Microsoft has some sort of new hardware product in the works, and it's revealing it only one tiny corner at a time. The kooky crew from Redmond created a new Twitter account -- @msfthardware -- and has been using it to send out subtle clues about its latest creation.
So far, two photos have been published of the top-secret product.
If we take the liberty of attempting to piece them together, we see a thin, black, rectangle-shaped device with the word "Microsoft" along what appears to be the bottom back side.
The only other hint Microsoft has dropped has been the following sentence: "Don't be so touchy...flat is where it's at."
All right -- so what the hell is this thing? A handful of possibilities come to mind, all of which could fit into our "flat" and "touchy" clue:
• A Microsoft Phone
The photo, especially the composite image, sure looks like a smartphone. I think we can safely assume it isn't another Kin, but Microsoft has been talking up its soon-to-launch Windows Phone 7 platform more and more lately. Just a couple of weeks ago, Microsoft's Windows Phone Blog announced its team had hit a "technical preview" milestone and was ready to begin broader consumer-based testing. Could this be a Microsoft-branded mobile device?
• A New Zune
It'd be an unexpected twist, but there's always the chance Microsoft's mystery product could be a Zune of some sort. After all, Apple's iPod Touch is likely getting a refresh this fall. Perhaps Microsoft has something music-related up its sleeve.
• A Microsoft Tablet
Days ago, Steve Ballmer told the world his company was working on a competitor to Apple's iPad (it's presumably not the Courier or the HP Windows 7 slate). Maybe Microsoft's tablet is closer to launch than we think.
• A Touch Pad
With Apple's Magic Trackpad magically revolutionizing everything in its path, we could always be looking at Microsoft's answer to the multitouch input device.
