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I don't think I'd need this, but it is sexy. My favorite thing is that Rolodex thing. It's cool.

"Is it real?"

Ha ha ha! Of course not. It's a vaporware concept. Unlike the iPhone/iPod Touch that is so real you can actually go to the store and buy one. Right now.

MSFT has nothing to compare to the upcoming iTablet, or whatever Apple will call it, so they have to push vaporware in order to make everything think they really have such a device that will ship any day, month, year, decade from now in order to halt said iTablet sales. This is classic MSFT FUD. If it was even close to being real you would have seen real hands and a real device.

Lame. MSFT needs to rethink advertising and marketing. This whole vaporware idea to spread FUD is old. But when you have no new ideas...

Is it real? I don't think so.

Rendering stuff and pleasing the MSCE-certificate holders so the ignorants keep their faith in MS stuff is what keeps Microsoft going.

Apple will again blow the tablet-world away with their new device. All MS is trying to do is give guys like Mike Gallos the opportunity to say 'but MS had a table way before Apple had it', even though it only exists on a video.

I'm sure you guys believe unicorns exists if Microsoft renders them.

I think Paul just creamed himself.

logjamming

Wow. You not only anticipate replies now, you actually make stuff up to pretend your favored company innovated. Look up touch and multi-touch history and you will find that the concepts and tools predate the founding of Apple. (Oh, and Microsoft had tablet products, touch products and multi-touch products first but you'll learn that when you do even cursory review of actual history)

"I'm sure you guys believe unicorns exists if [Apple]  renders them."

:-D

Why do Apple fanbois come to a Windows site? Have they nothing better to do? I don't go to Apple related sites. Oh, well... on to more important things.

"My favorite thing is that Rolodex thing. It's cool."

You mean, like Cover Flow on an iPhone/iPod Touch? Yeah. But Cover Flow is better. It actually shows you the entire album cover instead of making you look at a top-down view of the cards.

Once again, Apple gets it right; MSFT copies poorly and doesn't ship.

(Waiting for Mike Galos to dispute Apple technology. This should be great!)

*eats popcorn*

"Why do Apple fanbois come to a Windows site? Have they nothing better to do?"

The better question is, why do Windows people get excited about "new" MSFT technology that is already shipping on Apple devices?

"Look up touch and multi-touch history and you will find that the concepts and tools predate the founding of Apple."

Really? Then why does Apple have hundreds of patents on their iPhone? Because MSFT thought of it first?

Next, provide real world sales of such MSFT technology that has been selling successfully.

*crickets*

BladRnr

It's hilarious you say Courier is vaporware, while touting the iTablet, which is vaporware.

I still haven't figured out why I want one of these things.

Possibly I could revert to a simple phone plus somebody's tablet in Nov 2010 when my iPhone contract runs out. Or not.

So this is the state of fanboyism nowadays?  

Arguing about a render leaked on what is essentially a rumor site(courrier) vs a product imagined through various reports of hardware orders to chinese manufacturers(the Apple rumor).

Both of these concepts that haven't even been ACKNOWLEDGED, let alone confirmed by the companies in question.

Are you people that bored that this is entertainment to you?

REALLY COOL!!! This the first electronic book I see that seems to be interesting!!!

I hope is true...

I hope this cool thing will allow to brows the net!!

Whats up with the front page changes?

blad

I'm sure Apple has many patentable things on their iProducts but touch and multi-touch aren't technologies that they invented or released first.

Really, do some homework before letting your knee jerk so wildly and publicly.

Here are a few key dates in multitouch computing

1982 - Nimish Hehta at U. Toronto does first multi-touch display

1983 - Bell Labs publishes multi-touch paper

1984 - Bell Labs demonstrates multi-hand multitouch interface

1991 - Pierre Wellner publishes "Digital Desk"

1999 - Fingerworks products released

2001 - Microsoft Research's Andy Wilson gets funded for "table"

2005 - Apple buys Fingerworks

2007 - Microsoft Surface introduced

2007 - Apple releases iPhone based on purchased Fingerworks code

Here are a few key dates in Tablet computing (while we're at it):

1968 - Alan Kay's Dynabook proposal

1992 - Go Computing's PenPoint OS

1992 - Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing (used Windows 3.11)

1993 - Apple Newton

1995 - Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing 2.0 (used Windows 95)

1996 - Microsoft Windows CE Handheld PC (small form factor devices with touch support)

2002 - Windows XP Tablet Edition

2006 - Microsoft Windows UMPC (Origami) Touch Pack

2006 - Windows Vista (includes full tablet support)

2009 - Windows 7 (includes full tablet support)

Apple will beat them to the punch.  Also from Giz....

gizmodo.com/.../apple-tablet-aiming-to-redefine-newspapers-textbooks-and-magazines

If true it looks like Apple is engaging everyone on this.

