Microsoft, HP to introduce touchscreen tablet Wed. - report
Previously seen only as a leaked concept, Microsoft and HP could unveil the dual-screen, book-like touchscreen device known as the Courier Wednesday at CES.
According to The New York Times, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer will introduce the device during his keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The hardware will be made by HP and is expected to be available for sale by mid 2010.
The Times made mention of the Courier, first viewed as a concept last September, but did not say whether Ballmer's purported new hardware would take that dual-screen form factor.
If true, HP and Microsoft will join a number of manufacturers who hope to beat Apple to market with tablet-like devices. Apple is expected to host a media event on Jan. 27 to introduce new hardware, which is widely believed to include a 10-inch touchscreen multimedia device that will ship in March.
The Times noted that a great deal of scrutiny will be placed on both Microsoft and HP if they do introduce new hardware, with Apple's expected event looming just weeks away.
"This product better be good," the report said, "because Apple is expected to unveil its take on the slate/tablet form-factor later this month. If history holds, Apple will issue a product that surprises people in a few ways and that stands out from the crowd."
Officials with Microsoft and HP declined to comment on the rumor. However, it is expected that Ballmer will introduce hardware that will function as both a multimedia device and an e-reader with multi-touch capabilities.
"It remains tough to tell where Microsoft?s work ends and H.P.?s begins on this type of product," the report said. "But all eyes will be on Mr. Ballmer this week to see if Microsoft and HP and can out-Apple Apple before Apple Apples."
When it was leaked in September, the Courier was said to be a project under the eye of J Allard, Microsoft's chief experience officer. The Microsoft prototype reportedly included Wi-Fi, an iPhone-like home button, a camera on its reverse side, and an inductive charging pad like the Touchstone for the Palm Pre.
Concept pictures and video of the Courier showed two 7-inch screens held together by a hinge. The multi-touch screens were designed for writing, and could be controlled with either a stylus or fingers.
In addition to pushing the notion of the tablet PC for years, Microsoft has been behind another touch-centric device called Surface. Revealed two and a half years ago, the costly technology has yet to see any widespread real world adoption.
Another tablet concept already revealed this week came from Lenovo. Known as the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid, the laptop features a detachable resistive multitouch display that sports a separate Snapdragon processor and its own Linux operating system. When docked, with its keyboard base, the machine runs a traditional copy of Windows 7, and switches to its own "Skylight" operating system when disconnected.
Though only a prototype at the moment, Engadget had a hands-on with the device and came away with relatively positive impressions.
"When docked, the U1 looks and feels like any other snazzed-up laptop, with an Intel CULV processor and a 128GB SSD running Windows 7 Home Premium," the report said. "You actually wouldn't know there's a slate hiding in there -- until you pull it out and watch it switch to Lenovo's Skylight UI, a process that was smooth and quick for us. Lenovo says the goal is for the full switch to occur in under 3 seconds, and the U1 delivered, as far as we could tell."
According to The New York Times, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer will introduce the device during his keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The hardware will be made by HP and is expected to be available for sale by mid 2010.
The Times made mention of the Courier, first viewed as a concept last September, but did not say whether Ballmer's purported new hardware would take that dual-screen form factor.
If true, HP and Microsoft will join a number of manufacturers who hope to beat Apple to market with tablet-like devices. Apple is expected to host a media event on Jan. 27 to introduce new hardware, which is widely believed to include a 10-inch touchscreen multimedia device that will ship in March.
The Times noted that a great deal of scrutiny will be placed on both Microsoft and HP if they do introduce new hardware, with Apple's expected event looming just weeks away.
"This product better be good," the report said, "because Apple is expected to unveil its take on the slate/tablet form-factor later this month. If history holds, Apple will issue a product that surprises people in a few ways and that stands out from the crowd."
Officials with Microsoft and HP declined to comment on the rumor. However, it is expected that Ballmer will introduce hardware that will function as both a multimedia device and an e-reader with multi-touch capabilities.
"It remains tough to tell where Microsoft?s work ends and H.P.?s begins on this type of product," the report said. "But all eyes will be on Mr. Ballmer this week to see if Microsoft and HP and can out-Apple Apple before Apple Apples."
When it was leaked in September, the Courier was said to be a project under the eye of J Allard, Microsoft's chief experience officer. The Microsoft prototype reportedly included Wi-Fi, an iPhone-like home button, a camera on its reverse side, and an inductive charging pad like the Touchstone for the Palm Pre.
Concept pictures and video of the Courier showed two 7-inch screens held together by a hinge. The multi-touch screens were designed for writing, and could be controlled with either a stylus or fingers.
In addition to pushing the notion of the tablet PC for years, Microsoft has been behind another touch-centric device called Surface. Revealed two and a half years ago, the costly technology has yet to see any widespread real world adoption.
Another tablet concept already revealed this week came from Lenovo. Known as the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid, the laptop features a detachable resistive multitouch display that sports a separate Snapdragon processor and its own Linux operating system. When docked, with its keyboard base, the machine runs a traditional copy of Windows 7, and switches to its own "Skylight" operating system when disconnected.
