Microsoft Debuts New Dual-Screen Devices, Updated Surface Laptops and More

[realtuner]

They're soliciting developers. The products need apps that support the form factor.

Gee, where have I heard that before?

You think Android developers that STILL can’t be bothered to optimize for tablets (in 2019 no less) are suddenly going to code Apps for an unproven device that nobody knows will even sell?

Same for Windows on tablets. There’s so much software that still hasn’t been optimized. Why do people think that will suddenly change just because MS has another tablet out?

I still remember how successful MS was throwing money at developers for Windows phones. How did that turn out?


Outside of two products that are a year away, what did MS announce that was innovative today? Absolutely nothing. Incremental updates of their Surface line, an ARM tablet and some horrendous looking ear buds.

 

[rjohnstone]

Demos are obviously tightly controlled. I’ll reserve judgment until reviews come out. That’s assuming they actually ship.

Fair enough.
Some of the manipulation they were doing was obviously unscripted and the Neo looked like it handled them without issue.
The Duo is the iffy one. Two LCD panels (why no OLED?) and only 5.4mm thick. Battery life can;t be all that great.

 

[smulji]

What problem does this solve in our society? A giant folding tablet does exactly what better than a folding laptop?

Last time I looked, a lot of people still use physical notebooks to jot down notes. Think of the Surface Neo as a digital notebook but that can do so much more.

 

[lunarworks]

 

[smulji]

Do Surface Pro's run the full version of Office 365? My kid's biggest complaint is her iPad Pro running Office 365 doesn't match the desktop version she uses at school. For this reason I'd buy a Surface Pro.

Yes it does

 

[Matt Leaf]

Wow very cool. I wonder why its taken so long for a book style device to emerge - finally. Will be the perfect reading device. I can see a Kindle style option emerging at some point. And Apple will no doubt follow suit. Will take some ironing out though, optimum designs will take a few years to settle re: hinges and displays, I'd personally love a matte version. Opens up a lot of UI possibility and could really shake up software over the coming years. Good move MS!

 

[omontalvan]

Yeah...Like Apple is any different... iPad, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad Pro.... Macbook, Macbook Air, Macbook Pro... iPhone X, XR, 11 Pro.... same **** that does the same thing doesn't it?

 

[smulji]

Yes... they do. They are full blown computers. Intel Core CPUs, SSD storage, fast ram.
My daughter uses a Surface Pro 4 for school work. Runs everything she needs.
Office 365 included.

What you're referring to is the Surface Pro 7. The Surface Pro X is using a custom-designed ARM processor but it still runs full Office 365

 

[Xeyad]

Maybe it's just me, but the new Surface Neo reminded me of this..

These new dual screen Surfaces feel like a step backward when we're on the verge of foldable screens. Yes they aren't ready now, but they could be ready in a couple of years, and the Neo isn't out till end of 2020! It's also bezel galore.

 

[omontalvan]

I feel like all of the Surface products have been the same since gen 1. They only update the CPU and that's it. Nothing actually making me want to choose the Surface over any other laptop brand.

Actually, why do they still bother making separate Surface devices? All of them are 99% the same and do the same thing. And now the Surface Pro X or whatever it was called.

Yeah...Like Apple is any different... iPad, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad Pro.... Macbook, Macbook Air, Macbook Pro... iPhone X, XR, 11 Pro.... same **** that does the same thing doesn't it?

 

[NufSaid]

Also I tried one year later to sell a $1300 laptop for $150 and not a single person bed or inquired about it.

I’m about to give Apple my four-year-old MacBook and they are going to hand me a check for $1000. The total cost of ownership isn’t even close

 

[rjohnstone]

Gee, where have I heard that before?

You think Android developers that STILL can’t be bothered to optimize for tablets (in 2019 no less) are suddenly going to code Apps for an unproven device that nobody knows will even sell?

Same for Windows on tablets. There’s so much software that still hasn’t been optimized. Why do people think that will suddenly change just because MS has another tablet out?

I still remember how successful MS was throwing money at developers for Windows phones. How did that turn out?


Outside of two products that are a year away, what did MS announce that was innovative today? Absolutely nothing. Incremental updates of their Surface line, an ARM tablet and some horrendous looking ear buds.

