recent post which revealed a handful of images, video, and possible factoids on the device. Though that bit of the writeup has been canned, you can see that the post was tagged "courier," and the original text is still hanging around RSS (as seen above). So, does this mean Microsoft is getting close to actually giving us some meat on this thing? We can't know for sure if the info above is 100 percent solid... but it's certainly telling that this device is on the lips of Microsoft employees who also happen to work on PR campaigns for the company -- and they moved quickly to get it offline. What do you guys think?

[Thanks, Ian]

Microsoft Courier existence confirmed on the company's JobsBlog? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewscouriere booke bookse readere readerse-booke-bookse-readere-readersjobsblogmicrosoftmicrosoft courierMicrosoftCourierTue, 23 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal': exclusive pictures and details (update: video!)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/#comments We've been dying to know more about Microsoft's Courier tablet / e-book device ever since we first caught wind of it last September, and while our entreaties to Mr. Ballmer went unanswered, we just learned some very interesting information from an extremely trusted source. We're told Courier will function as a "digital journal," and it's designed to be seriously portable: it's under an inch thick, weighs a little over a pound, and isn't much bigger than a 5x7 photo when closed. That's a lot smaller than we expected -- this new picture really puts it into perspective -- and the internals apparently reflect that emphasis on mobility: rather than Windows 7, we're told the Courier is built on Tegra 2 and runs on the same OS as the Zune HD, Pink, and Windows Mobile 7 Series, which we're taking to mean Windows CE 6.

As we've heard, the interface appears to be pen-based and centered around drawing and writing, with built-in handwriting recognition and a corresponding web site that allows access to everything entered into the device in a blog-like format complete with comments. We're also hearing that there will be a built-in camera, and there's a headphone jack for media playback. Most interestingly, it looks like the Courier will also serve as Microsoft's e-book device, with a dedicated ecosystem centered around reading. It all sounds spectacular, but all we have for a launch date is "Q3 / Q4", and we have no idea how much it's going to cost, so we're trying to maintain a healthy skepticism until any of this gets official -- call us any time, Microsoft. One more pic showing the interface after the break.

Update: We've added a gallery of user interface shots -- some of which we've seen and some of which are new.

Update 2: We've just gotten two full-length HD videos of the interface in action. We've seen parts of these before, but there's some new stuff here that's quite interesting. Check it below.

Gallery: Courier user interface

Continue reading Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal': exclusive pictures and details (update: video!)

Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal': exclusive pictures and details (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewscourierCourierTablete booke readere-booke-readerEBookEReaderexclusiveleakleaksmicrosoftrumorrumorsFri, 05 Mar 2010 13:44:00 EST<![CDATA[HP to undercut iPad price, iPad to undercut Amazon e-books prices, Courier to rule them all?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/18/hp-to-undercut-ipad-price-ipad-to-undercut-amazon-e-books-price/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/18/hp-to-undercut-ipad-price-ipad-to-undercut-amazon-e-books-price/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/18/hp-to-undercut-ipad-price-ipad-to-undercut-amazon-e-books-price/#comments
Today's Apple rumor roundup is brought to you by the word "money." First up is a piece carried by the New York Times citing no less than three people familiar with provisions that would require publishers to discount best seller e-book prices sold on Apple's iPad. In other words, below the $12.99 to $14.99 price dictated by the new agency model -- prices Amazon is being strong-armed into accepting. Apple's prices could be as low as Amazon's previously magical $9.99 price point for some titles just as soon as they hit the New York Times best-seller lists. Discounted hardcover editions could be priced at $12.99 even if they do not hit the best-seller list.

The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, has a pair of sources saying that HP will be meeting with its US and Taiwanese partners to "tweak prices and features" on its upcoming Slate. The move is meant to capitalize on a recent uptick in tablet interest with hopes of undercutting the $629 price of the similarly spec'd 3G-enabled iPad. Although it was introduced before the iPad, HP deliberatly held back on announcing a ship date or pricing so that it could tweak the Slate accordingly.

Also noteworthy is renewed attention given to Microsoft's Courier. The WSJ says that Microsoft continues work on its two-screen Courier tablet at its Alchemy Ventures incubation laboratory in Seattle. However, it's still unclear whether Microsoft will launch the device.

