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Microsoft’s Surface debuted to crowds of early adopters across the U.S. Friday, as the Windows RT-powered tablet went on sale.
About 100 people waited outside Boston’s Microsoft Store to buy the Surface tablet, which runs a new version of Windows.
Unlike previous versions of the operating system, Windows RT runs on an ARM processor, typically found in mobile devices, instead of an x86 processor, which is used in traditional desktops and laptops. One of the major drawbacks of Windows RT is that it won’t run any old software. All applications will need to be downloaded from the Windows Store, but that didn’t deter some Boston customers.
“It has Microsoft Office, which is the most important reason I’m upgrading from my iPad,” said Joshua Jasper, a veterinary hospital manager who was waiting to buy the tablet. “My biggest concern is app selection, but I know that will grow over time.”
Martyn Williams/IDGNSCustomers try out the Surface at a Microsoft store in Palo Alto, Calif.
IDC analyst Bob O’Donnell shared Jasper’s concerns. “When I looked in the Windows Store I thought, ‘Wow, there’s not much there,’” said O’Donnell. “There were a lot of cheesy phone-like games in the store, but of course Office is huge,” he said.
“My biggest concern is that people are going to get these tablets, realize their limitations and then return them in droves,” he said. He said that the biggest challenge for Microsoft is explaining the difference between Windows 8 and Windows RT to consumers “because they are very different.”
O’Donnell predicts about 10 percent of buyers in the PC and tablet markets want a PC-tablet hybrid.
Martyn Williams/IDGNSA sign in the window lets Palo Alto customers know that the Surface has landed.
Across the country in Palo Alto, Calif., the surface attracted a line of about 100 people outside the Microsoft Store in the Stanford Shopping Center, the closest Microsoft-run full-time retail outlet to San Francisco. The line began forming about six hours before the store’s opening.
First in line was Matthew Dien, who said he made a two-hour journey from Sacramento to be among the first on the U.S. West Coast to buy the tablet computer.
“I’m very excited about it,” he said. “It’s Microsoft’s very first hardware and they are coming up against Apple. I’ve always liked Windows products and so I was very excited when I heard they were coming out with hardware.”
Dien left the store about 30 minutes after it opened with a new Surface in his hands.
Most of those in line appeared to be waiting for the Surface and not Windows 8, which also went on sale Friday. There’s less buzz for the new operating system, likely because many would-be users can download copies from Microsoft.
Microsoft offered a sweetener to those willing to queue: a yearlong subscription to the Xbox Music Pass worth $100 for the first 100 customers who made a purchase.
Back at the Microsoft Store in Boston, about two dozen Surface tablets were available to try out. The interface was fluid and responsive for the most part. The screen was bright and vibrant and text was very easy to read. Some of the apps took longer to launch than expected, though. For example, it took the Xbox Games app about 10 seconds to fully load.
One of the accessories available for Surface is a keyboard that doubles as a cover. It costs $100 when purchased along with the tablet. It will likely take some getting used to as there’s no tactile feedback when a key is pressed. The cover is surprisingly thin and clips securely onto the tablet. There were no wires or pairing needed for the keyboard to work.
The first customer in line at the Boston store wanted to buy the Surface because he thinks Microsoft’s ecosystem is broader than Apple’s.
“I had a MacBook Pro for a while, but I switched back to Microsoft,” said Mounir Koussa. “I can have a desktop, a laptop, a phone, a tablet and [the Zune] music service all in one.”
O’Donnell said that there will be “huge sales and lots of confusion” in the tablet market in the coming months. He thinks that Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD and Google’s Nexus 7 have good chances at capturing some of the market, but he believes that Apple will continue to dominate.
The Surface has a 10.6-inch display and weighs 1.5 pounds (680 grams). It starts at $499 with 32GB of storage.
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Microsoft Surface Duo 2 Review: Better, But Still Buggy
Pros
Dual-screen experience is exemplary
Surprisingly good daytime shots
Very good battery life
Great performance
Cons
Incredibly expensive
Thick when folded back, surprisingly heavy when opened
Dual-screen design makes it awkward to shoot photos
Camera suffers in low light, portrait shots
Still buggy
Our VerdictMicrosoft still believes in its dual-screen phone/tablet hybrid. Its vision is coming closer, but isn’t quite there. Hold out for the Surface Duo 3.
Best Prices Today: Microsoft Surface Duo 2Retailer
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Microsoft’s new Surface Duo 2 smartphone poses a problem.
