Like many other Android OEMs, the Surface Duo 2 comes with a custom launcher blanketed over Android. What I think is causing the bugginess and the software concerns have to do with the Microsoft Launcher. Use-cases like these make it less convenient to use than a traditional Android device and even shorten my time with the device because it takes too much time to try and figure out how to manipulate the device to do what I want. The keyboard frequently interferes with the other display when I want to look at the secondary display and type something on the other display. For example, when using the OneNote badge, I cannot see where the badge is on the display until the device is oriented in a specific way. However, some software concerns still need to be ironed out when we think about alternatives on the Android platform like a tablet or the Z Fold 3. In workflows like the one I described above, the Surface Duo 2 can make a task on mobile relatively productive. The Surface Duo 2 with two apps opened and in use at one time. The difference between using the Surface Duo 2 over a device like the iPhone is that I cannot only type on a larger canvas thanks to the screen real estate, but I can have other apps open, and I don’t have to switch between apps constantly. I have Word opened at the top in the Office app, and I have my notes open at the bottom in OneNote. Currently, I am typing this blog on the Surface Duo 2 using a Logitech K480 with the Surface Duo vertically. I will give an example of how the Surface Duo 2 is increasing my mobile productivity. Similar to having multiple windows open at a time on a desktop to increase productivity, having multiple displays on a mobile device is better for productivity. The idea behind the dual displays is the same idea of having two monitors for a desktop, and it is better for productivity than one large monitor. Yes, there are times when it can be buggy, but for the most part, the software concerns are more so a jab at implementing two displays correctly. I believe Microsoft has gotten out of the early stages of software bugginess. Using the Surface Duo before it was released and using the Surface Duo 2, the software has been greatly improved. When considering that and the fact that it is Microsoft’s second Android device, there has to be some grace. I do want to give Microsoft credit, however, because successfully implementing a dual-display device is very difficult to do, and many have tried to create a dual-display android device and have failed. The first-generation Surface Duo ran on Android 10, which had little support for a dual-display configuration. One of the biggest concerns of the first-generation Surface Duo was how buggy and out-of-sync the software was in using both displays. The protruding camera bump also does not make the device top-heavy when lying flat for video calls. I can have a video call open on one display and then a note-taking application on the bottom. I found the front-facing camera great for video calls as I did the first Surface Duo. Surface Duo 2 camera with a triple camera lens. It also keeps the fingerprint sensor that is housed on the home button useable. The camera bump is on the inside of the palm and fills a gap already with the thumb while keeping the weight closer to the hand. The side that the device defaults to when closing it for one-handed use is the side that I think is the best for holding. The weight distribution makes it more difficult to hold, especially since the device is already on the heavier side than other smartphones. It isn’t necessarily the wedge design that makes it uncomfortable. When holding the device in one hand and only using one screen, the device is like a wedge and, depending on which display you use. The triple camera lens keeps the device from folding back flush like the original Surface Duo was able to do. While I do not think it interferes with the original design of the Surface Duo as a productivity device, I believe it makes it more difficult to use one-handed. The most notable difference, and probably the most controversial with respect to the last generation, is the protruding camera bump on the back.
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