Is Microsoft's Courier Tablet PC a Game Changer?

Gizmodo has released an exclusive report on Microsoft's Courier tablet PC that reminds me of nothing less than a day planner, but a really cool one.

As described, Microsoft Courier is more of a booklet than a tablet. It has two 7" screens, a built-in camera on the back, Internet connectivity (naturally). Watching the video, you can see that Courier allows multitouch gestures such as pinching and flicking as well as allowing free-form handwriting into a "journal" using a stylus.

It's unclear if the tablet's Web access is limited to wi-fi, or if the Microsoft Courier has some sort of 3G card in it, but I'd bet on that. The ability to flick information back and forth between the screens is amazing, but there are a number of important questions that remain to be answered:

• How Much?
• When (if ever)?
• Full specifications, including weight and dimensions?
• Battery life?
• Protection for the screen (what if I close the "book" with something between them)?

The price of the Microsoft courier is a definite big question; it's no secret that Microsoft has pushed the value advantage of Windows systems in this recession.

I've never been a big fan of tablet PCs. Apple's tablet does nothing for me, as it would just be a tablet with MacOS on is. Obviously, there would be differences, but what is the business case for buying one? I see little, if any, advantage over a laptop, and obvious disadvantages.

Microsoft's Courier is, as I said, more booklet than tablet. It has obvious uses as a replacement day planner that also has Internet connectivity and maybe even Microsoft Office capability (via handwriting???). Could it be a game-changer? First it needs to see the light of day.

Watch a video of the device.

Written by Michael Santo
Exclusive to HULIQ.