Surface Neo

[Atlantico]

I can however totally get the smaller version, that would be a replacement for my iPhone or any single screen mobile. I completely get the multi-tasking potential of a device at that size. Moreso than the Galaxy fold.

Same here, the Neo is not for me, because I'm not the target audience - I have my very stationary tower workstation and all my mobile activity is covered by my smartphone. Though I can see how it could be useful and interesting to more business oriented people, or those who need to become uber-road warriors. The Neo has a really good chance to find its niche.

On the other hand, tablets are niche already, so this is a niche within a niche - which is why the ecosystem needs all the support it can get.

However the Duo is very interesting to me - well, it *was*, until I saw it runs Android.

It's a dealbraker, I'm never going back to Android. It's a special kind of hell. I'd have given Windows 10X a chance on the Duo, I'd have bought it no question, but "yet another Android phone", just leaves me cold. No matter how nice the hardware is, it's still Android and I still have PTSD after dealing with mine.

IMO releasing the Duo with Android is an own-goal. Microsoft has to accept that they must eat their own dogfood.

I suspect the Surface Duo is only made for Microsoft execs who want a Surface branded phone, but don't want to eat their own dogfood. Otherwise it's just another Android phone and rather expensive at that, i.e. a niche within Android. It could have been a building block for Windows 10X, supporting the Neo and the Surface Pro X. Alas.

 

[LeeW]

the Duo is very interesting to me - until I saw it runs Android.

Actually, that is where it interested me more, I tried a Nokia Lumia back in the day, loved the phone but Windows on it was awful, the idea was great just poorly executed and the app support was non-existant when comparing to Android or IOS.

At least with Android, you know OS will be decent and the app support is good. Sure they will need to develop dual-screen functionality but that is less worrisome than starting from scratch. So the focus is more on the device.

I get it though, many won't want to use Android, I have said that for some time now but now I have largely moved away from macOS I am willing to consider it as an option.

Time will tell

 

[LeeW]

If the Surface Pro X turns out to be an option for me and the Duo as well I can see this being a jump from the Apple to Windows eco-system. Wonder if I will suffer as much

 

[Mendota]

Seems like a product that is trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist. The big question which is where Microsoft falls often, will developers want to invest in developing apps for it? Not unless the market is large enough and this seems more like a niche product.

It is very portable and yet large enough to be useful. I think for people that like the Surface Go, but want something even smaller that can be tucked away. Right now I have a small iPad mini sized Dell tablet that I take out when I need to go small. But it is a few years old now, and not very powerful using Intel Atom processor, and 2 gigs of ram. I keep it because I like the small factor. This could be a very worthy up to date replacement.

 

[Mendota]

The problem with the new #Surface devices is simple: It's called disconnect. It's all about having an integrated experience across all devices! It's all about software that works perfect with the hardware and this is where #Microsoft fails. Some examples:There is no MS Photos, there is no integrated way to stream content to TVs like with macOS and AppleTV. Such combination just doesn't exist. There is no integrated way to write & read SMS on Windows devices. No way to use a service like FaceTime. (Skype sucks big time). There is no messaging service like iMessage. There are almost no good modern apps available on Windows. No way to make and receive calls by using your phone. No way to use a SmartWatch to unlock your Windows PC.. So the problem is basically that there is no ecosystem. Work on that @Microsoft

Windows is the biggest issue here. I have been using it for such a long time and the problem is the lack of good, high quality solutions for many functions that make the whole user experience better.
The device might be impressive, but we should be thinking in how it would integrate with our other computing devices. We should also be thinking about how we would use such a device. What are the usage scenarios that would really make a difference? I am trying hard to find anything I would really use.

Yes, the device is impressive, but it doesn't solve any problems. It just tries to solve problems that don't exist..

The same applies to all other devices that Microsoft announced today. When Microsoft improves Windows in a way that makes the user experience great across many different devices, I will be interested. For the moment I don't feel that we are there yet..

Well if you say so... But that is you, I find Windows very useable and it integrate very well for my use case. I use all Microsoft services and they work well for what I need, OneNote, OneDrive, Office, and I can use Software that works across all of them. I use Painter on my Desktop and Surface Book, and on my small Surface Go, I can use Painter essentials with the same file formats, as with Adobe, Office, and most of my other applications. No having to go back and forth with... Okay Procreate on the iPad, not how to convert it for Painter or Photoshop. With OneDrive I can have all of my documents at hand on my phone, desktop, various mobile devices, Surface devices etc...