HP to undercut iPad price, iPad to undercut Amazon e-books prices, Courier to rule them all? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agency modelAgencyModelAlchemy VenturesAlchemyVenturesamazonapplecompetitioncouriere booke bookse readere readerse-booke-bookse-readerE-readersebookshpibooksibookstoreipadkindlemicrosoftpricesrumorskunkworksslatetabletThu, 18 Feb 2010 02:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft to reveal HP built Courier slate tomorrow?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/05/microsoft-to-reveal-hp-slate-tomorrow/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/05/microsoft-to-reveal-hp-slate-tomorrow/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/05/microsoft-to-reveal-hp-slate-tomorrow/#commentsIt was 2001 that Bill Gates first introduced the Tablet PC in Las Vegas. Tomorrow will see the launch of what could be Microsoft's next take on the Tablet PC right here at CES if the New York Times is correct. According to "people familiar with Microsoft's plans," Steve Ballmer will introduce an HP-built "slate-type computer" during the opening CES keynote. The rumored device is said to be a "multi-media whiz with e-reader and multi-touch functions" in tow that could be available by mid year. So what will it be? The Courier supported by a full-suite of content partners, or will it be just another Windows tablet in search of mass market acceptance? You'll find out tomorrow right here at Engadget.

Microsoft to reveal HP built Courier slate tomorrow? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewscesces 2010Ces2010courierhpkeynotemicrosoftrumorslatesteve ballmerSteveBallmertabletTue, 05 Jan 2010 20:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Modder creates dual-screen Courier from Dell Mini 9, calls it Harlequin, Joker unavailable for comment]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/09/modder-creates-dual-screen-courier-from-dell-mini-9-calls-it-ha/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/09/modder-creates-dual-screen-courier-from-dell-mini-9-calls-it-ha/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/09/modder-creates-dual-screen-courier-from-dell-mini-9-calls-it-ha/#comments
Microsoft's Courier, the dual-touchscreen wunderbooklet, had plenty of gadget lovers in a tizzy in late September -- even though the company itself doesn't seem to know what to do with it. An eventual release of the thing seems unlikely, so user Pak-Kei Mak over at the My Dell Mini forums created his own. It's a Dell Mini 9, or was a Dell Mini 9 anyway, bisected and keyboard replaced by another nine-inch display. This pic and another were posted back around Halloween, showing the two halves loosely coupled together, but pakkei has indicated a laser-cut custom case is in the works to bring it all together in a much tidier package. We do love lasers.

Update: Pak-Kei Mak commented to say he's still "steamrolling along" with this design and will have updates for us soon. As it turns out this is the very-same Pak-Kei Mak who was one of our Kindle engraving contest winners a few months back, which interestingly also featured the use of lasers. It's a small world, ain't it?

Modder creates dual-screen Courier from Dell Mini 9, calls it Harlequin, Joker unavailable for comment originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>courierdelldell mini 9DellMini9dual-touchscreenharlequinmicrosoft courierMicrosoftCouriermini 9Mini9my dell miniMyDellMininetbookpakkeitouchscreenWed, 09 Dec 2009 07:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft Courier interface explained in more detail]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/microsoft-courier-interface-explained-in-more-detail/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/microsoft-courier-interface-explained-in-more-detail/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/microsoft-courier-interface-explained-in-more-detail/#comments Steve Ballmer might have no idea what's going on with the Microsoft Courier tablet, but a new set of documents leaked to Gizmodo certainly suggests the product is more than just a couple videos the boss-man hasn't seen. The images detail the Courier's unique user interface, which draws on everything from multitouch gestures to pen-based handwriting recognition. The heart of the interface appears to be the Smart Agenda, pictured above, which pulls together all your disparate content like calendar entries, emails, and to-dos into one unified starting place, described as "Cliff Notes" to the Pagestream "novel." The journal itself appears to be searchable by all kinds of data, including time, location, and tags, and it's all accessed by a special multi-button pen. There's also a camera and an offhand mention of "boos and subscriptions," so it sounds like whoever was dreaming this all up considered using the Courier as an ebook reader as well -- which would be totally sweet, given the types of annotations you could do. Of course, none of this is real yet, but we're hoping against hope -- please, Mr. Steve, make our holiday dreams come true?

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Microsoft Courier interface explained in more detail originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conceptcouriercourier tabletCourierTabletinkseineleakleaksmicrosoftrumorrumorstabletWed, 04 Nov 2009 13:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Steve Ballmer hasn't seen the Courier video, promises Zune integration in next WinMo release]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/steve-ballmer-hasnt-seen-the-courier-video-promises-zune-integ/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/steve-ballmer-hasnt-seen-the-courier-video-promises-zune-integ/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/steve-ballmer-hasnt-seen-the-courier-video-promises-zune-integ/#comments
We just got off stage with Steve Ballmer, where we garnered a blistering 40 minutes of wild conversation with the man, touching on all things Microsoft. Of course, Windows 7 was at the forefront of talking points, be we also got Ballmer chatting up that Courier vid, and the lack of Zune integration on Windows Mobile. For the former he swears he hasn't actually seen it, but that it sounds like it's something someone should make, while for Zune he says Windows Mobile is going to get integration in the next release -- which is a comforting thought, if perhaps a bit late. Of course there's plenty more to what he said, and we'll have an HD version of the whole show up tomorrow so you can sit back and take it all in if you missed the live shindig.

Update: We've uploaded a gallery of photos courtesy of our good friend and podcast producer, Trent Wolbe. Check 'em out!

Gallery: Behind the scenes at The Engadget Show with Steve Ballmer

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Steve Ballmer hasn't seen the Courier video, promises Zune integration in next WinMo release originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>courierengadget showEngadgetShowexclusivemicrosoftportable audioportableaudiosteve ballmerSteveBallmerzuneThu, 22 Oct 2009 18:51:00 EST<![CDATA[New Microsoft Courier video details tablet interface, exciting life of a shoe designer (Update: Windows 7 underneath, might run Microsoft hardware)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/29/new-microsoft-courier-video-details-tablet-interface-exciting-l/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/29/new-microsoft-courier-video-details-tablet-interface-exciting-l/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/29/new-microsoft-courier-video-details-tablet-interface-exciting-l/#comments Remember that time when you were just totally stumped for ideas on a new Nike Dunk SB color scheme? Well, if you had a Microsoft Courier -- whose interface concepts have now been detailed extensively in a new video on Gizmodo -- you'd have little trouble recalling the incident, thanks to fancy tools like an "infinite journal," "grid" and "search" to keep your little virtual scrapbook in order. On display are new gestures that use both the pen and fingers, and seem a little more obvious and common sense than last time around. Copying and "tucking" an image for instance (clipping it to the black binding in the center) is done with a finger, as is a swipe gesture that pulls up the browser, and another swipe that pulls up the home screen of sorts. The pen is more reserved for annotation and sketching, which seems logical. Your journals of stuff can be shared with browser-bound friends, and even packaged up into a customizable virtual Moleskine, elastic band and all. There are still plenty of missing pieces, like a virtual keyboard or pretty much any apps outside of scrapbooking and web browsing, but this iteration certainly looks a lot less theoretical and complicated than what we've seen so far.

Update: ZDNet's Mary-Jo Foley has more details from a "connected tipster" about Courier. According to her, Microsoft is running this on top of Windows 7, similar to how Microsoft Surface runs on top of Windows, and that the concept got its start as a reinvention of Microsoft's OneNote for a strictly tablet form factor. Word is that it's an "incubation project" (as opposed to a more conjectural Microsoft Research project) and Microsoft is apparently aiming for a mid-2010 release. The wildest part is that Microsoft is "leaning toward" the Xbox model of building the hardware itself, which apparently will help speed things along -- and delight hardware partners to no end, we're sure.

