Gizmodo published some interesting pieces this week about Microsoft’s new tablet, the Courier. This product appears very much rooted in Microsoft’s traditional tablet computer space with a pen but also incorporates some interesting touch features. Frankly, some of them are so close to the iPhone gestures that I wonder if there won’t be a patent fight. Regardless, I’m glad to see Microsoft getting in the space. It looks like an innovative device but I’m not sure how well hinging two screens together is going to work in the long run. I suspect Apple’s eventual entry will be quite different. Frankly, if someone brought a hinged iBook tablet thingy in Steve Jobs’ office, he would probably leave with it lodged in certain unmentionable places. The good news is there appears to be a lot of innovation around computing lately and that can only be a good thing.
The Courier is a fascinating concept. It’s very non-modal: browse, annotate, copy, send, all from (mostly) one interface. You don’t switch apps to check your calendar or perform tasks.
In fact, there are no visible apps in the video, it’s all part of the OS. The focus is on completing tasks rather than running applications.
This is the next major breakthrough: discarding the desktop metaphor, getting rid of kludgey dialogs: Open, Save, Cut, Switch to, Paste; dumping standalone applications for interoperable modules and making the focus on completing tasks.
I can sum up my disappointment with the iTab mockups, “oh, a BIGGER window of non-interoperable apps.” Who knows. Maybe the not-even-confirmed iTab will be better than anyone can even imagine.
But, regardless of whether the courier ever comes out, it has raised the bar for the “dream device.” The Courier shows that a tablet interface is only the beginning. Creating a device which puts the applications/modules in the background and lets you get things done — that is the new battleground.
I just hope it doesn’t take 15 years to get there.
The Courier is a fascinating concept. It’s very non-modal: browse, annotate, copy, send, all from (mostly) one interface. You don’t switch apps to check your calendar or perform tasks.
In fact, there are no visible apps in the video, it’s all part of the OS. The focus is on completing tasks rather than running applications.
This is the next major breakthrough: discarding the desktop metaphor, getting rid of kludgey dialogs: Open, Save, Cut, Switch to, Paste; dumping standalone applications for interoperable modules and making the focus on completing tasks.
I can sum up my disappointment with the iTab mockups, “oh, a BIGGER window of non-interoperable apps.” Who knows. Maybe the not-even-confirmed iTab will be better than anyone can even imagine.
But, regardless of whether the courier ever comes out, it has raised the bar for the “dream device.” The Courier shows that a tablet interface is only the beginning. Creating a device which puts the applications/modules in the background and lets you get things done — that is the new battleground.
I just hope it doesn’t take 15 years to get there.
The Courier is a fascinating concept. It’s very non-modal: browse, annotate, copy, send, all from (mostly) one interface. You don’t switch apps to check your calendar or perform tasks.
In fact, there are no visible apps in the video, it’s all part of the OS. The focus is on completing tasks rather than running applications.
This is the next major breakthrough: discarding the desktop metaphor, getting rid of kludgey dialogs: Open, Save, Cut, Switch to, Paste; dumping standalone applications for interoperable modules and making the focus on completing tasks.
I can sum up my disappointment with the iTab mockups, “oh, a BIGGER window of non-interoperable apps.” Who knows. Maybe the not-even-confirmed iTab will be better than anyone can even imagine.
But, regardless of whether the courier ever comes out, it has raised the bar for the “dream device.” The Courier shows that a tablet interface is only the beginning. Creating a device which puts the applications/modules in the background and lets you get things done — that is the new battleground.
I just hope it doesn’t take 15 years to get there.
The Courier is a fascinating concept. It’s very non-modal: browse, annotate, copy, send, all from (mostly) one interface. You don’t switch apps to check your calendar or perform tasks.
In fact, there are no visible apps in the video, it’s all part of the OS. The focus is on completing tasks rather than running applications.
This is the next major breakthrough: discarding the desktop metaphor, getting rid of kludgey dialogs: Open, Save, Cut, Switch to, Paste; dumping standalone applications for interoperable modules and making the focus on completing tasks.
I can sum up my disappointment with the iTab mockups, “oh, a BIGGER window of non-interoperable apps.” Who knows. Maybe the not-even-confirmed iTab will be better than anyone can even imagine.
But, regardless of whether the courier ever comes out, it has raised the bar for the “dream device.” The Courier shows that a tablet interface is only the beginning. Creating a device which puts the applications/modules in the background and lets you get things done — that is the new battleground.
I just hope it doesn’t take 15 years to get there.
The Courier is a fascinating concept. It’s very non-modal: browse, annotate, copy, send, all from (mostly) one interface. You don’t switch apps to check your calendar or perform tasks.
In fact, there are no visible apps in the video, it’s all part of the OS. The focus is on completing tasks rather than running applications.
This is the next major breakthrough: discarding the desktop metaphor, getting rid of kludgey dialogs: Open, Save, Cut, Switch to, Paste; dumping standalone applications for interoperable modules and making the focus on completing tasks.
I can sum up my disappointment with the iTab mockups, “oh, a BIGGER window of non-interoperable apps.” Who knows. Maybe the not-even-confirmed iTab will be better than anyone can even imagine.
But, regardless of whether the courier ever comes out, it has raised the bar for the “dream device.” The Courier shows that a tablet interface is only the beginning. Creating a device which puts the applications/modules in the background and lets you get things done — that is the new battleground.
I just hope it doesn’t take 15 years to get there.
Of course. M$ has a history of dreaming big, but not being able to delivery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP8b-BFoNuA
How many years are we after this Longhorn promo? I don’t even think Windows 7 can do what this video suggests. Well, it fires the imagination at least.
Of course. M$ has a history of dreaming big, but not being able to delivery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP8b-BFoNuA
How many years are we after this Longhorn promo? I don’t even think Windows 7 can do what this video suggests. Well, it fires the imagination at least.
Of course. M$ has a history of dreaming big, but not being able to delivery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP8b-BFoNuA
How many years are we after this Longhorn promo? I don’t even think Windows 7 can do what this video suggests. Well, it fires the imagination at least.
Of course. M$ has a history of dreaming big, but not being able to delivery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP8b-BFoNuA
How many years are we after this Longhorn promo? I don’t even think Windows 7 can do what this video suggests. Well, it fires the imagination at least.
Of course. M$ has a history of dreaming big, but not being able to delivery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP8b-BFoNuA
How many years are we after this Longhorn promo? I don’t even think Windows 7 can do what this video suggests. Well, it fires the imagination at least.