Earth to Surface…

…is this thing on?…can you hear me?…OK, good because we have A LOT to unpack…

In today’s wide world of technology, folding seems to be the new “it” form factor. Companies are figuring out how to take this old-school love of all things flip and make it fresh for today’s touchscreen, multitasking, willing to overpay world. From Samsung to Motorola to Microsoft, figuring out how to perfect the next-gen phone…tablet…phablet…whatever, seems to be the name of the game. I, surprisingly, have restrained myself from spending an exorbitant amount of money these past few months on the Galaxy Flip, Galaxy Fold (and Fold 2), and Moto RAZR; but it happened. I caved. Microsoft got me hook, line, and sinker Emphasis on the sinker, but more on that in a bit.

After weeks of convincing myself I did not need the Microsoft Surface Duo, I found myself on the pre-order page just days before it released (Sept. 10th for those who like details). Yup, I clicked purchase. Whoosh, $1,400+ gone just for the rush of what I convinced myself to be not only a phone but a fantastic addition to my remote working lifestyle à la quarantine. Plus, it was cheaper than the $2k Samsung investment on a Fold 2 pre-order, so look at me saving money! Well, fast forward a few days and September 10th came and so did my Microsoft box holding the future of tech potential. Setup, link to work O365 account, configure cute alert sounds, blah blah blah…a few hours later and voila! A shiny Duo ready to be my new best friend. So, what are my thoughts less than a month after meeting my new bestie? Let’s find out.

Commercial Break: I’d like to caveat a few things before I get into the nitty-gritty details of my thoughts on the Duo… (1) this was purchased as a secondary device to replace my work phone and potentially my need for a tablet on the go. This was never intended to be a primary phone, thank goodness (2) I was not purchasing this to replace a computer, only the need for a tablet. Think on-the-go emails, file edits, blog posts, etc. My main computer was here to stay…this was just a better-than-phone alternative in my eyes (3) I fully realize that gen-1 devices have quirks to work through, so I don’t expect perfection. In fact, as long as it doesn’t spontaneously catch fire (looking at you Note 7) I’m fine with being along for the enhancement journey. Side note – I didn’t even want to give up my potentially hazardous Note 7 until they were officially banned by the FAA from planes…I am ride-or-die like that

Ok, for the tech-inclined here goes my full rundown; for those on the fashion side, gotcha covered a little further down.

Phone emoji = tech talk …… handbag emoji = couture chat

Kudos to Microsoft for actually making this phablet happen. It was a long-awaited device with the potential to redefine the folding phone stigma of cracked screens, hinge wear, and screen warp. Sorry Samsung, we all know it’s true. LG flew under the radar with their dual-screen phone, the G8X ThinQ, mainly since well, it’s kind of a frankenduelscreen. Anyway, I digress. Opening the Surface Duo box was a nice experience, albeit not entirely luxurious for the price tag. Simple, clean, and minimalistic with the necessities securely packaged – device, charger, and bumper. Now, I opted to purchase the unlocked version and use the already activated T-Mobile SIM from my soon-to-be prior work phone. I can’t speak to the experience of activation with AT&T since I’m not a customer and therefore didn’t opt for that route. Currently, there is only the unlocked version purchase through Microsoft or Best Buy or the activated version purchased through AT&T. I would have loved a T-Mobile lease-purchase option but oh well, can’t have it all.

The first few days took a little getting acclimated to, but the honeymoon phase kept my hopes high for a great device. Ok, there was no front screen but I can learn to live with that since it’s not my primary device. I’ve got to flip the screen to take pictures since the exterior has nothing other than glass panels and a shiny hinge, doable since, again, I’ve got my primary for that. New gestures to take full advantage of the screen functionality, completely cool – I’m a fast learner. Discoloration, glitchy software, screen freezing, ghost gestures, little-to-no case protection options…WAIT, NOPE, not ok or doable or cool! Let’s tackle this one at a time for sanity purposes…

Hardware: This baby has a fantastic hinge with an incredibly solid feel. In fact, the whole device feels solid and worthy of the price tag simple due to the size, quality of materials, and overall form-factor. Basically it’s exactly what I would come to expect from a device boding the “Surface” name. As mentioned earlier, there is no notification panel, camera, or anything functional on the exterior – reason #1 for this not qualifying as a primary device. It has to be opened each and every time you want to see if you have notifications or messages or just to check the time. Granted opening the device is a pleasure, but not more so than having some exterior productivity features. The fingerprint sensor is actually well placed (right side, middle-ish) and works nearly all of the time. I’ve only had one or two occasions where it didn’t recognize me but I blame the software and not a hardware flaw. If you are left-handed you may have a different opinion on the positioning but for a right-handed individual, it’s reasonable placement. Charging is a quintessential USB-C port on the bottom; however, there is no wireless charging, I repeat for $1,400+ you will not be able to wirelessly charge. I’m a OnePlus fan as well, so not having wireless isn’t a deal-breaker but it certainly does sting at the Duo price tag. Additionally, there is no IP rating on the dust or water resistance thresholds, so let’s just say that this little gem is staying in my bag during the rain.

Let’s talk phone logistics quickly – speakerphone is your best bet to avoid awkward holding, fingerprints everywhere, and unavoidable facial smudges due to screen size. Oh, no 5G so you can look forward to speakerphone calls on LTE. Yup, that about covers it for the phone portion

Finally, and a BIG finally, the propensity for device discoloration from everyday use: 100% guaranteed. You read that correctly….discoloration! I am only a few weeks into use and the edges of the device are a rubber-ish texture that clearly has a knack for absorbing any materials, fabric, or finger residue (even just normal oils!) causing a dirty appearance no matter how careful you are…and I am crazy-lady level careful with this thing. Yes, the bumper that comes with the device will help reduce this issue but my frustration with the bumper is a whole different topic. With the bumper on, the phone attracts dust and particles like you wouldn’t believe. Again, rubber-ish in texture, the bumper does not have a coating to reduce dust and debris attraction. Your choice is now either a) dust bunnies + rogue hair or b) risk of more discoloration marks than a Dalmatian has spots. Come on Microsoft. Seriously.