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New Microsoft Courier video details tablet interface, exciting life of a shoe designer (Update: Windows 7 underneath, might run Microsoft hardware) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conceptcouriercourier interfaceCourierInterfaceinterfaceleakmicrosoft courierMicrosoftCourierrumortabletvideoTue, 29 Sep 2009 12:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Engadget Podcast 164 - 09.27.2009]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/27/engadget-podcast-164-09-27-2009/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/27/engadget-podcast-164-09-27-2009/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/27/engadget-podcast-164-09-27-2009/#comments
It's been a crazy week in news, and after a couple cross-country flights the podcast crew is together and ready to break it all down. Join Josh, Paul and Nilay as they take on Microsoft's Courier tablet concept and rumored Pink smartphones, dish on the HTC Leo and Windows Mobile, debate the finer points of net neutrality, and talk over the highlights from the Intel Developer Forum and the Tokyo Game Show. Yeah, there's a ton here -- grab a snack and tune in!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: Today

Hear the podcast

00:02:34 - Microsoft's dual-screen Courier booklet emerges, isn't near production
00:06:18 - Codex and InkSeine -- the roots of Microsoft's Courier?
00:33:30 - Microsoft's Pink phones revealed?
00:43:00 - HTC Leo looking confirmed for O2 UK debut, will be free on the right plan
00:46:20 - Steve Ballmer talks 'three screens and a cloud' and more with TechCrunch
00:50:00 - Ballmer: Windows Mobile 7 should have been out, like, yesterday
00:55:58 - FCC chairman formally proposes net neutrality rules
00:58:45 - AT&T, Verizon poised to fight FCC's net neutrality stance on the wireless front
01:10:00 - AT&T's 3G MicroCell tested and reviewed by Charlottean: yes, it works
01:13:56 - Intel announces Moblin 2.1 for phones
01:18:07 - Dell announces Moblin Mini 10v at IDF (updated with pricing)
01:17:25 - Video: Moblin 2.1 for MIDs and phones, sort of in action
01:21:15 - USB 3.0 has a SuperSpeed coming-out party at IDF
01:22:44 - Video: Intel's Light Peak running an HD display while transferring files... on a hackintosh
01:28:40 - 13 PS3 motion control games confirmed for next year, motion-enhanced Biohazard 5 coming Spring 2010
01:30:03 - Nintendo finally confirms new $199 Wii price


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Engadget Podcast 164 - 09.27.2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attcodexcourierengadget podcastEngadgetPodcastfcfeaturedfeatureshtchtc leoHtcLeoidfidf 2009Idf2009inkseineleolight peakLightPeakmicrosoftmoblinnet neutralityNetNeutralitypodcastpodcaststgstgs 2009Tgs2009verizonSun, 27 Sep 2009 18:04:00 ESTEngadget Podcast 164Josh Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller01:34:27podcasts<![CDATA[Codex and InkSeine -- the roots of Microsoft's Courier?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/23/codex-and-inkseine-the-roots-of-microsofts-courier/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/23/codex-and-inkseine-the-roots-of-microsofts-courier/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/23/codex-and-inkseine-the-roots-of-microsofts-courier/#comments
Yesterday, the cats over at Gizmodo got a look at what appeared to be a pretty groundbreaking product from Microsoft -- the Courier -- a dual-screen, multitouch tablet with an advanced UI the likes of which we've rarely seen. According to the site's report, the product was in "late prototype" stages, and judging from the video, it looked to be pretty far along (at least as far as software was concerned). Today, MobileTechWorld looks as though it might be shedding a little more light on the device and its software... but it might not be quite what you think.

Continue reading Codex and InkSeine -- the roots of Microsoft's Courier?

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Codex and InkSeine -- the roots of Microsoft's Courier? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>codexcodex projectCodexProjectcourierinkseinemicrosoftmicrosoft couriermicrosoft rdmicrosoft researchMicrosoftCourierMicrosoftRdMicrosoftResearchresearch and developmentResearchAndDevelopmentWed, 23 Sep 2009 10:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft's dual-screen Courier booklet emerges, isn't near production]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/22/microsofts-courier-booklet-emerges-said-to-be-in-late-prototy/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/22/microsofts-courier-booklet-emerges-said-to-be-in-late-prototy/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/22/microsofts-courier-booklet-emerges-said-to-be-in-late-prototy/#comments
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.

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Microsoft's dual-screen Courier booklet emerges, isn't near production originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookletbooklet 3gBooklet3gconceptCourierdesigninductive chargingInductiveChargingJ. AllardJ.Allardmicrosoftmicrosoft tabletMicrosoftTabletmultitouchprototypetablettablet pcTabletPcTue, 22 Sep 2009 19:47:00 EST