I think it’s important to acknowledge that skepticism, and apply it with a fresh eye towards some key questions: Does the Surface Duo 2 succeed as part of the Windows ecosystem? How does it compare to other Android phones? Does it solve the issues that plagued the first Surface Duo? And can it work as both a traditional phone, as well as some new breed of productivity device? Customers certainly never saw the original Surface Duo as anything special, and it tanked. Microsoft saw dual screens and the way it integrated into the app ecosystem as the selling points. Customers expected a quality camera, NFC, 5G, and wireless recharging.
The Surface Duo 2 represents Microsoft’s attempt to reach a middle ground. Yes, it checks some of the boxes people asked for, but little more. The camera is just okay, there are still bugs, and the price tag is outrageous. But under certain conditions, it shines.
Camera bumps aren’t that unusual with modern smartphones, and Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2 joins the club.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Surface Duo 2 configurations and pricingThe Surface Duo 2 costs an astounding $1,499.99, minimum, for the base model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Two other versions are available: a 256GB SSD model ($1,599.99) and the top-of-the-line Surface Duo 2 with 512GB of storage, for $1,799.99. If you buy into the Microsoft ecosystem, you’ll be saving most storage-chewing photos and videos to the OneDrive cloud anyway, which means that anything above the base model is superfluous.
Microsoft also sells a Surface Do 2 bumper ($39.99), which we didn’t test, which surrounds the Duo 2’s edge and provides some basic protection. It appears that most third-party cases are going the same route, with the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 Riveter case ($89.95) from Otterbox adopting the same approach. If you’d like to ink on the Surface Duo 2, you can buy the Surface Slim Pen 2 ($129.99) and the Surface Duo 2 Pen Cover (price not disclosed yet) which will grip and charge the Slim Pen 2. The real thumb in your eye is the $40 Surface Duo 2 charger. No, Microsoft does not ship a charger alongside the Surface Duo 2 (thanks, Apple) and you’ll pay extra for the plug. There is no wireless charging. A USB-C cable is thankfully included, though, and for free.
The Surface Duo 2 is a dual-SIM phone, but with one eSIM and one physical SIM slot.
Surface Duo 2 basic features
Display: 5.8-inch AMOLED (1344×1892, 401 PPI, HDR, 90Hz, 800 nits max) (single screen); 8.3-inch AMOLED equivalent (2688×1892) (dual-screen equivalent); Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
Memory: 8GB LPDDR5 DRAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB (256GB as tested)
Camera, rear-facing: Wide: 12MPixel, f/1.7 aperture, 27 mm, 1.4µm, dual pixel phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) and optical image stabilization (OIS); Telephoto: 12MP, f/2.4 aperture, 51 mm, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2X optical zoom/10X digital zoom; Ultra-Wide: 16MP, f/2.2 aperture, 13 mm, 1.0µm, 110o diagonal field of view with distortion correction
Camera, user-facing: 12MP, f/2.0, 24 mm,1.0µm
Network: WiFi 6 (802.ax), Bluetooth 5.1
Wireless: 5G (mmWave, sub-6); LTE Bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71
Battery: 4449mAh (rated)
Dimensions: 5.72 x 7.26 x 0.21in. (5.5mm) (open); 5.72 x 3.63 x 0.43 in. (11.0mm) (closed)
Weight: 284g / 0.63lb
Operating system: Android 11
Optional accessories: Surface Duo 2 Bumper ($39.99); Surface Duo 23W USB-C Charger ($39.99); Surface Slim Pen 2 ($129.99); Surface Duo 2 Pen Cover
The Surface Duo 2’s book-like pair of screens is the phone’s selling point, and it’s the obvious place to begin. Unlike, say, Samsung’s Galaxy Fold devices, there’s a distinct gap between the two displays — these are two separate screens, which can fold closed like a book or else fold back along itself. With the original Duo, this was the only way to take a photo, as there was just a single camera. With the Surface Duo 2, Microsoft invested in a rear-facing three camera array. Unfortunately, that creates a fairly thick camera bump that prevents the Duo 2 from flattening out when folded back on itself. It doesn’t seem to have any negative effect on either the camera or phone, however.
Microsoft loves to tout the engineering behind its Surface hinges, and yes, the Surface Duo 2 lives up to its reputation. The Duo 2 can sit, cocked at a 90 degree angle, so that one screen can display an email app (Outlook appends a “Sent on Surface Duo” signature by default) and the other can project Microsoft’s SwiftKey keyboard. (SwiftKey seems to be the only keyboard option instead of Gboard.) This is a fantastic orientation for content consumption, as I found while streaming the MLB playoffs while cooking dinner. The 5.8-inch AMOLED screen is also excellent for playing streamed cloud games from Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass.
