Microsoft announced its plans to build a handheld, tablet-like device last year -- a device that will finally take Microsoft users away from their desk or notebook and into a more portable, comfortable world. The device will undoubtedly support Microsoft Reader with ClearType

"Combining the simplicity of paper with the power of the PC will enable people to be far more productive," said Gates, and that is perhaps the key philosophy behind the ambitious plan to move beyond the PC / mouse & keyboard way of computing. The device for web surfing, reading ebooks and ejournals, and inputting through voice and stylus is not expected for release before 2002.

The tablet looks much like several of the dedicated ebook reading devices available today. The main differences being that it is larger (letter-sized) and has a much faster processor and larger memory to run a full version of Window and the accompanying applications. Interestingly Microsoft is not positioning the Tablet PC as a secondary device such as a Palm or Pocket PC, it is being touted as a primary device and therefore a replacement for a notebook or PC.

Microsoft's eBook-related Tools

• Microsoft Reader 2.0
• Microsoft Reader Dictionary Authoring Kit (DAK) 1.0
• Microsoft Read in Microsoft Reader (RMR) 1.1
• Microsoft Tablet PC (To be released 2002)
• Microsoft Digital Asset Server Rights Management Microsoft
• Microsoft Reader Content SDK 1.5
• Microsoft Reader 1.0 & 1.5 (Discontinued)
• Microsoft Reader add-in for Microsoft Word (Discontinued)