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Microsoft "Courier" secret tablet

Neowin · 1.3M views · 2009-09-23 · 1:56

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Overview

A short concept video of Microsoft's unreleased Courier, a dual-screen tablet designed as a digital notebook with clippings and annotation. It was first leaked by Gizmodo in 2009.

On Hacker News

HN treats it as a gold-standard concept demo and a what-might-have-been for dual-screen and digital notebook devices.

Recommended by 2 HN people across 2 months · HN mentions 2010–2021

Topics

Consumer devices & gadgetsUX & UI designTech company stories & documentaries
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microsoft courierdual screentabletdigital notebookconcept demo

What people said

widgetycrank · 2011-02 · Strong recommendation

I'm not sure if anyone remembers the Microsoft Courier tablet demo, which came out before iPad's announcement: [VIDEO] This video left me with a strong impression of future general computing usage patterns. It has also been my personal gold standard of a superb video demo. Interestingly enough, they abandoned it right after iPad's release: [LINK]

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dhughes · 2013-08 · Recommendation

I thought the Courier was a great idea not just for the dual screens but the software as well the scraps and notes seemed like a great idea. [VIDEO]

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Nition · 2021-11 · Reference

> But MOST importantly the way the user interacts with the interface would re-create the ease of use rendered by our interaction with print media. This last part, about the user interface, is why I believe Apple is best positioned to tackle this problem. > In one year's time we'll see. 2010 should be the year paper learns of it's destiny, the year we reach a tipping point on our way towards bits from the momentum of atoms. This is of course a prescient prediction of the iPad. But what it also reminded me of is a device that had already been shown publicly at the time: The Microsoft Courier. Microsoft was working on a dual-screen tablet that was essentially a notebook in computer form, complete with custom OS.[1] In the end it never happened. [1] [VIDEO]

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Sources

Video by Neowin, played through YouTube.

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