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Microsoft's Surface Book Ads Borrow Music From Apple to Focus on Things a Mac 'Just Can’t Do'
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The version of the score Microsoft used is very unsettling and jarring. You're selling a 2 in 1, not intensely dialoguing before dropping into the Grid on your light cycle.
I needed a new laptop so I tried a Surface Pro 4, nice features as you pointed out. My issue was stability. Many driver, weird things happening, very unstable, and when the fans came on jet plane taking off. However, I really liked the pen, and overall look and feel of the Surface Pro 4. You would think by version 4 Microsoft would have the design and stability under control. Additionally the Surface Pro 4 was a somewhat expensive marginal laptop and tablet, for what I needed. Glad I tried it, in the end I now have a MacBook, very satisfied.
I like Windows 10 (except for the data mining part) and the Surface Book looks to be a compelling piece of hardware. I would probably switch if I could run FCPX on it. Even then though, the experience I had just a couple days ago eradicating viruses and malware from a Windows 10 machine remind me of why I switched to OS X in the first place. The malware was so advanced, it was able to keep Windows Defender from running and keep other antiviruses from updating. I finally just had to wipe the system and start from scratch.
While OS X does have some malware for it, it's nowhere near as bad as Windows. Sure, keeping an up-to-date antivirus is a must for Windows, but in my opinion it shouldn't be needed period. I've never personally seen malware (other then adware) attack an OS X system.
Otherwise, Microsoft is putting up some solid commercials and I hope the company continues improving. I hope they give Apple a run for their money on the software front, because I feel Apple has been getting a bit to relaxed.
While OS X does have some malware for it, it's nowhere near as bad as Windows. Sure, keeping an up-to-date antivirus is a must for Windows, but in my opinion it shouldn't be needed period. I've never personally seen malware (other then adware) attack an OS X system.
Otherwise, Microsoft is putting up some solid commercials and I hope the company continues improving. I hope they give Apple a run for their money on the software front, because I feel Apple has been getting a bit to relaxed.
Totally agree, same with Samsung. They think that putting Apple down would drive Apple customers to their doors - it won't. Convince customers by facts not by belittling them. Since they don't hold their potential customers in high regard, they only rely on their old customer base which probably won't increase by doing these kinds of ads.
Whatever the technical merits of the Surface, it's clear to me that MS have spotted that Apple, having thrown the Pro customers off the bus (with the MacPro fiasco) are leaving the Prosumer customers out to dry as we'll. MS are now targeting that sector of the market with the sort of "aspirational" ads that used to be Mac territory. Apple are too focused on the iToys. Sure that's where the money is in the short term but as the upgrade cycle on stuff like iPads is getting longer (who needs to upgrade an iPad every couple of years? One of mine is a mk II and still works fine), the traditional Mac user base is being eroded by a serious lack of commitment from Apple.
I'm happy for them to put out a new iPhone every year but, with the new office space they'll soon have plus the cash mountain the've had for a while, is it too much to ask for some upgrades directed at "work" related Mac stuff - you know, for the fans who kept them alive through the hard times? Be such a shame if MS became the new Apple!
I'm happy for them to put out a new iPhone every year but, with the new office space they'll soon have plus the cash mountain the've had for a while, is it too much to ask for some upgrades directed at "work" related Mac stuff - you know, for the fans who kept them alive through the hard times? Be such a shame if MS became the new Apple!
I don't remember discussing phones in this thread , I guess I didn't specify though.
Different business model.
With the exception of Google's reassuringly expensive Chromebook Pixel, though, Chromebooks are mostly competing with low end 3rd-party laptops not made by Microsoft. MS isn't worried about how much money Dell makes, and their software/services division is quite capable of selling Office 365 subscriptions to Chromebook users.
This is all about MS trying to launch itself as a high-end hardware maker in direct competition with Apple. Maybe not costing £300 more than the famously un-cheap MacBook Pro (not quite enough to add an iPad, but getting there) would be a better tactic.
Whenever I read anything like this, I can't help thinking to myself "yes, that may be true but it runs Windows doesn't it?" and then go back to my nice, familiar, stable and uncluttered Mac operating system.
Apple doesn't even have a competitor to the surface pro line.
They've decided computing shall be done in the traditional manner, seated, at a desk, in a city, and that tablet computing is for 6 year olds, and they'll recognize nothing in between these two extremes as valid. If there's one thing that demostrates a lack of vision, it's year after year passing by without an innovation toward the inevitable by Apple, and instead, a continual string of minor incremental spec bumps to its dated and frankly outdated product line and practically dormant OS X pro app "suite".
People used to joke that apple computers were toys for kids. It seems they've actually decided to pursue this as a business plan with iOS, found it 1000x more lucrative, and are sticking with it.
They've decided computing shall be done in the traditional manner, seated, at a desk, in a city, and that tablet computing is for 6 year olds, and they'll recognize nothing in between these two extremes as valid. If there's one thing that demostrates a lack of vision, it's year after year passing by without an innovation toward the inevitable by Apple, and instead, a continual string of minor incremental spec bumps to its dated and frankly outdated product line and practically dormant OS X pro app "suite".
