Microsoft Launches New Anti-iPad Surface 2 Ad Highlighting Kickstand and Multiple Accounts

[Beta Particle]

Gotta protect the screen somehow... no?

The screen is Gorilla Glass, I have no concern about it being scratched.
I went without using any case or cover on my iPad 2 and it still looks the same as when it was new. My iPad 3 did pick up a small scratch on the aluminum back, but the screen is still perfect.

I don't care for Microsoft's product at all. Their tablets are thick, awkward, and not really even comfortable to hold

If Apple had not decided that a phone SoC was suitable to use in their tablets this year, people would not be making this argument. The Surface 2 is thinner than an iPad 4.

Microsoft does need to shut up about the keyboard thing already. There have been keyboards available for iPad from nearly day 1, and for prices lower than what MS charges for theirs. Of course since Apple NEVER ADVERTISES that fact, the majority of the population doesn't have any idea.

The point is not that there's a keyboard, but that you have a keyboard and a trackpad, and have access to a proper desktop OS when you're not using the device like a tablet. Sure, Windows RT is limited compared to Windows 8, but it's still a lot more than iOS or Android are doing.

 

[Renzatic]

So you try to convince people not to make car analogies by... making a car analogy?

Hey, I post in Macrumors News. That means that, just like about everyone here, I'm all about taking the do as I say, don't do as I do approach.

 

[BvizioN]

Multiple accounts. The winning feature for me. iOS should have had support for them ages ago. (And on screen multitasking).

Whats next? Multiple accounts on iPhone?

 

[dumastudetto]

Consumers have spoken they don't want Microsoft Surface. Also multiple accounts is totally unnecessary as these are personal devices for each individual.

 

[kobalap]

It's greed...The cornerstone of Apple, overcharge and overprice and the zealots will gladly pay.

Newsflash.. Microsoft has been fleecing people for decades. You think the pricing of their products now is based on some goodwill towards their customers? Nope, their pricing is based on what people are willing to pay for their product.

 

[Renzatic]

Newsflash.. Microsoft has been fleecing people for decades. You think the pricing of their products now is based on some goodwill towards their customers? Nope, their pricing is based on what people are willing to pay for their product.

Congratulations. You just explained every company that's ever worked for a profit.

 

[kobalap]

Congratulations. You just explained every company that's ever worked for a profit.

My point exactly. Singling out Apple for this behavior is just plain stupid. All for profit companies are greedy. The difference between Apple and Microsoft with regards to tablet pricing has nothing to do with one company being more greedy than the other. Its a function of what people are willing to pay for each product.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Here's why you should not consider the surface:
1. The screen on the RT RT2 & Pro2 are not very good screens. Flood the screen with black & you see light bleed. Flood with white & you'll see yellowing in the corners.
2. You'll hate RT, it basically windows OS that won't run windows apps... That means no google chrome, no itunes & it's going to die soon.
4. Windows 8 still uses the desktop UI & it my opinion it still needs a keyboard & mouse which leads you to using the surface keyboard which has a very bad track pad that you'll hate...

If I was going to get a small Windows device I would recommend the Dell Venue Pro 11 @ $499, it has a very nice screen, intel bay trail processor so you can run all the windows x86 apps...

You mean like:
The light bleed and yellowing on the iPad screens? Or the image retention or poor color gamut?

 

[bbfc]

Apple's greed will pinch them if they aren't careful

No it won't. Their model has worked for many years, and will continue to do so. An iDevice is a personal device, I don't believe multiple users are a necessity.

 

[Rad99004]

I don't care for Microsoft's product at all. Their tablets are thick, awkward, and not really even comfortable to hold (yes I have hands on experience with them). I find Windows 8 hideous. However, they're not wrong in some of their criticisms of Apple's iPads.

I have been asking Apple for multi-user accounts in iOS for SEVERAL YEARS now. Crickets... I mean, come on, it's friggin' 2013, multi-user is like, well, duh! Seriously!