This landscape orientation is quite useful for streaming video and games, but a persistent gyroscope glitch means that the screens often get stuck in a portrait orientation in multiple scenarios. It also can be a bit top-heavy, too, with the camera bump.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Quite a bit of the Surface Duo 2’s utility boils down to one contradiction: The Surface Duo 2 is most effective when used with two screens. Ergonomically, however, it’s most comfortable when only using one. It simply isn’t that comfortable to hold the Duo 2 in the “book” orientation for a prolonged period, while navigating and interacting with content. Part of that is due to the edge. While the Surface Duo 2 isn’t that thin, there’s a sort of “palmability” aspect to it where the Duo 2 leans into your hands like the Surface Pro 8’s kickstand digs into your thighs. (The bumper may solve this.) You’ll notice the size and weight almost immediately. The camera bump tends to overbalance it in some scenarios, too. This is a relatively massive phone.
Physically, I suspect most people prefer to use a phone either one-handed (nearly impossible across both screens) or two-handed, with one hand holding the phone and the other swiping and touching. You can certainly fold the phone back along itself, though you’ll only be able to use the right-hand screen, as the left shuts off.
Of course, that also means that the only way to take a photo is with the Surface Duo 2 unfolded, making you look like one of those weirdos who take photos with their iPad. Yes, you can kind of cheat by holding the phone in landscape mode, so that it looks (well, sort of) that you’re taking a photo with an ordinary phone. There’s really no cool way to take a portrait photo with the Surface Duo 2.
While it’s awkward to shoot photos with the Surface Duo 2, the ability to review your recent shots is undoubtedly useful.
Mark Hachman / IDG
The 90Hz displays on the Surface Duo 2 feel like a nice compromise between battery-sucking high-refresh-rate displays and slower, laggier screens. Scrolling was generally smooth and lag-free.
Is the Surface Duo 2 a successful productivity phone? Largely, yesThose are the negatives. If the Surface Duo 2 does one thing right, it’s that working on dual screens — with certain apps, under certain conditions — is revelatory. The Duo 2 allows you to drag one app over another, “grouping” them. When the group is launched — say, an email app alongside your calendar — the arrangement makes perfect sense. Chatting with a friend on one screen while a playoff game streams on another? Fantastic…until you get carried away and rotate the phone into landscape mode. Then the Surface Duo 2 will put your chat app on the top screen and the keyboard on the other, hiding your stream until you compete your message.
Microsoft probably expects reviewers to gush a bit here about how well it all works. Let’s put it this way: If you can grok why a second monitor adds to your productivity, you intrinsically understand the Surface Duo 2’s core appeal. The Duo 2 is less effective when an app spans both screens: held like a book, the small gap between the displays is still a bit distracting. One app that Microsoft specifically included as a dual-screen demo — Asphalt 9: Legends — was supposed to span both screens, Nintendo DS-style, with controls on the lower screen and the main action taking place on the top screen while in landscape mode. Try as I might, I couldn’t get the app to span both screens. Otherwise, there was nothing that forced me to use spanned apps, so I didn’t.
The keyboard seems a little awkwardly crammed near the top for my tastes, and I prefer to still use my thumbs to type. Still, this is a PC-like phone.
Mark Hachman / IDG
I’m torn on the new Glance Bar, an edge-mounted notification bar vaguely like the 2014 Galaxy Note Edge. When closed, a sliver of the curved glass peeks out. Tap the power button (or just wait for a call) and a little icon will light up, showing you have a missed call. There’s really no discreet way to see who called or left a message, though, so you’ll still be forced to open your Duo 2 regardless.
The Surface Duo 2 glance bar offers minimal information.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Inking is surprisingly good. While the only ink-centric preloaded app on the Surface Duo 2 is OneNote, pairing with a Surface Slim Pen 2 was simple, palm rejection just worked without the need for any setup, and the ink jitter was minimal.
There’s also one other thing I really like about the Surface Duo 2: its surprisingly amazing fingerprint reader. The reader is built right into the tiny sliver that is the power button, and it consistently recognized me right away. Opening the Duo 2, brushing my finger across the power button and unlocking the phone/hiding notifications felt unexpectedly powerful for someone used to the “will it or won’t it” fingerprint reader on a Galaxy S20+.
Deadlines meant that I didn’t have too much time to play games on the Surface Duo 2, but the big screens certainly appeal to game players to that regard. Unfortunately, Microsoft claimed that games like Asphalt 9: Legends could be spanned across both screens; I simply couldn’t get that function to work, and Microsoft couldn’t offer any help.
Mark Hachman / IDG
There’s just one thing I’d like to see, and that’s for something to happen when I plugged the Surface Duo 2 into a Thunderbolt dock. For a company that tried and failed with Windows Phone’s Continuum five years ago, that’s a little disappointing. It leaves Samsung’s Dex as arguably the king of “your phone as your PC” implementations.
