Like a lot of (Geekish) people, I was keenly awaiting the launch of the i-[insert favourite name fo the latest slate-like Apple device]. Then the iPad (strike one just for the name) was announced and demonstrated. While many media pundits seemed to be happy to re-hash the Apple press-release material (category-defining, magical, game-changing), many actual users of precursor devices seeemed to beath a collective sigh of disappointment at the Apple offering.
Does the world need a 10″ iPod touch? Quite possibly not. No, no even with the 3G option. My 3G iPad-mini (aka iPhone 3Gs) seems to fill most of that niche quite nicely.
What is my personal ideal device in this area? Well, I’d have to say I believe I have seen a demo video of it, and it is called the Microsoft Courier - a twin 7″ screen “Booklet” form factor device with custom user interface (possibly sitting on top of a version of Windows 7). The “demo video” may be pure animation – the product may yest prove to be vapourware, but Microsoft claims otherwise.
The reason I think the Courier is revolutionary, and on-the-money – at least from my perspective, is that it works the way people do – something Apple usually excels in, but seems to have under-delivered on this time around.
I have been a long time user of the Franklin Covey planning system in paper form. I keep my notes, schedule, to-do, calendar and many other things (photos, misssion statement etc) in that binder.
A year or two ago, however, I experimented with using a Fujitsu p1610 Lifebook touchscreen tablet PC as an alternative. The thing that made this even slightly feasible – Microsoft OneNote. For those that use OneNote, they will tell you there literally is no other comparable product on the market. It is the closest product I have seen to a “works the way people do” product in electronic form.
If Microsoft have taken the lessons learned from OneNote, and created an integrated hardware and software device around those lessons, then that is a product I would be interested in checking out.
My hope is that it would not be too heavily locked down and specialised. I would want it to also be able to edit Office documents, and run Freemind mindmapping software (and other useful Windows utilities) without a complete rewrite of the applications.
And the price point? Well, I would find it hard to believe it achievable, but I think this was one place where Apple did get it right. A US$500 starting price seems about right if the device is to usurp the ubiquitous Netbook, and keep the iPad at bay.
Now, I wonder if Mr Balmer might like to send me a demo model to check out? I’d be only too happy to provide constructive feedback 
