Details about Microsoft’s alleged bookish tablet PC are beginning to surface, and with every bit leaked, the anticipation rises. Courier, the dual screen tablet which we reported about here a few months back, looks more like a book reader should look, but also enables a “cliff notes” representation of the data files saved on it, but also contains a searchable “journal overview” which enables users to search by subject, keyword, or other criteria.

Organizing data files is the “Library” interface browser. A favorites tray sits on the left hand screen for saving often used files for quick access, and there’s a digital version of the old school library card file for flipping through data files and their histories.

Users of Evernote will recognize a feature in “Browser” that allows clipping web content and saving to the journal application for further use.

Aside from choosing the favorites dock for often used files, users can also save files in a very interesting fashion, by dragging the file to the spine, which closes and saves the file – a very cool idea.

Agenda is more than a calendar, it’s more like a daily journal which keeps track not only of appointments, but allows for taking notes and sketches by date and subject. Collaborate is a project based application no doubt to serve as a wireless connection with other Courier users in order to accomplish some project.

Fiinally, the digital stylus is more than just a handwriting interface, as it has two programmable buttons, a digital eraser, and activation of an artistic drawing mode with the flick of the wrist.

Now many people may roll their eyes at a software company making a hardware interface, but Courier isn’t Microsoft’s first rodeo. With success of the XBox and XBox 360, UltimateTV (we still use this DVR and it’s excellent), Surface, and even the struggling Zune, Microsoft can easily develop a serious tablet computer for release and could challenge Apple as a hardware company to boot. But chances are, Redmond will simply license the design to other manufacturers. But we’ll certainly be keeping an eye on Courier, hoping it’ll be under our Christmas Tree someday!

Hat Tip – Mashable/Gizmodo