Is the Surface Duo 2 the next Windows phone?No, not really. Besides the multitude of preloaded Microsoft-authored Android apps — from Bing to OneNote to Outlook to To-Do to “Start” news, all of which can be downloaded on other Android phones — there’s little that explicitly screams “Windows.” Some apps (like the Surface app and Surface Audio, which connects to the Surface Headphones) are specific to the Surface Duo 2, however.
Supposedly Your Phone Companion works with the Surface Duo 2, but apparently not. What it should be showing here is the Duo 2’s screen, allowing remote access from a PC.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Honestly, you’d expect more from Microsoft in this regard.
Does the Surface Duo 2 solve the problems of the first Surface Duo?One of the problems reviewers and customers had with the first-generation Surface Duo was with the numerous bugs that cropped up. And yes, they’re still here. I experienced more than a few instances where the phone refused to switch from portrait to landscape mode. A camera app shot an image upside down because it refused to reorient itself. The SwiftKey keyboard lagged, and didn’t fill the screen in landscape mode. (The latter was probably a design choice.) The Surface Duo 2 kept popping up a message that I could switch an app from one screen to another by double-tapping, and then didn’t switch when I double-tapped. In the ESPN app, the app’s navigation buttons (“Scores,” “Watch,”, etc.) overlapped with the Duo 2’s navigation buttons, preventing me from interacting with the app’s navigation. (Locking and unlocking the Duo 2 solved that issue.) We mentioned the Your Phone Companion bug above.
To be fair, some of the phone’s problems can be fixed by simply understanding it better. The Surface Duo 2 runs Android 11, and I found gesture navigation — swiping up in various places to access either the app drawer or the running apps — to be astonishingly difficult. Switching the phone to use Android’s “soft buttons” at the bottom of the screen made a world of difference. You know how Android 11’s button navigation includes a “switch apps” button? Each screen has its own list of apps to switch between, which feels a bit odd.
A surprisingly useful tip is that swiping toward the center of the screen from the left or right edge is the equivalent of the “back” button, and allows you to navigate without readjusting your hands. It’s also fair to say that the dual screen can be also be understood as a “modality,” or simply another way to interact with data. It’s perfectly okay to use the Surface Duo 2 folded backwards on itself, then open it when necessary.
Yes, the Surface Duo now includes NFC, which worked with the Google GPay app. Weirdly, the Surface Duo seems to “lean” toward the right-hand screen, which houses the camera and tends to open apps by default. When using NFC, though, you tap the left-hand screen to the reader.
How does the Surface Pro Duo 2 compare?The lack of a decent camera probably sounded the death knell for the original Surface Duo. Without a decent camera, consumers simply won’t bother buying a new phone. With the first Surface Duo, there was just one camera, and the device had to be oriented appropriately to take selfies as well as normal photos. With the Duo 2, there’s finally a proper rear-facing camera.
Is it up to snuff? Yes and no. In daylight, the Surface Duo 2 surprised me with the quality of its pictures. Color balance tended towards cool (or blue), but the main camera and the wide-angle lens delivered results that satisfied me. Selfies looked fine, too. Portrait mode seemed really iffy, though, with the camera struggling to lock on to the subject with the camera oriented vertically. A 2X optical-zoom telephoto also doesn’t quite measure up to the 3X optical zoom on an iPhone 13 Pro (which also costs $500 less than the Surface Duo 2, by the way).
At night, though, the Surface Duo 2 falls way behind the competition — by years, probably. Microsoft told us that they had largely designed the image sensor itself, tapping its Finnish engineering corps that had helped design the Lumia line. It doesn’t really measure up.
In the photos below, you’ll see that the Surface Duo 2 takes perfectly fine photos outside, in broad daylight, as nearly all cameras do. It’s when you start asking more of it — in portrait mode and in low-light situations — where it simply falls short. In most cases, we shot the same scene as closely as we could with a Samsung Galaxy S20+, Samsung’s 2023 flagship (either $1,200 or $1,350, depending on the storage options) for the people who couldn’t afford a $1,400 S20 Ultra.
A daylight photo from the Samsung Galaxy S20+ (left) and the Surface Duo 2 (right) with no zoom. The Duo 2 tends to run a little cooler (bluer) in terms of its images.
The Samsung Galaxy S20+ (left) compared to the Surface Duo 2 (right), cropped in at 259 percent zoom. The Duo 2 looks a little grainier, but otherwise both images look quite good.
Mark Hachman / IDG
The Samsung Galaxy S20+ (left) compared to the Surface Duo 2 (right). Image edited to obscure the car’s license plate.
Using the image above as a reference, this is the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and its 30X “space” (digital) zoom (left) compared to the Surface Duo 2 (right) and its own 10X digital zoom. The Surface Duo 2’s zoom is a mishmash at extremes, losing a ton of detail.
