Microsoft's Surface Book Ads Borrow Music From Apple to Focus on Things a Mac 'Just Can’t Do'

[MacRumors]

Following the launch of a few ads focused around the advantages of Windows 10 PCs over Macs, this week Microsoft continued its campaign with new commercials showcasing the Microsoft Surface Book. The ads feature wildlife photographer Tim Flach describing the pros of the Surface Book, pointing out a few things that he "just can't do" on a Mac.

The first video showcases Flach's "initial impressions of the Surface Book," with the photographer commenting on the detail provided by the two-in-one laptop/tablet device. Flach also detaches the top half of the Surface Book to directly edit and manipulate his photographs. He ends the video stating, "I can't do that on my Mac."

The second ad delves deeper into the powers of the Surface Pen and its 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, with Flach comparing the experience he had with Microsoft's device to his time as a painter. Despite the touch-screen similarities the Surface Book shares with the iPad Pro, Microsoft keeps the comparison specifically to Apple's Mac line in each video.

As pointed out by a reader of The Loop, the score for Microsoft's new ads skews close to a Retina MacBook Pro commercial from 2012. Both videos use variants of "Song" by Kidstreet, with Apple's ad playing the "String Version" of the tune and Microsoft's playing the "Reimagined" version.

A third video posted to the company's YouTube channel echoes much of the sentiment of the first two. Microsoft sells the Surface Book starting at $1,499 and goes up all the way to $3,199 thanks to a boosted 1TB flash storage and Intel Core i7 processor. The company first introduced the Surface Book at an event last October, referring to the versatile computing device as "the fastest laptop ever made, anywhere, on any planet."

Article Link: Microsoft's Surface Book Ads Borrow Music From Apple to Focus on Things a Mac 'Just Can't Do'

 

[Sirious]

Both companies do make some great ads though

 

[MH01]

slow day with the news I see.....

 

[Xavier]

Wow, i must admit, I really liked these ads. It's something fresh from Microsoft that we haven't seen in awhile. Kinda selling me on a Surface book!

 

[Aldaris]

slow day with the news I see.....

No Apple news... Better run those emergency Microsoft ads stories.

... With two weeks prior to the rumored March event I would expect to see media invite. Guess we will know in a few hours if it'll really be the week of the 21st.

 

[Nimrad]

Now, Apple, please borrow some inspiration from the surface book. Say what you want about MS or Apple, but the Surface Book is the first thing in years that have made me consider "switching".

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

For the few times you would actually want to touch the screen, I still don't see the benefit(s) of having an OS optimised for multiple input.

Also, plastering the screen with grease and fingerprints one minute and then using a trackpad the next is anything but professional.

 

[MasterRyu2011]

Does it seem like Apple and Microsoft think that the only real work out there is that of the creative/media type? How will these ads draw in people who don't...uh draw for a living.
[doublepost=1457543656][/doublepost]

For the few times you would actually want to touch the screen, I still don't see the benefit(s) of having an OS optimised for multiple input.

Also, plastering the screen with grease and fingerprints one minute and then using a trackpad the next is anything but professional.

Um, isn't that why there is a pen?

 

[thatanonymoususer]

You see on the Mac, we have more than one instrument playing our inspirational music. You just can't do that on a PC. But seriously, Microsoft seems to have a lot of advertising centered around Apple. They don't seem to understand what makes people buy Macs though.

 

[quackers82]

I think Microsoft need some decent designers, that Surface book looks UGLY.

The hinge part is pure vileness. Looks like it came from the 1960s.

 

[FieldingMellish]

Wow. Surface Pro. Not getting one.

 

[H2SO4]

It’s I’m a Mac, I’m a PC done all over again. Just as well too.

Cleverly done. Very short and sweet deliberately aping the Apple ones just enough.

 

[SSD-GUY]

Dat gap when the surface book is closed tho.

 

[oneMadRssn]

Seems definitely useful for those use cases, I don't think anyone can debate that point. I just don't think there are that many use cases. According to government data, there are something like 1% of the working population that is an artist, photographer, or some kind of media creator that would benefit from those features. Meanwhile, the 30% of us that use Excel don't ever want to touch the screen nor use a pressure-sensitive pen.

