11 ms·

Typically the form-factor seems to dominate discussions of the Courier, but the really interesting thing is that it was intended to be a content creation device

Typically the form-factor seems to dominate discussions of the Courier, but the really interesting thing is that it was intended to be a content creation device. Contrast that with the iPad which excels at providing consumption. We could have had two radically different tablet categories, each excellently tailored to one specific intent. Microsoft really could have had a hand in shaping the landscape where now they're catching up.

deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
roc 15y ago
The reasons cited by people who claim the iPad "can't do content creation" is the virtual keyboard, which precludes efficient typing and the lack of legacy apps, which precludes existing workflows. The courier would be in that exact same position. And let us not forget that there are already two radically different tablet categories. One tailored to typing and legacy apps and the other tailored to all-new touch-focused apps. The market simply couldn't care less about the ones with keyboards and apps that were designed for mice.
- rsynnott 15y ago
  And do remember that the "creation versus consumption" thing is a talking point originally introduced by... Microsoft! People somehow seem to have adopted it as a simple truth, but it's really a piece of marketing.
  - chollida1 15y ago
    > And do remember that the "creation versus consumption" thing is a talking point originally introduced by... Microsoft! Really? I didn't know that. When did they create this distinction?
    - culturestate 15y ago
      In a competitive analysis back in January. http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2011/01/24/what-microsoft-really-thinks-about-the-ipad/ http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2011/01/24/what-microsoft-re...
- jamesgeck0 15y ago
  The courier would have had a stylus, handwriting recognition, and a really nice screen. You'd have been able to cut and paste text and images by drawing circles around them and swiping them into a clipboard-bucket-thing on the other screen. I don't know how well it would have worked in the final product, but it looked pretty snazzy in the demo videos. :-)
  - cryptoz 15y ago
    One of the primary reasons I like computers is that I don't have to write by hand anymore. I don't think I'm alone.
    - Fliko 15y ago
      I think the intention was for people who needed to draw things, like architects, electrical/mechanical engineers, artists. I nearly die over the fact that there is no awesome tablet that explicitly supports styluses and uses them in some new awesome creative way. It would really take away the barrier of taking notes in class with a tablet efficiently. (Even though I still plan on getting a tablet to do such things).
    - fpgeek 15y ago
      Most of the time. But years of high school and college trained me to take notes with my hand. Trying to focus on what people are saying and use a keyboard just feels too hard. And yet I still don't want to give up all the advantages of electronic (vs paper) notes. I'd run to get a tablet with a really, really good stylus (I had high hopes for the HTC Flyer, but... maybe a future ICS tablet will get it right).
  - ugh 15y ago
    I’m not sure what handwriting recognition gets you. I don’t know if you noticed but handwriting is slow. Much, much, much slower than any touch keyboard, especially a huge one like on the iPad.
    - Poyeyo 15y ago
cormullion 15y ago
In a way, Apple didn't target or tailor their device at all, cleverly allowing the vagueness to guarantee multiple uses. Remember the 2010 keynote? >Do we have what it takes to establish a 3rd category of products? An awesome product between the laptop and the smartphone? I think the iPad is used creatively by quite a few people, although possibly not as high a percentage as Macs and PCs. But then, what about all those PCs in banks and call centres ?... :)
- hollerith 15y ago
  >But then, what about all those PCs in banks and call centres? They are used in the creation of income :)
Terretta 15y ago
> Contrast that with the iPad which excels at providing consumption. That's not a contrast. Just because iPad excels at consumption doesn't mean it fails at creation. Paper excels at providing consumption. Far more paper is used for consumption than for creation. Doesn't mean paper isn't also fantastic for creation.
- wanorris 15y ago
  Yes, but the Courier was leagues beyond anything you can do with an iPad in terms of content creation. Even now, there's nothing on the iPad that works as well as OneNote (yes, that includes EverNote), and Courier extended far past OneNote to integrate a bunch of more advanced, integrated design ideas.
  - tvon 15y ago
    The Courier was never demoed publicly, let alone shipped to consumers, it's a bit silly to say it was leagues beyond anything at all.
  - Hari_Seldon 15y ago
    "Yes, but the Courier was leagues beyond anything you can do with an iPad" With all due respect, the courier was not a shipping product, the video mockups were cool, but to compare a successful shipping product with a vapourware concept video - and to conclude that the non-existing one is better, is not particularly useful.
    - colin_jack 15y ago
      I agree with you to some extent but you missed out the last bit of his sentence "in terms of content creation". I do think the original iPad was poor for content creation, thats fine as it was a brilliant device but I do think there was a chance the Courier could have been better in that regard.
      - saturdaysaint 15y ago
JulianMorrison 15y ago
iPad is quite good for content creation, excluding text. It's good for finger-painted art,for example. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/picture-galleries/7866260/Apple-iPad-art-portraits-created-by-David-Kassan-using-the-Brushes-app-on-the-touchscreen-device.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/picture-galleries/7866...
- alanfalcon 15y ago
  It's not so bad at text when you connect a Bluetooth keyboard, either.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

roc 15y ago

The reasons cited by people who claim the iPad "can't do content creation" is the virtual keyboard, which precludes efficient typing and the lack of legacy apps, which precludes existing workflows. The courier would be in that exact same position. And let us not forget that there are already two radically different tablet categories. One tailored to typing and legacy apps and the other tailored to all-new touch-focused apps. The market simply couldn't care less about the ones with keyboards and apps that were designed for mice.

