Microsoft keynote may not bring Courier

An HP tablet is coming at tonight's Microsoft keynote but may not be the rumored Courier tablet, multiple sources indicate today. A contact for Reuters says to expect a media-centric, multi-touch device from HP at Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer's keynote, but doesn't provide details. Journalist Kara Swisher adds, however, that her own contacts are adamant it won't be the dual-screen Courier and instead will be a slate that runs Microsoft software.

The news is echoed by Gizmodo editor Brian Lam, who in a Twitter update adds that any Courier product is "far off."

A possibility remains that the system is actually the TouchSmart tm2 convertible tablet, which has multi-touch input and runs Windows 7. Microsoft has been known to use its presentations partly as demonstrations of its partners' recent PC projects rather than to unveil hardware for the first time.

Based on a late-breaking rumor Tuesday, speculation has been building that Ballmer might use a Courier launch at CES specifically to undermine claims Apple might make about its own rumored tablet, which could be unveiled as soon as January 27th.

By Electronista Staff