As rumors continue to swirl about a new Microsoft tablet PC project, Gizmodo comes along with new evidence of just what Microsoft may be up to.
As rumors continue to swirl about a new Microsoft tablet PC project, Gizmodo
comes along with new evidence of just what Microsoft may be up to.
According to some reports, Microsoft is allegedly in the thick of
development on a new tablet-like device code-named "Courier."
According to an All About
Microsoft report, "Gizmodo showed off a sneak peek of a video of the Courier device
in action during a press-only party in New York
on Sept. 22 to mark the opening of the Gizmodo Gallery."
In its report on the Courier effort, Gizmodo said:
"Courier is a real device, and we've heard that it's in the 'late
prototype' stage of development. It's not a tablet, it's a booklet. The dual
7-inch (or so) screens are multitouch, and designed for writing, flicking and
drawing with a stylus, in addition to fingers. They're connected by a hinge
that holds a single iPhone-esque home button. Statuses, like wireless signal
and battery life, are displayed along the rim of one of the screens. On the
back cover is a camera, and it might charge through an inductive pad, like the
Palm Touchstone charging dock for Pre."
Gizmodo indicated that the "Courier" project appears to be rather
far along. "Currently, Courier appears to be at a stage where Microsoft is
developing the user experience and showing design concepts to outside
agencies," the Gizmodo report said.
Microsoft is not confirming whether the project exists, nor is the company
commenting on the rumors at all. So it remains unclear how close an actual
device like Courier might be to delivery. Apple also is rumored to be working
on its own tablet PC.
What would a new tablet device mean for developers?
Would application developers need to write for another brand-new platform, or
would their Windows and Microsoft Surface development skills translate to the
new tablet platform? These are some of the questions Microsoft would have to
address if it does begin to talk about any tablet projects.
Darryl K. Taft covers the development tools and developer-related issues beat from his office in Baltimore. He has more than 10 years of experience in the business and is always looking for the next scoop. Taft is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and was named 'one of the most active middleware reporters in the world' by The Middleware Co. He also has his own card in the 'Who's Who in Enterprise Java' deck.
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