Microsoft designed Windows 10X for dual-screen PCs

[HEXUS]

OS has been built for unique experiences on multi-posture dual-screen PCs.

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[aniilv]

Oh, here we go again. First was win8 with its stupid touch screen controls on non touch screens, now this...

[AGTDenton]

RE: the YT video, just who writes their scripts, these presentations are so cringeworthy to watch

[KultiVator]

I've always found Panos Panay's style of presenting quite odd... he sort of gives off attitude but doesn't back it up with much of the detail that you'd expect for the Surface category of products (which I like, as I spent my own cash on a Surface Pro... but feel they're overpriced for what they are).

In short, Panay should probably stop trying to ape certain aspects of an Apple launch and just cover the products themselves off in a way that does them justice.

I came away from the launch event feeling quite underwhelmed about this year's Surface line-up, only really curious to see how a Ryzen-based Surface might perform. The Surface Neo and Duo do look interesting, but after the hype settled, I'm left wondering who it's aimed at, as the Surface Pro is none too bulky and can already devote half a screen to almost any app already for multi-tasking & cross-referencing.

[LSG501]

The Surface Neo and Duo do look interesting, but after the hype settled, I'm left wondering who it's aimed at.

Someone like me As someone who is a designer and goes to meetings etc I can see a usage for it but it is very much price dependent, it needs to be affordable or people just won't buy it as there are cheaper options like (as much as I'm not a fan of apple) the iPad mini.

Even now I am still wanting a device like old courier concept by MS, the neo is basically the hardware part of this and assuming MS can get the software and develop to support the form factor it 'could' become incredibly useful for business meetings, especially if it's always on with mobile internet (no idea why they didn't use arm in the neo...) as well.

In essence the neo (and the duo for that matter) could be seen as a digital version of an old fashion paper organiser/journal etc, it will kind of have that tactile feel of a book when reading books/magazines (assuming it will be set up as a page per screen) so imo would be quite nice for that too.

[KultiVator]

Someone like me As someone who is a designer and goes to meetings etc.

That's a key part of my usage case - but my (Vector) design software works best across a single large screen - and the Surface Pro is a much better fit for that than a split-screen setup (with some border in the middle). Similarly for Mindmapping and notetaking in meetings, I like the larger screen of the Surface Pro (handwriting with a stylus on a small screen is not that convenient - with the Surface stylus lacking the fine writing of an ink/gel pen - resulting in most people writing larger on-screen).

For me, the form-factor and looks are novel and dual-screen outlook workflow does look both slick and impressive - but I'm struggling with the practicalities given the small screen size. Something with a pair of folding Surface Pro 13" screens would have me all over it though!

[LSG501]

That's a key part of my usage case - but my (Vector) design software works best across a single large screen - and the Surface Pro is a much better fit for that than a split-screen setup (with some border in the middle). Similarly for Mindmapping and notetaking in meetings, I like the larger screen of the Surface Pro (handwriting with a stylus on a small screen is not that convenient - with the Surface stylus lacking the fine writing of an ink/gel pen - resulting in most people writing larger on-screen).

For me, the form-factor and looks are novel and dual-screen outlook workflow does look both slick and impressive - but I'm struggling with the practicalities given the small screen size. Something with a pair of folding Surface Pro 13" screens would have me all over it though!

My 3D software won't run on any of them smoothly so to me it's how practical a portable device is for every other part of the process and the dual screen seems like a viable option to me personally. Besides I'm sure MS would like us to have both a surface and a neo

As to note taking with a stylus, if I can scribble notes on a device the size of a mobile phone with a stylus I'm sure I can work on a screen the size of the neo lol

[KultiVator]

My 3D software won't run on any of them smoothly so to me it's how practical a portable device is for every other part of the process and the dual screen seems like a viable option to me personally. Besides I'm sure MS would like us to have both a surface and a neo

As to note taking with a stylus, if I can scribble notes on a device the size of a mobile phone with a stylus I'm sure I can work on a screen the size of the neo lol

I guess we're all different and have differing needs... I remember a lot of people (including the entire TrustedReviews team) dismissing the iPad when it was first announced/launched and yet that has gone on to totally dominate the tablet space it carved out, virtually single-handedly, for very nearly an entire decade now.

