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iPad vs Microsoft Courier

cc2k4 said:
I agree. At the moment it seems very specialized. I'm sure Microsoft will outline other "mainstream" features closer to the official announcement since this device is still only in "concept" form.

IMO the iPad currently will be more successful even after the Courier is launched merely because of the support of the pre-existing App store, deals with publishing companies in place for the iBook store, as well as the shear hype the iPad has created. Add to the fact that millions of people are familiar and swear by the iPhone, the iPad should be a sure hit.
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It's rather the reverse of the Windows vs Mac situation. The iPhone/iPad has all the apps, content, momentum and mind-share. In comparison Microsoft will be starting from almost zero with the Window 7 Phone and the Courier. They've got a lot of catching up to do.
 
The more I think about it, I realize that they are not even competing devices. One is for web browsing, videos, reading books, playing games, looking at photos and the other is about taking notes with a stylus, doing productivity business stuff, carrying around when you meet clients.

One is for fun and one is for work. Deciding which one you should buy isn't about looking at features, it's about looking at use cases.
 
If they do want to sell it, they will have to put forth sample images that look more sensible. This one just makes the thing look like a mess:
couriervid2.jpg


This kind of chaos is what most people want to get away from.
 
Bytor65 said:
How do you watch videos? With a hinge in middle?
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The Litl solved this problem nicely. You fold the hinge back 270deg. That way it is its own stand and once the screen is folded back the other screen would be off and videos would play horizontally.

Sydde said:
This kind of chaos is what most people want to get away from.
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Maybe if you're old. :D

However if that is just a layout that you've created then its really not an issue.
 
Geoffrois said:
The more I think about it, I realize that they are not even competing devices. One is for web browsing, videos, reading books, playing games, looking at photos and the other is about taking notes with a stylus, doing productivity business stuff, carrying around when you meet clients.

One is for fun and one is for work. Deciding which one you should buy isn't about looking at features, it's about looking at use cases.
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As someone already said, it's the software.

There is nothing preventing me from doing productivity work on the iPad and I plan on doing so, and doing it well.

The iPad form factor is also much more suited to the medical environment over this split in the middle dual screen monstrosity.
 
Geoffrois said:
The more I think about it, I realize that they are not even competing devices. One is for web browsing, videos, reading books, playing games, looking at photos and the other is about taking notes with a stylus, doing productivity business stuff, carrying around when you meet clients.

One is for fun and one is for work. Deciding which one you should buy isn't about looking at features, it's about looking at use cases.
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Which makes me sad. I want a tablet that lets me do everything I want to do, both work and play. Just like my smartphone - I want to carry one device that let's me be productive that I can use for entertainment during my downtime as well. If I have to carry two devices, that's frustrating to me. There's no reason I shouldn't be able to use an iPad for work AND play, even if it is not best of breed at one or the other.
 
It would be nice if the product actually ends up like that once they actually move it out of the concept stage.

I'd probably buy one but they still have a long way to go turning that into a real device.
 
I'm really not surprised that the MS folks feel they need to pump up their marketing machine. I actually really hope they can make something out of this concept.
 
While I think Courier looks good, IMO it's use cases are very different from iPad. All I see in the video is take notes, do research, write journal etc. iPad, on the other hand, is made for media consumption, gaming, and browsing the web. Although iWork is available on iPad, it still gives me the impression that it's more of an entertainment device, whereas Courier is more of a work device.
 
diabolic said:
It would be nice if the product actually ends up like that once they actually move it out of the concept stage.

I'd probably buy one but they still have a long way to go turning that into a real device.
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MS has a long history of bringing out these "concepts" and the actual released product is complete garbage because they depend on OEM's to make the hardware.

A perfect example is the Origami/UMPC project. The demo hardware/software the Origami project had was simply amazing. Excellent form factor, excellent processor speed, good adaptation of a desktop OS to a mobile etc.

ACTUAL UMPC's that made it to market were cool, but were significantly gimped in both the hardware and software compared to their concept demos.
 
The courier is exactly what everyone wanted the ipad to be. i bet you can fold the screens over and just watch a movie or browse the web if you want to. microsoft has been doin alot of good things lately. Win 7 is awesome, the Zune HD is great, Xbox has completely taken over gaming, and now they are about to own the market apple is trying to create. This is a product that is actually in between a smartphone and a computer, not an overblown media player like the ipad is. Windows is really making a comeback on the computer scene. But, im still gettin an ipad on the 2nd haha. Ill see it near the end of the year when the courier comes out though. It will be so much better for school.
 
So this is actually a demo of a concept?

Eh, more vaporware from MS. Call me when they actually follow through with the concept in the form shown.
 
diabolic said:
The part where it runs the Zune HD OS, or the part where it's missing a camera?
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The part where its actually useful, not just something to watch videos and play ipod apps on it. You can actually create stuff on it, thats what its made for. And the dual screen approach with the pocket is sweet. The camera on it will actually be useful, the copy and pasting input looks pretty solid. Its more of a computer, than something that steve thought you should have. And it doesnt run the HD OS, its not even close. You should actually try looking at it before just saying something and looking like a moron.
 
rtay said:
Its more of a computer, than something that steve thought you should have. And it doesnt run the HD OS, its not even close. You should actually try looking at it before just saying something and looking like a moron.
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OK, I'll ignore the immaturity...

From Engadget:

we're told the Courier is built on Tegra 2 and runs on the same OS as the Zune HD, Pink, and Windows Mobile 7 Series, which we're taking to mean Windows CE 6.
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Apparently, I looked quite a bit more closely than you did. Pay attention, I already said the Courier is something I'd be likely to buy. Hopefully the final product is somewhere close to this concept video. Based on past history with Microsoft, it may not be.
 
The zune os is different than the windows CE. Have you ever even used a zune? its based off windows CE, but theyre entirely different experiences.
 
raremage said:
Which makes me sad. I want a tablet that lets me do everything I want to do, both work and play. Just like my smartphone - I want to carry one device that let's me be productive that I can use for entertainment during my downtime as well. If I have to carry two devices, that's frustrating to me. There's no reason I shouldn't be able to use an iPad for work AND play, even if it is not best of breed at one or the other.
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I dont really see what would keep you from using the iPad in that way. It's all about software, and the iPad already has a ton of work and play software available.
 
blackNBUK said:
Count me in as another sceptic for the moment. It seems like the Courier is a one-trick-pony. Admittedly the digital journal trick appear to work really well but what I'd really like to know is now it copes with other uses. Battery life has also got to be a concern; the dual screens will need a good amount of extra power while a target weight of 1 pound doesn't leave a lot of room for a big battery.
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all else aside - but why would battery life for this be any more of a challenge than the much bigger iPad?. I am not being snarky. Sincerely - do you have an engineering background or have any data that would suggest that one big screen uses less than 2 smaller? Of significance?
 
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