As it sometimes is the case during the weekend, here is a "tech" article. Last week it was about this cute NAO robot, but this time it's all about an incredible new device, an "infinite diary" where you could collect any theme park pictures you'd like when you surf the web, or even shoot pictures with it when you're at Disneyland and share them, etc... all this with an incredible interface. So don't go away, as you'll see how this new device could be great, even for a Disney fan.
Normally, I'm a Mac addict, the kind of Mac addict who doesn't even want to hear the word "Microsoft"! But it seems that this time Microsoft has designed a product that I would be pleased to order! You may have heard that Apple will launch a highly awaited 10" "Tablet" using the IPhone OS, as well as the multi-touch interface early next year, but Microsoft, too, is preparing its own Tablet!
It's called "Courier," and it looks great. Here is a little description from Engadget:
"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.
The Courier user experience presented here is almost the exact opposite of what everyone expects the Apple tablet to be, a kung fu eagle claw to Apple's tiger style. It's complex: Two screens, a mashup of a pen-dominated interface with several types of multitouch finger gestures, and multiple graphically complex themes, modes and applications. (Our favorite UI bit? The hinge doubles as a "pocket" to hold items you want move from one page to another.) Microsoft's tablet heritage is digital ink-oriented, and this interface, while unlike anything we've seen before, clearly draws from that, its work with the Surface touch computer and even the Zune HD."
It's probably best to have a look at the real thing - not totally "real", though, as what you will see is CGI animation, not the final product which should be released next year. But if they succeed in creating a Tablet which works as shown on the video - and also a bit thinner - I predict a big success for this new device. Let us know what you think about it in the comments!
Microsoft "Courier" tablet from Nacer B on Vimeo.
Many thanks to Nate Walz for the text editing.
Videos: copyright Microsoft
Part of the text; copyright Gizmodo
2 comments:
Pretty damn cool - I hadn't seen that yet. Still, I'll wait to see what Steve comes up with first.
Matt, the Apple Tablet should be announced around January 19 and the Microsoft Tablet won't be released before that date, so we'll have plenty of time to see what will come out from Steve's hat!
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