Though only a prototype at the moment, Engadget had a hands-on with the device and came away with relatively positive impressions.
"When docked, the U1 looks and feels like any other snazzed-up laptop, with an Intel CULV processor and a 128GB SSD running Windows 7 Home Premium," the report said. "You actually wouldn't know there's a slate hiding in there -- until you pull it out and watch it switch to Lenovo's Skylight UI, a process that was smooth and quick for us. Lenovo says the goal is for the full switch to occur in under 3 seconds, and the U1 delivered, as far as we could tell."
Comments
Though only a prototype at the moment, Engadget had a hands-on with the device and came away with relatively positive impressions.
Dude, the Lenovo plays solitaire! The iTablet is doomed!
:d
In a few months, there will be a lot of dead tablets for sale. Will Apple's be one of them?
But all eyes will be on Mr. Ballmer this week to see if Microsoft and HP and can out-Apple Apple before Apple Apples.
you gotta love this...
Not much different from the various small tablets that have been floating around for a while now, in other words, but MS probably feels like they have to at least pretend to have a dog in that hunt.
If MS shows something that looks anything like that Courier concept I'll eat my hat. Expect to see a touch tablet with a little bit of case bling and a few bells and whistles, maybe running some version of WinCE for an OS and maybe with some Zune style animations. Probably Xbox ties ins, and pitched as an email/video/game/media device.
I am not so sure about that. They somehow made that Courier video leak for a reason, and the NYT assumes it (the Ballmer) will just show a video tomorrow... I would not be surprised if they go for the Courier concept, especially since it received a lot of favorable comments. Much more likely is that they will announce a vague shipping date and then issue delay notice after delay notice. This is the usual Ballmer tactic: keep people from buying something else by announcing vaporware and then delay it ad nauseam. This has not worked for at least ten years now, but he is no fast learner...
With all the Web versions of Office applications they are working on (and to be honest, what they have shown so far outperforms anything Google Docs and iWork.com offer by lightyears) - all the Courier would need is a decent lightweight OS and a decent browser... and their insistence on using only own technology will kill it exactly for these requirements
If MS shows something that looks anything like that Courier concept I'll eat my hat. Expect to see a touch tablet with a little bit of case bling and a few bells and whistles, maybe running some version of WinCE for an OS and maybe with some Zune style animations. Probably Xbox ties ins, and pitched as an email/video/game/media device.
Not much different from the various small tablets that have been floating around for a while now, in other words, but MS probably feels like they have to at least pretend to have a dog in that hunt.
No WinCE. The MS multitouch SDK has been out for a little while now and enabling WPF applications for multitouch is easier than one might think. It's rather cool. It'll run Win7 and be fairly slick is my expectation.
But we'll see how much Office gets modified for that environment.
If MS shows something that looks anything like that Courier concept I'll eat my hat. Expect to see a touch tablet with a little bit of case bling and a few bells and whistles, maybe running some version of WinCE for an OS and maybe with some Zune style animations. Probably Xbox ties ins, and pitched as an email/video/game/media device.
Not much different from the various small tablets that have been floating around for a while now, in other words, but MS probably feels like they have to at least pretend to have a dog in that hunt.
It'll be interesting to see whether you're right or not, but I suspect your vision is closer to what we'll see than that video that got passed around a few months ago. Personally, I'm ambivalent about the Courier. The concept was very cool, but Microsoft seems unable to bring true innovation to market.
To me, one of the most interesting things about the Courier was the glimpse it gives into the Microsoft process. There are some imaginative people trapped inside that company, but their ideas obviously never percolate to the outside world. What must it be like to be a clever person, trapped inside a company like that?
At least Xerox PARC's innovations were seen & appreciated by the outside world. (Why Xerox so rarely managed to capitalize on their own brilliant ideas is another matter).
Back to the Courier. I could easily see them having a really cool concept and then, in their rush to bring it to market, produce a half-baked kludge that ECHOES the concept but fails to embody it. Sort of the opposite of what was rumored to have happened with the iPhone: right before he was due to announce the thing, Mr Jobs reportedly decided it wasn't ready yet, and he told everybody to go back and get it right ? and we didn't see the real deal for another year, as a result... incredible! If that story is true, it's the antithesis of what I suspect will happen with the Courier.
Dude, the Lenovo plays solitaire! The iTablet is doomed!
:d
who needs solitaire when you've got Words With Friends.
No WinCE. The MS multitouch SDK has been out for a little while now and enabling WPF applications for multitouch is easier than one might think. It's rather cool. It'll run Win7 and be fairly slick is my expectation.
But we'll see how much Office gets modified for that environment.
Well, if it does that I suspect it will be not terribly different from the failed Windows tablets that have come before. There's a big difference between enabling desktop applications for touch and having something that's actually easy and fun to use and which has touch (and a particular hardware configuration) baked into it's DNA.
I suspect that Apple came to the conclusion that a tablet had to be rethought from the ground up to make any sense. It would be pretty typical for MS to decide that all they have to do is swap out a stylus for a finger and button clicks for taps to make their tablet OS work.
