Microsoft Courier Official, Launching In H2 2010; Pictures and Videos Galore!

Coincidence? Apple announced the iPad availability this morning and Microsoft has just confirmed that the Courier is a real product. Closed, the dual-screen "digital journal" or tablet of theirs is said to be under an inch thick, just over a pound, and not much larger than a 5 x 7 photo. This means that both of these displays could be around 7-9 inches (I believe).

The Courier looked pretty impressive back in , but it has slightly toned down since then. The OS is said to be based on Windows CE 6 which is the same base as the Zune HD, Project Pink, and Windows Phone 7. Inside there'll be Nvidia's Tegra 2 chipset inside which should be pretty darn impressive. The UI appears to be pen-based but it should be fine if you use your fingers (not the best though). There's said to be a built-in camera and a headphone jack for your media needs. This tablet / e-book reader is supposedly set for a Q3 / Q4 launch. Visit any of the links below to find out even more information.

Check out the videos below. The UI / OS looks quite complicated, to be honest.

[Mashable, Slash Gear, Gizmodo, Engadget]