Microsoft Launches New Holiday Ad Comparing Surface Pro 3 to MacBook Air

[villagehiker]

What Really Make Apple Unique

While the products are cool, what makes Apple unique is its ability to service the needs of customers. Microsoft fails at customer service. The Surface is sort of okay, but Windows is still horrid with its openness identity crises and ongoing security issues. And, honestly, the Slate is a little overly complicated with way too many moveable parts. And, who is going to service it when it breaks? Mail it in? Like an X-Box? Come on. While I love my iPad, I am getting ready to move back to a Macbook Air, possibly the 11-inch, possibly waiting for the rumored 12-inch. MS and its clunky Windows never made it into the running. This is from someone who has been using the Mac since 1984 and Windows for employers since shortly after that. When I get to choose, the Mac always wins.

 

[pietrov]

The ad is really ugly, horrible song and everything else...
Surface is quite interesting but... everybody always comparing their product to the Apple ones... Can you understand why???

 

[soulshaker]

A Tablet? oh, really? Almost the same size as a Laptop. I'd rather see it als a touchable Laptop....Well, a mix.






individuelle sony xperia z3 tasche

 

[Mal67]

Well I like the Air and I like this. It wouldn't hurt Apple to bring some of these ideas to the Mac. As a matter of fact the thing I would love most would be to be able to access ipad apps on my Apple laptop....

 

[Robstevo]

To be honest I can see apple releasing a product like this, what I think though is that they are waiting for hardware to catch up I.e Intel.

The surface is pretty much the same weight as an original iPad , yet can run full disketop applications like revit, autocad , Photoshop etc that too me is amazing and if apple brought out a device that thin and light weight people on here would be amazed. Give it 2 or 3 years and it will probably be as thing as the iPad air . That's when Apple will struggle because why buy a device that doesn't have the apps as powerful as desktop.

 

[SlCKB0Y]

Yeah but there's a difference between the Mac vs PC ads, some of which were brilliant, funny and very effective, versus what Microsoft and Samsung have been doing in their ads. The main difference is that Mac vs PC was more subtle, not directly calling out specific products.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_a_Mac

There were at least a dozen ads that directly singled out Windows Vista with comparisons to OS X. Other products directly targeted include MS Office and Windows Media Player.

 

[simon the diver]

Yep. AND .... i ALSO don't care about a retina display. I love my 2011 hires macbook pro 15" with 16GB Ram and 1 TB SSD ... Srsly those "old" books are too good to be replaced with a EUR 3000 retina book that is only maybe 10% faster, while the "plus" factor from a retina display is evened out because it is glossy ...

i held off an extra year because of the glossy screen and finally after my old macbook pro (with matt screen) had done 6 years off sterling service but was so slow I cracked and got the 2013 mbp retina . Despite the claims of however many percent less reflective than previous generations there are a few occasions where its an issue but the screen is incredible. I have eaten my many words on the subject. in a couple more years when your 2011 machine is starting to show its age do not be fearful of the glossy screen

 

[Rossatron]

Of course they do, but Apple doesn't have an actual 1:1 competing product.

And all stylus solutions for the iPad are lackluster. They need a digitizer to compete on that front.

no idea what a digitiser is. i've used the Adonit one and was quite satisfied. anyway, why not push the "we have something others don't" line instead of comparing it to various products?

 

[greenmeanie]

Cheesy Commercial.

 

[the8thark]

I DONT CARE! Seriously, this is a Apple-centered rumors site. Why do they need to advertise Microsoft's Surface ?

MacRumors advertise MS, Samsung, what ever random apps they like, other random non Apple products and other things too. They've been doing it for years.

The brand/name "MacRumours" means anything goes on their front page. I'm ok with it personally as I get a lot of other info on it. The staff here like to refer to "MacRumours" as a brand and their brand's image now is a website with anything going on the front page. You either like it or move on. I like it. But others do not obviously.

----------

Correct. Quality is irrelevant in modern journalism. Ad impressions are God.

Quoted as this is the truth and well said.

 

[LostMyiPhone]

I DONT CARE! Seriously, this is a Apple-centered rumors site. Why do they need to advertise Microsoft's Surface ?

Same reason they run spots about Samsung, Nokia, other companies in the tech industry.

Apple is an exciting company but hardly produces enough newsworthy or even blogworthy stuff every single day.

I'm sure they can run another piece on the bending of the iPhone 6 or the supply-side delays of the rumored iPad pro if you'd rather read that crap over and over again....

Finally, if you don't like it DON'T READ IT. It was pretty obvious from the title what the article was about.... so DON'T READ IT. And certainly DON'T COMMENT ON IT.... duh.

 

[ratigator]

Well, at least you get a pretty red keyboard! Oh, you don't?

 

[rakmanbaba]

I know the OS is the key differentiator here, but it's hard to ignore the versatility of the Surface.

Prior superiority won't be enough to keep Apple on top forever. We need some new ideas.

Its in fact the Windows 8.1 OS that is incompatible with the Surface's own theme of 'versatility'. Try using desktop mode on the Surface pro with 'finger touch' and you will know, what I mean. The Macbook touchpad is a far more consistent and productive experience. If all you were to use the Surface pro for was was the modern apps then the iOS and Android offer a far more diverse selection of apps for leisure and productivity and devices featuring these OSes manage the desktop scaling and resolution far better than Windows 8.1 Desktop mode. Needless to say that the core i series hardware with a fan and resultant weight is also completely wasted if modern apps is the only reasonable use possible.

