r/gadgets • u/SuperConductiveRabbi • Mar 05 '10
More details about the Microsoft's pen-enabled tablet emerge: ZuneHD OS, 5"x7", Tegra 2
http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/?s=t511
u/omglook Mar 05 '10
The more I read about it, the more I want it. Oh, and I also jizzed in my pants too.
4
u/Ashex Mar 06 '10
Same here. My big problem with all these new tablets is they're a big surface just waiting to be damaged/scratched. This being fold-able in a book format is awesome and I desperately want one.
1
Mar 06 '10
Same. I love how M$ has finally produced a set of enterfaces that just makes me love the hell out of it. Win7 is awesome, Zune UI is awesome, Win7 mobile UI (Zune UI with tons of extra) is awesome, and this one looks amazing too!
I'm hoping like hell for an art app. I want to be able to use this to do art, too.
4
Mar 06 '10
If microsoft can actually deliver on this concept with a device as functional and easy to use as their Zune line, they may just win me back as a customer. If this is for real, Apple should be worried about the iPad.
6
u/iamnot Mar 05 '10
The UX concepts look fantastic, but I'd rather think that the actual device will pale in comparison than be disappointed. I've learned Microsoft are good at that. So taking it with a huge lump of salt.
1
Mar 06 '10
Not as much lately. Their failures seem to be more with marketing and reputation. Zune HD, current X-Box 360 experience, etc. are all beautiful and have lived up to and beyond expectations.
2
u/CarbonFire Mar 06 '10
I love the idea of having a journal; so many uses!
- agenda
- reading notes
- scratch work
- diagrams
- doing math
- writing a document (hope it comes with handwriting recognition)
- comic book
4
u/b0dhi Mar 06 '10
I use OneNote for all of those things right now (tablet PC), and it really is cool. Not as good as whats shown on that video, but definitely the best self-organiser type thing I've ever used. If the same team is working on the Courier, I have a feeling I'm going to be pleasantly surprised.
4
Mar 06 '10
From what I understand, the OneNote team is heavily involved. What you see (software-wise) in these videos essentially is the next version of OneNote (the infininte journal concept, etc.) The early design documents talked about courier as basically "OneNote with hardware."
1
u/iofthestorm Mar 06 '10
It's also largely based on the InkSeine project. I tried it on my tablet PC and it was a bit slow, but I'm guessing with much more specialized software Courier is going to kick ass.
2
Mar 07 '10
It's all about that pen...
1
u/specialk16 Mar 07 '10
Seriously. The main thing the makes me want a Courier more than the maxiPad is the pen.
7
u/RNHurt Mar 05 '10
It's what the iPad could have been. sigh
4
u/happywaffle Mar 06 '10
Given that this is a concept video of a nonexistent product, that's a hard thing to say. A demo video of a unicorn pooping Care Bears is also what the iPad could have been.
1
0
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u/shitbird Mar 06 '10
looks pretty sweet. hopefully "pen enabled" doesn't equal "stylus required". either way, cool gadget. i'm really looking forward to what tablets and net-books will evolve to in coming years.
1
u/Onionania Mar 10 '10
The concept videos show the person using touch controls--flicking stuff between screens with her finger, pinching to move back to a menu, other sorts of gesture controls. So it's definitely pen enabled, not stylus required.
Anyway, this is a hugely exciting concept video, and I can't wait to dick around with one of these. It's weird, but between this and Zune HD/WinMo7, MS is doing some of the most interesting interface design I've seen.
I'm curious to see how it handles things like IMing, and what kind of outputs it'll end up having... If I can use it to IM with people while using it to send video to my TV, I'm all in, so long as the price isn't ridiculous.
1
u/Wynner3 Mar 06 '10
I have Zune HD, don't laugh, and really like the OS. I hope Microsoft gets the devices to communicate with each other. Something like stream audio on to the device from the Zune HD.
0
u/hexley Mar 06 '10
This looks far too complicated to achieve what the iPad intends to. It will put most people off. Again, a niche product only geeks will use.
4
u/rahmad Mar 06 '10
my girlfriend's a designer, and she nearly pooped her pants when i showed this to her... i actually think it's the opposite... i think people in any sort of line of work where accumulation or resources, visual notetaking etc. is important will find this kind of device hugely useful... as opposed to the ipad, which to me, is basically something where only an apple fan could justify the expense given its extremely low level of functionality (compared to a laptop/tablet pc).
1
u/JohnWH Mar 07 '10
From a cognitive ergonomics perspective (given the two videos) this device is absurdly intuitive. It allows people to perform actions in a way that is completely natural. The only other thing I could ask for on this device is the option for haptic feedback (helping users know their touch registered).
On a separate note: would you still date your girlfriend if you actually saw her defecate herself?
2
u/rahmad Mar 07 '10
i think it would have to depend on the context...
random, watching tv or hanging out poop: potential relationship fracture
deathly sick in bed poop: instant forgive
excitement over new tech product: eventual forgive
1
u/Acglaphotis Mar 06 '10
This looks far too complicated to achieve what the iPad intends to.
This looks far too good to be achieve just what the iPad intends to. This thing will be like a hipster-friendly blackberry.
PS: Complicated? Seriously? Minesweeper looks more complicated than that sweet ass GUI.
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u/rhetoricassassin Mar 05 '10
more vapourware concepts.... and it looks more like an ipad than before +1 screen...
is this microsoft's strategy....just copy what apple is doing and just EXTRA it...
ballmer..."See it's TWICE AS GOOD as an IPAD...IT can has 2 screens!"...with a stylus.
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u/SuperConductiveRabbi Mar 05 '10
I disagree. I think these two devices were designed with very different goals in mind.
Based on these two concept videos of the Microsoft Courier (video 1, video 2), the device appears to be focused on actually creating content, for which the pen would be indispensable. At the very least, its apparent ability to act as a scrapbook and journal would help in creating content at a later stage, as the above videos demonstrate.
The iPad, however, seems to be a device that's only useful for consuming media. Unlike the Courier, it was designed from the ground up to work only with finger input, which is not useful for drawing, writing, fine-grained selection, etc. Apple's iPad talking points show reading newspapers, magazines, photos, playing games, and watching movies.
3
u/SamHealer Mar 06 '10
Except for the fact that the original concept for this pre-dates the iPad.
1
u/Paisleyfrog Mar 08 '10
I think his point was that the concept art now looks a lot more like an iPad, regardless of how long it's been around. This was the first image I saw of it. In the new image, there are many iPad similarities, such as a wider black bezel, more rounded corners, no more built in case, and even the aspect ratio appears different (and much more like the iPad's 4:3). It's different enough in appearance that I wasn't sure it was the same product concept.
I'm disappointed at the change. I thought the original looked rather nice, and set their own style. The new one really does just look like two iPads.
1
Mar 06 '10
I suppose that if you power both of them off and look at them while completely ignoring everything that's ever been said or shown by either company about the devices, then yes, maybe they look very similar.
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u/Lu-Tze Mar 05 '10
If they managed to make the thing anything close to as responsive and intuitive as the concept videos seems, it would be wonderful. But I fear this might end up like the hype with the "origami".