[Casualballer]

The surface duo seems to be an attempt to radically shift the smartphone experience with a reasonably unique form factor with a focus on productivity and cohesiveness with the surface line all aimed at professionals ( its a lot less unique then when it was first announced years after in development but I digress) and I wonder how it will be received. It reminds me of the passport which was also a unique form factor that aimed , at least to me, at a professional segment of the population who valued productivity over all else and the sacrifices of convenience with the form factor wouldn't be an issue. That clearly didn't materialize with the passport and I wonder if the surface will follow a similar path. I have more thoughts but this is the essential idea and I'd be interested in what the crackberry community has to say. AC, where I usually hang out, feels more for those who don't neccesarily think outside of the typical smartphone experience box in the way that a blackberry fan does.
So, what do y'all think?

[Bla1ze]

It's an interesting device but it has all the problems of other folding / different devices:

1) Although some apps will be optimized at launch, there's still going to be issues across many of them for a while yet.
2) That price point is not where it needs to be for what you get in return.

[jackbuck93]

I'm all in. I'm reluctant to say goodbye to my Key2 as I love the keyboard, but maybe I can use the Key2 when I don't need to have a massive foldable in my pocket. But the Surface Duo looks great. It's $1399 I'm hoping that means that in the UK it will be about the £1000 mark, which I think is damn good. Though I'm sure it will be a little more than that.

I am all about productivity and this is easily the most productive looking smartphone I've seen. The screen is big enough to use as a laptop keyboard (cramped, but it'll work) and I can treat it as a mini laptop. It's great.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

If you say so.... For me a SURFACE is about Windows. If I could do without Windows, I'd have an iPad. Android Tablet's have a terrible support periods. MS has promised three years... but users tend to keep Tablets longer than phones.

MS should have come up with something different for their attempt to turn Android into a a product. But I think this is just a beta product that kinda a stop gap between where they are and where they want to be... Which is why they failed at phones in the first place.

But no 5G, no top line processor.... and a $1,400 price tag? It is cheaper than the Galaxy Fold....

[bb10adopter111]

Personally, it looks 10x more appealing than any other Android device out there, as it's clearly geared towards multitasking and business (schedule/email/web browsing/conferencing/task management).

I don't care at all that most apps won't be optimized for the hardware, because the mainstream business app I care about are the same ones Microsoft thought of.

I also could not care less about the single camera, because it does everything I ever use a phone camera for.

I won't buy it immediately because I am not very mobile and am working from a desktop and an ultra book for now, but I would consider this as an ultra book replacement, especially with a portable BT keyboard.

For me it's the most exciting mobile device since the Passport for sure. You can keep the so-called "flagships" from the other OEMs, which just bore me with lots of expensive junk I don't use.

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

[bb10adopter111]

But I think this is just a beta product that kinda a stop gap between where they are and where they want to be

Microsoft's sweet spot is business productivity, and I think they've learned their lesson that the consumer market is over saturated with competitors. They built the Surface Hub, which consumers don't even know about, into a billion dollar business, and now they are squarely focused on business collaboration. They have been slowly and methodically developing their cloud PBX offerings, Teams, and other enterprise software as a service offerings, integrating them with Office 365 as they go.

I think this will give them the perfect platform to learn how to support enterprise knowledge workers with a hybrid multi-screen device, and that's what they really care about in the long run.

Most consumers will, and probably should, pass on this device. It's really not aimed at them at all, which is obvious from all the promotional videos. This is a step towards an ultra book alternative for the later half of the 2020s.

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

[Chuck Finley69]

Microsoft's sweet spot is business productivity, and I think they've learned their lesson that the consumer market is over saturated with competitors. They built the Surface Hub, which consumers don't even know about, into a billion dollar business, and now they are squarely focused on business collaboration. They have been slowly and methodically developing their cloud PBX offerings, Teams, and other enterprise software as a service offerings, integrating them with Office 365 as they go.

I think this will give them the perfect platform to learn how to support enterprise knowledge workers with a hybrid multi-screen device, and that's what they really care about in the long run.

Most consumers will, and probably should, pass on this device. It's really not aimed at them at all, which is obvious from all the promotional videos. This is a step towards an ultra book alternative for the later half of the 2020s.

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

If MSFT is able to convert or add to it’s overall userbase from competitors phones, wow....

That said, what do I get additionally over an iPhone or iPad now? If my iOS hardware can’t do it, then out comes the Windows 10 laptop ...

