Microsoft has gotten back into the phone game with a new, hinged dual-screen mobile phone. Instead of running Windows though, it will run Android. It opens and closes like a book, and gives users dual screens that can work separately or together tablet-style. It's called the Windows Surface Duo. But here's the thing: the phone won't hit the market until late 2020.
At a surprise event, Microsoft announced two new Surface products, one like a digital book, the other a 5.5" dual screen mobile phone. Dubbed the Surface Neo and Surface Duo respectively, both devices will run on Windows 10X, a new mobile version of the OS, and will be available Christmas 2020. Microsoft says it will fold together like a book, or open up to be both screens on either side, or close facing each other. Unlike the overpriced Samsung Galaxy Fold, the Surface duo is hinged, rather than folding the screen.
This week, at Oculus annual VR conference, Oculus announced a new virtual social network called Facebook Horizon, where you can join friends in a virtual room and hang out. It's like the infancy of Ready Player One. Leo says it makes sense now the way Facebook would spend $3.2 Billion for Oculus, now. They see the future. Here's what it will look like:
TIVO has announced that they are putting ads in front of every recording they make. Leo says that will be a death knell for the company, which has been struggling since the advent of video on demand. Leo also says it's ironic because TIVO also has a commercial skip button. It's outrageous because you spend hundreds of dollars for a TIVO, and then you pay for a monthly guide subscription. We shouldn't have to deal with ads from TIVO as a reward. Plus, we don't need DVRs anymore, and if we do, Leo says that Plex (a sponsor of the TWiT Network) on your Roku does just as good a job.
Leo bought Apple's most expensive iPhone, the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Leo says it's a work of art, and he also says it's largely future-proofed for the next two years. He also says that the biggest change is the odd three-camera array on the back, which looks like a missile launcher. But Leo says it takes really NICE pictures since Apple's camera app now lets you zoom while recording video and going between each lens.
Apple announced the next-generation iPhone 11 this week, in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. There's also the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, with the Max going up to 512GB. And Leo says that Apple is offering up to $400 off on a trade-in of an old iPhone X. The iPhone 11 has two lenses, like the iPhone X, while the Pro models have three lenses. Leo says that the one thing that the iPhone can do, through FiLMiC Pro, is to record separate streams from at least two cameras at the same time. And Apple has also invented the "Slowfie!" A slow-motion selfie.
Tuesday is Apple's next event and Leo is expecting the latest iPhone 11 (or whatever it'll be named). After the announcement, users will be able to order it starting Friday, the 13th. Leo says that gone are the days where people would wait for a week in line to be the first to get it. Now they just go online at midnight and place their order.
Other expected announcements include another update to the Apple Watch. Rumor has it that Apple will be offering ceramic versions again, along with titanium models. But Leo says that the cheapest is just as good. it's what he gets.
The latest scam is to convince the phone company to transfer your mobile phone number to a new SIM. Cloud Hopper is the app that does this. Once that's accomplished, the bad guys can gain control of all your apps, including banking apps with 2 factor authentication through a SIMJACKED phone. That's what happened to Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. Leo says that what he recommends is contacting your mobile service and request they use a PIN to verify it's you when seeking to get a new SIM.
New phones are hitting the market starting right now. First out the gate was Samsung with the Galaxy Note10. But it's over $1100! Next up is the Google Pixel 4, probably coming in October. The iPhone 11 is also rumored to arrive soon, and there's an Apple event scheduled for the next two weeks. Huawei will put out the Mate 30 on September 18th, if you can get it. It's the first major phone launch since the company was blacklisted. It will also be the first without Google apps and services. Just Android.
Apple is poised to announced the iPhone 11 with three lenses and multiple colors.
Google's next Pixel 4 is also planned in September with similar features.
Leo says that mobile phones have become like Cadillacs in the 50s. Instead of new innovations and designs, we're getting "fins."
