Microsoft wants to 'redefine reading as we know it'

Since Microsoft announced their partnership with Barnes and Noble, we haven't heard much out of either of them regarding what kind of projects they might be working on. Thanks to a new job posting on the Microsoft website, though, it looks like that might be about to change.

Our friend, ZDNet's Mary Jo Folley spotted a job posting for a program manager to work in Microsoft's Office unit on 'active reading' projects with the "V1 (version 1) team." Exactly what all of that means is still more than a little obscure, but the posting specifically calls out the Barnes and Noble deal:

We are a V1 team passionate about helping shape and deliver the vision for “active reading” in a world of modern content. Text, media, and interactive elements are coming together to redefine reading as we know it. Microsoft Office Division has big plans in this area and our team is creating innovative V1 products and services that delight active readers. The recent partnership we announced with Barnes & Noble is a strong indication of our commitment to the reading space.

More specifically, they're looking for someone who 'has proven strengths in driving UX, played a key role in V1 product cycles, has a broad understanding of the digital content ecosystem for books and documents, and is experienced in working with seasoned developers and testers.' It's also important that the candidate is able to play well with others, like the Windows 8 team.

Intrigued? So are we. We've got a few ideas about what Microsoft might be working on, but it boils down to a couple of things: an ebook storefront for Windows 8 devices, possibly paired with Nook hardware, or some sort of ebook publishing tool. Since the job is specifically recruiting someone to work on the Office team, the later seems more likely, although it could just be part of something much bigger.

For her part, Folley speculates that it might even involve 'Moorea,' a mysterious multimedia note taking app that's said to take cues from the ill-fated Courier tablet.

One thing's for sure: it's gonna be real interesting to see how things play out. We've got no doubt that Micosoft has something up their sleeves when it comes to ebooks. Your guess is as good as ours, though, as to whether this is it.

Source: ZDNet