Well, it seems pretty obvious that Microsoft's rumored, unannounced, unspecified tablet thingie is way cooler than Apple's rumored, unannounced, unspecified tablet thingie.

Or vice versa.

Or something.

Why not discuss something from the real world?  Like: Who would win - Batman or Wolverine?

"It's a vaporware concept."

"MSFT has nothing to compare to the upcoming iTablet, or whatever Apple will call it"

Wow!  Pot.  Kettle.  <insert colour here>

" If it was even close to being real you would have seen real hands and a real device."

Ya Microsoft must be really bumping up DirectX 11 to produce CGI prototype shots like this:  

community.research.microsoft.com/.../microsoft-research-codex.aspx

But of course, your iTablet nonsense, that even Steve Jobs says nobody wants, will just be a 10" iPhone.  Whoop dee sh!t.

@Webguy I have a feeling we will be seeing a Apple version with in a year or less.

@Mike dates matter to who?  Sales, and usable products that I can purchase matter.  I have seen lots of really good MS demo's like surface but not much I can really use.  That will change soon with Windows 7 and a new round of tablets from the vendors, so we shall see.

Touch screen products are only going to be successful based on the user interface and the application.  Some applications just wont work well right now.  I think a combination of speech and touch will go a long way in the future.  

For instance just typing into this blog site is much better with a keyboard than say touch.  I would have to close my office door to talk into it.  However  there are lots of places tablets do well, like in hospitals or when used to carry something like a clip board but digitally.  My local Honda dealer is all tablets, you take your car in and they meet you outside with Windows tablets.  A few years ago it was a clipboard.

Batman isn't even a real super hero, so obviously Wolverine would kick his ***.

My tablet works especially well in college classes, but that is all thanks to OneNote (which is awesome even if you don't have a tablet).

"I think a combination of speech and touch will go a long way in the future."

Speech recognition is already pretty good in Windows Vista.  It has support for both navigation/command as well as dictation.

It's only as good as your mic setup though.  It works best with a headset.

"Batman isn't even a real super hero, so obviously Wolverine would kick his ***."

Wolverine isn't a super hero, he's a mutant.

Besides that, Magneto would just tear him apart at his joints with a thought.

"there are lots of places tablets do well, like in hospitals or when used to carry something like a clip board but digitally"

That's why there's companies like this that offer some amazing vertical solutions:

www.motioncomputing.com

Definitely not cheap, but they're a better deal than, say, "COW's".

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I'll believe it when I see it.

That goes for both Microsoft's Courier AND Apple's supposed tablet.

rr0de

"@Mike dates matter to who? "

Dates matter when people rewrite history to create a fiction that reinforces their mistaken beliefs. Apple and their fans have a tendency to do this to provide a significance above what they've actually earned.

Oh, at the Microsoft Surface table is not a demo. It's a real product that you can order. It may not be targeted at you or be something you're likely to order but that doesn't make it any less real. You could equally say that Microsoft's deskside supercomputing product (Windows HPC Server 2008) is a "demo" because you have no use for it but that doesn't change the fact that it and its predecessors have been used in medical research, oil and gas exploration and other advanced fields for years now.

How did a short blog post about a link to a video demonstrating a concept product turn into a flame war about the timeline of multi-touch interfaces? Looks like it was in the 5th post that multi-touch innovation was first mentioned by somebody appearing to presume that the iCabal here on Paul's site was questioning his knowledge and Bing prowess. I've got to hand it to all of you...you are loyal to your favorite brands and consistent in your pomposity!

--tayme

@RunTimeError: "I'll believe it when I see it."

www.killermovies.com/.../attachment.php

tayme

Actually, I think you can credit the 2nd post which posited that the Microsoft tablet concept isn't real and shouldn't be discussed but the rumors of an Apple tablet are definitive proof that Apple not only is going to produce a product but that nobody else should bother being in the tablet business (an interesting point since Microsoft has been in their for many, many years as I already pointed out)

I think Paul knows this is for real.. but is under NDA. I doubt he'd post something like this if it wasn't true. Right?

