My First Twelve Hours with the Duo

[jnjroach]

I've seen the reviews from the Technoarchy and they still want to compare it to a Note 20 Ultra or iPhone 11 but those of us who are advocating that isn't a phone are approaching it as phone capable but not phone primary. Personal Digital Assistant is closer. My use case is that I want it for professional and personal productivity.

I've set up groups that bundle some of my apps that I tend to bounce between. Last night instead of my Pro X I used the DUO on the couch to keep up with reviewing and approving Estimations in Excel and SOWs in Word, made a couple of comments in PowerPoint and took notes in OneNote while on a Teams Call.

I never really was able to get into using OneNote on my Note 10+ it was too narrow to take effective notes but spanning OneNote across both screens for Day Planner template worked well.

Later in the evening I read from the Kindle App in book mode and it was enjoyable.

I have loaded the Samsung Wear and Health Apps to use my Smart Watches for NFC (Samsung Pay) and notifications, I've also paired my Surface Buds (listening to Spotify as I type this).

I have a Tablet that acts as a 2 and 1, but it is 13", I want something that is smallish like a phone but is more.

Today I plan for this to be my digital moleskin and the device I take downstairs when I break for lunch and the device I use in the evenings.

 

[Turbogator]

I'm not an early adopter, but this one I bought on launch day. I had to order it because the ATT store only had the 128g model. It arrived Monday. This is my first Android device, no I'm not coming from IOS. My last phone was a windows phone, possibly the last one in the wild. Ive been waiting for this phone for a long time. so people can say "Its not a phone" and Microsoft can say "its not a phone" all day long. To me its a phone. I dont want to buy apple products I never have. I have made my living off writing code on Microsoft platforms. I never like apple and I never will. I also dont like being forced to do business with google as they are clearly evil. This Duo is the closest thing I can have to a windows phone and honestly so far, I love it.

Ive read about draw backs and missing features but none of them have bothered me a bit yet. The camera is in a weird spot, I dont do much where I need the camera pointed at me so its in a weird spot for me, I just have to get used to folding the phone around i guess.

Ive read that the kindle app is good, I use Nook and have for years. Its not optimal, It really only works on one screen at a time so that was disappointing. Maybe nook will update but i doubt it, nook seems to be fading, maybe ill switch to kindle.

Microsoft Teams is great on the DUO and is all the Microsoft software, that's no surprise. Microsoft Authenticator and LastPass are both great. coming from a windows phone I'm not used to having any app I want, so its candy store time for me.

Att offered 15 day return for a small restocking fee, and though ive only had it 2 days I really dont think ill be taking it back. No, I love it, and if I squint real hard and practice a bit of denial, I can call it my new Windows Phone.

 

[bangsters]

I've seen the reviews from the Technoarchy and they still want to compare it to a Note 20 Ultra or iPhone 11 but those of us who are advocating that isn't a phone are approaching it as phone capable but not phone primary. Personal Digital Assistant is closer. My use case is that I want it for professional and personal productivity.

I've set up groups that bundle some of my apps that I tend to bounce between. Last night instead of my Pro X I used the DUO on the couch to keep up with reviewing and approving Estimations in Excel and SOWs in Word, made a couple of comments in PowerPoint and took notes in OneNote while on a Teams Call.

I never really was able to get into using OneNote on my Note 10+ it was too narrow to take effective notes but spanning OneNote across both screens for Day Planner template worked well.

Later in the evening I read from the Kindle App in book mode and it was enjoyable.

I have loaded the Samsung Wear and Health Apps to use my Smart Watches for NFC (Samsung Pay) and notifications, I've also paired my Surface Buds (listening to Spotify as I type this).

I have a Tablet that acts as a 2 and 1, but it is 13", I want something that is smallish like a phone but is more.

Today I plan for this to be my digital moleskin and the device I take downstairs when I break for lunch and the device I use in the evenings.

Hey I'm jealous. On the fence on this phone. How are the so called "bugs" on the software? Are they really that bad as what is being said in most reviews? Overall, do you plan to use it as your only phone/device?

 

[jnjroach]

Hey I'm jealous. On the fence on this phone. How are the so called "bugs" on the software? Are they really that bad as what is being said in most reviews? Overall, do you plan to use it as your only phone/device?

The reviews have been brutal but the update has fixed most of the reported issues. The build is pretty stock Android and it works well with the apps I use.

Overall I'm super happy with this device.

 

[Ben_surfaceResearcher]

Sounds like fun. Any updates since having a bit of time to work through the learning curve?

 

[bangsters]

The reviews have been brutal but the update has fixed most of the reported issues. The build is pretty stock Android and it works well with the apps I use.

Overall I'm super happy with this device.

Well I just took the plunge. Been a surface user since the beginning, so I gotta have the Duo too

 

[jnjroach]

Sounds like fun. Any updates since having a bit of time to work through the learning curve?

It's by daily driver, I use it for Teams calls and OneNote for work, and I use it exclusively in the evening and weekends for both Tablet and Phone duty. Love it still, I ordered a skin from D-brand that matches my Pro X skin

 

[bangsters]

It's by daily driver, I use it for Teams calls and OneNote for work, and I use it exclusively in the evening and weekends for both Tablet and Phone duty. Love it still, I ordered a skin from D-brand that matches my Pro X skin

What skin did you get? I ordered the black swarm. Waiting for delivery.

 

[jnjroach]

What skin did you get? I ordered the black swarm. Waiting for delivery.

Same...

 

[bangsters]

Same...

Hey did you get the graphite bumper, or staying bumper less? I much prefer the graphite bumper with our dbrand skin as it completes the look

 

[jnjroach]

Hey did you get the graphite bumper, or staying bumper less? I much prefer the graphite bumper with our dbrand skin as it completes the look

Using the Stock Bumper, had the dbrand Swarm Skin on it as well but removed it

 

[bangsters]

Using the Stock Bumper, had the dbrand Swarm Skin on it as well but removed it

Didn't like the swarm?