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That's almost unfair to expect. It's an ultrabook sporting almost the same hardware as the MBA with a decently high resolution IPS screen and a Cintiq class Wacom digitizer. MS would likely be eating a good $300 per unit to sell it at that price.

that was true when they came out 5 months ago, not today though. ;)
 
Nice price for $349; will wait for the next drop, if the Pro was $500 then I would definitely get one.

Considering Microsoft has taken a $900M charge for the RT they can't be making much, if any money selling them for $349. Unless there are cases where Microsoft was just giving them away at Build or their partners conference.

Since Microsoft is late to the modern tablet party not sure how they compete with cheap Amazon and Android tablets. The people buying <$300 tablets probably don't care much about Office and are using the tablets as mostly consumption devices.
 
Well the $32 billion plummet in MS stock today coupled with them losing nearly $1 Billion in revenue over the Surface and Windows 8 will perhaps be made up when the Zune takes off. :)
 
Wow Microsoft. Your ads really are as lame, detached and drawn out as you. Talk about Apple envy. Just quit already, your recent results were horrible and here we can see why.
 
I'm unlikely to see this ad as I'm in the UK so I'm only stumbling across it, yes I like Apple, but doesn't everyone have a reason for loving/liking a particular product or Brand? I like Apple because of XYZ, everyone likes *someone* else for ABC. For companies to be like this between one another is simply nothing but petty, I see it with UK ads. I believe that we're in limbo with tech (it seems so apparent in forums, news, tech sites etc), everyone (businesses) is trying to sell a product, and everyone else (us; the buying public) is buying what we like. Whilst adverts like this seem a low blow (not that I'm a Marketing expect, but if you want to sell a product then sell it for it's benefits not pitch it against something else), they seem to be becoming a far more common trend in companies trying to say "We're better"... to be honest I think that more than half of the decision is made with what you like, if you want a product then you buy it... there are too many factors for companies to determine "we're the best" and ultimately, they don't; we do.
 
Competition is GOOD for the consumer!! I like the tech war ads!

Except this ad is far from being considered part of a tech war. Not only is the war over because the Surface is about to die a quick death but Microsoft is helping iPad sales. The ad focuses more on the iPad then it does the Surface. Is Steve Ballmer really this stupid?
 
Maybe

Maybe if that Surface RT piece of junk could talk it would just say it's a loser.
A $900,000,000 loser.
 
Except this ad is far from being considered part of a tech war. Not only is the war over because the Surface is about to die a quick death but Microsoft is helping iPad sales. The ad focuses more on the iPad then it does the Surface. Is Steve Ballmer really this stupid?



How can you consider the tech war being over? There have been plenty of ads targeted specifically against the iPhone and iPad. Yes, I agree with you. The Surface is about to die and this ad looks kind of desperate.
 
How can you consider the tech war being over? There have been plenty of ads targeted specifically against the iPhone and iPad. Yes, I agree with you. The Surface is about to die and this ad looks kind of desperate.

Sorry if I wasn't being clear. I was referring to the tech war between the iPad and the Surface being over...if ever there really was one.
 
Nice price for $349; will wait for the next drop, if the Pro was $500 then I would definitely get one.
In all honesty, it should have been built on Haswell to begin with. Desktop bins for Intel are an afterthought. Since Penryn, mobile has been their primary focus.

Well lets not talk about Banias at this point...
 
I love how they show the cover design with pastel colors that they ripped off from Apple on the surface and don't show the iPad with it (which is also it's stand). So lame, they deserve their stock drop, this ad is awful.
 
Except this ad is far from being considered part of a tech war. Not only is the war over because the Surface is about to die a quick death but Microsoft is helping iPad sales. The ad focuses more on the iPad then it does the Surface. Is Steve Ballmer really this stupid?

Call me a sheep or whatever. Despite consumers favorite operating system or what they think is the best phone, there simply is NO TECH WAR as the media likes to think. Money is what runs the world not 100 trillion 2 dollar smartphones and tablets in the hands of Chinese or Indian consumers. Apples profits from mobile slay the completion effortlessly with less products distributed. Microsoft, Google, etc need to take note. He who has the bigger fortune is clearly winning.
 
Why not continue to make ads like this? It's quite clever, funny and they don't focus on the competition for 99% of the time.
 
Ok, Surface RT has received a price cut to spur on sales because apparently selling based on he merits doesn't seem to work. Then add to that the only jewel in the crown is Microsoft Office but little in the way of third party applications thus leaving someone with a rather expensive web browsing and document making machine.

Side note: Anyone see it as rather stupid that they're comparing two completely different form factors? a hybrid device (Surface RT) vs. a pure tablet (iPad)? whilst we're on the conga line of stupid comparisons I might as well compare the entry level MacBook Air to a Surface RT then claim that for a few bucks more you can purchase a device without a crippled experience.
 
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I don't begrudge Microsoft doing this for the same reason I didn't begrudge Apple doing the I'm a Mac/PC ads--because they're the underdog in the given market.

But I have to wince just a little bit at this. Microsoft is completely missing what's so damn cool about tablets. It's the simplicity. I don't want keyboards or log ins or full desktop experience or anything like that. I love my iPad because it's instant-on, no file system to manage, and no user logins. Quick. Simple. Easy. I get what I want and I'm done.

Couldn't give a rat's $&% if the iPad doesn't have a USB connection. Don't need it. Don't see the point. If I need that, I'll use a laptop. Apple is absolutely right in keeping the tablet simple and hassle-free.
 
.....Microsoft is doing the best marketing job they can with the product that they have. Can't blame any company for doing that. At least they are showing actual differentiation that might matter to some people, and in a humorous way, which is not my recollection of their usual marketing.

As ads go, this is not a bad ad persé, as it points out some advantages of the Surface, without mentioning it's shortcomings, one of which is it's non-optimized OS, but it could be less about knocking down the competition, see also magiic below.

Microsoft needs to focus on telling people why they should buy a Surface and not why they should not buy an iPad.

Precisely!

I also agree with those who have said that MICROSOFT's use of that ever-cocky Siri in those ads, may not be helping the Surface.
 
"Do you still think I'm pretty?" Nice bit of sexism thrown in at the end there.

Microsoft, tone deaf as always.
 
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