Weekly poll results: the Microsoft Surface Duo excites, but many have reservations
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- Anonymous
- fe2
- 20 Sep 2020
Kopaka261, 24 Aug 2020No excuse for huge bezels in this day and age, a singular f... moreGood luck trying to use the dual screens on the Duo with little to no bezel. While I agree it looks a little outdated at first, when you actually hold the device you'll be happy to have the bezels. Watching videos and looking at pictures paints a completely different picture than actually using it. In day to day use, the large bezels are a non issue.
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- Anonymous
- fe2
- 20 Sep 2020
Rico, 24 Aug 2020Powerhouse or lots of potencial do not mix well with such l... moreBattery is plenty big, I get a day+ out of it under moderate use. Plenty of ram as well, it has the same SOC and ram as my LG G8X and it handles two screens/apps perfectly. Also the 855 is still absolutely relevant. Just because the 865 exists doesn't mean the 855 is immediately obsolete. There are no apps that currently exist that will be too much for the 855 to handle, so just because it's last years flagship SOC, doesn't mean it's bad.
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- Anonymous
- fe2
- 20 Sep 2020
returning it, 15 Sep 2020So... I have suffered with the att version of the Duo since... moreI don't know what device you got, but my ATT Duo works great. I have experienced none of the issues all the major reviewers and customers have been complaining about. My device is snappy and fluid for me. Also the first post release update with be on Oct 11th, then every month for the next 3 years.
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- returning it
- kB%
- 15 Sep 2020
So... I have suffered with the att version of the Duo since wednesday the 10th. SImply put. IT sucks, microsoft released a beta version of a 1500 dollar phone and are asking loyal customers to fix it for them. In multiple conversations with support (who by the way think this phone runs on windows not android) said they have no idea when a software update will come out. That being said, I am terrified they have built something they cant make work so I am returning it before the 14 day return period ends. It's a beautiful device that you cant type on, use the phone with, or expect it to function as claimed.
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- Anonymous
- LX7
- 29 Aug 2020
Pretty cool unboxing of the Duo, shows a lot of good taste and attention to detail:
https://youtu.be/l2K_z2WcUDU
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- Anonymous
- LX7
- 28 Aug 2020
Logica10, 27 Aug 2020It seems that, in some way, Microsoft is behaving like Noki... moreMicrosoft by not putting out a device with trendy smartphone features, camera, processor, lack of bezels and such plus a higher price directly probes the need level of multitasking and the usability of the device, so if by any chance a duo 2 makes it to the market, there will be duos for a long time.
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- Logica10
- K3m
- 27 Aug 2020
It seems that, in some way, Microsoft is behaving like Nokia recently did.
Nokia released the Nokia 9, a penta-camera device, but using a somewhat outdated processor 845 (the flagship processor at that time was the 855). At the same time, Nokia stated that it was going to make only one batch of devices. Once these are over at the retailers, there was going to be no replenishment. In other words, the Nokia 9 was going to be a device with a single chance to be purchased. Not much appealling, is it?
Current Microsoft's business decisions about Surface Duo have some resemblance to Nokia's: outdated processor, some features not present (NFC, etc.), and a strange statement about that this device must be considered a "first iteration only". They promise more features in v.next, so.. for the time being, IMHO, with a price of 1.4 grand, the panorama is not very promising. Seems that this v.1.0 of the Duo is going to be a "one chance" to be purchased, and perhaps, the inverse psychology here could yields a favourable effect: that the people want one, no matter the price, as a symbol of exclusivity, as a technology jewerly piece.
In short: this seems to be a voluntary enrollement in a very exclusive test program, with a membership price tag starting at USD 1400.
Having said that, I'd like to get one.
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- Anonymous
- LX7
- 25 Aug 2020
nive, 24 Aug 2020I think you're looking at it wrong. The biggest sellin... moreIt will open a world of dual screen applications nonexistent today, it will not limit itself to use 2 applications one on each screen and will let you instantly run pairs of applications you usually run together, copy and paste data between those applications, say a browser and GPS.
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- Anonymous
- LX7
- 25 Aug 2020
Josqi, 24 Aug 2020Would love to have it. It save me to travel with laptop. ... moreYou can fold it backwards and will work as a regular smartphone.
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- Rico
- L72
- 24 Aug 2020
Powerhouse or lots of potencial do not mix well with such lousy battery, RAM and somewhat old SoC. If the price is up to 800€ it is OK.
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- M K Gandhi
- 7tV
- 24 Aug 2020
Microsoft ideas are great from past 2-3 years, but their execution is still mediocre like old times.
They always gets the small but important things wrong. Most of the times, the software would be unfinished in many screens and it will not be polished in future udpates because MS update feature sucks across products, even their core product - windows OS.
Being an unchallenged Desktop computer king, they couldn't come up with simple smartphone, that works cleanly with a windows computer. It's sad they are wasting their advantage.