 

[DDustiNN]

I like the surface, wouldn't get one yet, but it doesn't make sense why they compare it to a laptop and still call it a tablet and laptop... However, you can't put it on your lap and type, just like any other common laptop.

That is the only thing I ever think of when I see this commercial. Every time. A laptop that you have to use on a table is no longer a laptop.

 

[TMRJIJ]

Same reason they run spots about Samsung, Nokia, other companies in the tech industry.

Apple is an exciting company but hardly produces enough newsworthy or even blogworthy stuff every single day.

I'm sure they can run another piece on the bending of the iPhone 6 or the supply-side delays of the rumored iPad pro if you'd rather read that crap over and over again....

Finally, if you don't like it DON'T READ IT. It was pretty obvious from the title what the article was about.... so DON'T READ IT. And certainly DON'T COMMENT ON IT.... duh.

Yeah, I should read the titles before hitting random articles in my Notification Center. . . Sigh

 

[rafrafdesign]

Hurry up Apple

I love my macbook pro... But if only Apple could put a touch screen and a stylus, this conversation would never happens.

 

[whodatrr]

Yep, this is the biggest problem with the SP3. If they had a Yoga-like KB as an option, that'd be fixed.

But I will say that, other than that, I'm really coming around to my SP3. The latest build of Win10 is really shaping up nicely, as well.

Microsoft needs to tout its desktop replacement capabilities as well. Mine is currrently flanked by two high-res 27" displays. Pretty impressive to have a tablet that can drive with this much power.

That is the only thing I ever think of when I see this commercial. Every time. A laptop that you have to use on a table is no longer a laptop.

 

[Applefanhater]

Oddly, these ads never mention that for a similarly spec'd surface with a keyboard, you're also about $200 more expensive than a macbook too.

 

[CFreymarc]

While the products are cool, what makes Apple unique is its ability to service the needs of customers. Microsoft fails at customer service. The Surface is sort of okay, but Windows is still horrid with its openness identity crises and ongoing security issues. And, honestly, the Slate is a little overly complicated with way too many moveable parts. And, who is going to service it when it breaks? Mail it in? Like an X-Box? Come on. While I love my iPad, I am getting ready to move back to a Macbook Air, possibly the 11-inch, possibly waiting for the rumored 12-inch. MS and its clunky Windows never made it into the running. This is from someone who has been using the Mac since 1984 and Windows for employers since shortly after that. When I get to choose, the Mac always wins.

Microsoft fails at customer service because they don't charge enough to give it out. The whole company was founded as a wholesale technology outfit distributing to resellers with specialized consulting companies taking care of the individual customer service.

Apple turned the industry on its head with their direct stores by passing the bull that they had to deal with retailers for years. There were Apple exclusive retailers such as "Mac Store" and I wouldn't be surprised of these people were rolled into the direct Apple store model.

 

[ShinySteelRobot]

The Surface is versatile and all that relative to a laptop. Right up until you want to type with the Surface on your lap....at which point the Surface and its kickstand become an epic fail.

Really...

http://cnet2.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r...oft-surface-pro-3-product-photos-studio04.jpg

http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/surface-pro-3-4.jpg

http://cdn-static.zdnet.com/i/story/70/00/030695/00-intro.png

Ahh, I see your point.

If you're almost fully reclined or have your legs fully extended in front of you (like almost everyone in your photos), then the kickstand sort of works:

Otherwise the kickstand will be an inch from falling off your knees if you're in a normal upright seated position with the screen angled up at your face. Thanks for pointing that out. Good luck with that while you're being jostled at a crowded business conference.

 

[jwalker99]

Ahh, I see your point.

If you're almost fully reclined or have your legs fully extended in front of you (like almost everyone in your photos), then the kickstand sort of works:

No doubt that when typing extensively on your lap, the Surface isn't as practical as a traditional laptop. Still perfectly useable as the pics demonstrate, but definitely not as stable. However, when NOT typing and instead doing things like surfing the web, browsing emails, reading, watching videos, taking photos, etc - then then the Surface offers a significantly superior experience over a traditional laptop. And then of course there is also the pen, something that would be extremely impractical to try and use with a MacBook on your lap.

 

[Michael Goff]

While the products are cool, what makes Apple unique is its ability to service the needs of customers. Microsoft fails at customer service. The Surface is sort of okay, but Windows is still horrid with its openness identity crises and ongoing security issues. And, honestly, the Slate is a little overly complicated with way too many moveable parts. And, who is going to service it when it breaks? Mail it in? Like an X-Box? Come on. While I love my iPad, I am getting ready to move back to a Macbook Air, possibly the 11-inch, possibly waiting for the rumored 12-inch. MS and its clunky Windows never made it into the running. This is from someone who has been using the Mac since 1984 and Windows for employers since shortly after that. When I get to choose, the Mac always wins.

Wait, being open is a downside to you? Also, the whole identity crisis thing is overplayed, as I'd the security one. As for it being clunky? It performs as well, if not better, than Yosemite on the same hardware.

:|

Be honest, just say you don't like it.

 

[LostMyiPhone]

oh nevermind.

 

[SactoGuy18]

I still say the Surface Pro 3 won't "come of age" until Windows 10 ships. Windows 8.1 still forces you to use the Modern tiled interface much of the time, which can be quite frustrating to use unless you have a little training.

 

[Xiroteus]

I still say the Surface Pro 3 won't "come of age" until Windows 10 ships. Windows 8.1 still forces you to use the Modern tiled interface much of the time, which can be quite frustrating to use unless you have a little training.

Even on my Windows tablet I just hit desktop and ignore Metro aside from quick links or standard computer functions. (Docs, Word, Paint, Notes etc...)