The thing that spoke to me about the older Mac ads was the message that it doesn't matter what task you use it for, it's better than Windows for that task. These ads are great and certainly I can see how the feature is useful for someone, but they don't speak to me at all because I'm not a photographer or artist.

 

[H2SO4]

Seems definitely useful for those use cases, I don't think anyone can debate that point. I just don't think there are that many use cases. According to government data, there are something like 1% of the working population that is an artist, photographer, or some kind of media creator that would benefit from those features. Meanwhile, the 30% of us that use Excel don't ever want to touch the screen nor use a pressure-sensitive pen.

The thing that spoke to me about the older Mac ads was the message that it doesn't matter what task you use it for, it's better than Windows for that task. These ads are great and certainly I can see how the feature is useful for someone, but they don't speak to me at all because I'm not a photographer or artist.

Maybe. Personally I’d rather have the option.
I don’t necessarily have a big family or hit the trails but it might not stop me buying an SUV that has qualities abilities that I’d never need or use.

 

[chipchen]

Microsoft keeps doing this in their commercials... When are they going to realize that Macs are less of a thread to them than the Chromebooks?

 

[Mousse]

The underlying message I'm receiving is: PC's have more programs than Mac. Well, duh.

Anyhow, it's nice to see MS righting itself after Ballmer's reign of error. As a computer user, I like having access to more than one tool. Keep on rocking, MS.

 

[ike1707]

Following the launch of a few ads focused around the advantages of Windows 10 PCs over Macs, this week Microsoft continued its campaign with new commercials showcasing the Microsoft Surface Book. The ads feature wildlife photographer Tim Flach describing the pros of the Surface Book, pointing out a few things that he "just can't do" on a Mac.

The first video showcases Flach's "initial impressions of the Surface Book," with the photographer commenting on the detail provided by the two-in-one laptop/tablet device. Flach also detaches the top half of the Surface Book to directly edit and manipulate his photographs. He ends the video stating, "I can't do that on my Mac."

The second ad delves deeper into the powers of the Surface Pen and its 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, with Flach comparing the experience he had with Microsoft's device to his time as a painter. Despite the touch-screen similarities the Surface Book shares with the iPad Pro, Microsoft keeps the comparison specifically to Apple's Mac line in each video.

As pointed out by a reader of The Loop, the score for Microsoft's new ads skews close to a Retina MacBook Pro commercial from 2012. Both videos use variants of "Song" by Kidstreet, with Apple's ad playing the "String Version" of the tune and Microsoft's playing the "Reimagined" version.

A third video posted to the company's YouTube channel echoes much of the sentiment of the first two. Microsoft sells the Surface Book starting at $1,499 and goes up all the way to $3,199 thanks to a boosted 1TB flash storage and Intel Core i7 processor. The company first introduced the Surface Book at an event last October, referring to the versatile computing device as "the fastest laptop ever made, anywhere, on any planet."

Article Link: Microsoft's Surface Book Ads Borrow Music From Apple to Focus on Things a Mac 'Just Can't Do'

Funny, but I don't want to put my fingers all over my screen anymore than I did five minutes ago.

 

[Marx55]

Apple should build a true Mac tablet.

 

[bjet767]

Wow!

$3 grand for a Windows product. Reminds me of the Sony Vaio days. Makes my 12" MB seem cheap.

Agreed, we need a touch screen true OSX product.

Bring it on Apple, stop the Pro iOS product and give us a true "Pro" product with OS X !!!!!

Message typed from my iPad Air 2

 

[swajames]

I'm a mac guy at heart, but I also have an i7/16gb/512gb SSD Surface Book. It's actually a fantastic laptop. The launch was rocky, I got mine on launch day and it was clearly released before it was quite ready, but updates since then have made a big difference. It's a fast and well built machine. I bought it instead of the MBP I was going to get and I don't regret the decision.

 

[modent]

Microsoft should have "accidentally" make it 100% hackintosh compatible.

 

[PowerBook-G5]

The song is pretty nice, to be honest.

 

[djcerla]

Say what you want about MS or Apple, but the Surface Book is the first thing in years that have made me consider "switching".

Try the switch.

You'll be back fast, screaming!

 

[Kaibelf]

Yeah I'd expect to do different things with a computer that costs up to 3x as much also.