rsynnott 15y ago
And do remember that the "creation versus consumption" thing is a talking point originally introduced by... Microsoft! People somehow seem to have adopted it as a simple truth, but it's really a piece of marketing.
- chollida1 15y ago
  > And do remember that the "creation versus consumption" thing is a talking point originally introduced by... Microsoft! Really? I didn't know that. When did they create this distinction?
  - culturestate 15y ago
    In a competitive analysis back in January. http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2011/01/24/what-microsoft-really-thinks-about-the-ipad/ http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2011/01/24/what-microsoft-re...
jamesgeck0 15y ago
The courier would have had a stylus, handwriting recognition, and a really nice screen. You'd have been able to cut and paste text and images by drawing circles around them and swiping them into a clipboard-bucket-thing on the other screen. I don't know how well it would have worked in the final product, but it looked pretty snazzy in the demo videos. :-)
- cryptoz 15y ago
  One of the primary reasons I like computers is that I don't have to write by hand anymore. I don't think I'm alone.
  - Fliko 15y ago
    I think the intention was for people who needed to draw things, like architects, electrical/mechanical engineers, artists. I nearly die over the fact that there is no awesome tablet that explicitly supports styluses and uses them in some new awesome creative way. It would really take away the barrier of taking notes in class with a tablet efficiently. (Even though I still plan on getting a tablet to do such things).
  - fpgeek 15y ago
    Most of the time. But years of high school and college trained me to take notes with my hand. Trying to focus on what people are saying and use a keyboard just feels too hard. And yet I still don't want to give up all the advantages of electronic (vs paper) notes. I'd run to get a tablet with a really, really good stylus (I had high hopes for the HTC Flyer, but... maybe a future ICS tablet will get it right).
- ugh 15y ago
  I’m not sure what handwriting recognition gets you. I don’t know if you noticed but handwriting is slow. Much, much, much slower than any touch keyboard, especially a huge one like on the iPad.
  - Poyeyo 15y ago

cormullion 15y ago

In a way, Apple didn't target or tailor their device at all, cleverly allowing the vagueness to guarantee multiple uses. Remember the 2010 keynote? >Do we have what it takes to establish a 3rd category of products? An awesome product between the laptop and the smartphone? I think the iPad is used creatively by quite a few people, although possibly not as high a percentage as Macs and PCs. But then, what about all those PCs in banks and call centres ?... :)

hollerith 15y ago
>But then, what about all those PCs in banks and call centres? They are used in the creation of income :)

Terretta 15y ago

> Contrast that with the iPad which excels at providing consumption. That's not a contrast. Just because iPad excels at consumption doesn't mean it fails at creation. Paper excels at providing consumption. Far more paper is used for consumption than for creation. Doesn't mean paper isn't also fantastic for creation.

wanorris 15y ago
Yes, but the Courier was leagues beyond anything you can do with an iPad in terms of content creation. Even now, there's nothing on the iPad that works as well as OneNote (yes, that includes EverNote), and Courier extended far past OneNote to integrate a bunch of more advanced, integrated design ideas.
- tvon 15y ago
  The Courier was never demoed publicly, let alone shipped to consumers, it's a bit silly to say it was leagues beyond anything at all.
- Hari_Seldon 15y ago
  "Yes, but the Courier was leagues beyond anything you can do with an iPad" With all due respect, the courier was not a shipping product, the video mockups were cool, but to compare a successful shipping product with a vapourware concept video - and to conclude that the non-existing one is better, is not particularly useful.
  - colin_jack 15y ago
    I agree with you to some extent but you missed out the last bit of his sentence "in terms of content creation". I do think the original iPad was poor for content creation, thats fine as it was a brilliant device but I do think there was a chance the Courier could have been better in that regard.
    - saturdaysaint 15y ago

JulianMorrison 15y ago

iPad is quite good for content creation, excluding text. It's good for finger-painted art,for example. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/picture-galleries/7866260/Apple-iPad-art-portraits-created-by-David-Kassan-using-the-Brushes-app-on-the-touchscreen-device.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/picture-galleries/7866...

alanfalcon 15y ago
It's not so bad at text when you connect a Bluetooth keyboard, either.