People used to joke that apple computers were toys for kids. It seems they've actually decided to pursue this as a business plan with iOS, found it 1000x more lucrative, and are sticking with it.
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Fingerprints are not an issue with my Surface. Even if one shows up, I can wipe it with my finger, and it disappears. It's for a limited audience, but it's very useful for those who need it. I would buy an Apple version if such a thing existed. It has to be a Mac, not an iPad, though. I admit the Apple pencil is nifty, but I'm a computer person, not an iOS guy.
They weren't.
Apple sold 600,000 less Mac's last year than the previous year.
Apple Market Share did increase overall, because Toshiba sold 4.68Million less computers last year
don't confuse stats
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...industry-decline.1956618/page-2#post-22574647
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They do have a point. I can definitely see the advantages of a laptop/tablet hybrid. The only reason Apple doesn't make one is because they want us to buy a MB and an iPad so they can make two sales instead of one and make even more profit. Nothing whatsoever with the BS reasons Tim Cook comes out with.
I love how MS uses the same exact music... same exact arpeggio just with a different instrument sound. Also, I never thought I'd see that day when MS felt the need to compete with Apple. Interesting.
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I disagree. They are two completely different operating systems... as they should be. You can't just duct tape a touch layer on top of OS X or an exposed file system on to iOS and expect it to be a good user experience. Which is not to say they can't work on some level of convergence. But mouse and keyboard is still fundamentally (and profoundly) different from touch.
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I disagree. They are two completely different operating systems... as they should be. You can't just duct tape a touch layer on top of OS X or an exposed file system on to iOS and expect it to be a good user experience. Which is not to say they can't work on some level of convergence. But mouse and keyboard is still fundamentally (and profoundly) different from touch.
A friend of mine purchased one and although he likes it the hinge scratched up his desk. He had to buy a pad to put on his desk to stop the sharp edges of the hinge making a mess of his desk.
I don't think Apple would have approved a design like that.
He couldn't believe Microsoft didn't test it on wooden desks.
Sorry, my bad. I coined "anecdote" when I wanted to denote an experience I had giving an antidote to an antelope, but the antidote was an isotope and the antelope a ferryboat. I say this not to gloat, but rather as a misanthrope looking for an anecdote to promote.
Microsoft Surface Book top configuration:
Dual-core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD - €2919
13" rMBP top configuration
Dual-core i7, 16GB RAM, 1GB SSD - €3100, (€2500 with 512GB)
So, they are selling the possibility to use it as a tablet and as a touch device for €400, all other parameters being identical. Most windows users are so price concious, they will notice immediately that the surface book has a terrible price-productivity ratio. Quite possibly one can find much cheaper laptops with the same features (i7/16/512). Apple has already got the lion's share of users who spend top dollar on computers. That's why these ads are geared towards Apple and this "I can't do this on my mac".
On top of that, most mac users are die-hards, and the rest have little use of a combined laptop-tablet device. Bear in mind the market for tablets is already saturated which means, whoever wanted a tablet has already bought one.
Basically, what I mean, this ad and the Surface Book will have a very little impact. I hope I am wrong, though, because little competition is not bad. The SB will never make me switch from Apple. My iPad and my iMac (and soon-to-be-purchased MacBook) are used for quite different purposes. I have absolutely no need to have a tablet and a laptop in the same device. Besides, as a tablet the SB runs for just 3 hours - and that's pity.
Dual-core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD - €2919
13" rMBP top configuration
Dual-core i7, 16GB RAM, 1GB SSD - €3100, (€2500 with 512GB)
So, they are selling the possibility to use it as a tablet and as a touch device for €400, all other parameters being identical. Most windows users are so price concious, they will notice immediately that the surface book has a terrible price-productivity ratio. Quite possibly one can find much cheaper laptops with the same features (i7/16/512). Apple has already got the lion's share of users who spend top dollar on computers. That's why these ads are geared towards Apple and this "I can't do this on my mac".
On top of that, most mac users are die-hards, and the rest have little use of a combined laptop-tablet device. Bear in mind the market for tablets is already saturated which means, whoever wanted a tablet has already bought one.
Basically, what I mean, this ad and the Surface Book will have a very little impact. I hope I am wrong, though, because little competition is not bad. The SB will never make me switch from Apple. My iPad and my iMac (and soon-to-be-purchased MacBook) are used for quite different purposes. I have absolutely no need to have a tablet and a laptop in the same device. Besides, as a tablet the SB runs for just 3 hours - and that's pity.
I do know why.
It wouldn't be a no-compromise, multi-touch yet backward-compatible hybrid tablet/notebook device, if it hadn't two of everything in it. This is not a half-finished product, this mess is the product. That's why they call it a 2-in-1. The alternative to this approach is a clean break like Apple did with iOS, which does not run a single OS X app and therefore gets away with dropping support for all Settings and all UI from the ancient past before 2007.
One way or the other, both have their downsides. Choose wisely!
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