ePeriodicals: the eBooks of tomorrow?

It appears that the press is confusing Microsoft’s Tablet PC strategy with its “ePeriodicals” strategy.The confusion is understandable. It appears that Microsoft is conflating production, display, hardware, and (probably) DRM.
Microsoft plans to release an “end-to-end electronic publishing solution, known as ePeriodicals, which it will introduce at its Tablet PC launch”, according to eWeek. One can only hope that “ePeriodicals” is a code name.
Publishers have always been enthusiastic about technologies that allow them to make computer screens look like print, prevent copying, and give them some hope of charging for content. But do they really want Microsoft as a partner? Besides, if eBooks have failed with a much simpler business model, I have to wonder whether consumers will buy the end products of this end-to-end “solution”.