Closeup (not macro) photo from the Samsung Galaxy S20+ (left) and the Surface Duo 2 (right). The Surface Duo 2’s photo is dimmer, but it’s sharper.
Portrait mode on the Samsung Galaxy S20+ (left) and on the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 (right). Infuriatingly, the Surface Duo 2 decides to invoke portrait mode about a third partway up the image. There are some weird, jaggy artifacts near the top of the pelican’s beak, too. Interestingly, these problems largely went away if portrait mode was used with the phone held horizontally in its landscape orientation.
Night mode on the Samsung Galaxy S20+ (left) and on the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 (right). The Galaxy clearly lets in more light, while the Surface Duo 2 blows out its light sources to try and compensate.
Night mode with flash on the Samsung Galaxy S20+ (left) and on the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 (right). What you don’t see here is that the Surface Duo 2 requires several seconds to take the photo, too.
Performance is superbWith a phone that’s probably being used for productivity, web surfing, and streaming video first and foremost, it’s hard to argue that performance benchmarks will matter. Inside the Surface Duo 2 is a Snapdragon 888 5G, a processor that’s used in the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, among others. Compared to the Samsung Galaxy S20+, my daily driver with a Snapdragon 865 processor inside, the Duo 2 still felt a bit laggier when navigating through the interface.
Battery life seems more than sufficient as well. I charged the Surface Duo 2 up the night before, let it idle all night, then used it for a day of photos and working out and about and in the office. It had about 20 percent left at the end of the day. Using the PCMark battery rundown test that constantly asks a phone to perform various tasks with the screen on, it lasted 9 hours 59 minutes before giving up the ghost. That’s very good. Quick charging, is only officially supported via the Surface Charger, sold separately.
Conclusion: Cynicism is still justifiedThe old chestnut is that Microsoft is governed by the “rule of threes.” Like Windows 3.0, the third time’s the charm. We’d say the second time certainly isn’t, at least in the case of the Surface Duo 2.
Let’s face it: Some really, really big companies (Apple, Huawei, Samsung, Xiaomi) have spent very large amounts of money designing top-of-the-line cameras for their smartphones. Microsoft might hope that the Surface Duo 2’s camera is good enough, but it falls short in my book. In other areas — NFC and 5G — they’ve checked the boxes customers demanded.
Some of Microsoft’s old Lumia Windows Phones were good, and even great, but those were phones that few bought as Android and iOS took hold. The Surface Duo 2 accomplishes what Microsoft set out to achieve: Develop a productive dual-screen phablet-y device that absolutely works unlike anything else under certain scenarios. But it’s somewhat awkward, nerdy, and hugely expensive. And the bugs, still! I just can’t see Microsoft convincing smartphone buyers the way it can convince someone buying, say, a Surface Laptop Studio. On balance, the Surface Duo 2 still falls short.
Updated at 9:51 AM to clarify some details on how the Surface Duo 2 spans apps. Updated on Oct. 22 to note additional details about Your Phone and the “Phone Screen” feature.
Microsoft Surface Duo Rumors: What We Know About The Dual
Microsoft
Update, July 23 2023 (2:40AM ET): We’ve updated the Surface Duo rumor hub with new details of a Microsoft “phablet” that recently passed through the FCC. Check it out below.
Original article, May 18 2023 (8:53AM ET): Microsoft took everyone by surprise last October when it announced the Surface Duo: a dual-screen device that runs Android. While the Surface Duo certainly resembles a phone in its folded state and can achieve all smartphone-like tasks such as making call and sending text messages, Microsoft does not want to label it a “phone.”
It’s the Redmond-based software giant’s version of a foldable, only that it’s not a traditional foldable if you compare it to devices like the Galaxy Fold or even the Galaxy Z Flip. It indeed folds in the center, but does so using a hinge that holds its two very separate screens together (rather than having a foldable screen).
The best foldable phones you can get in 2023
The best
It’s been a while since we heard something official from Microsoft about the Surface Duo, but of late, we’ve ourselves received some insider info about its release window. We’ve also recently come across some leaked specs for the Android hybrid, including information about its chipset, battery, and camera. In this rumor hub, we’ll detail all that we know about the Surface Duo until now. Take a look.
Specs and features
Microsoft
Microsoft has done a pretty decent job of keeping the specs of the Surface Duo under wraps. When it first showed off the device at its Surface event, it was running a Snapdragon 855 processor. Thanks to information sourced by Windows Central, we now hear that Microsoft will stick to the older generation Snapdragon flagship for the final Surface Duo release.
The outlet reports that the specs of the Surface Duo are pretty much cemented and that it’s in a “take-home” status at Microsoft internally. This means that company employees from outside the Surface division can request to test the device, so we presume its specs won’t change now.
