Tevilo

Today, Microsoft previewed their re-entry into the mobile computing space by revealing the Microsoft Surface Duo, a dual screen smartphone that runs a Microsoft-skinned version of Android. The device was revealed after the unveiling of the Microsoft Surface Neo, a spiritual successor to the Microsoft Courier concept long revered by tech industry enthusiasts. The Surface Duo, originally rumored & rendered in nearly dead-on detail as the device code-named Andromeda, has also been previewed a year early by Microsoft in order to garner support from developers & to build up anticipation in a very busy consumer electronics market which has been lacking creative, ambitious innovation.

I’m sure I will write more about the Duo & its older sibling in the future, but for now, I want to address one very important thing that I observed from today’s Microsoft event: the Surface Neo camera. Cameras have become a vital measuring stick for mobile devices in recent years, with Apple, Google, Samsung, LG, OnePlus, and a host of other Android manufacturers all vying to have the best pocket-able camera experience in both hardware and software.

If you watched the Microsoft unveil carefully, you likely noticed there was no visible camera on the “back” of the device. The back of the device can technically be all four plains that exist on the hinged device, but only one was revealed to have had a camera: the right-side screen. The right-side screen of the Surface Duo, curiously also home to what appears to be phone call ready speaker grill, also had a clear, defined camera. In the animation showing the internals of the Intel-powered mobile device, the camera mount & hole can clearly be seen to the right of said speaker grill. Curiously, the area is rather large, along with the aperture of the camera. Much bigger than any normal forward-facing selfie/video chat camera.

The sole visible camera on the Surface Neo preview video, with a curiously large size for a selfie camera

My theory? That is truly a fully-featured camera that would be found facing outward on a traditional camera, complete with optical image stabilization & competition ready specs to possibly record 4K and take competitive pictures from a single sensor. Something Google proved is possible through the marriage of powerful hardware and well-defined software. Just look at the mounting area & surrounding electronics in the video (around the 1:21 mark), that looks like OIS to me. You could go from taking a selfie or video chatting to taking a picture or showing your surrounding just by flipping the device over or closing the hinge, screens out.

What do you think? Is Microsoft ready to re-enter the mobile hardware fray? Let me know on Twitter at @ghost_reiter!

Hello Internet, welcome to Tevilo. Tevilo is a long overdue brain child born out of a mixture of complements and criticism. Tevilo as a concept addresses the world of thoughts and opinions I normally present on my Twitter account, @ghost_reiter. Over time, personal friends and industry peers have shown interest in my opinions on topics ranging from technology to cultural transformation both online and in real life conversations. Tevilo expands on these ideas and provides detailed insight a more expansive form. I may drop links and short opinions or I may write long form opinion pieces, only the future of technology and culture can tell.

Before I set loose on the feeds of the Internet, let me introduce myself. I'm Alex Reiter (yes this explains the horrible pun that is my Twitter name). My life path can currently be described as a twenty-three year old male web applications developer in Naples, FL. Aside from my constant barrage of opinionated tweets and hours of conversation with anyone that will engage me in debate or discussion. I have also served as the technology writer for my college paper. I know I know, how stereotypical, everyone writes for their student paper. As true as it may be, I also never scratched the surface at The Glimmerglass. I wrote stories there that made sense to a very small subsection of modern user world views. By telling you about my previous experience, I simply want you all to know that this isn't my first walk around the park.

With Tevilo, I don't have to hold back or be "politically or topically correct". I don't have to tone down my message to only address the everyman. I can speak to a wider range of world views and present both fact and thought in a much wider range of tones. As you will see, my experience in professional technology and culture study is defined by passion and the need for knowledge. As my Twitter account will clearly reflect, I have long been an avid technology and culture pundit with a special interest in the answer to the question "What's next?".

By seeing what is next in technology and in culture, we can see how the world will look so we can shape it to be better. This is my vision for Tevilo. To portray the stories, opinions and overall topically relavent facts that can tell us what life will be like tomorrow, next year and a generation from now. I sincerly hope you join me and provide your own voice in this greater conversation. Tevilo isn't just my thoughts, it also portrays your actions in culture and your opinions of what can make the world function better for everyone. Heck, what is better than a future shaped by only the best ideas and opinions of culture? To me, nothing is more imperative than a well-formed future where functionality, practicality and morality meet in harmony. Join the conversation in this space and hopefully we shape the world for the better.

Let's go.