Microsoft’s Menlo prototype, previously believed to be a Windows tablet in the wake of Courier’s untimely demise, is actually a prototype mobile device and OS, complete with 3-axis accelerometer and a digital pressure barometer. Yes, a barometer.
https://gizmodo.com/is-menlo-the-windows-core-for-microsofts-next-secret-ta-5530639
The detective work on this device has been all Mary Jo Folye over at ZDNet, an what’s she found since we first learned of Menlo earlier this year is this:
Menlo is a prototype mobile device with a capacitive touch screen (4.1‖ diagonal, 800×480) running Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 which incorporates a Bosch BMA150 3-axis accelerometer and Bosch BMP085 digital pressure sensor (barometer).
Plus this:
Running on top of the Menlo platform is a new Microsoft Research Silverlight application codenamed “Greenfield,” which is a sensor-centric program allowing users to retrace their footsteps when seeking to find their cars.
And a little of that: Menlo won’t be its own phone, a la the failed Kin. It will instead be a new operating system that will run on a series of processors. As to the “when” question this appears to be deep in the R&D phase, and such info isn’t readily available just yet. [ZDNet]
