Back in 1987 Apple Produced this video on the Knowledge Navigator, their concept of how a computer/PDA could be used to do work in all aspects of your life. Of course the inspiration for the Newton was the Knowledge Navigator (and the Knowledge Navigator was probably influenced by the Star Trek PADD)

Here's the Knowledge Navigator:


Now this past week Microsoft announced the Courier:



Does it look familiar?

Well, it's not really the Knowledge Navigator, but it isn't a Tablet PC, it isn't an iPhone and it's not an Android OS device. This looks kinda cool, doesn't it? If Microsoft does come forth with a device like this, it would be really cool! You could use it as an internet tablet, a PDA, an eBook reader and so much more.

Of course the potential pitfall here is creating yet another OS that does not play nice with any of the other holdings that Microsoft has like Windows on the Desktop, Zune on the PMP, Xbox on the console and Windows Mobile on the PDA/phone.



Here's another use case scenario with the codex prototype (that looks insane expensive):