Windows 10X will power dual-screen PCs from Microsoft, Dell, and more

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As Microsoft describes it, Windows 10X is a more modularized version of the OS, which gives the company much more control over how it performs. For example, the subsystem for Win32 apps, which is always running on Windows 10 PCs, doesn’t start up in 10X until you launch an older Win32 program. While it’s unclear what sort of resources that’ll save in the long run, every little bit helps when you’re running two screens. (Those Win32 apps also need to be from trusted or verifiable sources to run, which might cause some issues with more esoteric software. We’re hearing that
most software you find on major download sites should be fine, but this limitation could hinder tinkerers.)

You can also expect to see a more touch friendly Start menu in Windows 10X. That’s something Microsoft sort of attempted with the Windows 8 Start screen, but that implementation was widely detested, essentially forcing the company to bring back a more traditional menu in Windows 10. The 10X Start menu is more of a finger-friendly evolution on the current version. It’s not just a long list next to a few icons. The new Start menu will also shift seamlessly across both screens, which should avoid the problem you see on dual-monitor systems, where it usually lives awkwardly on one screen.

Of course, there are still plenty of reasons to be skeptical about dual-screen PCs. We’ve gotten used to virtual keyboards on phones, but they’ll never be a genuine replacement for traditional keyboards. What good will a device with two screens be if it’s a pain to type on? I suppose there’s always room for accessories. And maybe when we’re living in a future like the film Her, where our voices can handle all of our input needs, we’ll look think of keyboards as being as archaic as the abacus. But that world sure seems a long way off.

We’re hearing that Windows 10X is also being built with a variety of dual-screen device sizes in mind. So while first product, the Surface Neo, looks like Microsoft’s long-lost Courier concept, we might larger devices road. As someone who’s long pined for that device, it’s heartening to see the pieces finally fall in place for the dual-screen PC era.

Developing…

Follow all the latest news from Microsoft’s Surface event here!



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