Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices • Hacker News Board

Re: Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices

#221

Post by OkGoDoIt » Wed, Oct 02, 2019, 9:26 PM UTC

asenna wrote: post #72

For people saying dual screen is a gimmick, have you not wanted to replicate multi-screen setup on your laptop (while traveling or when not on your desktop)? Power users have always wanted more screen real estate! I've been eyeing the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo[1] ever since they've been announced (currently using a Macbook Pro 2015). I usually carry around an Asus portable second screen for my laptop in my backpack and th…

I use Duet for my iPad to get a 2nd screen for my laptop. It’s not perfect but it works. If I used a Mac I’d be excited to try the new “sidecar” second screen function Apple just unveiled. But of course it doesn’t work with a PC.

Anyway this setup gives me the best of both worlds. I get a nice trackpoint and keyboard, one really good display at all times, and a second display when I really need it. My iPad is thin and lightweight enough that I always have it with me in my laptop bag anyway.

Only downside is Duet Display can be a bit resource intensive.

Re: Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices

#222

Post by 7952 » Wed, Oct 02, 2019, 9:36 PM UTC

Analemma_ wrote: post #38

kbumsik wrote: post #29

It reminds me how the first Surface Pro looked like. It was incomplete and useless device so it didn't go well. However, Microsoft didn't give up. After three iterations Microsoft finally made Surface Pro 3, which was the first useful Windows tablet with a cleverly designed keyboard and a great 3:2 ratio screen. The surface line finally took off and third-parties began to make "surface-like" products since then. Micr…

There is a potential difference though: with the Surface, Microsoft only needed to iterate on the hardware, which it could do by itself. My concern with Windows 10X is that it requires buy-in from developers to reach its full potential, and that has been lacking. To be blunt, UWP attracted basically no developer attention (which is a shame, it was a pretty good development environment). Unless they figure out how to…

A lot of users spend their entire life in Office and various MS online apps. This would be worth having just for PowerPoint alone. It would let you keep slides open while presenting and have other apps open privately.

Re: Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices

#223

Post by mthoms » Wed, Oct 02, 2019, 9:37 PM UTC

devicetray0 wrote: post #220

NikolaNovak wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

- You'll take my dual and triple monitor setup from my home office and work-office over my cold dead body - But... on the go? Yes, I want the biggest possible screen, but also the best possible keyboard+trackpoint. So the new Surface Neo feels less than ideal. I am open to possibility that a breakthrough in UI will make this attractive, and/or that brand-new, unimagined-today use-cases will come up; but today , I don…

I worked in tech consulting, and my colleague actually had a very thin ~23" (IIRC) portable LCD screen he somehow carried with him on planes. It had a foldable kickstand so he could set up a dual-screen on any hotseat desk in seconds. It was brilliant, and I briefly considered the same, but my backpack was already heavy enough. I've heard of folks doing this with the MBP + a iPad Pro, but idk how well that works.

It works very, very well with the "duet" app. Duet supports Windows/Mac along with any recent iPad (or even iPhone).

The upcoming version of MacOS supports this natively but it's not clear to me yet how it will compare with Duet.

Re: Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices

#224

Post by jm4 » Wed, Oct 02, 2019, 9:45 PM UTC

augustl wrote: post #141

dmix wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm happy to see that Asus managed to find a way to keep the Escape key even while taking up way more space than Touchbar. Apple has no excuse. Still I'd personally rather use efficient tiling software + tabbing between spaces than have to look down at distractions. I'm amazed no major OS developer has tried to deliver this as an advanced mode. It's the type of thing that would benefit from direct OS integration. Mos…

I've never been more happy with a desktop environment than when I used i3. The sloppy window management in macOS combined with the scarce selection of laptops (of which none are really good in my opinion) has led me to try win10 as my development environment. i3-like on Windows would have been great!

I use Amethyst (like xmonad), spaces and set the dock to auto hide. Keyboard shortcuts for switching layouts and moving windows. Three finger swipe to the left or right to switch spaces or ctrl 1-4. I’m pretty happy with this setup.

https://github.com/ianyh/Amethyst

Re: Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices

#225

Post by dmix » Wed, Oct 02, 2019, 10:07 PM UTC

OJFord wrote: post #207

dmix wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm happy to see that Asus managed to find a way to keep the Escape key even while taking up way more space than Touchbar. Apple has no excuse. Still I'd personally rather use efficient tiling software + tabbing between spaces than have to look down at distractions. I'm amazed no major OS developer has tried to deliver this as an advanced mode. It's the type of thing that would benefit from direct OS integration. Mos…

Have you used yabai (on macOS)? It's about as close as I think we can possibly hope for. I still pine for i3 though.