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

If MSFT is able to convert or add to it’s overall userbase from competitors phones, wow....

That said, what do I get additionally over an iPhone or iPad now? If my iOS hardware can’t do it, then out comes the Windows 10 laptop ...

Or a Surface Pro.....

I've never been a fan of the iOS or Android MS Office apps, other than as viewers. If I wanted to create or edit documents while on the go, I use my Surface. I know may were proficient using Doc to Go on a Curve or Bold, that just wasn't me. Still have a few programs that haven't found their way to being Android or iOS apps yet...

Duo should have been Windows based, and utilized the new features of Your Phone to mirror Android Apps from your phone.... but that's just my view. MS has a great record of knowing what they are doing....

[Chuck Finley69]

Or a Surface Pro.....

I've never been a fan of the iOS or Android MS Office apps, other than as viewers. If I wanted to create or edit documents while on the go, I use my Surface. I know may were proficient using Doc to Go on a Curve or Bold, that just wasn't me. Still have a few programs that haven't found their way to being Android or iOS apps yet...

Duo should have been Windows based, and utilized the new features of Your Phone to mirror Android Apps from your phone.... but that's just my view. MS has a great record of knowing what they are doing....

Except for proprietary mobile phone hardware or software....

[Casualballer]

Except for proprietary mobile phone hardware or software....

Way back in the wild west of the OS wars they had a great opportunity and completely blew it. At the time, between windows 8, Windows phones flopping and the assumption that the future was in tablets, I was very doubtful that Microsoft was gonna continue to succeed. Clearly I was very wrong. They managed to really change their business model with the surface line and have managed to bear through the burgouning chromebook market quite successfully so far.

[bh7171]

Or a Surface Pro.....

I've never been a fan of the iOS or Android MS Office apps, other than as viewers. If I wanted to create or edit documents while on the go, I use my Surface. I know may were proficient using Doc to Go on a Curve or Bold, that just wasn't me. Still have a few programs that haven't found their way to being Android or iOS apps yet...

Duo should have been Windows based, and utilized the new features of Your Phone to mirror Android Apps from your phone.... but that's just my view. MS has a great record of knowing what they are doing....

The Neo will address your needs above. I know they stopped it's upcoming release but probably to make tweaks to hardware.

[Grungni]

It's lacking so many features for the price, no nfc or wireless charging... You can't even see who is calling you without opening it and it is too big for a phone... If I really wanted a device like this I would go for the Samsung Fold 2...

[Grungni]

I'm all in. I'm reluctant to say goodbye to my Key2 as I love the keyboard, but maybe I can use the Key2 when I don't need to have a massive foldable in my pocket. But the Surface Duo looks great. It's $1399 I'm hoping that means that in the UK it will be about the £1000 mark, which I think is damn good. Though I'm sure it will be a little more than that.

I am all about productivity and this is easily the most productive looking smartphone I've seen. The screen is big enough to use as a laptop keyboard (cramped, but it'll work) and I can treat it as a mini laptop. It's great.

Bet it will be £1399... And that three years of support is already ticking by the time they release it here you will probably get 2 years of support...

[PantherBlitz]

If my iOS hardware can’t do it, then out comes the Windows 10 laptop ...

That pretty much sums it up. The Dell XPS13 models run real Windows with a smokin' genuine Intel proc and are practically workstation replacements. All of this in a lightweight formfactor that fits nicely on the little trays on airplane seatbacks.

[eshropshire]

Not sure why I would pay this much for last year's spec when i can get a LG V60 with 5G support, dual screens the latest specs, top line camera, pen support and much cheaper.

[Gene Fells]

Watched a 35 minutes presentation from Panay today demonstrating it's core apps and features. It's impressive and if I was still doing my previous job I would have one asap.

It's early days; the biggest omission is the lack of notification process / indicator when the device is closed. A BB styled programmable LED would have solved a lot of these issues from the outset.

The funniest thing about the release of this device is the multiple reviewers labelling it as a mid range device because it "only" has a 855 CPU, 6GB RAM and 4G.

Posted via CB10

[bb10adopter111]

If MSFT is able to convert or add to it’s overall userbase from competitors phones, wow....

That said, what do I get additionally over an iPhone or iPad now? If my iOS hardware can’t do it, then out comes the Windows 10 laptop ...

