Microsoft's Courier tablet: A Franklin Covey planner on steroids?
Summary: Gizmodo has posted another video of Microsoft's alleged Courier tablet in action. And I'm hearing some new (but unverified) tidbits, too, especially around Courier's possible positioning and timing.
Since the first video and photo leaks went public last week of Microsoft's alleged second-generation Tablet PC, tipsters have been working overtime.
Since Microsoft isn't commenting at all on Courier (the official statement is "we don't comment on rumors or speculation"), it's tough to separate fact from fiction at this point.
But some tipsters are a little more connected than others. And one of my connected tipsters has shared some new info with me that I'm posting now, given that it seems more verifiable.
I say "verifiable" here, not in an official sense, but based on a new Courier video clip Gizmodo posted on September 29. Gizmodo's new clip shows more details about the journaling model around which Courier's user interface seems to revolve. From Gizmodo's explanation:
"The (Courier) journal can actually be published online, and it's shown here as able to be downloaded in three formats: a Courier file, Powerpoint or PDF. There's also a library that looks a lot like Delicious Library, where things like subscriptions, notebooks and apps, are stored."
That sure makes the Courier sound like it fits in with Microsoft's uber-"three screens and a cloud" vision -- via which devices, TVs and PCs all share common cloud-based services, storage, etc.
The Courier journaling metaphor isn't so different from Microsoft's OneNote note-taking app that is currently the showcase app for existing tablet PCs, my "connected" source said. He explained:
"The concept started as a software idea on how one would really build OneNote from scratch if you could for the Tablet form factor. That then morphed into building a tablet. If you look at the most successful pocket computer today - it is still the Franklin Covey Planning Products. So, the idea was how do you create a digital planner."
My source also claimed that the operating system underneath Courier is -- at least currently -- Windows 7. (That's not as crazy as it might seem, given that the OS underlying Microsoft's Surface is Vista -- and Windows 7 is touch-enabled.)
You can't install Windows 7 apps on Courier, the source said, and that's intentional.
The original Microsoft Tablets "failed because the applications were not tailored to a tablet form factor - that is, Word still had toolbars and menus and scollbars. So, a tablet needs to be like an iPhone - a UX that is specific for the form factor," the source said.
My source said that Courier is an incubation project, meaning it's further along than a Microsoft Research project, but still not in the commercialization pipeline. That said, he heard the delivery goal is mid-2010. That seems pretty darn ambitious to me, but he also said Microsoft is currently leaning toward using the Xbox model -- in other words, making the device itself, and not relying on its current Tablet partners -- so that could speed things up a bit.
I can't verify any of what my source has told me. But I figured I'd put it out there, as it jibes with what Gizmodo has unearthed.
What's your take? Is the Courier protoype we're hearing and seeing bits and pieces about something you could see having wider appeal than the current generation of Tablets?
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Talkback
I'd buy one instantly
If Microsoft were to release something like the prototype today, I'd be at the store before I finished typing this comment.
Me too, BUT
If it was under $400, then yes, I'd buy one, but I'd prefer if it was less. If it's going to be some extravagant, say, $999 device, then I'd have to pass.
If it does the job well...
But if it's slow (i.e. frustrating), or has less than an 8 hour battery life (i.e., not really portable because it's always tethered), then even at $400 I wouldn't buy it.
Hmm, OneNote as hardware
they're trying to hit that - well that sounds pretty good. As for price,
well I guess it all depends on what else it can do;
So can it email? That would be worth something.
Can it connect via a cellular network? Again useful if it can.
Can it read ebooks? This would instantly be worth a lot for me.
Can it play music? Hey, it's not that stupid an idea.
Can it record voice notes?
Can you create applications for it, or is it a closed box?
Touch games? Chess would be nice.
Instant Messaging? Video Instant Messaging?!
Battery Life?
Weight?