This is not Steve Ballmer's Microsoft.
He threw stuff in the public domain without any support.

At least they are soliciting devs before releasing an unfinished product to the public.


I think the Surface Pro X innovative. Creating their own custom ARM cpu is a pleasant switch. And the keyboard and pen design is pretty slick.
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What you're referring to is the Surface Pro 7. The Surface Pro X is using a custom-designed ARM processor but it still runs full Office 365

Yes... the 7.
The X is most likely running a stripped down version.

 

[smulji]

Gee, where have I heard that before?

You think Android developers that STILL can’t be bothered to optimize for tablets (in 2019 no less) are suddenly going to code Apps for an unproven device that nobody knows will even sell?

Same for Windows on tablets. There’s so much software that still hasn’t been optimized. Why do people think that will suddenly change just because MS has another tablet out?

I still remember how successful MS was throwing money at developers for Windows phones. How did that turn out?


Outside of two products that are a year away, what did MS announce that was innovative today? Absolutely nothing. Incremental updates of their Surface line, an ARM tablet and some horrendous looking ear buds.

The Surface Pro X tablet looks really sleek. And Surface Laptop 3, from a hardware perspective, looks better in every way than a MBA (and I specifically say MBA because that's the Apple laptop MS compared it to in the keynote), in the same price range and available in a 15" model. Granted it runs Windows so if that's not your thing then this device is a no go but if you're platform agnostic, like I am, then these devices are great options.

 

[mscice]

amazing laptops wow Surface Laptop 3

imagine this laptop with  OS

 

[smulji]

Since it has an ARM processor, I wonder how the app selection will be. Will there be Photoshop and such? Will it emulate x86 for running older Windows apps?

This is what it says, as of now, on MS' website regarding the ARM-based Surface Pro X

"Some software, apps, and accessories sold separately. App availability and compatibility may vary. At this time, Surface Pro X will not install 64-bit applications that have not been ported to ARM64, some games and CAD software, and some third-party drivers or anti-virus software. New 64-bit apps are coming to ARM 64 all the time."

entertainment-pdp-basepage

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Very nice. Love my current Surface Pro. While Tim is out playing politics, MS and Samsung are innovating! Focus on the business Tim and stop playing rock star.

Samsung is not innovating in way, shape or form.

 

[AppleTO]

Wait... The Surface Pro X has an ARM processor...? I hope this goes over better than last time...

 

[Moonlight]

Godlike innovation. This, Apple. This. This is what innovation looks like. Not that APFS crap. Not that triple camera crap. Not that FaceID crap. Not that A13 Bionic crap. Not that Swift crap.

I cannot wait to get these and be more productive. Watching two YouTubes videos at the same time. Watching Netflix AND working on a document. This is magic.

I hope for your sake, this is sarcasm...

 

[mscice]

• The 13.5-inch model has a quad-core 10th Gen Ice Lake Intel Core processor that Microsoft claims makes it twice as fast the Surface Laptop 2 and three times as fast as a MacBook Air.

lets see what Apple has in their new AIR update

 

[Jsameds]

Watching Netflix AND working on a document. This is magic.

We’ve been able to do that since 2016 with PiP.

 

[confessJason]

APFS by itself is more “innovative” than the entire MS event. Do you have any idea how much work is involved in creating a robust high performance file system? It’s a huge undertaking. More work than several versions of iOS put together. And most users have never heard of it.

The real questions people should be asking is what’s Apples end game? They’ve worked very hard on some underlying technology in their devices. APFS, NVMe storage, in-line hardware encryption, ridiculously powerful processors (for mobile) to name a few. They are all massive overkill for just a “phone”.

It’s obvious Apple has some other plans for the future and they’re laying the groundwork for those plans in these technologies. They might not appear on any feature list, but they are still very significant and innovative.

This is why I’m convinced Apple will move to ARM for their MacBooks or other machines. These technologies are not needed in a phone.

APFS means nothing if I can’t play GTA V on a Mac. The new Call of Duty. Resident Evil 2 Remake. Can’t even stream my Twitch channel on a Mac with “APFS,” “Swift,” NVMe storage,” whatever. No one cares. With an Intel chip, 16GB RAM, 144hz screen, SSD, REAL pros like me can work without all that fancy Apple crap.

