Microsoft Releases Fourth Anti-iPad Ad Highlighting Windows 8 Multitasking Capabilities

[Benguitar]

All things aside, I liked my Microsoft Surface Pro, but for me it doesn't fill the same need that my iPad mini does.

I use my iPad for media, because it delivers media wonderfully and simply.

The Microsoft Surface Pro is more along the lines, if it is along the lines of anything the MacBook Air and even that is a stretch of a comparison.

I had the Surface Pro for about a week, and the only reason I returned it was because I was unable to make pixel accurate presentations in the new PowerPoint, while I can create pixel accurate slides and content easily within Keynote.

Other than that, I am not ashamed to say that the Microsoft Surface is a great device and I would definitely consider owning one again in the future.

But needless to say, Apple products offer practical and easy solutions to my day to day problems, so that is why I continue to use them. Not because they are "trendy."

On the advertising side of things, while I wish Microsoft would "grow up" a little when it comes to selling their products, but its not like Apple hasn't made fun of Microsoft very badly in the past.

These ads are Microsoft's way of doing a "Mac VS PC" ad.

So I'd take from it what you will, either way, its just advertising.

 

[THOPMedia]

My experience with Windows 8 was not as amazing as his:

10 min to figure out how to do the first task
1 hour to figure out how to do the second task
hours later cant find the "control panel"

Done using Windows 8 for eternity.

 

[lobeyonekenobi]

You must be really annoying to be behind at a traffic light. If it takes you 6 seconds to actually start moving your car your license (if you're old enough) should be taken away.

If your 3-6 second theory was correct you'd be dead the first time you got on a highway.

Quit making excuses for a the lack of iOS. It's 2013 not 2007.

Advice for the future. Go to the DMV and turn in your license and stay off the roads.

Using a(nother) car analogy and comparing it to multi-tasking on an iPad is a tad different, one involves life or death decisions and the other switching between apps on an tablet, cool comparison.

Advice for the future, don't give advice.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I LOVE my iPad, but seriously i wish it had this kind of multitasking. Like the NOTE 10.1 and the Galaxy S3, and S4, Note 2...

I'm sure it will have this functionallity when the time comes, so it would work very well without lagging or other bugs.
Keep in mind that iOS 7 is going to provide true multi-tasking to apps, in a safe way to avoid compromising performance and battery life.

 

[phpmaven]

touche....these are indeed weak spots that MS is poking at. I wish my iPad had an I/O port, a way to EASILY switch between Apps, and a way not to have to be funneled thru iTunes for just about everything. It is almost like the original vision of the device was flawed and Apple designed themselves into a cul de sac and now they can't get out or are too proud to admit they blew it.

Love my iPad but it could be MUCH better. Thank God for competition!!!

Is double clicking the home button or swiping up with 4 fingers too much for you?

 

[kemsiro]

'The Naked Man'; iPad wins right there.

 

[4TheLoveOfTech]

Using a(nother) car analogy and comparing it to multi-tasking on an iPad is a tad different, one involves life or death decisions and the other switching between apps on an tablet, cool comparison.

Advice for the future, don't give advice.

Okay, let's put this in computer terms. If it takes the Mac OS and iOS 3-6 seconds to switch between apps because apparently your brain and the "artofwar" this is acceptable then why throw thousands of dollars into a computer or Mobile contract when a flip phone and DOS apparently serve the limited needs you have (or are capable of).

My advice back would be to save the money on your iDevices and take some dexterity classes.

I'll stick with a Mobile OS and a Desktop OS that can meet my needs for both entertainment and work functionality. My mind can handle more than one thing at a time. I guess Apple just doesn't get it and in my case iOS Doesn't Deserve to Exist (for me) in it's limited capacity.

I have that choice and it didn't take me 3-6 seconds to realize it.

 

[HenryDJP]

That's the best you can come up with. The human eye can only view one thing at a time?

So when you're watching a movie, you only watch the person talking. It must get really confusing for you to hold a conversation or give a presentation to a group of people.

If this is the case then maybe you should go back to a DOS terminal as "modern computing" seems to have passed you by.

Considering the fact that every other "modern" mobile OS has the capability to multitask and many have the option of split screens for productivity and creative functionality it seems that Apple or iOS is choosing to take the "Choice" away from their users.

With Apple you are limited to what they choose is best for you. They choose what screen size is best for you. They choose what apps "need" to run at the same time "but not on the same screen".

This reminds me of the old Mac Finder days when Mac users defended the fact that Mac OS couldn't truly multitask.

It's history playing itself all over again. That big pile of cash Apple has in Ireland better be getting some good interest rates.

It's going to be a long summer for Apple users when a Microsoft commercial creates such a ruckus. Don't worry, Jony is at work to make sure iOS 7 is as pastel as possible. It will help hide the lack of real features.