Great demo. I can see a pretty big demand for this kind of tablet computer. It's nice to see the software evolving into something useful.

I am fairly confident that this kind of tablet, from both MS or Apple, will eventually replace most laptops.

@BladRnr

Just to understand your logic, I'd like to write up the steps your brain took.

1. You read Paul's report saying "what is apparently" a new "design" and how the Courier "would" work. Obviously indicating that it is a plan or design.

2. You then looked at the video which is a mock-up of a designed product.

3. You then proceed to say that it's rubbish because it is only a design - unlike iPhone/iPod Touch, which you can buy.

You do know you're a moron right? I mean, aside from the fact that you posted 14 minutes after Paul wrote up the news (clearly meaning you troll his website), you are bashing a product for being in the process of being created (if it is a legitimate Microsoft product). Do me a favor, take off the headphones which have the looped CD saying "Apple is good, Steve Jobs is the man, Apple is good, Steve Jobs is sexy" and actually open your eyes and your ears..

I'm particularly fond of how you are able to change the subject though - iPhone's are not tablet PCs. They are multi-touch handheld devices/phones. If you want to get really picky - iPhones are just glorified Windows CE devices - OMG YOU ADDED THE ABILITY TO TOUCH IT WITH MORE THAN ONE FINGER! IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! lol. Microsoft touchscreen phones/tablets PREDATE every Apple offering. Cheers, thanks for coming.

@Logjamming

No need to be jumpy and defensive. No-one belittled Apples rumored device. You remind me of a friend, Apple fanboi, who almost started crying during a discussion about the pro's and con's of PC vs Mac. He took every comment to be an attack on him personally.

That's it, isn't it? That's the heart of this issue. You see Apple, Mac, iPhones, etc, as part of your identity. Apple is cool and therefore you are cool. If something challenges that - then your identity is challenged. How very very sad.

@rr0de74

That article references another article as it's source, which is mostly about the Kindle 2. So, ironically, people claiming that microsoft is FUDing Apples (imaginary) tablet - it seems as though Apple was FUDing the Kindle 2 release..lols

@Waethorn

I think my favorite part of that article was this:

"The Codex is a prototype-- and a rather flaky, cobbled-together one at that. But it uses off-the-shelf devices, and there's nothing magical about the software. So the crass answer is that you can have one now if you are willing to spend some dollars, build yourself a custom binder, and write a little bit of code."

Simple. Honest. It doesn't have any of the balony about it being the BEST product in the world. You would never hear Apple's PR machine say anything like that. Mostly because of the sentence "Write a little bit of code". Apple doesn't want anyone to think that we need to know anything about anything. JUST ACCEPT THE DAMN FLASHY SHINY BOX AS IS! CONFIGURATION? WHAT DO YOU NEED TO CHANGE? YOU'RE WRONG!

@rr0de74

I doubt you will be seeing an Apple version within a year. It took two versions of the iPhone for it to record video and three OS versions for it to send MMS. This is clearly not the brain-trust company.

@mikegalos

You beat me to the punch on so many things. So annoying sometimes!

@tayme

It became a flame war because Apple fans turn brand loyalty into an excuse for trusting in their own individual superiority. Here's the irony - even though this is a Windows site, Paul openly praises the iPhone and many non-microsoft products. He consistently knocks the crappy MS things and praises the good MS things.

As I've said a thousand times, as I sit here looking at my iPhone on my desk and surrounded by 2x 22" monitors on my PC, support products NOT companies. If you support products you are always ready to adopt the best - if you support companies (listen up Apple fanboys) you are never able to see past the company PR BS.

@all

This was my longest ever post. Lol.

Awesome !!! me want one !!!

If Microsoft builds this thing, I'll buy it.

@SempX3:

Notice that Codex is made with OQO's.  What's the deal with OQO anyway?  They have a new Atom model out now, but I thought I read the company went bankrupt and was closing up shop...

Nevermind....

The model 2+ came out in January, and they closed up in April.

Backlit keyboards on slider devices like this are always welcome.  I sure wish the PS3 controller keypad was backlit.

@SempSempSemp - nicely said!

It is amazing how BladRnr calls the Courier vapourware and yet calls an unannounced iTablet as a real product.  The iTablet may be real, if so, it'll likely come out before any Microsoft Tablet.  

