AI, is this Surface Duo an Android phone? This article did not make this clear. Some forum members think it is running on Windows.
I came here to ask the same question.
I can’t wait to see the commercials they come up with for these! I’m seeing those 2 kids comparing the Surface Laptop Studio with an iPad Mini wearing those disapproving looks on their faces.
Microsoft previously said that the reason the Surface didn't have Thunderbolt ports was for security reasons. I wonder why they changed their tune.
Thunderbolt 4 fixes the security issue they had with Thunderbolt 3 regarding direct memory access (DMA).
An excellent and quick answer, thanks!
Who knows if this is the answer to the question of MS not implementing TB on Surface models for so long. The table is a list of certification requirements to brand a TB implementation as TB3 or TB4. The DMA protection was optional for TB3, or something any Intel vendor could support even if they didn't have TB. Apple implemented DMA protection for its TB3 Macs. Apple basically implemented everything in TB4 with its TB3 implementation save for supporting accessories with 4 TB ports.
The linked Verge article is pretty thin imo. And, the Verge says MS PR refused to comment on this MS employee's statement.
Design decisions like this are never caused by one single thing. MS has a feature set in mind for their Surface products, and there were likely several reasons why they chose not to implement TB3. Really, who knows what they were. It could have been cost, it could have been manpower, it could have been the Surface Connector, it could have even been security, which I obviously think is pretty thin. It's doubtful MS is going to tell people what the process is for what features Surface devices will support.
I find it impossible for MS to not support Intel's VT-d based DMA protection. It existed, what, in the Firewire days? They should have it supported as part of their base operating system to provide security for PCIe cards, TB1/2/3 devices, and whatnot, which virtually all Windows OEMs should be using. Seems crazy MS would have left that to OEMs to support.
I literally did a double take when I saw this image of the Surface Studio Laptop:
It's long past time for Apple to move on from its unibody aluminum and glass design language. It's been too diluted by time and other OEMs using it. It's been, what, 15 years now?
Based rumors of the MBP14/15 and M2 Macbook Airs, it doesn't look like they are changing much from this ID, with perhaps more color on the low end. Tis a pity. They probably haven't found anything they liked, but Apple Silicon should let them do some interesting things and I really hope they take the opportunity.
This reminds me of when they could not sell the previous models and they had to take a $900 million his for unsold surface pro from a few years ago. I guess time will tell.
I literally did a double take when I saw this image of the Surface Studio Laptop:
It's long past time for Apple to move on from its unibody aluminum and glass design language. It's been too diluted by time and other OEMs using it. It's been, what, 15 years now?
Based rumors of the MBP14/15 and M2 Macbook Airs, it doesn't look like they are changing much from this ID, with perhaps more color on the low end. Tis a pity. They probably haven't found anything they liked, but Apple Silicon should let them do some interesting things and I really hope they take the opportunity.
Apple shouldn’t change the design of Mac notebooks just because others copy it. That design has pretty much achieved iconic status. As such, the copies don’t look generic; they turn out to be advertisements for Apple.
I’m not opposed to Apple coming out with some new design, but it should happen for affirmative reasons rather than ‘just because.’
I would definitely do a hands-on test drive on the Surface Laptop Studio before laying down any cash. When you look at the side photos you’ll see that the entire chassis sits up unusually high, which could make typing and mousing uncomfortable for some folks. The whole design is a bit gimmicky in my opinion. The in-between configuration that covers the keyboard with the screen still semi-upright seems rather unnecessary. Still, it’s better than the removable screen and ugly flex hinge from the previous model. But nothing about this design makes me think it’ll be anything more than a one-off design that will find its way into the museum of computer oddities, like some of Apple’s odd one-off iMac, toilet seat, and Cube designs.
I literally did a double take when I saw this image of the Surface Studio Laptop:
It's long past time for Apple to move on from its unibody aluminum and glass design language. It's been too diluted by time and other OEMs using it. It's been, what, 15 years now?
Based rumors of the MBP14/15 and M2 Macbook Airs, it doesn't look like they are changing much from this ID, with perhaps more color on the low end. Tis a pity. They probably haven't found anything they liked, but Apple Silicon should let them do some interesting things and I really hope they take the opportunity.
Apple shouldn’t change the design of Mac notebooks just because others copy it. That design has pretty much achieved iconic status. As such, the copies don’t look generic; they turn out to be advertisements for Apple.
I’m not opposed to Apple coming out with some new design, but it should happen for affirmative reasons rather than ‘just because.’
Most certainly. I very much want them to do it for positive reasons, not defensive, as well. But this rule of thumb or design practice isn't sacrosanct. Apple has to respond to the scenario at hand. Now, you can argue they don't have to do anything as they are selling more Macs than ever, but it's also their job to figure out what the customer didn't know what they wanted.
Apple has tried something different with their laptops. Namely, the butterfly keyboard, the Touch Bar and increasing the size of the trackpad, and thinnovation at each major generation, though getting thinner has slowed down as an overarching goal for Apple for awhile now. Refining the input mechanisms would be my number 1 priority for any device, too. Unfortunately, and curiously, butterfly keys were failures and the Touch Bar looks like it will not be in the new models, and being phased out. Then, it looks like the size of the trackpad reached a point of diminishing returns, and they probably would be just as effective being a little smaller. They have to keep going down the path of improving input methods, and hopefully they are not gun-shy about it now.
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Design decisions like this are never caused by one single thing. MS has a feature set in mind for their Surface products, and there were likely several reasons why they chose not to implement TB3. Really, who knows what they were. It could have been cost, it could have been manpower, it could have been the Surface Connector, it could have even been security, which I obviously think is pretty thin. It's doubtful MS is going to tell people what the process is for what features Surface devices will support.
I find it impossible for MS to not support Intel's VT-d based DMA protection. It existed, what, in the Firewire days? They should have it supported as part of their base operating system to provide security for PCIe cards, TB1/2/3 devices, and whatnot, which virtually all Windows OEMs should be using. Seems crazy MS would have left that to OEMs to support.
It's long past time for Apple to move on from its unibody aluminum and glass design language. It's been too diluted by time and other OEMs using it. It's been, what, 15 years now?
Based rumors of the MBP14/15 and M2 Macbook Airs, it doesn't look like they are changing much from this ID, with perhaps more color on the low end. Tis a pity. They probably haven't found anything they liked, but Apple Silicon should let them do some interesting things and I really hope they take the opportunity.
Apple has tried something different with their laptops. Namely, the butterfly keyboard, the Touch Bar and increasing the size of the trackpad, and thinnovation at each major generation, though getting thinner has slowed down as an overarching goal for Apple for awhile now. Refining the input mechanisms would be my number 1 priority for any device, too. Unfortunately, and curiously, butterfly keys were failures and the Touch Bar looks like it will not be in the new models, and being phased out. Then, it looks like the size of the trackpad reached a point of diminishing returns, and they probably would be just as effective being a little smaller. They have to keep going down the path of improving input methods, and hopefully they are not gun-shy about it now.