Skip to main content

Microsoft’s Surface Dial gets more useful with Djay Pro support

djay Pro for Windows - The #1 DJ software with Spotify integration!
Microsoft’s Surface Dial accessory was featured prominently in the incredibly effective Surface Studio introduction video, creating a bit of excitement for an input device that promises to make creative workflows more efficient and fun. Since then, things have quieted down, with developers slowly adding support for the peripheral’s unique functionality.

Of course, like Apple’s Touch Bar input device on its MacBook Pro machines, the ultimate value of the Surface Dial depends entirely on a critical mass of popular applications that make use of it. One example is Djay Pro, an iOS and MacOS app that was just released for Windows 10, MS Power User reports.

The app’s developer, Algoriddim, utilized the Project Islandwood bridge technology that Microsoft built to make porting apps from iOS to Windows 10 an easier process. As such, while Djay Pro isn’t a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app, it has the advantage of fully supporting all of the iOS app’s functionality.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Perhaps more interesting is the application’s support for the Surface Dial. As expected, the Surface Dial provides for quick and fluid access to a number of key features, such as access to filters, adjusting levels, moving through tracks, and more. The app itself appears to be a full-feature option and makes considerable use of Windows 10’s other main feature, touchscreen support.

In addition, because the Surface Dial works with any Bluetooth-enabled Windows 10 device, you are not limited to Microsoft’s Surface hardware. One exception is that the ability to plant the Surface Dial on a display and interact with an application on-screen is so far limited to the Surface Studio, with support for the feature expected to make its way to certain other Surface machines at some point.

You can pick up the app from the Windows Store. It is $50 and it integrates with Spotify, Groove Music, and iTunes for a wide range of streaming music options.

Mark Coppock
Mark has been a geek since MS-DOS gave way to Windows and the PalmPilot was a thing. He’s translated his love for…
Everything Microsoft didn’t announce at its 2023 Surface event
Microsoft showing off the new Surface laptop Go 3 at its September event.

Microsoft unveiled several new products during its 2023 Surface event. We got lots of updates about Windows Copilot and other AI-driven software upgrades, as well as plenty of hardware, including the Surface Laptop Studio 2 and the Surface Laptop Go 3.

While a lot of our early predictions came true during the Microsoft September event, there are still a few things that were noticeably missing from this year's lineup. Here's what Microsoft could have announced, but didn't.
Surface Pro 10

Read more
Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Go 3 is a more capable budget laptop
Surface Laptop Go 3 at Microsoft debut event.

At today's Surface event, Microsoft announced the third generation of its budget-priced Surface Laptop Go, the premium Surface Laptop Studio 2, and the Surface Go 4. Sporting a Microsoft pedigree, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is worth considering if you're looking for a nice-looking touchscreen notebook.

Microsoft upgraded several components in this year's offering to make the Surface Laptop Go 3 more competitive. Microsoft upgraded the processor to a 12th Gen Core i5-1235U, which deliversa massive upgrade of 88% faster performance. Memory and storage capacity are larger than ever for a Surface Laptop Go, with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. At the same time, battery life increases from 13 to 15 hours, so you can go all day with this laptop.

Read more