What is the Microsoft Courier?

Courier is a portable, dual-screen computer shaped like a book or a day planner. It folds closed and receives all input using its two touch-sensitive screens and/or a specialized stylus.

The Courier screens are 7 inches high and respond to multi-touch. A home button and library button are centered above the hinge, and there are three buttons on the stylus. See more leaked renderings of Courier here.

The device organizes information using Pagestream, which allows the user to flip pages and move content between applications seamlessly. Videos of the Courier interface concept have been leaked to Gizmodo. The highlight of the Courier file system is known as the Infinite Journal, a virtual book where sketches, notes and clippings from web content can be stored.

Journals are organized into a main library. Other features include a smart agenda, which acts as a home screen and is linked to the calendar, contacts and mapping applications. See more video of the Courier demo here.

Courier features a built-in camera for capturing images with a single shutter release button on top of the device.

Courier is being developed by the Entertainment & Devices division of Microsoft. The company is planning to release the product in mid-2010. Microsoft is said to be sharing details of its planned user interface to outside agencies as it prepares device prototypes.