HTC, a Taiwanese mobile phone maker has filed a patent for a dual screened tablet. Since they are the chief source of hardware development for mobile phones, this development could signal a run at the upcoming Microsoft Courier tablet system under development.
Android-logo
The company worked closely with Microsoft and initially made smartphones based primarily on the Windows Mobile software. Later in 2009 the company began to move away from the Windows Mobile devices, to devices based on the Android operating system.
The HTC patent is for a device that would feature dual touchscreens in a clamshell design. This could be a device similar to the Microsoft Courier, which rumor has it is a similarly dual-screened device, Courier, however, will be lacking one key element no matter how it plays out. That is that the HTC dual screen tablet is designed around Android.
What is Android?
Android is a stack of software programs designed for use with mobile devices. It includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. It works with a refurbished version of the Linux kernel. Android is special because it allows developers to write managed code in Java, and thereby control the device through Google-developed Java libraries.
Initially Android was developed by Android Inc., but the firm was purchased by Google. But lately the Android software package is also used by the Open Handset Alliance, which is a group of hardware, software, and telecom companies working to advance open standards for mobile devices.
HTC Dual Screen Tablet Patent
The tablet device would open up across a central hinge to reveal dual screens. One will hold the content and the other will make up a virtual keyboard, necessary at least some of the time. One application that this could be welcome is an e-book reader. With the device oriented to look like a book, with a page on each screen, this might be enough to revitalize a concept that never quite took off, the e-book.
Source: HTC
