Microsoft Tablet to Challenge iPad, Kindle?

We have all been so mesmerized by the news about Apple iPad and information on its release date that we have forgotten Apple’s fierce rival, Microsoft, and its plans for the tablet market. Microsoft has been a follower in the past few years. Whether it’s the Zune, the IE, or other technologies, Microsoft has chosen to follow instead of lead. In the case of its tablet, the company has decided to get to work instead of waiting for other companies to release their own tablets. Microsoft’s tablet is a revolutionary tablet (if the rumors are true) that challenges the iPad and other portable devices such as the Kindle. It probably won’t be cheap, but it does come with a load of features that Kindle owners can only dream about.

Gizmodo did display a few photos of the latest concepts for this device which were quite interesting. While we don’t have anyway to confirm the concepts are actually being considered, it’s certainly exciting to think about what’s possible with such a device. You essentially get everything you need to produce and review content on the go on this handheld. It’s not just about reading e-books. You can use its GPS to find your way around. You can also take notes right on the device in your own hand-writing.

Microsoft Courier may be underwhelming in the end, but the above concept does show that Amazon has ways to go to take Kindle to where it needs to go. So far, Amazon is focusing only consumers with Kindle. There is nothing wrong with that. But it turns out that many content consumers can produce good content as well. At the very least, Amazon can give them the option by offering a high-end Kindle model. So far, the Kindle family has been very thin. While I don’t expect Amazon Kindle to look like anything in the above image, I’d be satisfied if Amazon made the effort to improve Kindle dramatically in the next generation.

Your take: will Microsoft Courier challenge the Kindle?