I haven't seen the iPhone Duo in person yet, but I made my decision some time ago. And the reviews show that I had the right hunch: the Duo is a big phone that transforms into a small tablet.

The phone seems too clunky. The tablet mode is apparently nice, but it requires two hands. I imagine that using the Duo comes with a decision every time: is the phone mode sufficient, or is it better to open it? I also don’t know what I could do with a little tablet in my pocket that I couldn’t do with an iPhone alone. If there were something important I could do with the Duo that I otherwise need a Mac for, it might be worth it.

I find that hybrids rarely work. Marketing claims a hybrid solution gives you the best of both worlds, but in reality, it’s a compromise that makes both worlds less enjoyable than a dedicated solution. Apple has mostly resisted hybrids, but now we have the iPhone Duo and the touch-enabled MacBook.