With favourable answers to the above, even $999 seems OK. Let's face
it, the thing (from the videos) has a real flare, if the build quality is
there, I think it would be great. I also think it needs a database -
nothing like Oracle, but something you can chuck say product records
into. Probably also a database client, that understand how to pull
records into the notebook metaphor.
Are they dusting off Origami?
Typical Microsoft Vaporware!
http://www.metawedgie.com/journal/2009/10/1/can-you-say-vaporware.html
RE: Microsoft's Courier tablet: A Franklin Covey planner on steroids?
Would this be usable in a medical environment?
RE: Microsoft's Courier tablet: A Franklin Covey planner on steroids?
No thanks.
I want something like this or a tablet which is flexible enough to cover most of the standard tasks people use computers for such as Internet, MS Office/OpenOffice, music/video, remote access of other pc's, etc.
If this computer won't handle those tasks as the user desires, will this just be in addition to their existing computer? Just one more device to have to buy software for which has added quirks to deal with?
Sure new apps can be written tailored for this machine, but will most people want to purchase 2 sets of software for this and for Win7/Vista/XP ? What about the sheer selection available for Windows vs new apps for the Courier? Has there been a real problem with manipulating windows with touch methods?
I want an easy to carry tablet type pc which can replace my laptop, maybe even double as a desktop with added wireless keyboard & mouse.
Why limit or cripple the device?
Should be unique...
I think there is a large risk making it a Win 7 tablet. It's not differentiated enough and it will be commoditized. However, if it's a unique platform with app store, it could succeed.
Tablet problems
anything but pen friendly, as for touch... well that's worse. Trying to
use the Start Menu with a pen on a device your holding is a frustrating
experience, it's on the wrong place (at the bottom) and the targets are
small.
The problem with it being "a PC with touch and pen" is nothing get
written for it, you get applications that are clearly desktop apps, with
"ink features" grafted on.
So, I think the separation makes sense. An application built for this
won't work at all on a desktop, and a desktop application isn't going
to offer much on a device like this.
Think about what you're saying
The article indicates that traditional desktop apps are not suitable for portable hardware platforms. That's the problem Windows Mobile has had for years. It seems that a new development platform to handle this hardware/software configuration is required. Think about it...
Not so fast
hardware/software? That's throwing the baby out with the bath water.
This thing is big enough that it should have some adequate hardware
chops, which means that it could most certainly run the full Windows
7 kernel and the core libraries. From there, Microsoft could then build
a new user shell to take advantage of the enhanced touch
environment.
For example, I'd be much happier if the "Infinite Journal" made use of
the same data processing and display libraries used by OneNote. That
would ensure that Courier notes could be manipulated and added to
by a regular PC or laptop user. It also reduces the amount of code
that needs to be maintained.
Moreover, the more like common code this thing shares with Windows,
the easier it will be to port existing applications. A completely new
development platform simply isn't necessary.
You're skirting the issue
microsoft hardware? the world's been dying for it ...
Because this is another support-my-API-and-I-will-get-your-paycheck approach. Don't get me wrong, this is what people are going to buy, so nothing wrong with msft supplying it.
The challenge of this industry is to make user data re-usable.
Another fancy toy is going to repeat what we already have. Too many address books, too many documents we don't find, and too many tweets to consume in a lifetime.
And all the fancy navigation will be missing the key ingredient going forward:
Access to generic data OUTSIDE the stacks, access to all the data a user is interested in - vs. what a specific device or environment or vendor supports.
Mesh
Data sync platform. Phone, Windows, Mac. I'm sure this will be included. Remember, Mesh is the sync platform so while currently quite useful, it's only the tip of the iceberg.
Mesh support
Don't forget that...
Mesh when it does it only sporadically? It should be called "Windows
Mesh" since you can't do remote desktop unless it's from/to wintel. The
only killer of this concept is its' proprietary nature.
Absolutely
RE: Microsoft's Courier tablet: A Franklin Covey planner on steroids?
is the mysterious MacTab more than ghost and could we see
instant competition in this space? Sure could be interesting.
Tablet PC User