Vista - Rumors: Microsoft-branded phones, an Alchemy Ventures tablet.

New rumors are pointing once again to Microsoft-branded phones as well as the development of a tablet, codenamed Alchemy Ventures.
Over the weekend, the rumor mill started working overtime as talk of Microsoft portable devices took center stage, and we're not just talking about the Zune HD or other touchscreen Zune players. Nope, this goes beyond the portable media player market: not only is the software giant working on its own branded smartphones, but the company is also giving the tablet form factor another take. Again, these are just rumors, but they're worth mentioning simply because it's not the first time we've heard these things.