The kickstand feature is rather nice, and it's simple. Again, we see Apple married to form over function. Arrgh.

Sorry, iWork for iOS is pathetic (well, it's very pretty, but mostly useless), and now it's just been ruined on MacOS. Apple has definitely ****ed this one up, and MS has broad, broad leeway to call 'em out on it.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm a big Apple fan, I have MacBooks, iPhones, and iPads, but Apple needs to really step up their game, in the practicality dept.

Microsoft does need to shut up about the keyboard thing already. There have been keyboards available for iPad from nearly day 1, and for prices lower than what MS charges for theirs. Of course since Apple NEVER ADVERTISES that fact, the majority of the population doesn't have any idea.

Keyboards are available for the iPad but none have a track pad. I do like the surface. Just wish it had a 4:3 screen. Otherwise agree with everything you said.

 

[slffl]

Funny how they forgot to mention that the Surface 2 is 50% heavier, thicker, awkward 16:9 screen and shape, and is 1080p resolution.

 

[Soulweaponry]

On screen multitasking is meh IMO.

But multiple accounts on iPad would be nice. Its such a personal device that it isn't very good for multiple users. A multi-user iOS where users login with Touch ID would be boss.

I would like on screen multitasking but not a surface. Having to choose between watching a new movie and browsing reddit is pretty annoying. I also wanted to send a few emails and do other things but nope. Only one thing at time..

The multi user profiles is a good point too.

 

[inscrewtable]

Kids really love having their own background and apps they don't have to share...

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that 'kids' would rather have their own iPad, than have a reserved screen on someone elses Surface.

 

[DarkCole]

The voice sounds like Regina (Lana Parrilla) from Once Upon a Time.

 

[JackieTreehorn]

Android tablets have multiple users.

Users that go through your tablet remotely because of spamware on your Android is probably not what he was referring to.

 

[GregAndonian]

I don't care if a magical pony comes and holds my iPad (or any tablet) in the kitchen because so long as it is on the counter it is taking valuable space and at risk for damage.

Yeah, but if the magical pony was holding it, then it wouldn't be on the counter, now, would it?

Just sayin'.

 

[ckeck]

Apple totally supports multi-user. It's called multi-iPad and there ya go!

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Apple totally supports multi-user. It's called multi-iPad and there ya go!

BTW, while I wouldn't need it personally, I am surprised they have yet to do this. Big feature actually.

 

[GregAndonian]

Apple totally supports multi-user. It's called multi-iPad and there ya go!

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BTW, while I wouldn't need it personally, I am surprised they have yet to do this. Big feature actually.

In the 10+ years that I've been a member of this forum, this post is the first one I've seen where someone quoted the post that they were writing before they finished it.

 

[peterdevries]

These commercials speak to relatively small market niches and won't be very effective. In addition the functions that are mentioned are weak differentiators at best and don't address the real problems of Microsoft and the Surface line:

• bad marketing practices both in the media as in physical stores
• limited touch enabled application offerings in app store (and those that are available usually are less functional or have worse functionality compared to their Android and iOS counterparts)
• bad implementation of touch functionality in non-touch legacy applications

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Keyboards are available for the iPad but none have a track pad.

The reason for that is that there is absolutely no reason to inlcude a trackpad to push a pointer around when you have a touchscreen.

It's like putting a joystick into your car to turn the steering wheel. Ridiculous.

 

[MacsRgr8]

I love my iPads (including new Air), but I have to say, the lack of multiple user logins are my #1 complaint about iPads (iOS, but you usually have your own phone), and has been since they came out in 2010.

It's a huge PITA in my family because we have 2 iPads that my wife and I both use, but a lot of the time you have to grab the "wrong" one when you can't find "yours" or one of the batteries is dead or whatever, and then it won't have your email, or Safari bookmarks, or iMessages/FaceTime, it won't be logged into your Game Center account, etc.

