A Cube knockoff's not the only noteworthy thing that surfaced at this week's Comdex convention, industrial design-wise. As faithful viewer Michael pointed out, a Reuters story discusses Microsoft's upcoming "Tablet PC"-- a slate-type device that the company "hopes to bring to market by 2002." There are a couple of things about the Tablet PC (a prototype of which is shown in a Reuters photo, being held by a man who is evidently Anthony Perkins' less-talented younger brother) which will make Apple-watchers go "hmmmm" right off the bat.

First of all, as Michael asks, "is that thing Ice and Tangerine?" While we personally don't detect any hints of translucence about it, we do have to agree that the Tablet PC as shown looks a little like Microsoft just ripped the top half off of a Tangerine iBook. The whole two-tone, bright color accent / neutral base thing indeed seems at least mildly inspired by Apple's industrial design revolution (and at most a direct crib).

The other aspect of the Tablet PC that might interest some folks is the fact that its interface is purely stylus and handwriting recognition: "Once the notes are recorded in the Tablet, they can be edited... just like [users] might manipulate any other electronic document." In other words, it's an electronic notepad, "slated" (ugh, that one was beneath even us) to ship nine years after Apple introduced the original Newton MessagePad, which did the same thing-- although, of course, it didn't do it terribly well until a few revisions later. While many of us complained that the Newton was too big for a PDA, Microsoft evidently feels that it was actually too small for a tablet. Come to think of it, the Tablet PC is essentially a beefed-up color eMate with the keyboard removed.

Now, that's not to say that Microsoft stole Apple's ideas and should be vilified for such a heinous act. In reality, there's a significant amount of give-and-take in the whole "borrowing" of ideas that keeps the computer industry moving forward. True, Microsoft adopted minor Apple innovations such as the Mac's GUI, QuickTime, the concept of consumer-grade digital video editing, etc. But consider the Microsoft innovations that Apple stole right back: pay-per-call tech support, the practice of charging money for beta software, and especially those cute little arrows that appear on the icons of shortcu-- er, aliases. So everybody benefits!