Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal' - neat!

[Rico]

This looks pretty darn cool and I'm sure will lead to the debate of this vs. the iPad coming out next month.  Anyway, take a look.

We've been dying to know more about Microsoft's Courier tablet / e-book device ever since we first caught wind of it last September, and while our entreaties to Mr. Ballmer went unanswered, we just learned some very interesting information from an extremely trusted source. We're told Courier will function as a "digital journal," and it's designed to be seriously portable: it's under an inch thick, weighs a little over a pound, and isn't much bigger than a 5x7 photo when closed. That's a lot smaller than we expected -- this new picture really puts it into perspective -- and the internals apparently reflect that emphasis on mobility: rather than Windows 7, we're told the Courier is built on Tegra 2 and runs on the same OS as the Zune HD, Pink, and Windows Mobile 7 Series, which we're taking to mean Windows CE 6.

As we've heard, the interface appears to be pen-based and centered around drawing and writing, with built-in handwriting recognition and a corresponding web site that allows access to everything entered into the device in a blog-like format complete with comments. We're also hearing that there will be a built-in camera, and there's a headphone jack for media playback. Most interestingly, it looks like the Courier will also serve as Microsoft's e-book device, with a dedicated ecosystem centered around reading. It all sounds spectacular, but all we have for a launch date is "Q3 / Q4", and we have no idea how much it's going to cost, so we're trying to maintain a healthy skepticism until any of this gets official -- call us any time, Microsoft. One more pic showing the interface after the break.

more pics & info here:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/

Microsoft "Courier" secret tablet

[Ktrek]

One thing to bear in mind is that these are "conceptions". If Microsoft actually releases this I will be surprised. They have a poor track record for actually releasing their ideas. But we'll see if and when the device actually appears. I'd probably choose an Ipad over one of these and I'm not all that impressed with it yet.

Kevin

[jedijeff]

Cool concept, though it did look like a lot of hand writing, at least for me I don't do that a lot any more, so it would be a bit of an adjustment to way a person uses the device. Like the idea of how you can keep a journal, and drag and drop items into it relatively easy. Going to be interesting in the next few years if these devices come to fruition, and what sort of innovations they would bring. Not that I was planning on buying an iPad at this time, but I would be tempted to wait a bit to see what other companies had to offer in terms of devices such as these.

[Bromptonboy]

I like the stylus - and think this is a clever idea - but I still want a fold down QWERTY keyboard.

[sheldor]

We are quickly heading for the day when there will be no newspaper or bookstores.   What was that lawyer in the TOS episode who went on ranting to Kirk about "books young man"!!

[Meds]

Saddens me the thought of no book stores. I've said it before and I'll say it again I'm sooooo against anything that replaces books. It's ironic really because in 92 I was training to be a programmer & handed in a concept design for comics to be on a screen. Should have followed that through thinking about it lol.
My main gripe is this. I'm a writer, I'm working on a novel and hope people will buy it. Now I've seen people on the bus, on the tube, train and plane Reading a book and looked at the cover and become interested in that book, make a note if the title and buy it. Ice done that about 8 times. Wouldn't have found those books if they had been in a sceen.
Just my thoughts.

[Rico]

I actually think paper books will be still around for a very long time.  These devices are just starting and have only been adopted by a very tiny amount of people so far.  I can see a place for both.  I love "real" books too, but at some point I wouldn't mind having a device for certain books, comics, magazines and so on.

[sheldor]

Adobe has an e-reader and some publishers are using in addition to printing the book.  I've purchased several ebooks over the years.  BN and Borders have an eBook section.  Since the book is in electronic form anyway, printing is overhead.  I can see a publisher in the future only releasing ebooks.  With the arrival of iPad, Kindle and others, this will be the new trend.  I prefer the ebook - print only what I want.

[alanp]

I'll be sticking with paper.

For me, copy protection would become problematic.  And the ability to loan or borrow a book from a friend is a big deal.  If they don't allow swapping on an e-reader, to me that's a huge step down and should be priced a good deal less than paper.

[sheldor]

I've purchased ebooks for about 30% less.  Look what has happend to photography.  I can't remember the last time someone showed me an old-fashioned picture.

[Ktrek]

I fully understand the resistance to move to ebooks. For one thing some books would not really work well in ebook form (The Art of Star Trek for instance). But for regular paperback books I now prefer the ebook. My reading speed has increased about 25% or more. I can adjust the font style and size to my preference. I can take my library with me wherever I go and to own 1500 books I don't have to have a whole room dedicated to storing them. I can loan some titles from Barnes and Noble to others for a period of 14 days but only once. No...I can't sell the ebook on Ebay or my local used bookstore but I rarely ever sell my books anyway. I do miss the full size cover art but I can view that on my PC if I really want to.

This was not an easy transition for me to make because I have collected and own over 700 Star Trek books and about another 1000 or more other books. But now that I made the break I'm glad I did. I enjoy reading much more and have read something every single day since getting my B&N nook. And my reading taste has expanded. I have read  sci-fi, mysteries, romances, biographies, history, religious and philosophical books. Easy access to so many ideas and types of books has opened a new world to me. Also, the older I get the less clutter I want and the less need for material possessions. I can't take any of these things with me to the grave after all.  ;)

So, I am pro-ebook but I don't think dead tree books will ever go completely away. Ebooks are just not practical for some types of books. However, the clarity and usefulness to view pictures etc. on the Ipad may even change that.

Kevin

[sheldor]

I haven't watched the show much but - are there any books in Caprica ?? :)