What scared MS into scrapping a secret tablet project?

[JMH]

Microsoft has reportedly pulled the plug on Courier, the folding tablet/booklet device that was reportedly in “late prototype” last fall but was never launched - or acknowledged, for that matter, according to Gizmodo. Citing “sources familiar with the matter,” the site reported that CEO Steve Ballmer informed the internal team that the project would no longer be supported.

Obviously, Microsoft isn’t giving up any details about why it pulled the plug. But Gizmodo did post a statement from the company. In a nutshell, Microsoft is always exploring and testing new products and technologies and the Courier project was one of those. While it will be “evaluated in for use in future offerings” there are no plans to build such a device right now, the company said. Gizmodo first reported on the “Secret Tablet” in September (see image).

Source -
What scared Microsoft into scrapping a secret tablet project? | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com