An FCC listing spotted by Droid Life on July 22 describes a dual-screen Microsoft “phablet” that folds. While not referred to as the Duo by name, it’s likely that the device is the forthcoming foldable. According to the listing, the phone will feature support for major LTE bands in the US, NFC, Wi-Fi 5, and no 5G connectivity.
According to Window Central, the Surface Duo will ship with 6GB RAM and 64GB or 256GB storage. There’s no 128GB middle ground here and even if there is, the report fails to mention it.
The camera above the right display is said to be an 11MP sensor, for both front and rear facing photos. That’s likely because the displays can be rotated around for front and rear photos. The two 5.6-inch screens reportedly have AMOLED panels with a pixel density of 401 pixels per inch.
Does anybody know what the Surface Duo is supposed to be?
Opinions
Sadly, the battery size is reportedly capped at 3,460mAh which might not nearly be enough to support two displays and all the multitasking you’re expected to do on the device. Also, there won’t be any wireless charging as per Windows Central.
In terms of connectivity, the Surface Duo is said to feature a single USB-C port and a nanoSIM slot. It’ll also be compatible with a Surface Pen.
On the software front, the Surface Duo is expected to run Android 10 at launch, and later get an upgrade to Android 11. The device is also expected to get the redesigned Microsoft Launcher, which comes with new rotation modes, a new dock, and other UI tweaks.
Microsoft Surface Duo: Price and release date
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There’s no word on how much the Surface Duo will cost, but we do know some things about its availability.
According to information obtained by Android Authority from a source with knowledge of Microsoft’s plans, the Surface Duo will launch some time in 2023. This should be good news since Microsoft has apparently delayed the launch of its other dual-screen device, the Surface Neo.
Bu’s Global Days Of Service Goes On, Virtually
BU’s Global Days of Service Goes On, Virtually
Helping out at the Greater Boston Food Bank during last year’s BU Global Days of Service. This year’s event will be a little different. Photo by Dana J. Quigley, courtesy BU Alumni Association
Public Health
BU’s Global Days of Service Goes On, Virtually Also in our Coronavirus Wednesday Roundup: no Boston Pride, SPH’s Sandro Galea gets props, and goodbye, Hotel Buckminster Quote of the day: Stat of the day: BU News Join Global Days of Service at home or online SPH Dean Galea highlighted by LinkedInSandro Galea, dean of BU School of Public Health and Robert A. Knox Professor. Photo by Kelly Davidson
No surprise that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, LinkedIn has put out a list naming a dozen “Top Voices in health care that you should be following now.” No surprise either that number 11 on the list was Sandro Galea, dean of the BU School of Public Health and Robert A. Knox Professor, named for what he shares on the platform about the pandemic’s impact on society and the health gaps it intensifies.
Boston and Beyond News Boston Pride 2023 is canceledLatest casualties of the coronavirus epidemic are Boston Pride events scheduled for June, which have been pushed to June 2023, the city and organizers said Tuesday. This year is the 50th anniversary of the event. “I know this was a very hard decision to make, and I know it’s very hard news to hear, but it’s the right decision,” Mayor Martin J. Walsh said in a statement. “As we fight the coronavirus pandemic, everyone’s safety and health is our top priority.”
Parking help for frontline healthcare workersWalsh also announced new parking relief measures for healthcare workers. If a healthcare worker gets a parking ticket, the city will waive all fees if the worker appeals the ticket by emailing [email protected] and includes both the ticket and a photo of their medical identification. This new policy also applies retroactively for tickets issued over the past month. It applies to violations like an expired meter, but not to public safety violations, such as blocking a hydrant, sidewalk, or handicap ramp. The city is also working on securing parking garages and lots across the city to offer free parking for healthcare workers. Find maps of these and other parking areas here.
Governor Charlie Baker promises major financial relief for hospitalsBaker said Tuesday that the state will infuse $800 million into the state’s healthcare system from April through July to provide health providers relief for lost revenues from missed visits and procedures canceled due to the coronavirus. Funding for this package is coming from reductions in MassHealth and from federal revenues. Half the amount, $400 million, will support 28 safety-net and high-Medicaid hospitals. This funding will address lost revenue, stabilization, and increased costs for treating COVID-19. Some $80 million will go to nursing facilities, and $300 million to other providers, including community healthcare centers.
Hotel Buckminster won’t be coming backThe Universal Hub website recognized it before we did: Kenmore Square’s historic Hotel Buckminster is closed, and not just for the duration of the coronavirus quarantine. The hotel—where the 1919 Chicago Black Sox baseball scandal was hatched, and long a favorite of folks going to Fenway Park—closed March 20 with “no plans to reopen.” And in response to queries on its Facebook page, hotel staff confirm it’s not an open-ended response to COVID-19. Facebook visitors speculate that the hotel will be renovated and reopen as a more upscale establishment.
