Went to my local Sony Centre to try out the Sony Duo. Not sure of the specs this unit had, as it said i7 and 256GB on the sales card, but the memory showed barely 100GB, so take in mind this could be a mixed spec machine I tested. Chances are theyre selling the high spec unit only, but the display unit may be a made up spec.
Disclaimer: I write for Sony, but in the PlayStation division (we dont really talk to the Electronics guys across town). Theres no real bias here, as I have no stake in the machines success, nor am I important enough to influence anyone in such a way (outside or inside the company). And no, I cant get a machine for free (I dont even get PlayStations for free despite working with them every day), which is why I had to take a trip to Tottenham Court Road to try one out.
Right, impressions:
- First impressions werent great, as it was in keyboard formation but the screen seemed locked in horizontal formation. A glitch which corrected itself once I slid it back into tablet form, and after that the accelerometer worked fine. But after I read a review saying this happened with their pre-prod unit, it wasnt the best of starts.
- Its a tad too heavy for a tablet, as expected. You likely wont be holding this with one hand for too long without wrist support. Its still comfortable enough with two hands, but youre not going to be holding it like a sketch/notepad out and about (although Im not sure many people do that with their tablets?)
- In keyboard formation, it weighed about the same as my beloved Samsung NC10 (which Im trying to replace with a hybrid device).
- The screen is glorious. Sharp as hell. I lowered the brightness a little from its max setting and it was still looking great. Full marks.
- The (backlit) keyboard was generally fine. For my spindly, ET-like fingers, it took a couple minutes to get used to (due to the small dimensions and pressure change for the keystrokes I kept missing t for some reason at first), but after that period of adjustment I was typing fine. Not sure if cramp will eventually set in, but I was half way into my typical writing day, so the change from regular keyboard to this may have just been a bit too jarring.
- The optical nub/mouse nipple was also fine. I love trackpads, so wasnt expecting to like this nub-thing (I hate them usually), but it works surprisingly well. Responsive and well placed when using it with the mouse buttons. I found editing a Word doc painless enough.
- The touchscreen was great. As with everything else, it was responsive, smooth and accurate. I actually found myself editing a Word doc with it instead of the optical nub at a few points. Although I doubt that will last in real life day to day usage.
- The internet wasnt connected, so couldnt try that.
- No pen was available to try out, either. However, I did try the handwriting recognition with my pointy fingers and was pleasantly surprised that it got 4 out of 5 of my scraggly handwriting efforts correct. Genuinely impressed, but will save any praise for longer tests however, in this case, thumbs up and could offer a nice alternative to the keyboard for writing.
- I opened up several windows at once and monkeyed around with their sizes and formations on the screen. After struggling with the snap, I got a half Word/half Explorer set up going, with another Explorer page underneath. Pleasing, given the Windows 8 arguments over screen division. Of course, they may run like sludge when the wi-fi is on, who knows. But Im sure even an i3 could handle that okay.
- Didnt get to test the video capabilities, sadly.
- In its keyboard formation, the unit was steady and didnt tip over or show signed of rocking once, despite me becoming increasingly zealous with my typing to test out my typing speed.
- Battery life is still a worry. This unit was plugged in, but Ive heard it lasts around 2 and a half hours running HD video and anything up to 5 to 6 hours light usage. Obviously this isnt something I can test in a shop, but bizarrely the (expensive) battery slice wasnt yet available for the machine. Ive been told it barely adds any weight to it, but Id want to try it for myself.
- No cases are available (in the UK at least) yet, either. But the shop attendant showed me a Vaio case which fitted perfectly. Bit expensive at £50, though. And its certainly not thin enough to be a sleeve you can put the Duo in your carry bag or anything.
- On a similar front, its much thinner than youd expect, given the keyboard. Obviously thicker than a regular tablet, but still fairly svelte, considering.
- And physically, its a looker. The exposed cables/wires underneath the screen in keyboard formation is a little bit of a worry, but theres less space in there to get foreign objects accidently trapped than youd think.
Overall, Im actually impressed by it. The keyboard was better than expected and the touchscreens accuracy (and sheer vibrancy) reduced any worries about using Windows 8 or prolonged use.
My main concerns, aside from battery life, are the weight and the possible finger cramp, but its hard to work out if these will be significant problems in day to day use. At this stage, Id be willing to take a gamble, but at the high price its certainly down to personal preference. Id recommend people try it out if possible, though, as it surprised me in a good way.
Last side note: I went over the road to the Samsung shop and they didnt even know what the Ativ Tab/Smart PC was. Sigh.
