This is really clever design, and I like how they've incorporated the keyboard, giving you the freedom of the configuration. I just wish I could have a different OS underneath it all.<p>I really think the trick is not to try to hide the hinge, but to use it as a demarcator as seen here.
The addition of the keyboard is genius.<p>This feels like a very well thought out product. I might end up buying one of the full surface laptops + Duo because of my work flow. But, damn I would have loved to own one of these.<p>disclaimer: work for MSFT
This looks like super cool hardware. The hinge in particular!<p>I think hardware and software made by the same company can have big advantages.<p>For me personally, I don't really see much use case for something this size the same way I don't see much use case for an iPad. If I have a lot to do, I'll use my laptop. If it's something quick, I'll use my phone. I don't have much need for an in between currently. I'm sure there are use cases for this that I haven't thought about, though.<p>And not to say I wouldn't want one, looks great!<p>EDIT: As a phone replacement (new product video for Surface Duo just shown), this is even more interesting!
When the Courier concept was first shown, I almost couldn't contain my excitement.<p>Now, ten years later, it feels like most challenges the Courier (and now the Surface Neo) tried to solve have been solved by bigger screens, better multitasking and great pencil support.<p>New note taking and productivity apps benefit from the big screen and fluid resizing of apps that the iPad Pro and similar tablets provide.<p>The separation in the middle that made the courier look awesome ten years ago, now feels like an unnecessary hardware separation between the two sides of the display.
I recently bought the Note10+ and really like the pen functionality except for the fact that the screen is a little too narrow for any serious writing.
I really like the idea of a A5 size screen for hand writing.
I'm a heavy onenote user and would be very interested in the Neo if its priced right
Will be interesting to see Microsoft return to the smart phone market. Satya Nadella's organization is much more geared towards catering products towards their demand signal instead of repeating Ballmer's blunder of always acquiescing to the Windows fiefdom.
CNET's two-part series on Courier:<p><a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/the-inside-story-of-how-microsoft-killed-its-courier-tablet/" rel="nofollow">https://www.cnet.com/news/the-inside-story-of-how-microsoft-...</a><p><a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/how-windows-8-kod-the-innovative-courier-tablet/" rel="nofollow">https://www.cnet.com/news/how-windows-8-kod-the-innovative-c...</a>
This is huge... but the biggest thing remains if the Windows platform will be ready to meet this hardware. It's painfully obvious that Andromeda and Centaurus and all this hardware has been there and solid, but that Windows' true universal platform structure hasn't been good enough to meet it.
This is fantastic. I've always found it cumbersome to write on onenote and have a browser / PDF reader open simultaneously. Split screen doesn't really work, especially in landscape mode.<p>Might finally be able to drop the paper notebook in my backpack if they can make screen larger on this one.
I wonder if this will take off. People are <i>Very</i> entrenched in traditional laptop world, so this seems essentially useless for corporate settings.
Amazing hardware, looks well thought out. Would never buy it with Windows OS though - I have a Surface for work with Windows 10 Pro and it's invasive crappy nagware.