Yes, I use yabai daily. It still feels a bit awkward but far less so than the rest I've tried. I might need to improve my config though.

Re: Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices

#226

Post by jotm » Wed, Oct 02, 2019, 10:08 PM UTC

ProfessorLayton wrote: post #213

scarface74 wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple doesn’t make perfect products in the beginning either. iPhone - no 3g, no GPS, no third party apps, couldn’t shoot video, and no flash for cameras. My feature phone had all of this at the time. Between 2G and AT&Ts network it was a hard pass for me. Not to mention the 4GB of memory. I did end up getting two iPod Touches before the iPhone 4. iPad - it wasn’t apparent until the next year, but the original iPad wa…

Not sure I agree with the first two, as those products were so revolutionary, it's hard to ding them for some features they missed (Especially since they eventually got many of those features via software updates). Not saying they were perfect by any means, but it was a damn fine first attempt. First gen Watch was trash and I completely regret that purchase, furthermore, I can't believe Apple even released it in that…

Windows Mobile phones had everything bar capacitive screens years before the iPhone, and tablets were a thing for years, as well. So please, stop with the "revolutionary" nonsense.

Re: Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices

#227

Post by asenna » Wed, Oct 02, 2019, 10:08 PM UTC

skrebbel wrote: post #209

asenna wrote: post #72

For people saying dual screen is a gimmick, have you not wanted to replicate multi-screen setup on your laptop (while traveling or when not on your desktop)? Power users have always wanted more screen real estate! I've been eyeing the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo[1] ever since they've been announced (currently using a Macbook Pro 2015). I usually carry around an Asus portable second screen for my laptop in my backpack and th…

Wow, that looks extremely cool. I wonder if it's a problem that there's no natural palm rest while typing though.

They have a palm rest that comes with the laptop as seen in some of the pictures: https://au.pcmag.com/laptops/62235/hands-on-the-twin-screen-...

Not ideal, but it's something.

Re: Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices

#228

Post by asenna » Wed, Oct 02, 2019, 10:19 PM UTC

zx2c4 wrote: post #182

asenna wrote: post #72

For people saying dual screen is a gimmick, have you not wanted to replicate multi-screen setup on your laptop (while traveling or when not on your desktop)? Power users have always wanted more screen real estate! I've been eyeing the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo[1] ever since they've been announced (currently using a Macbook Pro 2015). I usually carry around an Asus portable second screen for my laptop in my backpack and th…

> have you not wanted to replicate multi-screen setup on your laptop (while traveling or when not on your desktop)? P Remember the Thinkpad W701ds? With its retractable second screen, this was a thing of beauty: https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/c_fill,f_a... https://i.ytimg.com/vi/msJwcKy4PQQ/maxresdefault.jpg https://static.bhphoto.com/images/images1000x1000/1276679060... https://live.staticflickr.c…

Genuinely curious, why did these not work? Extremely poor battery life / portability?

Re: Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices

#229

Post by powersnail » Wed, Oct 02, 2019, 10:22 PM UTC

asenna wrote: post #72

For people saying dual screen is a gimmick, have you not wanted to replicate multi-screen setup on your laptop (while traveling or when not on your desktop)? Power users have always wanted more screen real estate! I've been eyeing the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo[1] ever since they've been announced (currently using a Macbook Pro 2015). I usually carry around an Asus portable second screen for my laptop in my backpack and th…

Always wanted to have a relatively light-weight dual screen laptop. Asus Zenbook Pro Duo is too over-powered with that GPU and large body. I want something light and preferably fanless.

However, while the Surface is certainly light-weight enough, it is too small when you type on the keyboard. Being just barely larger than a large phone is insufficient, in terms of both screen space and keyboard space. I can't type on so small a keyboard without giving myself wrist pain. It just doesn't seem like a serious laptop replacement.

Re: Microsoft introduces Windows 10 X for dual-screen devices

#230

Post by rbanffy » Wed, Oct 02, 2019, 10:25 PM UTC

thedaemon wrote: post #139

georgeecollins wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand how anyone could think dual screen is a gimmick that had a DS. There were a lot of games that put those two screens to good use. I am serious.

It could have done the same with 1 larger screen. But the DS is a foldable device. It's not a gimmick, it's part of the operation of the device. I use dual screens at work, because they are smaller lower resolution screens. At home I have 1 huge high resolution screen. Not having a physical separation is amazing.

Angular size is key. When I'm on my desk I have multiple screens that cover about twice as much as my laptop when I'm working away from my desk. Since the screen is closer, I can increase it's density and then I have almost as much real estate as on my desk.

Not sold on this reasoning.