More rumors on the Microsoft Courier – OS, size, weight and launch

Another look at the Microsoft Courier

We were starting to worry about the Microsoft Courier. After hearing plenty about it September of last year there was no mention of Ballmer and Co. during the CES keynote or any real information leaked in a couple of months. It was starting to seem that the Courier would go down as the latest Microsoft vaporware victim.

All of that is starting to change, however, as today Engadget posted some rumors from what they consider a reliable source. The Microsoft Courier is coming and it is still headed in the right direction.

First, the Courier will forgo a Windows 7 OS and instead join the ranks of the Zune HD and Windows Mobile 7 Series by using Windows CE 6. It will also be powered by a Tegra 2 processor (extremely fast CPU that has a low power consumption rate). The focus of the Courier will remain that of a “digital journal” and will rely heavily on stylus input and handwriting recognition. The hinged tablets will fold down to around 5 x 7 inches, be under an inch thick and under a pound in weight.

Of course those are all goals at this point, but they’re admirable to say the least. There will also be a camera, headphone jack and, keeping in the thinking of a journal, an emphasis on reading — specifically eBook reading. A main feature of the Courier will be its use as an eReader.

So how long do we have to wait for all this dual-screened goodness? Only until the second half of this year according to Engadget’s source. That’s a very large and drafty six month window, but even at that it seems a little rushed. After all, we’ve only seen renderings of the Courier at this point and not one solid piece of hardware.

Source: Engadget