US & Global News Eyeing racial disparities among COVID-19 victimsIn the coronavirus hotspot of Louisiana, about 70 percent of the people who have died are African American, although only a third of the state’s population is black, the New York Times reports. The data are limited, the Times says, but “the emerging statistics show black residents being infected at disturbing rates in some of the nation’s largest cities and states.” A variety of social and health disparities are being looked at as possible causes.
Latest count of coronavirus casesUnited States, 383,256; Massachusetts, 15,202.
Distraction of the day: Music reccosWGBH asked a bunch of Boston-area musicians what they’re listening to while holed up at home, away from the coronavirus. Answering were familiar names (Tanya Donelly, Kay Hanley, Bill Janovitz) and others not so much (Ballroom Thieves). The answers ranged from “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan to a Mahler symphony to “Ice Cream” by Cakeswagg.
Find BU Today’s latest coverage of the pandemic here. The University’s hotline for faculty, staff, students, and visiting scholars to call for referral of their virus-related medical concerns is 617-358-4990.
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How To Disable Notifications On Microsoft Teams
Remote collaboration has been the name of the game in 2023 and Microsoft Teams has been one of the leading services in the market that let you communicate with members in your organization and off of it. The service lets you create specific teams, hold meetings, send direct and group messages, share files, and record screens to make it easy for your team to work closely even from home.
When you’re using Microsoft Teams, the service alerts you of any slight change that’s happening inside the app, your team, or your different channels. We understand that sometimes, these notifications can be a little too annoying and if not managed properly, you might end up missing out on important alerts that you were supposed to view.
In this post, we’re elaborating on different ways to disable various notifications on Microsoft Teams and how you can get it done.
Disable Meeting chat notifications for new messages
If you’re annoyed with the constant stream of alerts in a conversation that you are in, you can get rid of them by modifying the meeting chat notifications according to your preference. Not only can you customize this setting the way you want but can also completely turn it off if you no longer want to get notifications from new messages in a chat.
In the next screen, select the ‘Mute until I join or send a message’ option available next to the ‘Meeting chat notifications’ section.
When you do that, you will not be alerted with the notifications of the chat unless you join the chat yourself or send a message there.
Disable notification sounds
In addition to visual alerts, Microsoft Teams also offers to notify you via notification sounds like any other app on your device. By default, Teams enables sound for notifications when you install its desktop app but you can disable.
Inside the Settings screen, select the ‘Notifications’ tab from the left sidebar and toggle OFF the switch adjacent to ‘Play sound for notifications’ under the ‘Appearance and sound’.
Notifications sounds will now cease to play for every alert you get on the Teams app.
Disable notifications for specific conversations
We explained to you how you can mute certain notifications until the time you get back to a chat but what if you want to turn off notifications for specific conversations? You can stop updates for a specific conversation inside Microsoft Teams by following these steps.
There’s you go! You won’t receive notifications to a channel conversation anymore.
Disable channel notifications from the Teams list
Note: Disabling Channel notifications for a channel will still get you notifications for direct replies and personal mentions sent within the channel.
Disable “meeting has started” banner
In the next screen, select ‘Off’ inside the ‘Meeting started notification’.
You will no longer receive alerts when meetings start.
Disable mentions, replies, and reactions in Chat
Microsoft only allows you to minimize the number of notifications for some alerts in Chat. For doing so, you will have to select the following options for the settings available on the screen:
@mentions: Only Show in feed
Replies: Off
Likes and reactions: Off (Select ‘Only show in feed’ in case you want to see those alerts in your Teams feed but not as a banner)
By selecting the aforementioned settings, you can reduce the number of banner notifications on Teams so that you can see the messages and post that you need to view.
Disable “Someone you know joined Teams” notification
Similar to other apps and services, Microsoft Teams also offers to notify you when someone whom you know starts using the collaborative service. While it could be beneficial to know which one of your friends, colleagues, or family have joined Teams, on most occasions, getting alerts about them in the middle of work could be a pain in the behind.
Disable/Reduce Email notifications
When you start using Microsoft Teams, within a few days you will realize that you’re on the receiving end of a lot of emails that notify you of every update and action taken inside the collaboration service. If you don’t start managing your notifications, your email will soon be clouded with mails from Microsoft Teams about the smallest of changes and sometimes, it might get too annoying.
