Katie MarsalThe unveiling might be seen as a disappointment to any who hoped to see the concept Microsoft Courier, a dual-touchscreen device that folds up like a book. Instead, Ballmer showed three versions of what Microsoft now refers to as slate PCs. The HP prototype is said to be arriving later this year.
Ballmer demonstrated the device running the Amazon Kindle desktop application with the hit book "Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer. The cover of the book ironically shows a pair of hands cradling an apple.
The HP slate has a multi-touch screen and is said to have instant-on capabilities. Additional slates were shown from Archos and Pegatron. Prices and additional details were not provided.
Microsoft and HP's slate PC announcement was largely seen as a preemptive strike against Apple, which is expected to announce its own touchscreen tablet later this month. Microsoft's choice of the word "slate" could even be viewed as a snub at Apple, which owns the trademark for the name iSlate.
First leaked as a concept last September, the Microsoft Courier was said to be a project under the eye of J Allard, Microsoft's chief experience officer. The Microsoft prototype reportedly included Wi-Fi, an iPhone-like home button, a camera on its reverse side, and an inductive charging pad like the Touchstone for the Palm Pre.
Concept pictures and video of the Courier showed two 7-inch screens held together by a hinge. The multi-touch screens were designed for writing, and could be controlled with either a stylus or fingers.
But the device — which has never been officially acknowledged by Microsoft — was not mentioned during Ballmer's CES keynote.
The touchscreen HP device that was shown was just one of many new products and services revealed by Ballmer. The Microsoft executive also noted that Windows 7 is the fastest selling operating system in history, with PC sales increasing 50 percent the week it launched. Months earlier, Apple also launched its latest operating system, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, which doubled the record-setting sales pace of its predecessor, Leopard.
Ballmer's keynote, in its entirety, is can be viewed at Microsoft's CES Web site.
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243 Comments
History will show this for what it is... a desperate move by a floundering company.
It is almost as if they want to be accused of copying Apple.
Microsoft's choice of the word "slate" could even be viewed as a snub at Apple, which owns the trademark for the name iSlate.
Or it could just be the word for a tablet that has no keyboard. Slate computers have been around for years. They just always used a stylus until now.
I have to say, this is sad.
I guess all those courier fans on the other thread have to fess up.
Microsoft blew it.
Bye-bye, so-called "new, innovative Microsoft"
More of the same.
The 'preemptive strike' against the Apple tablet turned out to be a preemptive dud. And instead of stealing Apple's thunder, the Windows slate actually helped by lowering the bar for the Apple tablet.
It also confirms that the Courier was just what critics said it was - vaporware.
Another brilliant tactical move by Mr. Ballmer.
This says it all. As in "subliminal."
It's what happens when you have ZERO control over the message. That's right MS, you have to *control* things - what goes in, what comes out. Take a page from Apple. Like what you usually try to do.