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I didn’t notice when it was announced a week ago, but Microsoft and Nvidia are partnering in the use of the new RTX Spark silicon in the next gen of Windows PCs. QUALCOMM’s Windows on ARM deal has expired. Is Microsoft dumping them?
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I've been rather busy recently, so I haven't had the time to get on here.
Firstly, who of us are still around? It's good to see a number of us still around, although Kuma seems to be AWOL; we're missing the innuendoes!
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ZenBook Duo
The ASUS ZenBook Duo (2025) has been serving me well. The battery life isn't great and I'd even say bad when using two displays (no surprise). The keyboard occasionally has a spaz out, but can be quickly fixed. The docks I have to use are temperamental with it and really don't like the dual displays.
The MPP is atrocious. I can barely use it even with stroke smoothing. I draw on other devices and transfer it over it's so unusable. Not to mention the included stylus just straight up died.
MPP 2.6 is barely usable if you are not a digital artist concerning about wobbles when slowly drawing diagonal lines. ASUS ZenBook Duo (2025) has MPP 2.0, which is unusable even if you are a note-taker (as decade-long-term user of Wacom EMR).
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So I wandered over to Woot today. This was partially motivated by a video of someone trying to daily drive a pixel fold with GrapheneOS, so I went looking to see if they still had that fold deal going, and they do!
Original Pixel Fold - $449
http://electronics.woot.com/offers/new-google-pixel-fold-5g-smartphone-256gb-1
Remarkable bundle deals:
https://computers.woot.com/plus/remarkable-paper-pro-bundle-2
And for funsies, the Surface Go 2 with LTE that I've been enjoying so much:
So, I can get a ZFold 5 (refubished) for that price. Which to go with.....
I am leaning towards the fold becuase it is a little narrower and I have small hands. But, advice wanted!
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Just when I thought that pens and folding phones were done with each other, along comes the Razr. The 6200nit Motorola Fold has an option for a pen that has its own charging case and is roughly the size of the Samsung Fold 7. It has interesting possibilities. Hopefully, it will prompt Samsung to think about bringing back the pen. I'm hoping that the Fold 8 Wide comes with an S pen option but I'm not holding my breath. Here is link to the first Razr Fold review I have seen. Motorola Razr Fold
A review of the Razr Fold. They like it ... they really like it. Particularly the pen. As the reviewer noted, "One feature that gives the Razr Fold an edge over competing foldables is its support for the Moto Pen stylus." People care about pens now? Since when? "so it's commendable that Motorola is offering both a thin design and stylus support." Hear that Samsung!! Commendable. Here's the review. Motorola Razr Fold review: One hell of a first impression
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I realize it's been nearly 3 decades when "pocket PCs" were on my radar with Palm and iPaqs. I had this notion that perhaps I could do all my computing on a portable device that could fit in my pocket.
I guess the modern smartphone has advanced quite a bit, but it still doesn't handle all my computing needs.
Now, upon reflection, I've strayed far from the idea of having a singular computing device.
Currently I regularly use:
-Windows gaming laptop, specifically with a discrete GPU to handle video and 3D rendering work
-Macbook Air specifically just to deploy stuff via XCode
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...That Apple has a Neo and Surface does not.
...That Apple (and maybe Samsung?) might be preparing a "wide" folding cell phone while Microsoft cancelled the Duo years ago.
...That Asus has a (Zenbook) Duo...
What do you find ironic?
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After all this time... ever since my favorite Asus Vivotab Note 8 days, I still have the original version of Autodesk's Sketchbook Pro software that has the Copic palette built-in.
Having tried all sorts of pen enabled drawing programs like Clip Studio or ProCreate, Sketchbook still manages to pull me back in. I love the minimalist interface, and I can still say it's the only piece of creative software, where I feel like I use every single tool and feature... it's my goto whenever I need to quickly sketch, modify images, turn a background transparent, warp an image, do quick compositions, and do a quick Copic rendering without having to waste the actual costly markers. It just about feels like whoever designed it made it for me in mind. Basically every pen-enabled device I own, from Samsung Note to Dell Canvas has paired up with my Sketchbook scribblings, and it…
Somewhere, I have a CD w/ a license key --- not sure if it will still install or no.
I've set a goal in Bing Searching/Microsoft Rewards to get a $25 Microsoft gift card, so I'll buy a copy once that rolls over.... (I try very hard to avoid spending "real" money on software licenses and ebooks and so forth, limiting my spending to only what I earn in the course of my regular searching)
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in Graphite, w/ a 3rd-party (Cobak) case which was on sale. Not that wild about the case (debating on getting an "origami" case off eBay which is far more affordable than the equivalent Amazon listing.
Sans case it is remarkably lighter than my original. The case is ~260grams and brings the heft back to something like the original. (If someone has a recommendation for a case which is: lightweight, easy in/out, subdued appearance w/ minimal branding, I'd be interested in recommendations.)
Am I the only person who doesn't like the new pen? Swapped it to my O.G. Scribe --- hopefully whoever ends up w/ it won't mind the grippy/rubbery eraser --- it being a featureless cylinder save for the button (and Kindle logo which is high up and visible, not palpable) is annoying as well.
The UI really needs an option where the colours which are on the device are…
Broke down and purchased an "origami" case off eBay --- hopefully it will fit/work well --- the inexpensive Cobak case which I bought on sale is okay, but I don't like how it compartmentalizes the pen or when the cover folds back doesn't allow the device to sit flat.
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Just saw Costco has the Surface Pro 11 X-Elite 16gb 1tb OLED screen model with standard (not Flex) keyboard and slim pen for $999. With prices going through the roof right now this is an amazing bargain BUT it also portends new incoming 2026 models and they are dumping inventory.
Looks like a quick return is coming for the just received Surface Pro 12 - refurb plus key board and pencil cost me just as much as a new X Elite and oh by the way SP12 will not drive 2 external monitors with their dock or my OWC Thunderbolt 4 dock.
AND YES, dstrauss and dstraussing are back!!!!!!!!
I got an email saying there was a new comment in this saga, but I can't find it! It started "Last word on the Costco baragin kit - it's going back to Costco." Did you delete that @dstrauss or am I overlooking it?
From the article: "...Spark is set to change the way you interact with Windows PCs forever with an AI agentic twist...."
🤢🤮