To help you clean up your Microsoft Teams notifications from your email, you can either minimize the frequency at which you receive emails or completely turn it off. You can learn to do this by checking out our complete guide on the topic in the link below
▶ How to get fewer emails from Microsoft Teams
Disable chat notifications
So far, we have told you ways to disable or mute notifications from channels, teams, emails, and sounds but you can also turn off notifications when receiving messages via Chat from someone. This can be achieved by using the mute function that can be used to concentrate on the work at hand without distractions.
You can mute someone on Microsoft Teams by following the guide in the link below:
▶ How to turn off chat notifications using Mute in Microsoft Teams
Disable “Now Available” Status notification
One of the many features that Microsoft Teams has to offer is its ability to receive push notifications whenever a team member comes online. Team admins can benefit from this option as they can keep an eye on their employees, work timings, and ensure transparent communication.
However, for some, the “Now Available” Status notification can be a cumbersome affair but you can turn off this feature by following the guide that we’ve prepared in the link below.
▶ How to stop “Now Available” Status notification on Microsoft Teams
Disable notifications entirely on Teams
If you rarely take a look at notifications on Teams, then your best option is to apply a custom notification setting that lets you disable all of your Teams desktop app alerts once and for all. Luckily for you, Teams lets you customize desktop and activity notifications for your own preference.
When you select the ‘Custom’ tile, a new screen will load giving you various options to manage your notifications from the teams and channels you communicate with. To completely prevent getting notifications, configure your Microsoft Teams client with the following settings that we have applied in the screenshot below.
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How To Take Meeting Notes On Microsoft Teams
By now, we know that video collaboration services are here to stay and apps like Microsoft Teams have been on the front-end at offering remote conferencing solutions with several users depending on it daily. While video calls are the primary aspect of any conferencing service, there are a bunch of other things that contribute to making your work more convenient and easy.
One such feature is the ability to take notes during a meeting and quickly access it at any time in the future. In this post, we’ll help you understand how Meeting Notes on Microsoft Teams is helpful and how you can start use it.
Related: How to Use Taskbar Chat on Windows 11
Why take Meeting Notes on Microsoft Teams?
This is where the Meeting notes option comes into the picture. Microsoft Teams has a native Meeting notes option that lets you create notes for a particular meeting while it is in progress. You can capture what’s going on in a meeting or share your own thoughts or opinions on a specific discussion inside the Meeting notes that are created.
The meeting notes that you create will be visible and accessible to other members of the meeting, making it easy to analyze and compare the different takes on any given discussion. These notes are easily shareable via links that anyone in the meeting can use to get quick access to the meeting notes without looking for one manually.
Who can use Meeting Notes on Microsoft Teams?
While capturing Meeting Notes on Microsoft Teams is easy, the ability to access it is dependent on a few factors:
Participants in a meeting can start or access meeting notes only if they are present in the same organization as that of the meeting’s organizer or host.
Meeting notes can only be accessed inside meetings where there are only up to 100 participants. Although the standard size of Teams meetings is 350 participants, you will have to restrict the discussion to just 100 if you want to use Meeting notes for a given session.
Participants who entered the meeting before the meeting notes were taken will have access to the notes directly. Those who enter the meeting after meeting notes have been created will have to request access to the notes. When they do that, the meeting organizer will receive an email asking them to approve access to the notes for the people who have requested it.
Related: How to Set up and Use Breakout Rooms on Microsoft Teams
How to Take Meeting Notes on Microsoft Teams
The ability to create meeting notes will be available both before, during, and after a meeting on Microsoft Teams. Follow the steps below to start taking meeting notes on both scenarios.
Before/After a meeting
Note: The ‘Meeting Notes’ tab at the top won’t appear inside channels where you have not created any meeting notes before. You can, however, add more sections to the notes you have already created.
Inside Meeting Notes, select the ‘Take notes’ option.
Now, you can create your notes by adding a title and your thoughts and discussions in a section that appears.
During a meeting session
When a drop-down menu appears on the screen, select the ‘Meeting notes’ option.
You will now be taken back to your Microsoft Teams window with your current channel open. Inside this window, you should see a new ‘Meeting Notes’ tab at the top, if it wasn’t created before.
Here, you can cover the proceedings of your meeting by giving it a title and then mention objectives, notes, and actionable items under the title.
All of your notes will now be visible and accessible to others present in the meeting.
How to Access your Notes after a meeting
Participants who have access to the meeting notes can view all the notes created by others within the meeting. There are three ways you can access your meeting notes on Microsoft Teams – inside your Teams channel, inside Teams calendar, or inside a channel’s Wiki tab at the top.
View notes inside Teams Channel
You should now be able to see the notes appear directly inside the ‘Meeting notes’ tab.
View notes inside Teams Channel’s tab bar
This should open the Meeting notes tab and you should now be able to see all the notes created under this specific channel.
View notes inside private chats
That’s all there is to know about meeting notes in Microsoft Teams.
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