Knowing this was a first generation device I tried to keep my expectations low in spite of my excitement. I've missed Windows phones since I had to move on from my Lumia 1520. Since then I have mostly had Pixel phones. I like the pure Android without replicated apps or bloatware. I was disappointed when I learned the Duo would be a Google device but I get it. Apps. I'd just really love to be off of the Google ecosystem completely. Anyway the Duo...
What I like so far:
The form factor and build quality
Plenty of left-right screen real estate
Performance (but I don't really tax that much)
Good battery life (but again I'm not on it all day)
Microsoft services built in
I love the performance of apps that have been optimized for it.
What I'm not digging:
Bezel size. I know they've gone nuts trying to make the screen as close to the total size of the phones as possible in recent years and I haven't liked that either. Too easy to accidentally touch something. But when I hold it with the displays left and right (landscape?) I find I'm missing the north/south real estate in things like text messaging or Snapchat. The keyboard takes up too much of the screen. Keeping it in gesture mode instead of the 3 button mode helps a little.
The camera but that was expected. Coming from a Pixel 3XL the difference is a little jarring but I don't use the camera heavily either.
Swiftkey. I've never been a fan and prefer Gboard but that doesn't work very well at present. Gboard doesn't resize well. But Swiftkey, when in portrait mode needed to be resized because any word that started with a "p" would also catch the home button or start to move the app.
Spanning web pages across both screen in landscape. Instead of the page being cut in half the center section is actually missing.
A little more customization of the launcher would be great.
Price. For a first generation device that intentionally left a lot on the table feature and spec wise it's a lotta bit pricey.
Things I need to get use to:
I find myself holding the left screen in my left hand between my thumb and fingers and mostly using the right screen for whatever I'm doing. Even if I'm using two apps at once I tend to keep both on the right screen and use the app switcher. I'm kinda defeating the purpose here and need to work on that.
Swiftkey. Just lack of time with it really. That's been getting better.
Random things:
Using Your Phone helps with my keyboard issues and with the issue with center of a web page missing when spanned (I use the browser on my laptop but just tested this for grins and giggles) but it drains the battery very quickly. That surprised me a little since the display on the Duo is off.
Looking forward to more apps being adapted to this form factor. I hope, I hope, I hope.
I'll probably update my pros and cons as I go. I've only had it for about a week now.
Glad I saw the posts about the cracking around the usb-c port. Let me know to be careful.
All in all, like the title implies, I mostly like it but I am definitely looking forward to v2. Curious to hear others thoughts.
What I like so far:
The form factor and build quality
Plenty of left-right screen real estate
Performance (but I don't really tax that much)
Good battery life (but again I'm not on it all day)
Microsoft services built in
I love the performance of apps that have been optimized for it.
What I'm not digging:
Bezel size. I know they've gone nuts trying to make the screen as close to the total size of the phones as possible in recent years and I haven't liked that either. Too easy to accidentally touch something. But when I hold it with the displays left and right (landscape?) I find I'm missing the north/south real estate in things like text messaging or Snapchat. The keyboard takes up too much of the screen. Keeping it in gesture mode instead of the 3 button mode helps a little.
The camera but that was expected. Coming from a Pixel 3XL the difference is a little jarring but I don't use the camera heavily either.
Swiftkey. I've never been a fan and prefer Gboard but that doesn't work very well at present. Gboard doesn't resize well. But Swiftkey, when in portrait mode needed to be resized because any word that started with a "p" would also catch the home button or start to move the app.
Spanning web pages across both screen in landscape. Instead of the page being cut in half the center section is actually missing.
A little more customization of the launcher would be great.
Price. For a first generation device that intentionally left a lot on the table feature and spec wise it's a lotta bit pricey.
Things I need to get use to:
I find myself holding the left screen in my left hand between my thumb and fingers and mostly using the right screen for whatever I'm doing. Even if I'm using two apps at once I tend to keep both on the right screen and use the app switcher. I'm kinda defeating the purpose here and need to work on that.
Swiftkey. Just lack of time with it really. That's been getting better.
Random things:
Using Your Phone helps with my keyboard issues and with the issue with center of a web page missing when spanned (I use the browser on my laptop but just tested this for grins and giggles) but it drains the battery very quickly. That surprised me a little since the display on the Duo is off.
Looking forward to more apps being adapted to this form factor. I hope, I hope, I hope.
I'll probably update my pros and cons as I go. I've only had it for about a week now.
Glad I saw the posts about the cracking around the usb-c port. Let me know to be careful.
All in all, like the title implies, I mostly like it but I am definitely looking forward to v2. Curious to hear others thoughts.
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