Sorry I am not a phone person. The phone drives me crazy when it interrupts me on the phone, last thing I want to do is answer it on my computer. The computer lets me know that a call came in and from who... That is more than enough for me, and I have no interest in iMessage. I really don't get the whole text message craze, but that is me. So for my real work... Windows can't be beat.

 

[Mendota]

Well, I am still using Windows every day..




Photos syncs only if you use Onedrive and it doesn't work well. It is still very buggy and it cannot be compared with Apple Photos or Google Photos. It just doesn't work. You cannot even create an album directly in the cloud, unless you use OneDrive first. The way it works is amateur work and it shows..Also, on mobile there is no Photos app. You have to use OneDrive and it sucks.



Miracast never worked for me. It streams very specific content and many times it will stop working during playback or it will lose the connection. Not a good solution! Miracast and DLNA streaming in Windows 10 sucks. It is another example of a feature that on paper is great but in reality doesn't work.


I need an interface, an app that will show my SMS, just like iMessage. Cortana doesn't do that. It is also not available on all countries..



You really don't know that Skype for Business is something completely different than Skype for consumers? Also, it has been discontinued and it MS Teams is the new business communications tool. Skype for consumers works bad. It might be widely available but it has bad quality video and audio. I experience it every day with different people from different countries..



Well, there is no quality software available for consumers! Businesses of course use Windows because it is much cheaper and is tailored for the needs of Enterprises.

I am sorry, but OneDrive works a thousand times better than Apple's iCloud. It took them forever just to add support for files other than iWorks, and it is still very limited compared to OneDrive. And I hate Apple's photo app, it just dumps everything into one folder and it is confusing as h*ll on the iPad. The whole "photostream" is a joke. I do original art as well as taking Photos, with iCloud everything is thrown together. I still can't reliably move things from my MacBook using it. I gave up and made a Apple folder on OneDrive that actually works and allows me to get my work and documents off the Mac and available in other places. Without OneDrive the iPad would be useless to me as an Art device.

And yes, as someone else pointed out I can mirror all of my Windows devices to my Samsung smart TV just fine.

 

[LeeW]

OneNote, OneDrive, Office, and I can use Software that works across all of them.

When I went back to Windows a couple of months ago and used office, I can't use the macOS version anymore, such a difference. OneDrive is now my main storage as it works so well across both platforms.

No way to use a service like FaceTime. (Skype sucks big time).

I agree that Skype is not the best although as I have found, when people you Facetime quite often decide they have had enough of iPhone, Facetime is not much use anyway.

 

[jrichards1408]

When I went back to Windows a couple of months ago and used office, I can't use the macOS version anymore, such a difference. OneDrive is now my main storage as it works so well across both platforms.



I agree that Skype is not the best although as I have found, when people you Facetime quite often decide they have had enough of iPhone, Facetime is not much use anyway.

Everyone uses zoom now

 

[LeeW]

Everyone uses zoom now

Is it fast? See what I did there..


I will get my coat.

 

[jrichards1408]

Is it fast? See what I did there..


I will get my coat.

Yea it's fast

 

[maflynn]

I have to say I'm very disappointed, I was looking forward to this.
Microsoft Surface Neo reportedly won't release in 2020

According to a new report, Microsoft will not be releasing its Surface Neo this year -- a dual-screen tablet that was slated to release during the 2020 holiday season.

I actually was hoping that they'd push the rollout sooner so eager buyers like me would get it sooner as I think there's pent up demand, but obviously with many people not working or at least not the office its hard to roll out a new product like this.

 

[Dave245]

I have to say I'm very disappointed, I was looking forward to this.
Microsoft Surface Neo reportedly won't release in 2020



I actually was hoping that they'd push the rollout sooner so eager buyers like me would get it sooner as I think there's pent up demand, but obviously with many people not working or at least not the office its hard to roll out a new product like this.

I had some hope that it would release sooner as well. The Surface Duo was rumoured to be released this summer, I don't think that has been delayed (yet).

 

[SteveJUAE]

I have to say I'm very disappointed, I was looking forward to this.
Microsoft Surface Neo reportedly won't release in 2020



I actually was hoping that they'd push the rollout sooner so eager buyers like me would get it sooner as I think there's pent up demand, but obviously with many people not working or at least not the office its hard to roll out a new product like this.

Yep wanted this to replace my MS GO thought there would more justification for release of this over the Duo