Soooooo one could wonder what you are doing here on a Apple enthusiasts forum? Did you come here just to flame? Seems like it.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

LOVED the ad...

Regardless of what the windows tablet can or cannot do, I wish my iPad behaved like that, instead of like a huge phone. Apple has dropped the ball when it comes to multitasking, or even integrating apps in a workflow. Example: when I call someone who doesn't answer, I cant just jump from the call or from my address list to WhatApp or any other app.

Seriously Apple, you still have a long way to go before we call you the "ultimate" tablet.

Maybe if you become more familiar with what iOS 7 is bringing you may change your mind. Also, what you want to do will get done when the time is right.
Others (Microsoft, Android, etc.) tend to throw a lot of features that are cool, but affect performance and functionality. Multitasking tends to be abused by software developers with bad coding practices.
Apple will get it done right.

 

[rGiskard]

I still don't get the slow iOS development. Mac OS X was upgraded at a dizzying pace during it's formative years, and iOS pulls in far more money for Apple than OS X ever did. So WTF? Why is iOS behind on something like multasking? Slow motion video. An iOS Finder. The list of missing features in iOS is far too long.

Is this a matter of Apple being too cheap to hire enough programmers and engineers? Or is it something more fundamental that's wrong with them? This is starting to remind me of the dark days of Apple reliance on PPC.

 

[vaughnfelix]

Microsoft has a tablet? Is it an iPad? Ha!

 

[blackcrayon]

I still don't get the slow iOS development. Mac OS X was upgraded at a dizzying pace during it's formative years, and iOS pulls in far more money for Apple than OS X ever did. So WTF? Why is iOS behind on something like multasking? Slow motion video. An iOS Finder. The list of missing features in iOS is far too long.

Is this a matter of Apple being too cheap to hire enough programmers and engineers? Or is it something more fundamental that's wrong with them? This is starting to remind me of the dark days of Apple reliance on PPC.

You're confusing being behind in development with specific choices Apple has made. Why is Microsoft "way behind" in battery life? Again, specific choices they made.

 

[vaughnfelix]

I still don't get the slow iOS development. Mac OS X was upgraded at a dizzying pace during it's formative years, and iOS pulls in far more money for Apple than OS X ever did. So WTF? Why is iOS behind on something like multasking? Slow motion video. An iOS Finder. The list of missing features in iOS is far too long.

Is this a matter of Apple being too cheap to hire enough programmers and engineers? Or is it something more fundamental that's wrong with them? This is starting to remind me of the dark days of Apple reliance on PPC.

Not everyone is a power user, actually most people can't find their wi-fi setting on their iPhone/iPad within 1 minute, so that's Apples broad customer, not tech junkies like everyone here on this thread. Including me. And plus they're not going to dump all the technology into multitasking if the battery technology doesn't support it or the processor speed needs to be bumped because the truth is, NO ONE multi tasks like the commercial, not even if they have it, they just don't and that's the hard truth.

 

[diazj3]

Maybe if you become more familiar with what iOS 7 is bringing you may change your mind. Also, what you want to do will get done when the time is right.
Others (Microsoft, Android, etc.) tend to throw a lot of features that are cool, but affect performance and functionality. Multitasking tends to be abused by software developers with bad coding practices.
Apple will get it done right.

I'm seriously looking forward to it... (iOS7)

And I also understand there's always a tradeoff between flexibility and quality/stability, but I hope future iterations of iOS and OSX give us that, instead of more redundant apps and functions, or only design and color changes... it's time to take the iPad iPhone to new levels that really revolutionize (again) the way we work with these devices. As more alternatives become available, and as the iPad (or other devices) replace out desktops and laptops for certain workflows, the evolution becomes urgent. Just selling them doesn't cut it anymore.

We'll see...

 

[pdqgp]

In the end, competition is a good thing because we as consumers will win.

That said, I had a nice ASUS Tablet with Windows RT for all of 3 weeks before it began acting up, locking up, losing it connections with the mouse and keyboard, etc.

Sad really as my wife really liked it but in the end, it never worked right, thus we returned it for a full refund. No thanks. I'll take something that pretty much just works, even if it has a few limitations. Consistently working and good is far better than sporadically working and better.

 

[kiwamura]

I LOVE my iPad, but seriously i wish it had this kind of multitasking. Like the NOTE 10.1 and the Galaxy S3, and S4, Note 2...

Use one first before commenting. Looks easy from this video, not so in real life. Even had a windows 8 desktop. Felt like hurling the damn thing through an actual window. I'll stick to practicality. Studies shown humans are not multi-taskers. Even if your devices are then what's the point if you are not. Try driving while texting and drinking and eating and talking to your friend in the car at the same time and concentrating 100% on the road. Our brains aren't equipped. Period.

