Microsoft "Courier" secret tablet

Like others have mentioned, I still do handwriting in a notebook, mainly because it's easier to sketch a diagram with a pen and paper than it is to do it digitally. Pros of handwriting/pen+paper: - Extremely high "resolution" (can fit a lot of information in a small space) - Flexibility - Direct input: tools rarely "get in the way" Cons of handwriting/pen + paper: - Editing is cumbersome - Storage/retrieval is annoying (no search!) - Sharing/collaboration is not as good as digital I'm still dreaming of something like the Microsoft Courier Concept [0]. We've gotten a lot closer since the concept came out (e.g., the MS Surface), but I think we're still not quite at the point where a digital notebook can feel just like paper + pen. [0]: [this video]

> But MOST importantly the way the user interacts with the interface would re-create the ease of use rendered by our interaction with print media. This last part, about the user interface, is why I believe Apple is best positioned to tackle this problem. > In one year's time we'll see. 2010 should be the year paper learns of it's destiny, the year we reach a tipping point on our way towards bits from the momentum of atoms. This is of course a prescient prediction of the iPad. But what it also reminded me of is a device that had already been shown publicly at the time: The Microsoft Courier. Microsoft was working on a dual-screen tablet that was essentially a notebook in computer form, complete with custom OS.[1] In the end it never happened. [1] [this video]