Software: Running Android v10 out of the box gives the device a feeling like any other Android. The main difference to note is the Microsoft Launcher that is dual-screen optimized. I use optimized loosely given my experience with some laggy and sticky moments when gesturing. The best way to explain what I’ve personally experienced thus far is a device that gets overly excited when you open an app and it wants to show you all possible screen layouts like an excited puppy with a new toy. One slight, tiny little swipe has apps jumping from one screen to the next like The Flash. Alternatively, when you try to get an app to open across windows – envision holding the phone vertically and opening Chrome for optimal website shopping – it is usually a case of luck over skill to get the thing to expand and not a) launch the open windows carousel, b) switch screens and not expand, or c) close the whole darn thing.

Now, let’s pretend the intended app opens across both screens and all is well with the world…the flow between screens is quite exemplary. Scrolling a website is nearly flawless and your eyes tend to overlook the small gap where the hinge is after a few minutes. Overall high marks on the interaction between screens. It is important to note that not all apps are optimized for a dual-screen device, but so far I haven’t run into a specific issue with my common social media or productivity apps. As for independent use of the screens for multitasking – again, nice experience especially when leveraging the group-launch bundle. Simply put, you can group two apps together as a single icon and when you tap to launch, they each appear on their own screens. Love this for things like my email and calendar! From a software perspective, there isn’t much else to highlight given it’s a typical Android base with a few enhancements for the extra screen.

Overall Verdict: For anyone who read my FAQ post (Well This Is Awkward, But…), I’m not here to sway you one way or the other; the decision is ultimately yours and hopefully this commentary sheds light on real, everyday usage. I would say that I am mostly happy with my purchase mainly due to this being a secondary device. If this was my primary phone, I would likely have much less love for it due to the hardware pitfalls. In my humble opinion, this is a device for the working professional looking for above-average productivity away from a computer. If you are looking for a primary phone with some tablet options, it certainly does not have the potential of it’s Samsung counterparts. Simply put, Microsoft put the tablet first and Samsung put the phone first. Welcome to the world of phablets folks!

---

Alrighty, not going to bury the lead on the fashion portion – buckle up for disappointment. Aside from a bare-bones, basically nonexistent dedicated case selection, this little beauty is kind of awkward in size meaning little to no good options for couture protection either. Let’s start with your regular, run of the mill dedicated case options…brace yourself…a bumper. Oh, and two “coming soon” Otterbox cases (per their website) but somehow Best Buy is already shipping one of those two options – the folio. That’s it. You heard me right, either the dust-magnet bumper or two Otterbox cases with less than stellar initial reviews. In full transparency, there are a few sticker-type “skins” available (not protection by my definition) and a belt clip. I did recently notice a leather sleeve available from Etsy and Amazon, but it’s much more bespoke than mass-production.

With minimal options, we must turn to a more creative approach for some level of protection. While the “naked” device is sleek and shiny and a bit sexy, my heart takes a small pause every time I place (not drop, throw, or otherwise vigorously put) into my bag. I try to separate it, when possible, into an interior zipper pocket or front slip pocket to avoid co-mingling, scratching, accidental opening, or any other number of unintended consequences when living in “gen-pop”, a.k.a what I call the open and free space of a bag, potentially hazardous to those not prepared to live inside. Back to the device, it’s not super fragile and could probably live in gen-pop just fine in smaller, more elegantly structured purses but let’s just say a Stella Falabella, Dior Book Tote, Goyard St. Louis, or LV Neverfull aren’t exactly going to be this device’s friend. It’s going to need some protective gear…

I’ve found the most friendly pouch in both size and convenience to be the Chanel Small O-Case. The newer model (circa 2019 collections) works very well and doesn’t have unnecessary room causing interior shifting but also isn’t too snug you’re worried about a zipper incident. This has been my go-to choice when using a bag where I’m concerned about gen-pop. The Hermès Small NeoBain Pouch does work BUT there is ample room to spare so I would recommend adding in a flat cardholder or other small leather good (“SLG”) to help safely fill the space without scratching the device.

Now, obviously, the Duo fits in just about any mid-sized or larger purse, but let’s talk small, mini, and nano options. It easily fits inside the MCM X-Mini Stark Bebe Boo Backpack, Chanel large cosmetic bag, Louis Vuitton GM cosmetic pouch, YSL LouLou Small Camera bag, and Chanel WOC older style (pre-2020 square model). With a little position curating is also does fit inside the LV Pochette Félicie (with inserts! see TCG main page) and just makes the cut on height in the Chanel Mini Rectangle Flap (if placed inwards on its hinge side). Keep in mind, I can speak to these specific bags since they are in my collection; however, the shapes and sizes are pretty recognizable for comparison. For example, the MCM backpack can translate to the LV Palm Springs Mini, the YSL Camera bag is similar to, well, just about any other camera bag shape, and the pouches can compare to clutch sizing or even LV Kirigami (although I wouldn’t recommend them given the structure of those pieces and the shape of the device). I purposefully left out bags like the Chloe Nano Luggage, Givenchy Small Antigona, and anything in the bucket category because we all know those are faux-small bags that can really hold a horse

Overall, while the Duo doesn’t have many designated case options at the time of this post, it can mostly adjust to any handbag choice with some help from universal accessories like pouches. This is a situation where love for technology might have to out-shadow a passion for fashion in the decision-making process!