Endgadget reports Microsoft's dual-screen Courier booklet

[lionfish]

A single screen ebook is lighter and the screen is right perpendicular to your eyesight.I think people will get used to it quickly just like using a computer or cell phone and completely forget the feel of a physical book. Perhaps one day, people can only find a real book in the museums.

[daffy4u]

I love the competition and choices becoming available in the ebook reader market because in the end it will benefit the consumer. BUT... I gotta say all this choice is starting to make my head hurt.

[=X=]

Originally Posted by dmikov

http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/22/m...-late-prototy/

Might be something we all can use EReader and Netbook lovers alike.

Wow this device look sweet! That would be an ideal reader.

Originally Posted by lionfish

But why use dual screen for an ereader. IMO, it just doesn't make sense. Double price, double weight, double volume, double power but you are always reading one of the screens only. The only benefit is that you make half of the no. of page turns.

Sure only if you read b&w text only novella books. But dual screen is great for technical papers, esp. if you can open a different book or page on each screen. Great for magazines and kids books.

Also if you look at the video you'll see that this device is targeted more as a pen notebook, where the productivity of the two pages are tightly integrated.

=X=

[dmikov]

Well if one of them is touch screen (finger tough) you can put a touch keyboard on it and flip it like a net/notebook.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Dual screens would be neat for books with maps and stuff. You could have the map on one screen while reading on the other. Even for books without maps if it's set somewhere "real" I like to find a map online to "see" the places being mentioned.

Dual screen when turned could be used to display a large PDF split across the pages, thereby offering a larger screen device that can be folded, in effect. If one or both of the screens is a touch screen then one could serve as a keyboard from time to time as needed. Larger images could be split between screens. lots of books could benefit from the image being on one side while the text is on the other. There are lots of interesting things that could be done.

Dale

[Phogg]

I have found touch screens to last better over time than discrete keyboards. as my finger oils are acidic and wear away the letters on painted keys. I would like a clamshell like this.

[pilotbob]

I really don't think this was designed to be a dedicated ebook reader device but more of an expansion on the "tablet PC" form factor.

BOb

[Slite]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I really don't think this was designed to be a dedicated ebook reader device but more of an expansion on the "tablet PC" form factor.

BOb

True.... but calling it "Courier" sort of implies that it's main purpose should be reading, no?

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Dual screens would be neat for books with maps and stuff. You could have the map on one screen while reading on the other. Even for books without maps if it's set somewhere "real" I like to find a map online to "see" the places being mentioned.

Ohh, never thought of that! Yes, that would be handy indeed.

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I really don't think this was designed to be a dedicated ebook reader device but more of an expansion on the "tablet PC" form factor.

BOb

Yes, I'd say it would be more geared towards the professional market. Technical documents and such. But it'd still be cool to have

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Slite

True.... but calling it "Courier" sort of implies that it's main purpose should be reading, no?

No, it's main purpose would be to carry things...

wikipedia:
A courier is a person or company employed to deliver messages, packages and mail.

[brecklundin]

that is a ideal evolution of a device. I really like it...given the newest processor power, online office apps and email and combine that with the MS pen input and/or a solid speech recognition app, Win7 w/Aero, the resurrection of the "old" MS Reader software and I LOVE this device.

If there really are color eink as well as other outdoor readable display tech (must be color) I would LOVE carrying this at times, my recreational reader at times and often both...and if you add a real system architecture rather than the kludge that ereader devices are today, I cannot see this not eventually coming about.

And do not underestimate Microsoft Surface:
http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

Apple is likely going to eventually spring board their dual-touch tech in the iPhone and Touch as something just like the device in the OP....times get more interesting every day.

BTW, I do not see this as a replacement for my casual reader, but as a very sweet portable device that when combines with whatever cloud computing becomes...Google will indeed be a player here as well.

[Slite]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

No, it's main purpose would be to carry things...

wikipedia:
A courier is a person or company employed to deliver messages, packages and mail.

Courier for my brain in this case leapt straight to the reference to the typeface Courier, didn't even think about the original meaning of the word.

Computer-age damaged? me? Nah... never!

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Slite

Courier for my brain in this case leapt straight to the reference to the typeface Courier, didn't even think about the original meaning of the word.

Computer-age damaged? me? Nah... never!

My first thought was "koerier", which delivers parcels and letters and such...

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Slite

True.... but calling it "Courier" sort of implies that it's main purpose should be reading, no?

A courier is someone that carries stuff around right? So, I think the name is to imply portability... perhaps?

BOb

[Ea]

Originally Posted by acidzebra

- Nostalgia (hey, it looks like a book )
- Natural screen cover/protection when closed.
- Research (different documents on screens, or notes on one screen, or what-have-you)

- People will get over it not looking like a book, but probably good until people 'get it'

- Screen protection might not be needed as technology improves. For example, I don't use screen protection on my ipod touch because it doesn't really need it.

- dual screen would be great for the same reasons multiple desk monitors are great - possibility of viewing several docs at the same time - and it doubles the possible visible surface while stille keeping the overall size down (when closed). and it could act as a laptop computer with a virtual keyboard on one of the screens. personally I prefer a single 'pad' rather than one I have to hold open like a book though.