I can't imagine how bad it would be if we had kids involved as well. There you might have even bigger issues, like if your kid accidentally deletes your work email, or whatever. And, if you want to use parental restrictions, that then means everyone who uses that iPad has to live with those restrictions, which is not fun.

Apple needs to get on this, it's bad enough they have dragged their feet so long, but now this is a real, significant point of differentiation for MS and Android (I don't know if multi-user logins are built into base Android, but I know some Samsung tablets have it).

Hopefully TouchID sensors in iPads will make this easy for them to implement, and easy for us to use, but I hope they are working hard on that so when the hardware is ready, the software will be too.

I don't think that it's a question of Apple dragging their feet, but the simple reasoning that an iOS device is a personal device.

Enable multiple accounts >> end of personal device. It gets to be a shared device. Multiple photo-libraries, multiple email-accounts, multiple storage-use, multiple Apple-ID's, multiple iCloud backup, etc.

Imagine having to share your iPhone.

 

[aristotle]

I don't think that it's a question of Apple dragging their feet, but the simple reasoning that an iOS device is a personal device.

Enable multiple accounts >> end of personal device. It gets to be a shared device. Multiple photo-libraries, multiple email-accounts, multiple storage-use, multiple Apple-ID's, multiple iCloud backup, etc.

Imagine having to share your iPhone.

Exactly. Nobody shares their smart phone and I cannot think of many people that would share their ebook reader so why would people share their tablets?

You can share an iPad within a family and have parental controls enabled to prevent the kids from doing bad things. Just don't expect to have separated accounts for iTunes and the mail app.

People who use tablets as extensions of their computer/smart phone by using it for creating things and/or email are not likely to be sharing them.

People who use with their kids to play games and casual web surfing are not going to bother setting up email accounts on the tablet so again, separate accounts are not needed in that case either.

The user segment with a desire for multiple accounts on a tablet is an extremely small niche.

 

[Nevaborn]

The first video is nuts. The surface stand looks so flimsy and cheap ad I would not want to be waving my dirty hands in front if my tablet as its likely to get far messier than just tapping a next button or saying next. I dont believe a kitchen is that noisy that you can't be heard by your tablet.

If people are that loud I would tell people to get out of the kitchen as I am trying to cook !

The second add is more contentious but to me it makes sense to have one account per device. A) security, allowing it to be locked down deterring thieves
B) if I had a tablet I or my sibling/partner would want to be using it at the same time as myself which is a pain. So it makes sense to gave one each.

Frankly multiple accounts only works if you share your laptop with a random group of people on occasion or at set times. Say at work. But even then I dont like people using my devices incase they damage them or as with MS or Android devices put dangerous stuff on them.

 

[bfreecity]

So Painful

Can someone please tell Microsoft to try using emotion to sell products instead of treating commercials like a chance to read as much of the Surface's instruction manual as possible?

Or just show them an episode of Mad Men. Not even the whole episode. Just a scene of Don Draper talking about why people buy products. Anything to save us from another "death by information" sales pitch, because it's just painful.

 

[GoodWatch]

This is not the way to go about it. First, do your homework. Speaking for myself, I cannot find a reason to ditch my iPad Air for one of these. However well made the hardware may be. Analyse your target audience first. Never point at, what you think, is your competitor. But they will never learn, I'm afraid. You cannot move the mountain that the iPad has become. It is THE personal and portable device. Yes, it has it's limitations but mostly because some users want to treat it as a notebook. Which it is not.

 

[GregAndonian]

there is absolutely no reason to inlcude a trackpad to push a pointer around when you have a touchscreen.

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

The touchscreen by itself does get the job done, but there are alots of cases where having a mouse cursor really speeds things up- like when you're typing and you want to quickly select a section of text, or move the cursor to a different part of the text so you can delete something and replace it. Using your finger is a lot less precise for things like this, and since your finger blocks out the part of the screen you select, you can't tell if you hit the right spot until after you've moved it away.