 

[4TheLoveOfTech]

Soooooo one could wonder what you are doing here on a Apple enthusiasts forum? Did you come here just to flame? Seems like it.

Soooo. One could wonder why a Microsoft Commercial makes the front page of an Apple Enthusiast forum? Seems to me that took you more than 3-6 seconds to figure out.

I like tech (I would assume my screen name implies that). Apple used to hold my interest and I keep hoping that something comes out that gives that old 1984 commercial feeling but it just seems to me that Apple and IBM have switched roles in the commercial and Apple is the dictator these days.

I'm also waiting to see if there is any news on that Thermonuclear War that Jobs wanted. Doesn't appear to be going too well considering the wave of modern mobile and desktop OS's that are currently available to choose from.

I like choice. Apple currently doesn't. Seems like in 3-6 seconds you would have been able to figure that out even if you can only do 1 thing at a time as you stated.

I have countless Vendors devices in my home and my office. I'm not devoted to a brand. I'll give my money to the vendor that meets the needs that I'm looking for. That currently isn't Apple, it may change so I keep looking.

If it took me 3-6 seconds or I could only do 1 thing at a time I'd have a very unhappy wife. I'm happy to say we both like to multitask.

 

[Bubba Satori]

Multitasking is highly overrated.
Besides, it's not stylish, thin or lightweight.

 

[disinfectant]

I actually enjoyed the ad. I mean, I'm not about to get a non-Apple piece of technology, but kudos to Microsoft for making better ads these days.

 

[CFreymarc]

Bit of a BS example since any scout would look up that info and know it before even deciding to make the call.

Not to mention I'm pretty sure you switch from Facetime and the audio keeps going just fine (as long as you arent trying to play or record audio) which would make the ad false advertising

You have that right. Anyone that has experience around baseball scouting knows this is not how it is done. First competing scouts would never talk to their front office managers around a scout for another team. I doubt if most front office managers would even be interested in doing Facetime.

Second, there is a code among scouts not to highjack another prospect during introductions. Also, if you can afford a tablet you already have a smartphone where you do the talking and then use the tablet for data displays. This utility that this commercial shows is not that useful.

More BS for sure!

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I'm seriously looking forward to it... (iOS7)

And I also understand there's always a tradeoff between flexibility and quality/stability, but I hope future iterations of iOS and OSX give us that, instead of more redundant apps and functions, or only design and color changes... it's time to take the iPad iPhone to new levels that really revolutionize (again) the way we work with these devices. As more alternatives become available, and as the iPad (or other devices) replace out desktops and laptops for certain workflows, the evolution becomes urgent. Just selling them doesn't cut it anymore.

We'll see...

just 2 or 3 more months...

 

[AdonisSMU]

I support anything that incites more competition between companies.

Competition for competitions sake isnt necessarily helpful to end consumers if all it is going to do is cause companies to flood the market with new products to buy every other week.

 

[dannyyankou]

Doesn't the Surface only have 4 hour battery life? You may be able to do more things at once, but you can only use it for less than half the day.

 

[AdonisSMU]

I can't help to see this thread is flooded with so many bitter fanboys who cry that Windows 8 is dumb just because of the ad. Honestly, I do wonder why people prefer a full-blown mobile OS over a full fledged PC OS, because I don't even know what is wrong with the world anymore.

Indeed, the iPad is a market leader in tablet category with quality apps and smoother OS to compensate. But, that's it. Remember the time when the iPad was relatively new and everyone mocked it as an enlarged version of iPhone that can't do calls?

Well, so is Windows 8 on a tablet which is relatively new to the market. However, Windows 8 is constantly improving with the release of 8.1, and its Store is still expanding to include great apps such as Facebook App and Flipboard App (which are coming soon).

To cry that Windows 8 is dumb is futile, its functionality has already surpassed the iPad in many ways (as the ad implies: multitasking, or a full fledged IE Metro app browser that is not limited to mobile websites only).

Apple had played the game of comparing Mac vs PC in the past, so butt hurt fanboys should not get bitter this time. The iPad has been in dominance of the tablet market for too long, and it's about time for some competition to come out. I do have respect for Apple but I think they should not have been complacent.

Tell me, how many like iOS7 interface on the iPad? I know it's still in Beta, but do you really think iOS7 on iPad is any game changer or will there be a massive difference between the final release and beta in terms of functionality?

And lastly, I do own both iOS device and Windows 8 device, both are great devices to use. For productivity, I'll rather get out a Mac or just use the Windows 8 device.

umm since when was mobile safari only able to use mobile websites? get your facts straight. im using the regular version of this website right now.

 

[iancapable]

Yeah right, iPad can't do more than one thing at a time... watch this

YouTube: video

Sorry... But that is just plain awesome. Apple could learn a thing or two from the jamstick ad.