Microsoft Courier twin tablet - Page 3

GeoffC · 03-10-2010, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surrealmind

As a more personal example, I'm reading the LOTR ebook right now. I'd love to be able to briefly glance at Tolkien's footnotes without skipping forward, and then when I'm done, to click back to a bookmark of Tolkien's maps so that I could quickly find the place names that frequently get mentioned in the text. Just imagine the boon these abilities would offer for a footnote-heavy history text or a sprawling travel narrative.

One of the few drawbacks of a single screen reader .... the lack of ease at which one can quickly check where the story is in a map, etc ....

TallMomof2 · 03-10-2010, 09:41 AM

This looks like a really cool device, if only one of the screens were eInk. That's what I really like about the Entourage eDGe, even if it is on the heavy side.

MelC · 03-10-2010, 10:16 AM

What I haven't seen a lot of assurances about yet and what would be the make it or break it for me would be its ability to synchronize with OneNote. It looks like they have attempted to make a standalone "onenote like" app rather than a OneNote or OneNote lite version. For me the main draw of this device would be to do what my Sony Touch currently does for me - allows me to take handwritten notes and annotate documents for work. If it worked well this device would be far superior - enabling me to refer to a document while I made notes in a meeting. Have the document up on the screen while I worked out some of the structuring points on another screen. Having two documents up so that I can compare similar provisions. The list goes on. More importantly better scribble/handwriting features including OCR and seamless importing into OneNote etc. would make my life much easier as right now it is a very awkward process to transfer notes from the Sony to the computer and back again and most of the search advantages of OneNote are lost in the process.

So, I will wait and see, if it can do this and do it well and doesn't cost an arm and a leg I would consider trading in my PRS600 for it and getting a separate smaller reader for casual reading. It would be nice if they would release an "office" version and a "personal" version as right now it seems like they are strictly developing for the "personal" young student etc. population whose needs are going to be very different from those of business professionals.

Mel

sarah11918 · 03-13-2010, 12:01 PM

I actually found out about the eDGe because someone posted a comment about it on a Courier article months ago. The fear is that the MS Courier is just another mock-up, like that "surface table" that was supposed to be the next hot thing a few years ago. I know some are just finding out about the Courier idea now, but we've been hearing rumours for a long time about this thing. Initially it looked like the Courier might be a 9 - 10 inch screen, but now they're saying much smaller - the size of a 5 by 7 photograph when closed. It makes me wonder whether the device is more suited to being a sleek PDA/moleskin replacement rather than a document reader.

The eDGe isn't as sleek and doesn't have handwriting recognition (and Windows 7 handwriting recog. is phenomenal on tablet PCs, as much as putting up with Windows itself may be a bit of a pain at times) but it has e-ink, which is a huge plus for using the device as a reader instead of just a planner/journal.

I decided to pre-order the eDGe rather than wait for the Courier, since the eDGe was a real product and who knows when (or if) the Courier will see the light of day. And, if in a year the Courier is actually available, then I'll have had the eDGe for a year and see whether it suits me or whether I need something "cooler." Or, I can give the Courier time to get the kinks out and maybe wait for a later gen. product.

But absolutely, I was so jazzed about the Courier when I first saw it. It's an exciting idea, but probably a replacement for my Nokia N810 internet tablet than my eDGe. Though they both have dual screens, they seem to be less direct competitors than I originally thought.

Crowl · 03-13-2010, 03:15 PM

It will be interesting to see what approach MS takes with the courier, will it be branded as their hardware like the Zune or made by multiple companies like windows mobile, if its the latter then you would assume that you would see a variety of models with different screen sizes.

leebase · 03-13-2010, 04:03 PM

Count me in the "I don't get it" category. Folded up, I'd still need a book back for it. No big deal, but if I need a book bag, I might as well carry something like the iPad.

Want two screens? Turn the iPad sideways. That's how the book app is now, when the iPad is sideways, it shows two book pages. A single large screen can do via "splitting the screen" that any two screen device could do.

Except fold in half. I just don't see the big win for portability for that as you still can't fit it in your pocket.

Hand writing and all that -- that sounds interesting. But that's software and any of these touch screen devices can (and probably will) have apps for that.

But hey, "horses for courses".

Lee

LDBoblo · 03-13-2010, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarah11918

I actually found out about the eDGe because someone posted a comment about it on a Courier article months ago. The fear is that the MS Courier is just another mock-up, like that "surface table" that was supposed to be the next hot thing a few years ago. I know some are just finding out about the Courier idea now, but we've been hearing rumours for a long time about this thing. Initially it looked like the Courier might be a 9 - 10 inch screen, but now they're saying much smaller - the size of a 5 by 7 photograph when closed. It makes me wonder whether the device is more suited to being a sleek PDA/moleskin replacement rather than a document reader.

The Surface is a real product, but not for general consumers unless you're really wealthy. The Courier is still mostly a rumor thing, and isn't being officially recognized or commented on by Microsoft IIRC.

