HOT FIVE #1

THE ANSWER IS OUT THERE, NEO

Microsoft Surface Neo

‘Neo’ is an anagram of ‘one’, which is weird considering Microsoft’s newest Surface tablet has got two screens. Shouldn’t it be called the Wot instead? Someone in Microsoft’s marketing department isn’t trying hard enough.

Maybe it’s missing a letter and should be called the None, because apart from the size of the displays there aren’t any confirmed specs available yet. That doesn’t mean we don’t know what it’ll do, though. The 360° hinge between the two 9in screens means they can be folded back to create a tab with displays on both sides, opened out flat as a single 13in slate, or somewhere in between to be used like a regular laptop with a fold-out keyboard. It runs Windows 10X, which allows for proper split-screen multitasking, and comes with a Surface Pen stylus that attaches to the back when not in service.

Fortunately, Microsoft has plenty of time to work the other details out, because the Neo isn’t due to be released until the end of next year – along with the Surface Duo, a smaller dual-screened device that runs Android. Yep, it’s the return of the Windows Phone! Sort of.