Microsoft Courier debunked, probably just Codex concept from 2008

Could the new leak be just a refresh of an old idea?

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23 September 2009 21:34 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Rumours that Microsoft is about to enter the tablet market took a step backwards on Wednesday when it turned out that the new concept being touted on the internet by gadget site Gizmodo could be just a rehash of a concept from Microsoft that was first detailed in 2008.

The original concept, called Codex, saw two touchscreen displays that could be used and accessed like a book allowing the user to work on multiple projects at the same time.

Although the new concept images and videos feature a more slimline "2010" design, they mirror the concept first touted in October last year by Microsoft's internal research department.

The original article cites the creation for the device because:

"Dual-screen devices have become the subject of increasingly elaborate internet fantasies. Now, rumors about an Apple "Brick" device have stirred up dreams of future tablets, such as the alluring One Laptop Per Child v2.0 concept photos, which now orbit the internet once again."

As for why you can buy one? The Microsoft post answers that too:

"The Codex is a prototype-- and a rather flaky, cobbled-together one at that. But it uses off-the-shelf devices, and there's nothing magical about the software. So the crass answer is that you can have one now if you are willing to spend some dollars, build yourself a custom binder, and write a little bit of code, write Ken Hinckley, the author of the article before saying that "In my office, at least, that future is already here. It's just not evenly distributed."