[Rubarb]

<SLAPS HEAD> Isn't it about time they got a decent team working on windows 10? , every new update is just more and more junk people will never use.

[[GSV]Trig]

The problem I see with Neo and Duo is MS are trying again to create a market they have already touched on before, and failed at...
Next year we'll be seeing smart watches again at this rate...

[LSG501]

The problem I see with Neo and Duo is MS are trying again to create a market they have already touched on before, and failed at...
Next year we'll be seeing smart watches again at this rate...

In the past MS often would often try to bring out ideas before the tech is ready for it and unfortunately that doesn't always go well. For example they came out with tablets well before anyone else did but because the tech (and arguably the OS) wasn't really ready for it was deemed a failure by some.

This time I'd say the tech is there (well assuming intel isn't delayed) and as long as the software is done right and other software companies develop for it I'd say it's going to be something people will want.

[philehidiot]

I really, really want this to work.

It won't.

I have a burning desire for real multitasking on a phone-sized device. At the moment I can have about 4 different apps open and usable on my phone but that's about it and it's fairly customised to do that. A fold out or dual screen will be like when I got my first widesceen laptop.... a total "I'm never buying a square screen again" moment.

The problem is usability. At the moment I can just about use an onscreen keyboard without throwing the phone through the window (it has happened but I was so angry I missed the window and the phone bounced and exploded). I bought phones with physical keyboards until there were no decent physical keyboard phones left.

If I had a phone with two screens which you open like a book as shown here, I'd struggle to type on the keyboard as the muscle memory relies on static positions which would be moving. Plus you couldn't use it one handed in any setting unless there's another screen which I'm not seeing.

Turning it into a mini laptop looks exceptionally cool and I'd buy it but there are two more issues. One, the physical keyboard is another thing to lug around (and is likely to be an optional extra) and the best thing they could do with the spare space was...... emojis, really?

The final problem (and nail) is that Microsoft has a really bad trend of binning stuff that doesn't get traction. So I pay a fortune and they pull support / dev support (which kills it as effectively as a bullet to the SoC) after 2 years because it wasn't doing well enough.

I'm sorry but with that kind of regard for the early adopters and the willingness to fling loads of new form factors at the market with the idea of supporting the paint that sticks (opposite of Apple which seems to throw one at a time and really push it so it works, even if it's not really all that good) means I'm not going to throw anything more than punt money at a new MS product.

[Corky34]

First thought that entered my mind after reading the headline was maybe they need to design it to work with one screen first, don't run before you can walk and all that.

[philehidiot]

First thought that entered my mind after reading the headline was maybe they need to design it to work with one screen first, don't run before you can walk and all that.

I think they're working on the "throw paint at the wall and see what sticks" thing.

Which is just stttttoooopid. You need to work on one idea, work on it hard and make it work. If you can't make it work, then move on. Get it right and release.

[Zhaoman]

I've always found Panos Panay's style of presenting quite odd...

Yeah completely agree, it's like he's trying so hard to be a showman but he doesn't look excited for the product so it ends up being him telling you what you want with a deadpan face and just comes across as a bit of a prick.

Having said that, I will be buying the Surface Duo assuming they don't cock it up too badly between now and launch. It looks like a genuinely useful product for travel and meetings.

[scaryjim]

… I bought phones with physical keyboards until there were no decent physical keyboard phones left. ...

Blackberrys' keyONE/keyTWO are pretty good phones, although (understandably) not cheap.

As to the rest of it, I don't think developer support is going to be as key. All your existing Win32 apps will still work. Having optimised experiences isn't going to matter for most applications. It's far less likely to go the way of Win RT and Win mobile, where developers *had* to produce OS-specific versions of their apps. And for those apps that do provide optimised versions, it could easily transform the experience of using them. Sure, it's likely to remain a niche market, but it should be a serviceable and profitable one (much like surface devices in general, tbh).

The again, I loved both BB OS 10 and Windows Mobile 10, so I might not be the best judge