Also, 5x7 size allows an 8 inch screen.

wodin · 03-15-2010, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leebase

But hey, "horses for courses".

Lee

I think the difference here is like the difference between an 8 ½ X 11 DayRunner and a 5 X 7 DayRunner. Some folks like the bigger one and others like the smaller one.

The reason I’m holding out for a Courier is for the uses other than a reader. Mostly the E-Ink functionality for meeting notes, etc. that I can import directly into a computer w/o having to transcribe them. And if I can email them to me, so much the easier.

I haven’t looked into the eDGe, so that might be a somewhat less vaporware option. But I’m not ready to pre-order anything! Unless I can see real product, or at least real reviews by folks who have seen real product … well …

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03-10-2010, 09:41 AM	#32
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	This looks like a really cool device, if only one of the screens were eInk. That's what I really like about the Entourage eDGe, even if it is on the heavy side.

03-10-2010, 10:16 AM	#33
MelC Evangelist Posts: 410 Karma: 2081 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Cybook Gen3, PRS600	What I haven't seen a lot of assurances about yet and what would be the make it or break it for me would be its ability to synchronize with OneNote. It looks like they have attempted to make a standalone "onenote like" app rather than a OneNote or OneNote lite version. For me the main draw of this device would be to do what my Sony Touch currently does for me - allows me to take handwritten notes and annotate documents for work. If it worked well this device would be far superior - enabling me to refer to a document while I made notes in a meeting. Have the document up on the screen while I worked out some of the structuring points on another screen. Having two documents up so that I can compare similar provisions. The list goes on. More importantly better scribble/handwriting features including OCR and seamless importing into OneNote etc. would make my life much easier as right now it is a very awkward process to transfer notes from the Sony to the computer and back again and most of the search advantages of OneNote are lost in the process. So, I will wait and see, if it can do this and do it well and doesn't cost an arm and a leg I would consider trading in my PRS600 for it and getting a separate smaller reader for casual reading. It would be nice if they would release an "office" version and a "personal" version as right now it seems like they are strictly developing for the "personal" young student etc. population whose needs are going to be very different from those of business professionals. Mel

03-13-2010, 12:01 PM	#34
sarah11918 Tablet Enthusiast Posts: 335 Karma: 30400 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Aura One (formerly: Asus Eee Note, enTourage eDGe EE, Nokia N810)	I actually found out about the eDGe because someone posted a comment about it on a Courier article months ago. The fear is that the MS Courier is just another mock-up, like that "surface table" that was supposed to be the next hot thing a few years ago. I know some are just finding out about the Courier idea now, but we've been hearing rumours for a long time about this thing. Initially it looked like the Courier might be a 9 - 10 inch screen, but now they're saying much smaller - the size of a 5 by 7 photograph when closed. It makes me wonder whether the device is more suited to being a sleek PDA/moleskin replacement rather than a document reader. The eDGe isn't as sleek and doesn't have handwriting recognition (and Windows 7 handwriting recog. is phenomenal on tablet PCs, as much as putting up with Windows itself may be a bit of a pain at times) but it has e-ink, which is a huge plus for using the device as a reader instead of just a planner/journal. I decided to pre-order the eDGe rather than wait for the Courier, since the eDGe was a real product and who knows when (or if) the Courier will see the light of day. And, if in a year the Courier is actually available, then I'll have had the eDGe for a year and see whether it suits me or whether I need something "cooler." Or, I can give the Courier time to get the kinks out and maybe wait for a later gen. product. But absolutely, I was so jazzed about the Courier when I first saw it. It's an exciting idea, but probably a replacement for my Nokia N810 internet tablet than my eDGe. Though they both have dual screens, they seem to be less direct competitors than I originally thought.

03-13-2010, 03:15 PM	#35
Crowl Wizard Posts: 1,340 Karma: 1160346 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Southport, GB Device: Kindle Voyage, PW Signature edition	It will be interesting to see what approach MS takes with the courier, will it be branded as their hardware like the Zune or made by multiple companies like windows mobile, if its the latter then you would assume that you would see a variety of models with different screen sizes.

03-13-2010, 04:03 PM	#36
leebase Karma Kameleon Posts: 2,960 Karma: 26738313 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iPad Mini, iPhone X, Kindle Fire Tab HD 8, Walmart Onn	Count me in the "I don't get it" category. Folded up, I'd still need a book back for it. No big deal, but if I need a book bag, I might as well carry something like the iPad. Want two screens? Turn the iPad sideways. That's how the book app is now, when the iPad is sideways, it shows two book pages. A single large screen can do via "splitting the screen" that any two screen device could do. Except fold in half. I just don't see the big win for portability for that as you still can't fit it in your pocket. Hand writing and all that -- that sounds interesting. But that's software and any of these touch screen devices can (and probably will) have apps for that. But hey, "horses for courses". Lee

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