Back in September 2009 a new project at Microsoft was found. It was called Microsoft Courier and looked to be an excellent device useful for creating and managing ideas. Although the Courier was both confirmed and killed by Microsoft in a paragraph, the project looks to be living on by the way of an App for the new Windows 8 devices.
Search Results for: courier
Microsoft Courier to live on through Windows 8 app codenamed Project Austin
September 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Microsoft Courier Still a Possibility
July 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment
When the Microsoft Courier was first introduced last year, the idea behind it looked fantastic. The Courier is a dual-screen device that allows you to colaborate projects with others as well as organise your life. The UI that was demonstrated on video looked easy to use and appeared to be very intuitive. Microsoft [MSFT] never officially announced the Courier although they did announce it’s death.
When I say it was never officially announced, it was but in the same paragraph it was also killed as follows…
At any given time, we’re looking at new ideas, investigating, testing, incubating them. It’s in our DNA to develop new form factors and natural user interfaces to foster productivity and creativity. The Courier project is an example of this type of effort. It will be evaluated for use in future offerings, but we have no plans to build such a device at this time.
Microsoft Courier Confirmed and Killed in one Paragraph
April 29, 2010 by 2 Comments
Microsoft [MSFT] have made a surprise statement today which mentions a couple of things. First off, it confirms the existence of the Microsoft Courier, but then continues to say the project is now being closed down for the unforeseeable future.
The information comes from Microsoft who’s Corporate VP of communications, Frank Shaw, said…
At any given time, we’re looking at new ideas, investigating, testing, incubating them. It’s in our DNA to develop new form factors and natural user interfaces to foster productivity and creativity. The Courier project is an example of this type of effort. It will be evaluated for use in future offerings, but we have no plans to build such a device at this time.
Microsoft Courier Coming 2011
April 21, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The Microsoft Courier was first introduced/leaked sometime last year where we saw a dual screen device running a relatively unknown operating system and user interface. However, it looked fantastic and yet we’ve not really had any official word about it’s existence other than a brief slip up on a Microsoft blog.
The NYT has received information from a Microsoft [MSFT] employee indicating that the device is most certainly real and that the same person has seen a working version of it (not just drawings and animations like we have seen).
The Microsoft Courier has been described as being the same size as a paperback book when closed making it ideal to carry around. The main problems at the moment from what we have heard elsewhere is getting a good enough battery life with the dual screen setup. [Read more…]
HTC Hinge Patent Revealed – Are HTC Building a Courier Style Booklet Device?
April 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment
HTC have applied for a patent that indicates that are working on a device with a new hinge mechanism. From what we can see in the patent it looks like a clamshell device will open up with a smooth surface. The outer side will also have the hinge hidden.
It’s a unique way although it reminds us (and WMPoweruser) of how a kitchen cabinet door opens which isn’t exactly unique.
From the patent… “A handheld electronic device includes a first frame, a second frame and at least a pivot mechanism. A first connecting rod of the pivot mechanism has a first pivot part, a third pivot part and a second pivot part between them. The first pivot part is slidably disposed on a first groove of the first frame, and the third pivot part is pivoted at the second frame. A second connecting rod of the pivot mechanism has a fourth pivot part, a sixth pivot part and a fifth pivot part between them. The fifth pivot part is pivoted at the second pivot part, the fourth pivot part is slidably disposed on a second groove of the second frame, and the sixth pivot part is pivoted at the first frame for the first frame and the second frame to be opened and closed by the pivot mechanism.” [Read more…]
Microsoft Courier Details Arrive
March 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Quite a while back we wrote about a new tablet type device called the Microsoft Courier. The Courier is a dual screen device that opens like a book and works mainly with pen input to organise and keep track of your life. After the initial renderings and video it all went quiet. Engadget managed to get some more details today that give is a little more insight as to what it is and when it will become available.
From what we hear, Microsoft [MSFT] will be creating the device to function as a digital journal primarily. The device is going to be portable measuring about the size of a 5×7 photo frame and measuring under 1 inch thick when closed while weighing just over 1 pound. [Read more…]
More Microsoft Courier Details
September 30, 2009 by Leave a Comment
A new video has been launched that shows a little bit more of how you will use the Microsoft Courier when it gets launched.
The video is created by the same people who made the last MS Courier video and shows more details and a more realistic presentation on how a number of the features work. The previous video showed details on various features while the video below shows an overview of the interface and how features work. [Read more…]
Microsoft Courier Dual Screen Booklet
September 23, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Microsoft Courier is dual screen booklet device that is in the late stages of development. Looking at the video below you will see it’s actually a very cool looking device that aims to make your working and personal life a lot easier.
The Microsoft Courier has what looks to be 2x 7″ screens that are both multi-touch and work together to form 1 large screen, or 2 separate work spaces. It is designed to be used with a stylus and finger so that you can flick things from one screen to another while using the pen to write with. The video presentation shows a journal being created, shared and task lists being written out.
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.
Microsoft Mobile Stragegy is Software for Every Platform
September 21, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Microsoft [MSFT] over the years has branched out down a number of avenues such as creating the Xbox, smartphones and various other bits of hardware.
One thing that it does well is software. As Microsoft hasn’t had success in some areas, think of the Kin, the company is shifting its main focus back to software.
In an interview with the WSJ the following was said…
“We are in the software business and that is where our business will be focused,” he said. That means no follow-ups to the Kin social media smartphone, definitely; no resuscitation of the Courier e-reader/tablet project, probably; and a new focus on making apps for other platforms, quite possibly.
Toshiba Windows 7 and Android Tablets Launching
April 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Toshiba are in the process of creating a new range of tablet computers that are going to be launched later this year. Details of the tablet computers indicate that they will come with different options of operating systems which will include Android OS from Google [GOOG] along with Windows 7 from Microsoft [MSFT].
Specifically mentioned was a 10 inch tablet that will run Google Android and this model will be the cheaper of two models that have been mentioned.
The Toshiba Windows 7 tablet is said to be a little more powerful and also could include dual displays to make a booklet device which seems to be similar to the Microsoft Courier. [Read more…]
Google Tablet in the Works
April 12, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Google [GOOG] are getting in to the tablet game by creating a Google Tablet. This particular tablet computer they will be making will run the Google Android OS rather than Chrome OS and from what we hear, it will be created by Google (or perhaps as the Nexus One is… created by HTC but sold exclusively by Google).
We have heard of Google Chrome OS based tablets previously, but from what we understand now, Google is actually planning on running Android on this particular tablet. It isn’t clear if they will just run plain old Android 2.1 for example, on the tablet where everything is just spaced out more on the screen, or if a specific Android Tablet Edition OS will be made. [Read more…]
Microsoft could launch “Pink” Smartphone Series on April 12
April 6, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Both Apple [AAPL] and Microsoft [MSFT] announced press events yesterday. The Apple event is to showcase their new iPhone OS 4 that looks to be launching later this year. The Microsoft event is a little more hush in that we are not sure as of yet what they will be launching.
The invites from Microsoft had a message on them saying “It’s time to share” which was included along side an invitation to a mystery event.
Rumours have indicated that the Microsoft Courier might be introduced at this event although it is believed that MS will be unveiling the new MS smartphone platform called “Pink” – well, that’s the code name at least. [Read more…]
