![]() ![]() Frankly, that’s the best way to think of the Duo - a pair of connected phones. Someone on Twitter said they made their own version of the Duo by sticking two smartphones together with tape. As two screens joined together (book or laptop) It looks a little odd, but the Duo isn’t so wide that I can’t hold it up to my ear with one hand and it’s only slightly broader than the Galaxy Mega from 2013. Although, if you want to, you can still make and take calls. I see why Microsoft hesitates to call the Duo a phone, because it doesn’t feel like it’s really designed to be that. I generally prefer Google’s GBoard for its better swipe typing and predictions, but only Microsoft’s Swiftkey adapts to the different postures right now. For those with smaller hands like me, you’ll want to enable the one-handed keyboard, which shifts towards the screen’s edge so letters are easier to reach. This is one of the things about the Duo that requires some learning and a lot of patience. I always had to futz around for at least five seconds before I could snap a picture, by which point your smiling baby or prancing pup may have already stopped being cute. Then you’ll have to wait for the software to figure out which display to activate, and hope it’s right. First, you’ll have to take out the Duo and turn on the camera, which can take awhile if you don’t already have the screens facing outwards. Honestly, if you’re trying to capture fleeting moments, you might miss most of them with the Duo. After a software update on September 5th this became more reliable, but it’s still quite slow and requires very deliberate flipping. When I first started using the Duo, this was insanely finicky - my selfie-taking attempts were thwarted because I could never get the screen with the camera facing me to stay on. Then it’ll enable the corresponding screen. Because this one sensor will serve as both your regular and selfie shooter, Microsoft had to build software that detects which direction you’re pointing the phone. While image quality may be similar to most smartphones, the Duo’s single-camera setup takes some getting used to. I sometimes could barely differentiate the Surface Duo’s photos from the Pixel 4a’s, but when I could, it was because Microsoft’s photos were slightly green and Google’s portrait mode is superior. The Duo lagged most flagship phones in low light, but delivered respectable color and clarity. But when I viewed the shots after, they were surprisingly clear and rich. Images looked slightly cloudy as I framed them up. I wasn’t sure the solo 11-megapixel camera above the right display would take great pictures. ![]() The Full HD-ish resolution delivered crisp text and images, and I was impressed by how sharp and vibrant the music video for Blackpink’s How You Like That looked. Each of its 5.6-inch AMOLED screens has a 4:3 aspect ratio and requires two hands to maneuver. The Surface Duo experience differs greatly across all its ”postures.” As a smartphone, it is. But you can also flip it so that both screens are facing outside, so you’ve essentially got a pretty wide phone. That freedom to open all the way allows the Surface Duo to be set up in a variety of modes like tent and laptop. It also rotates a complete 360 degrees, while Samsung’s foldable, for obvious reasons, can only open up to 180 degrees flat. The Duo’s hinge is sturdy but moves effortlessly - like a knife through softened butter. Thankfully, its Gorilla Glass coating is more resistant to scratches than fingerprints and survived a couple of falls from my couch without a mark. I love the clean, minimal aesthetic, though the device does get smudged up pretty easily. When closed, you’ll see the silver Microsoft logo on one side of the Duo’s glossy white cover, which pairs nicely with the silver hinge. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |