New Microsoft hire: Forcing me from Mac to PC

Tofray · Jan 10, 2014

Just got hired by Microsoft and have already received a few raised eyebrows/"joking" references to getting rid of my iPhone...So was hoping I can get some advice/feedback on a possible switch to Windows Phone.

I own a 27" iMac, 11" Macbook Air, and iPhone 5S...I love everything about mac/OSX/iOS, and the amazing synchronicity between all of my devices. I have played around with the Lumia 920/925 and they are pretty slick. I can definitely see using the phone part time (while at work) but I'm really not excited at all about totally replacing my home iMac/MacBook/iPhone culture.

Here are my questions:
1) Has anyone successfully integrated a Windows phone into their current iMac/Macbook combo, and have no problems adjusting/sync'ing apps & data on both platforms (generally speaking)?

2) If I had to replace the iMac/MBA, could anyone recommend PC desktop/ultrabooks that would be closely comparable to an iMac/MBA?

3) I'm considering swapping the SIM back & forth from the iPhone to the Lumia, when coming/going to work. I already know that it can be done, but can anyone who is doing it now, comment on how difficult this transition is?

Thanks for any feedback, and I'd especially love to hear from anyone who has transitioned to/from Windows Phone.

T5BRICK · Jan 10, 2014

Tofray said:
2) If I had to replace the iMac/MBA, could anyone recommend PC desktop/ultrabooks that would be closely comparable to an iMac/MBA?

You could always just run Windows on your Macs. There are a couple of different ways to go about this.

3) I'm considering swapping the SIM back & forth from the iPhone to the Lumia, when coming/going to work. I already know that it can be done, but can anyone who is doing it now, comment on how difficult this transition is?

You're probably going to need a SIM adapter. I'm pretty sure the iPhone 5/5c/5s are the only phones that currently use nano SIMs.

jav6454 · Jan 10, 2014

Windows and Mac will almost always play nice. When they don't you'll wish to tear your hair out.

1. Look at HP Envy lines. Those area really well made. Friend has one and it rivals my 13" Late 2008 MacBook.

Tofray · Jan 10, 2014

Sorry, I forgot to add that I do have Windows 7 bootcamped onto my iMac, so I do run some windows stuff, and am prepared to do everything MSFT on that side.

Work is giving me a windows laptop, so the MBA will pretty much just be relegated to home use.

I guess my reservation is whether it's rationale to try to make the Mac fit the PC side of my life now, or should I just succumb to the pressure and replace everything Apple with windows/pc stuff?

And thanks for the HP Envy info...I'll check it out!

jav6454 · Jan 10, 2014

Don't succumb into what you never want. Simply acknowledge the fact that work will now mean that a Windows laptop will fit into your Mac lifestyle. Never the other way around.

If you want to keep using your MBA, just tell the person at work, you already have Windows running and have no need for the new computer.

T5BRICK · Jan 10, 2014

Tofray said:
I guess my reservation is whether it's rationale to try to make the Mac fit the PC side of my life now, or should I just succumb to the pressure and replace everything Apple with windows/pc stuff?

I'm not sure why you'd go that far. I've got a split Mac/PC household and everything seems to work out just fine. I do most of my gaming and some various work related stuff on the PC, and just about everything else happens on my Mac.

I'm currently in between Macs right now though. I can do everything I NEED on the PC, I do miss having the Mac around.

eyoungren · Jan 10, 2014

Tofray said:
1) Has anyone successfully integrated a Windows phone into their current iMac/Macbook combo, and have no problems adjusting/sync'ing apps & data on both platforms (generally speaking)?

I had an HTC Touch Pro running Windows 6.1 Pro for three years. I have PowerBooks at home and am all Mac.

Integration was fine, but I didn't really use my phone for music and I don't do much video. Photos I continue to store on my phone. It's easier with Windows phones because if you have a Micro SD card it can load as a disk to your desktop. Direct copy back and forth between phone and Mac.

As far as contacts, etc I use Entourage 2008 and I have it synced with Address Book. There are any number of ways you can get syncing done between the phone and newer Macs. But you may wish to take a look at Eltima Syncmate. That program is worth the price and will let your Mac talk to your phone.

Hope that helps.

scaredpoet · Jan 10, 2014

I have a feeling that, to put it bluntly, you will probably need to eventually switch out of the Apple ecosystem entirely and into Microsoft-specific hardware. The very job itself, working at Microsoft, will pretty much demand this. Much like someone accepting a job at Apple would very likely feel hobbled if they tried to stick to using Windows on their desktops, laptops and mobile devices.

Unless you're one of the very lucky few working for Microsoft under the Office:Mac team, working for Microsoft means you'll need to eat, drink and breathe Microsoft, and shift your mindset to their paradigm. Wheher you agree with it or not, this is their edict. If you have really strong misgivings about this, then... you might need to rethink this career choice.

petvas · Jan 10, 2014

I have worked for Microsoft and I can give you this advice:

Don't talk a lot about your Apple devices, use them but only privately,don't show them at work. Be discreet about them.
You will get from them a Windows Phone and a laptop. Use them only for work and only when you are at home.
When you are away from work, keep using your Apple stuff. Nobody can force you to change your private life! Just don't provoke and everything will be ok.

Badrottie · Jan 11, 2014

If you truly love Apple products/OS then why do you work for Microsoft?? I had to guess you might knew the risk of giving up all Apple products if you work for Microsoft. (Same true for Google Androiid). I can only tell you to get rid of Apple stuff and you should enjoy new Microsoft products. :apple:

kevinof · Jan 11, 2014

Why is this even a problem. What you do/use at your home or when off work is your business. if you have Apple stuff for your personal use and love it then continue to use it.

At work then MS will ask that you use MS kit and SW. That's called eating your own dog food and it's perfectly understandable. If you worked at Apple I doubt they would let you use a PC or Windows phone for business.

ozaz · Jan 11, 2014

Tofray said:
2) If I had to replace the iMac/MBA, could anyone recommend PC desktop/ultrabooks that would be closely comparable to an iMac/MBA?

Keep your iMac. It's your personal home computer which you can dual boot OS X and Windows. No need to change and no one can force you to change.

Sounds like you probably won't need your MBA. I'd be tempted to give Surface Pro a try. Therefore you can get used to Windows 8 as a full PC and as a tablet OS.

If you really do want a traditional built-for-windows ultrabook alternative to MBA, I'd suggest ThinkPad X1 Carbon, Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus, and Dell XPS 13 as the stand out choices.

3) I'm considering swapping the SIM back & forth from the iPhone to the Lumia, when coming/going to work. I already know that it can be done, but can anyone who is doing it now, comment on how difficult this transition is?

Thanks for any feedback, and I'd especially love to hear from anyone who has transitioned to/from Windows Phone.

I'm not a fan of SIM swapping because my SMS conversations get disjointed across two phones. But many do it.

I'm a long term iPhone user who gave Windows Phone a try at the start of December. Integration was not really an issue for me as my main desktop OS is Windows. However, I still switched back to iPhone. Here are my thoughts: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/18489690/

Badrottie said:
If you truly love Apple products/OS then why do you work for Microsoft??

Career really should trump personal gadget preference.

jamezr · Jan 11, 2014

petvas said:
I have worked for Microsoft and I can give you this advice:

Don't talk a lot about your Apple devices, use them but only privately,don't show them at work. Be discreet about them.
You will get from them a Windows Phone and a laptop. Use them only for work and only when you are at home.
When you are away from work, keep using your Apple stuff. Nobody can force you to change your private life! Just don't provoke and everything will be ok.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is great advice! You can use for work what is required for work. Then use the Apple products you have always used at home away from work.
At work just don't talk about Apple products. Just don't take the bait and let anyone drag you into any debate about Windows versus Apple products.
You will be fine.
I do IT work and have worked in several places where they thought Apple products were the enemy. So just keep your private life to your self.
Oh and CONGRATS on the new job!

cynics · Jan 11, 2014

I'm surprised anyone would care. What does working for Microsoft have to do with what phone you use and what computer you use at home?

Do Microsoft employees sound better on a phone running a Microsoft OS? Or do you work with children?

petvas · Jan 11, 2014

Of course they care. Imagine working for Pepsi and going to the office with a coca cola in the hand

Rodster · Jan 11, 2014

Badrottie said:
If you truly love Apple products/OS then why do you work for Microsoft?? I had to guess you might knew the risk of giving up all Apple products if you work for Microsoft. (Same true for Google Androiid). I can only tell you to get rid of Apple stuff and you should enjoy new Microsoft products.

QFT !

In this economy, work is work and good paying jobs are hard to find. The OP should have applied at Apple tbh.

I ran into a similar deal when I worked at Sony. I mentioned to a supervisor that I preferred using a non Sony computer, TV and phone which I got a not so nice talking to.

So all companies do this. I'd like to see an Apple new hire walk in with a ThinkPad X1 and a Nexus 5 and see the looks that would get.

sjinsjca · Jan 11, 2014

You're a new hire. You're "the other" for a while yet. Among your tasks for the next months is to show that you are a team player. You have joined a new team and will be on a vague unspoken sort of probation until you do.

So, let that define your course.

Microsoft looks like it's in for some tough times. When the scythe swings, try not to be known as the guy with the 'tude.

I wouldn't say to abandon your fondness for things Apple (certainly, Microsoft and its users benefit for every guy like you they hire), but maybe be a little judicious and selective about it, m'kay? And be respectful of what Microsoft has accomplished. They're not a ship of fools.

And be a little careful about those jokes... corporations are not known for their sense of humor. A great example: brilliant author Harlan Ellison lasted literally hours at Disney in the '60s. His crime was to reduce several co-workers to helpless laughter with a spontaneous lunchroom riff about how they should make a Mickey & Minnie porno. A pink slip was waiting on his desk by the time he finished lunch.

ozaz · Jan 11, 2014

Out of curiosity, do they ask about your personal computing preferences during the hiring/interview process?

sjinsjca · Jan 11, 2014

Rodster said:
QFT !

In this economy, work is work and good paying jobs are hard to find. The OP should have applied at Apple tbh.

I ran into a similar deal when I worked at Sony. I mentioned to a supervisor that I preferred using a non Sony computer, TV and phone which I got a not so nice talking to.

So all companies do this. I'd like to see an Apple new hire walk in with a ThinkPad X1 and a Nexus 5 and see the looks that would get.

Intriguingly, Google is a huge Mac customer, and you see quite a few iPhones walking around there too. Marissa Mayer was very open about her preference for her iPhone when she was there, and Macs absolutely dominate the desktops there, with Linux a distant second... except in the server farms, where it's all Linux. (As an aside, Windows is frowned-upon for desktop use at Google. You need to have a specific business justification for running Windows there. It's more a matter of security than of taste, though, and the policy followed in the wake of the big security breach they suffered a couple years ago, which targeted Windows users there. You will still find Windows in specialized technical applications, though, due to broader support by instrumentation vendors.)

Similarly, at Apple you'll occasionally see a Windows laptop or, more commonly, a Mac bootcamped or VM'd into Windows. iPhones are pretty universal though. I think they give them out as party favors there or something.

My impression of both places is that the machine you're rocking doesn't really matter much, as all focus is on what you do with it. I hope that's the case at Microsoft, too, both for OP's sake and for the sake of its users.

There seems to be almost an inverse relation between the institutional acceptance of others' products and the organization's ability to innovate. Your citation of Sony is a great example-- the supervisor's immaturity and small-mindedness is a perfect reflection of that company's descent into a death spiral.

weckart · Jan 11, 2014

I vaguely remember reading that you have to deregister a sim from your iPhone if using in another phone otherwise texts your iPhone owning friends send to you will never make it. I don't swap sims between phones so cannot confirm personally.

A quick check on Apple's forums showed me this thread. I have not read it but it could give you a starting point if you intend to share a sim between phones.

tbayrgs · Jan 11, 2014

weckart said:
I vaguely remember reading that you have to deregister a sim from your iPhone if using in another phone otherwise texts your iPhone owning friends send to you will never make it. I don't swap sims between phones so cannot confirm personally.

A quick check on Apple's forums showed me this thread. I have not read it but it could give you a starting point if you intend to share a sim between phones.

Sim swapping works fine, as long as you keep iMessage turned off and just use standard SMS/MMS on the iPhone or up you will likely run into problems because you have to remember to deactivate iMessage before you remove your SIM card and even then, you may have issues is Apple's systems still think you're active.

If I was in your shoes, I'd leave all Apple gear (and bias

) at home and just embrace the change. This is your employment we're talking about. If your continued use of an iPhone means more to you then, 1) you shouldn't have applied for a job Microsoft, and 2) your priorities are out of whack when a phone worth hundreds of dollars and clearly replaceable takes precendent over your job. IMO, when at work, walk the walk and talk the talk, so to speak.

Windows Phone isn't awful and I'm sure you'll manage just fine with it. I don't see why you'd have to replace your home Apple gear, unless you're expected to provide your own laptop and bring it to work.

ozaz · Jan 11, 2014

weckart said:
I vaguely remember reading that you have to deregister a sim from your iPhone if using in another phone otherwise texts your iPhone owning friends send to you will never make it. I don't swap sims between phones so cannot confirm personally.

A quick check on Apple's forums showed me this thread. I have not read it but it could give you a starting point if you intend to share a sim between phones.

Good point. Yes, this issue is a b****

I haven't read other threads, but from my experience I think part of the problem occurs because iOS 7 iPhones default to an imessage setting where "send as SMS" is off by default (meaning if your friend's iPhone thinks your phone number is registered to imessage it won't bother sending an sms when your phone is not connected to the imessage server).

You will need to manually deregister all your phone number from imessage on all your apple devices. Even when you do this it will take more than 24 hours (in my experience) before your friend's iphones realise you are no longer registered to imessage and starts treating your number as a regular phone number.

So if you're going to regularly swap SIMs, you need to completely stop using imessage.

Lloydbm41 · Jan 11, 2014

Tofray said:
Sorry, I forgot to add that I do have Windows 7 bootcamped onto my iMac, so I do run some windows stuff, and am prepared to do everything MSFT on that side.

Work is giving me a windows laptop, so the MBA will pretty much just be relegated to home use.

I guess my reservation is whether it's rationale to try to make the Mac fit the PC side of my life now, or should I just succumb to the pressure and replace everything Apple with windows/pc stuff?

And thanks for the HP Envy info...I'll check it out!

I have Windows 8.1 running on a Dell XPS 8700 with dual touchscreen monitors, an iMac 27" and a Chromebook for all my various PC needs. I have a Nokia Lumia 520 as my Windows Phone and a Nexus 5 as my Android phone and then an iPad Mini and Nexus 7 for my tablets. I have no problems with my Windows PC and iMac working together and Google has pretty much made life easy using either iOS or Android. The only issue you may have is the lack of certain apps on Windows Phone. But what is to stop you from carrying your iPhone with you to work? Keep all your Apple stuff and integrate M$ stuff in as needed. You can make it work. I have.

MacNut · Jan 11, 2014

How did you get hired for this job at Microsoft when you seem not to know much about the products.

Tofray · Jan 11, 2014

Thank you all so very much for the great advice...I read every post throughout the day, and kept going back & forth, but ultimately I decided:

1) I'm going to use my iPhone at home/in-car; And I bought a Lumia 920 to use at work.
2) At&t gave me the 411 on SIM-swapping, and unfortunately, I would lose visual voicemail, FaceTime, and would have to turn off iMessage every time. This is because I would have to switch from the iPhone Data plan to the Smartphone Data Plan in order to swap. It's not that big of a deal, but decided I'd just add a line to my data plan, and use the Windows phone exclusively for work.
3) I'm going to keep the iMac and just play-it-by ear on the efficiency of using bootcamp/Windows for work stuff I need to do at home, and the awesomeness of Mac for home usage.
4) I'm going to get rid of the MBA and just stick to the laptop they give me, but use my iPad for home media use (and maybe give the Surface Pro a try).

I think the majority of you agreed that a job is what pays the bills, and with a family of 5, it's tough to just say, "I'm going sell my house, & move my family to Cupertino because I am an Apple Fanboy" (not that they gave me a job). Microsoft is a great corporation and this is an awesome opportunity I was afforded, that many would love to have...I can suck it up and be a good company man, if it means they take care of me and my family, and I also get to work with some cool products & people.

Again, thank you all for the advice, and I will see you on the forums (while I'm in the MSFT bathroom or closet)

----------

MacNut said:
How did you get hired for this job at Microsoft when you seem not to know much about the products.

Seriously?? There's 70k employees, my man...Not all of them are working on the windows phone, or even windows. I would doubt every one of those 70k employees has the same level of knowledge regarding Windows phones & PC's. Maybe I'm wrong...

New Microsoft hire: Forcing me from Mac to PC

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