Microsoft seems just fine without having to make up some lame “robust high performance file system.” That ain’t what innovation is. Innovation is a duel screen computer that I can bring to Starbucks and get the cool points and watch Twitch and YouTube at the same time. I can write my memoir and make emotes in Photoship at the same time. I can take notes during a lecture and watch Netflix at the same time. This is real innovation that only Microsoft can make reality.

 

[smulji]

The arm surface pro x seemed interesting but have to see performance. Don’t care about ear pods. Neo seems ok for a courier redux but too far out to really care and seems niche.

The real news is the phone. Not for the phone itself. It looks like garbage imo. But that MS is working with google to integrate android and windows. Hoping it spills over to pixel phones and reg windows.

That's what people don't get about these foldable devices ike the Neo => they are niche products and that's okay. Not every device has to be for every person.
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$999 - Surface Laptop 13.5" - Quad Core i5 10th Gen (Quad-core 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1035G7 Processor), 8GB DRAM, 128GB SSD, 1 USB-C ports, 1 USB-A, headphone jack, Surface Connect Port.

$1099 - MacBook Air 13" - Dual Core i5 8th Gen (Dual-core 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8210Y Processor), 8GB DRAM, 128GB SSD, 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, headphone jack.

Geekbench - 10th Gen - http://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/search?utf8=✓&q=Core+i5-1035G7
Geekbench - 8th Gen - http://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/search?utf8=✓&q=Core+i5-8210Y

It may be time for Apple to start looking at what their next iteration of the MacBook Air 13" will be (10th Gen U or 10th Gen Y) and if it's past time for them to offer a MacBook Air with a 15" screen. With the 16" MacBook Pro seemingly around the corner, along with demand for a 15" MBA, I think it is...just my 2¢.

Also, I think the time is ripe for dual-core CPUs to pass out of Apple's computer lineup.

Agree 100%. As I said in a previous post, these new Surface Laptops provide a lot better value for the money vs a current generation MBA. That 15" version is a beauty.

 

[tricouleur]

APFS by itself is more “innovative” than the entire MS event. Do you have any idea how much work is involved in creating a robust high performance file system? It’s a huge undertaking. More work than several versions of iOS put together. And most users have never heard of it.

The real questions people should be asking is what’s Apples end game? They’ve worked very hard on some underlying technology in their devices. APFS, NVMe storage, in-line hardware encryption, ridiculously powerful processors (for mobile) to name a few. They are all massive overkill for just a “phone”.

It’s obvious Apple has some other plans for the future and they’re laying the groundwork for those plans in these technologies. They might not appear on any feature list, but they are still very significant and innovative.

This is why I’m convinced Apple will move to ARM for their MacBooks or other machines. These technologies are not needed in a phone.

You realize he was being sarcastic, right?

 

[oneMadRssn]

This is what it says, as of now, on MS' website regarding the ARM-based Surface Pro X

"Some software, apps, and accessories sold separately. App availability and compatibility may vary. At this time, Surface Pro X will not install 64-bit applications that have not been ported to ARM64, some games and CAD software, and some third-party drivers or anti-virus software. New 64-bit apps are coming to ARM 64 all the time."

Thanks for the reply. This definitely gives me pause. The biggest benefit of Windows is backwards compatibility. There are probably thousands if not hundreds of thousands of small apps and utilities for every conceivable task floating around the internet created over a long time for Windows. Even a silly little utility written for Windows 95 will work on Windows 10 (sometimes with a bit of tweaking). As a Mac user, I have always been jealous of this somewhat. But it sounds like the Surface Pro X, and all other ARM-based Windows laptops, miss out on this huge benefit.

 

[smulji]

Apple has there new laptop lineup soon and be prepared for some amazing new Macbooks!!!!!!!!!

These new Surface Laptops compete with the MBA (per MS' keynote). What Apple supposedly is announcing later this month is their high-end 16" MBP. Two completely different class of devices.

 

[gsurf123]

I am too invested in the Apple ecosystem to consider any of these, and they are not exciting to the point that will gear me to them. But more competition is always nice, these are some sleek looking devices.

Most people who switch do so because they hate themselves. Windows and Android would be enough to jump off a bridge, unless that is what you are used to.