Microsoft Cancels Dual-Screen Courier Tablet Project
The much hyped dual-screen Microsoft courier tablet project is dead, before it had even left the company's research labs, according to gadget blog Gizmodo.
Despite all talks that a leaked demo video produced, Gizmodo now reveals that Microsoft has shelved the project. The challenging tablet, dubbed "Courier," was presented last September by a promotional video that leaked from Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices unit.
The tablet was said to have two-tone interface, fold like a book and include a touchscreen display and a stylus, almost like a 21st century literal re-imagining of the "personal digital assistant" ideal. Gizmodo had initially revealed this project that Microsoft has been working on.
Microsoft did not ever publicly announce the device or show it at conferences. The official announcement came today from Microsoft Corporate VP of Communications Frank Show, who 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’s Courier was never seen as a feasible competitor mainly because the device never truly went beyond the vaporware stage, but it was enough to get geeks and fans equally excited. In fact was the first Microsoft gadget that won positive reviews from people. It's too unfortunate that Frank Shaw did not actually answer why the product was shelved.