For me, it's always been about keeping my email, phone, calendar, contacts and task management OFF of my main two screens. I want to use my computer for "deep work" without any distractions. That's why I've been so reliant on my BlackBerry devices. What I like about this device is that I could use it for all of my communications unless I need to share my screen on a video call.

Currently, I'm using a lightweight,12.5 inch i5 laptop for calendar, VOIP phone and email on my desk while my main computer is devoted to productivity, development and analytical apps. It's that laptop that I'd hope to replace with a device like this one.

Z10 = BB10 + VKB > iOS + Android

[bb10adopter111]

Great short (2 minutes) and long (35 minutes) videos from Microsoft about the thinking behind the Duo's design and use from the launch briefing:

[jackbuck93]

Does anybody know if I will have any trouble getting this to work on UK networks (I'm on Vodafone) if I import one from the United States? I'm waiting on a visa to move over there eventually so I figure I might as well buy the US version, as long as it works here in the UK while I'm waiting to move.

I've never quite understood the GSM (or whatever it's called) thing when it comes to networks.

[brookie229]

if I was still doing my previous job I would have one asap.

Exactly for me as well. This device would have been perfect for my occupation and use case in the medical field.

[bh7171]

Great short (2 minutes) and long (35 minutes) videos from Microsoft about the thinking behind the Duo's design and use from the launch briefing:

Microsoft "feed" looks like a HUB type repository for all things notifications. After watching Panos and if Microsoft markets this device well it's 100 going to sale. I can see Apple engineers all over groaning that they don't have something similar to market at this time..

This device is SO much more than most realize.

[bh7171]

The surface duo seems to be an attempt to radically shift the smartphone experience with a reasonably unique form factor with a focus on productivity and cohesiveness with the surface line all aimed at professionals ( its a lot less unique then when it was first announced years after in development but I digress) and I wonder how it will be received. It reminds me of the passport which was also a unique form factor that aimed , at least to me, at a professional segment of the population who valued productivity over all else and the sacrifices of convenience with the form factor wouldn't be an issue. That clearly didn't materialize with the passport and I wonder if the surface will follow a similar path. I have more thoughts but this is the essential idea and I'd be interested in what the crackberry community has to say. AC, where I usually hang out, feels more for those who don't neccesarily think outside of the typical smartphone experience box in the way that a blackberry fan does.
So, what do y'all think?

If only the Passport could have better unified the BlackBerry 10 experience with an updated Android runtime.

Microsoft has poured a TON of resources into their Android apps and the fusion between them, Office 365, One Drive and your desk and laptop experience. This furthers and enhances that "flow" /experience in beautifully engineered mobile hardware.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Does anybody know if I will have any trouble getting this to work on UK networks (I'm on Vodafone) if I import one from the United States? I'm waiting on a visa to move over there eventually so I figure I might as well buy the US version, as long as it works here in the UK while I'm waiting to move.

I've never quite understood the GSM (or whatever it's called) thing when it comes to networks.

Network Bands
FDD-LTE: 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,12,13,14,19 20,25,26,28,29,30,66
TD-LTE: 38,39,40,41,46
WCDMA: 1,2,5,8
GSM/GPRS: GSM-850, E-GSM-900, DCS-1800, PCS-1900


From what I see the bands needed in the UK for LTE are 1,3,7,8,20,32,38,40,42. So it's missing some, but which carrier uses which bands, and how much a priority the bands are?

My guess is you'd find coverage to be fine with it...

[jackbuck93]

Network Bands
FDD-LTE: 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,12,13,14,19 20,25,26,28,29,30,66
TD-LTE: 38,39,40,41,46
WCDMA: 1,2,5,8
GSM/GPRS: GSM-850, E-GSM-900, DCS-1800, PCS-1900


From what I see the bands needed in the UK for LTE are 1,3,7,8,20,32,38,40,42. So it's missing some, but which carrier uses which bands, and how much a priority the bands are?

My guess is you'd find coverage to be fine with it...

Nice one, thanks. Lots of shared bands there so should be alright I'm guessing? Kind of annoying they can't just make one damn model though. If I buy a US one it's gonna be a pain while I'm in the UK, if I buy a Uk one (if and when they ever come) then it'll be a pain in the US. Well, not a pain, but not ideal.

[parryberry]

Duo looks like a great device. Reminded me of the Sony Tablet P. Glad to see there's options in bringing up the keyboard. This could replace the Passport and PlayBook