Microsoft only gave a tentative holiday 2020 availability date for the Surface Duo last fall, but now we’re hearing that the first Surface phone may launch a lot sooner than that.
Multiple sources have confirmed to Microsoft aficionado blog Windows Central that the device is ahead of schedule, stating that a launch could happen by this summer. That could put it months ahead of the original anticipated availability time-frame.
Senior editor Zac Bowden explained that both the hardware and software have been finished, and that Android 10 has been completed since August 2019. Right now, Bowden says that Microsoft is tidying things up with “top-level OS customizations” and “in-box app experiences.”
According to the site’s sources, Microsoft expects to have the software ready by early April. If this timeline is met, then the device could be ready for developers and the earliest of adapters by summer. This could mean that the Surface Duo may be ready for purchase alongside the rumored Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 refreshes that are expected to happen this spring.
Though Microsoft is accelerating the Surface Duo’s launch schedule, it’s believed that the device may have been incubated and ready for several years now. Prior to Microsoft’s launch announcement of the device last autumn, reporting said Microsoft already had the hardware ready, and the company originally planned on releasing the dual-screen phone with Windows Core OS under the Project Andromeda codename.
However, it appeared that Microsoft had scrapped those plans, opting instead to go with Android instead. Because of this switch and the hardware’s long development cycle, the Surface Duo will debut with some compromises. The bezels aren’t as slim as on today’s flagship phones, and the omission of 5G network connectivity is glaring in 2020.
Additionally, the Snapdragon processor is at least a generation behind compared to high-end phones launching this year from competitors. The accelerated launch timeline could help to make the Surface Duo’s hardware appear less stale when compared to other Android flagships launching this year.
Given the older specifications for a flagship phone, Microsoft wants to perfect the software to attract consumers to choose its dual-screen form factor over competitors, including the Huawei Mate X and XS, Samsung Galaxy Fold, and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. In the past, it was reported that Microsoft had originally delayed its Surface Phone endeavors because the device didn’t offer a compelling use case for the form factor.
There are still other uncertainties that could affect the final launch date for the phone, especially given the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. The spread of the novel coronavirus could — as Microsoft had recently guided investors — affect electronics manufacturing in the region, and this may in turn affect the company’s launch plans for its first smartphone since shuttering its Windows 10 Mobile devices years ago.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.