Apple... Your Move[/CENTER]
MS + HP. Well that can only mean innovation!
I am not so sure about that. They somehow made that Courier video leak for a reason, and the NYT assumes it (the Ballmer) will just show a video tomorrow... I would not be surprised if they go for the Courier concept, especially since it received a lot of favorable comments. Much more likely is that they will announce a vague shipping date and then issue delay notice after delay notice. This is the usual Ballmer tactic: keep people from buying something else by announcing vaporware and then delay it ad nauseam. This has not worked for at least ten years now, but he is no fast learner...
With all the Web versions of Office applications they are working on (and to be honest, what they have shown so far outperforms anything Google Docs and iWork.com offer by lightyears) - all the Courier would need is a decent lightweight OS and a decent browser... and their insistence on using only own technology will kill it exactly for these requirements
Except the Courier concept is a huge break with established computing practice, and MS doesn't really do that. The video had a lot of blue-sky concepts around how data is handled that would require an entirely new OS-- moving things around by touch was the least of it. There was the kind of context sensitive OS level awareness that looks great when demoed around specific use-cases, but seems pretty unlikely when you consider a broader application. And how does that split screen hardware configuration work if you want to watch a full screen video? Seems like a pretty big drawback to have your device permanently split in half that way, even if you really want to run things full screen as big as possible. If there was a way of doing all that as an inexpensive day planner replacement, the kind of semi-dedicated device that people will pay a few hundred dollars for, then sure. But that's not going to happen.
I would say that that video was simply a compilation of a bunch of ideas (context sensitive flicking, 3D icon animations, gesture based text input handling, etc.), some of which may even find their way into shipping products.
But I don't think they'll even pretend that they're going to release something like the Courier concept.
Who selects the CES keynote speaker anyway? And why do they always toady up to the Monkey Man? There are many other hi-tech CEOs who have stronger messages to bring to CES so why do they keep bring Ball-less to do the vapor-note?
because msoft pays up for the spot. you don't really think it's a matter of bestowing an honor do you?
[CENTER]As someone who had a great experience with the HP TX1100, the first real consumer-level slate/tablet capable of running a REAL operating system, I feel quite confident that this new generation of MS/Hp Tablet will be quite impressive, and if it is based on the Courier prototypes, it'll be stellar!
Apple... Your Move[/CENTER]
There's a problem with defining a "real operating system" as "pretty much like the desktop OS but with fingers instead of mice." Probably why this market segment has never gone anywhere, your appreciation of a particular device notwithstanding.
As far as Apple's moves go, is this going to be anything like the devastating blow that the Zune HD dealt the iPod Touch? I'm sure Cupertino is pretty freaked out.
Well, if it does that I suspect it will be not terribly different from the failed Windows tablets that have come before. There's a big difference between enabling desktop applications for touch and having something that's actually easy and fun to use and which has touch (and a particular hardware configuration) baked into it's DNA.
I suspect that Apple came to the conclusion that a tablet had to be rethought from the ground up to make any sense. It would be pretty typical for MS to decide that all they have to do is swap out a stylus for a finger and button clicks for taps to make their tablet OS work.
the tablet laptops cost something like $1000 more than the price of a regular laptop which is why no one bought them
Except the Courier concept is a huge break with established computing practice, and MS doesn't really do that.
Agree - they have never done that in the past, but - to a much smaller degree, of course - the risky step of introducing the ribbon UI (love it or hate it, I hate it, but some people have embraced it) did at least show that there is some life left... and the sheer fear of being left behind in the mobile space (and that fear is well deserved) might force them to try something else...
The video had a lot of blue-sky concepts around how data is handled that would require an entirely new OS-- moving things around by touch was the least of it. There was the kind of context sensitive OS level awareness that looks great when demoed around specific use-cases, but seems pretty unlikely when you consider broader application. And how does that split screen hardware configuration work if you want to watch a full screen video?
Basically what they have shown was just a glorified concept of having an abstract/context-sensitive explorer on the left and a content area on the right screen. If you ignore the effects and animations it is nothing else than that - so, actually an old concept that can easily be applied to a lot of scenarios. Make a decent SDK for it and developers can certainly make it work for a lot of things.
Assuming that each of the screens is at least 5-7", folding one side back and turning the device 90 degrees would make for a better video viewer than most smartphones and portable DVD players available today.
I would say that that video was simply a compilation of a bunch of ideas (context sensitive flicking, 3D icon animations, gesture based text input handling, etc.), some of which may even find their way into shipping products.
But I don't think they'll even pretend that they're going to release something like the Courier concept.
Agree, but even if they just build a device using this concept and form factor and achieve a fraction of what that video was showing... it will certainly be one of the stronger contenders - somehow business people love that folding-style concept and e.g. displaying PDF bookmarks on the left and content on the right would make for a pretty natural reading experience if done right.
Maybe you are right, but Ballmer must know how much attention this concept video was getting. Making a major speech at a major event and then showing a conventional tablet that does not bring anything new to the table, would be an embarrassment... I am betting on futuristic vaporware that will finally not be available and working before 2011/2012 instead.