Will Microsoft release a booklet ... unlikely.  They are primarily a software company and have never released actual computer hardware (except mouse/keyboard of course).  Why start now (unless they don't trust their hardware partners, although I'm sure someone would sue them if they did move into PC hardware)?  

Comparing a whole Microsoft to a whole Apple is a ridiculous waste of time.  They are different companies with different focuses (Microsoft to sell their software, Apple to sell their hardware).  Compare Windows to OSX, compare iPod to Zune, but you can't compare a Microsoft PC to a Mac or a rumored iTablet to a booklet design concept.

Tayme, the 2nd and 3rd posts used a not yet released product to refute another not yet released product.  Hilarity ensues.

@sempsempsemp "I doubt you will be seeing an Apple version within a year."  I would take that bet.  Apple is going to ship a tablet/bigger iTouch/whatever you call it before September 30th 2010 or they never will.

The rumors are just to many at this point, from leaks of device specs, announcement dates, to large orders of 10.x inch touch screens to these latest rumors of them engaging book makers and magazine publishers for a "new device".  It could be that they ( or Steve) one day soon just calls it off because they cant make what they envision, but I would bet good money they are working on something.  They are sitting on a pile of cash so it wont be a money issue.

"Here's the irony - even though this is a Windows site, Paul openly praises the iPhone and many non-microsoft products. He consistently knocks the crappy MS things and praises the good MS things."

LOL! that statement is the irony.  Paul does a really good job of covering Microsoft when they do good and bad.  He should stop right there, because he has a freakish problem with Apple.  He cant help but stick it to them in a such a childish way whenever he can.  His reviews of Apple products, especially of OS X are so full of fud and technical errors.  Why at the Winsupersite?  That is the irony.  I think its to get attention.  Nothing will do it faster on a IT blog than invoking/inflaming this stupid religious OS war.

SempSempSemp

"@mikegalos You beat me to the punch on so many things. So annoying sometimes!"

Well, occasionally I have a life so that'll give you time to get in here before me.

The Courier looks really cool, hope it's legit.

@rr0de74

You do understand why Microsoft "supporters"/users (whatever you want to call them) love to bring up any shortfall on Apple products, don't you? That's because they go from 0 to crazy in one sentence. It's almost hilarious to watch.

As for the iTablet - you might be right but I severely doubt it. Unless this is Microsoft and Apple playing that Olympic cycling game where they both stall to see who bolts first. Who knows. I really really doubt it.

@truffoo

Microsoft releases a lot of hardware. The Surface PC being of particular note.

You're right, in a lot of ways comparing Apple and MS is ridiculous. Microsoft allows a large variety of choice - supporting thousands of pieces of hardware and peripherals. Apple demands conformity.

"I'm a mac..and I'm the exact same as every other mac.."

( "Snow Leopard - because the metaphor of a cat in the freezing cold is perfect for our software that breaks at every turn" )

@Mike

Please don't. I scroll to the green head for reliable information on most of these pages.

"I'm a mac..and I'm the exact same as every other mac.."

Visions of a new ad using the concept from the Matrix (Reloaded, I think) when all of the Smiths were attacking Neo! The Smiths are Mac boy and Neo is PC Guy! PC Guy kicks their collective @$$!

--tayme

@sempSempSemp some Apple and MS fans go from 0 to crazy, it cant be helped.  There are plenty of example of both on this site.

The Apple tablet is easier to believe especially when you read the more credible rumors.  The recent one I read before this one about them talking to publishers, was only a few days ago.  It said a 10inch'ish device, with the iTouch/iPhone OS, focused on reading, two versions both with wifi, one with 3g, with a Jan-Feb announcement, and shipping mid 2010.

That rumor is believable because that is just a bigger iTouch/iPhone that can take on the Kindle in the area of digital books.  The whole infrastructure is already in place, itunes, app store, apps, 3g partner, etc.   Add on today's rumor that they are engaging many book, magazine and paper publishers and it even makes even more sense.  Its just a larger form factor iTouch/iPhone.

rr0de

The Apple Tablet rumor is only easier to believe because it's been going around for nearly a decade and rears its silly head every few months right before each Apple press event year after year after year after year. Right now the question is which mythical beast will appear first; the Apple Tablet or "The Year of the Linux Desktop".