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- rivan
- j9M
- 24 Aug 2020
The product misses a few important features and is priced way too high. However, it is a quality product and could be a winner @ around $500-600 mark. Bring it to this price and I am willing to ditch my current flagship and jump on the duo bandwagon!
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- nive
- 5xr
- 24 Aug 2020
Vitaliano G., 24 Aug 2020It may be an interesting form factor, but for it to become ... moreI think you're looking at it wrong. The biggest selling point is that you can use the apps you love but better. when you open a link while you're talking to someone it'll open on the other screen so you can keep talking to them. That sort of functionality will go across apps. Personally I only need a couple apps to be adjusted for this two screens. The rest I'm happy to have on one screen and have whatever content I click on open on the other. Personally some of the experiences I'm most hopeful for will be the landscape orientation, some sort of reddit browser similar to how they had Outlook set up on the span, pass that besides the apps they've shown I don't think I've seen many other use cases. At least not yet for the span. oh and I think reading books on this will be a dream especially due to the aspect ratio. It also has the potential to be one of the best pen experiences. A great accessory to existing service products. I almost always have my backpack with me and my service pro 7 has a pen attached to it and it's nice that I can take that pen and use it on my phone. My major concern is the battery making it a whole day, and truly that's about it everything else looks fantastic. A YouTuber I watch, I think his name is Dave Lee, got a hold of a engineering sample and the hardware seems second gen at this point. It looks like they really nailed the hinge The hinge and general feel and weight. with the return policy listed on the site I don't mind buying it and if it's terrible I'll just send it back. personally though the price is really hard to swallow and the only reason I'm doing it is because I'm trading in another phone. also if I can open a web browser on the top screen and a keyboard on the bottom, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to program on the go which will be wild for me at least.
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- Josqi
- fIV
- 24 Aug 2020
Would love to have it. It save me to travel with laptop.
But only If it has front screen to show my calls and messages instead of keep open it to see who is calling.
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- Vitaliano G.
- 3J@
- 24 Aug 2020
It may be an interesting form factor, but for it to become a huge success, requires large sales figures.
Who will buy it?
Oh yes, the magic answer is 'the target audience is...', yes but i still wonder how big will that audience will be.
In the time being, I can't come around to answer the question: how will it fit into my pocket?
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- Dennan4
- NyR
- 24 Aug 2020
AlMed, 23 Aug 2020Don't know why almost no one is comparing with LG V60 ... moreIts a good comaprison. You get some of the same functionality with the V60, but its nowhere near as nicely packed. V60 is not designed for dual screen use. Its also thicker, does not have 360 hinge, its a plastic cover. Nice comparison here: /watch?v=9mRxyH0RWuQ
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- Dennan4
- NyR
- 24 Aug 2020
afaesc, 24 Aug 2020to put it short, i'll rather save the 1400 now, top up... moreYou do you, I dont want a 17mm thick device with a huge camera bump in my pocket, much prefer the almost half as thin Duo and save those $500.
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- Anonymous
- LX7
- 24 Aug 2020
Alex, 24 Aug 2020Price. It's the price. Why can't Microsoft figure... moreIt is a business device and such people have a lot of money in their hands, why offer it for cheap?? Check it out:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/business/surface-duo
Cheap fellows have Xiaomi and such, maybe those companies will copy this thing and offer it for cheap.
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- Anonymous
- pnK
- 24 Aug 2020
Anonymous, 24 Aug 2020This is going to fail so bad. People paying premium wont se... moreIt highly depends on the usability and the usefulness of the dual screen concept.
Most people will not have 5G before at least 3 to 5 years, and have phone far less powerful than the top chip from last year and 6GB of ram. In fact android doesn't really need all of than. Only gaming will ask for that much power, and we all know that most people only play game made to be played by the biggest audience, so with low power requirement.
About the battery, yeah, luckily, the lack of 5G will help since it's just a huge drain. Once again, depending on the optimisation, the device will probably work for 6-8h with high "desktop" usage, and since most of people able to afford such a device generally works on a desk with full of possibility to take juice from, not really a "big" problem. If you want to go hiking for 2 weeks in the jungle, you would not take your smartphone anyway.
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- Hildr
- pnK
- 24 Aug 2020
Alex, 24 Aug 2020Price. It's the price. Why can't Microsoft figure... moreYou do know that to launch a new product (by new I mean real new, not an iteration of previously done devices) you need to spend more time into R&D and also invest in production line? It's a whole different level of expenditures and you can't really expect an innovative (I mean by design, not by usefulness) product to be in the same price range as device hat are made for 15 years now with a development and production part well rounded.
That's also why the conclusion of the article is a little off. The first product of a new line will always take far much time than the second iteration, because far less problem will show up and it will mainly be upgrade and optimisation.
I do not defend the price, I just say it's far more understandable for this DUO being a $1600+ device, regardless of the bezel or battery size (the same going for foldable phone), that it is for a top brand basic smartphone just because the internal storage has been pumped from 128 to 512 Gb.