There's an amusing history of the Apple Tablet rumor going back to 2001 at www.maclife.com/.../history_apple_tablet_rumor

There are a couple questions left that haven't been discussed yet:

Who is the target market?  Sure it looks cool to anybody that watches the demo, but who really needs this?  (That's not meant as a negative rhetorical question.  I'm genuinely asking.)

And what kind of price do people expect to pay for this?  (Microsoft hasn't stated anything product-wise on this so I thought I'd get a public concensus instead)

"The Apple tablet is easier to believe especially when you read the more credible rumors. "

Well since Apple only stated that nobody wants a tablet, I guess anything could be classified as "credible", right?

I like this line in the discussion though:

"Tablet owners will be able to watch TV in your bathroom"

I can already do this with my PSP and LocationFree TV, and I don't have to use PPV either.

"Whats up with the front page changes?"

Although it's off topic, my question's the same as Ocean's. :\

@Waethorn

I can see several uses for it in the medical field (I"m in IT at a large hospital).  I assure you, if this were real, we'd have 10 of them in development as soon as the first Doctor saw the video.

Not saying we'd need perse, just that it would be wanted.  LOL.

OK it's a sweet animated demo... but why two screens?

Sure, you get a smaller footprint (when closed) but everything in that demo could be achieved on one larger screen ... which could benefit other apps ... like video, browser etc.

I would say the more credible rumors are the screen company that stated Apple has ordered lots of 10.7inch touch screens from them and the CEO of Verizon said that they would have a Apple product early next year in their lineup.

I guess Apple could throw away all of those screens and the CEO of Verizon could be full of it, or talking about the iPhone.

Maybe Apple is talking to all of these book and magazine publishers to get content on the iPhone?

No one knows but these rumors are not about wild stuff that would seem unlikely they are about a bigger iTouch, with a 10.7 inch screen.

www.ilounge.com/.../ten-new-details-on-the-apple-tablet

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@jecouch:

What does a doctor need a large electronic journal and scrapbook for?

Why would you choose something like this, which could very well be a single-purpose device without very much extensibility?  According to the writeups, it might be running Windows 7, but it could very likely be Windows 7 Embedded, not a full OS like you have on a standard laptop, but that's just my speculation, if the other speculations are justified.

Media workers might like this, and this might find a small market in the personal computing space, but not with notebooks and netbooks hitting the market hard.

I like the idea, and I could certainly see this as Microsoft's more productive answer to netbooks (secondary PC limited to web-based productivity).  I think it has a difficult road towards market penetration though, and they need to have a good marketing message to get people to buy it, rather then to follow their misconceptions that a netbook is a replacement computer for a notebook.

Price is going to be a big breaking point on this.  They can't sell this for $600+ because people will just buy cheap notebooks or netbooks.

"Sure, you get a smaller footprint (when closed) but everything in that demo could be achieved on one larger screen ... which could benefit other apps ... like video, browser etc."

Unless that screen folds (long way off), this certainly works.  It's designed for multitasking.

Doesn't look like any Windows I have ever seen. Nice device. Who's vaporware will be realware first?  If MS is to have any chance with this device they have to be out before Apple by at least 9 months. If Apple ships first MS may as well pack their bags and go home.

"the CEO of Verizon could be full of it"

Could be...he also said that they would have the Palm Pre next year...then he said they wouldn't....now he says they will. Hmmm? I think that he is just trying to pump the stock price by starting rumors.

--tayme

More vapourware? Announced too early? This looks like another big-assed table.

@Waethorn"

It's designed for multitasking"

People have been multitasking on ONE screen for years. You don't need two screens to do two things.... especially when one screen can provide the same real estate.

It would be just as easy to create the journal app shown and run it on any touch capable single screen.

Even multitaskers sometimes single.... task. These media types might actually want to look at their... media... and not have to view it at half or a quarter the size.

"then he said they wouldn't"

A rumor was started by a industry watcher that said this.  Verizon has been pretty clear without giving it away that they will be selling some kind of WebOS based device, at just around the time that the Sprint exclusivity ends.

"he also said that they would have the Palm Pre next year...then he said they wouldn't....now he says they will. Hmmm?"

That was before the Pre (inevitably) failed to live up to the hype.

"In early March, McNamee caused a stir by telling a wire-service reporter that he thought the Pre was so good that customers would give up their iPhones as soon as their AT&T contracts expired. Palm was forced to file a statement with the SEC calling his comments "premature" and "an exaggerated prediction of consumer behavior.""

No s***, Sherlock.

money.cnn.com/.../index2.htm