New Surface Pro 4 Ad Takes on Apple's 'What's a Computer?' iPad Pro Campaign

[Gudi]

That's subjective though.

No, it's not. An easy to use computer is the one your grandmother would pick.

imo, OSX is sleek and intuitive.

That's because you've learned how to use it and now you're subconsciously aware of all the context information needed to use it. You constantly know the active app, the active window, the current cursor position and what's in the clipboard. That's the only way how you can tell what will happen when you type ⌘V. Most people are overwhelmed with all the stuff you need to take care of and never learn how to use a PC or Mac. But the same people are easily capable of using an iPhone or iPad.

iOS is a hacked together convoluted mess of workarounds.

It's not and you know it.

iOS looks simpler on the surface because all the functionality is hidden or completely blocked, and that makes it much harder to use.

No, it makes it easier to use. All the complicated stuff like file management and process management does not exist in iOS. It's all automated and not the business of the user. If you want to do something iOS doesn't do on its own, you got to download an app, which does the job for you. It's easy as eating pie as soon as someone programmed the right app for you.

 

[r3m1]

Tr

The only rebuttal I can think of is this:

iOS apps optimized for iPad: over 1 million.
Windows apps optimized for Surface: don't know, but far less than a million.

Trust me I have 5 iPad at home - but it is about quality as well and the 1 million apps is nothing more than a statistics as the number of quality apps is a single digit percentage - it's amazing how much iOS garbage apps are filling the App Store nowadays.

 

[clive27]

Can I run the full version of Photoshop on an iPad - NO
on Surface Pro - YES

So guess which one is a "computer"?

So... PC with Linux on it is not a computer. I see.... Gotta change Wikipedia entry on computer to "machine that runs the full version of Photoshop"

 

[Jimmy Bubbles]

I own a surface 3 and I agree with this commercial 100%. It beats the iPad in every way possible. As the IT person for my company, I plan on switching out all of our ipads for surfaces soon.
I'm still amazed Apple has not come out with a full OSX tablet.

The only thing I think the iPad has going for it is the Stylus ( i refuse to call it a pencil). the pressure sensitivity of it with the ipad screen is pretty amazing and feels pretty great,( except for the ridiculous price, and lack of buttons, and stupid way of charging it) Well, maybe it's not that great after all. LOL

My surface stylus works great but I'd like to see more levels of pressure. (To be honest, they may have improved apon this with the surface Pro 4 as I haven't tried one yet.)

Do those Surface Pros still have cooling fans in them?
I love my pencil! I find the built-in shortcuts on the iPad work just fine, without buttons on the Pencil. Also, charging it in the lightning port isn't the standard way meant to charge it. That's just if you need a quick charge on it. Otherwise, I normally plug mine into the lightning cable when it does finally need charged.

 

[BKF]

One of the principle differentiators of the products is the ecosystem, Apple provides a much richer and user friendly experience.

That ecosystem advantage will shift quickly if developers begin to perceive a reason to pivot over to the other platform. Not sure why Apple isn't just stepping up their game here.

 

[TechZeke]

So... PC with Linux on it is not a computer. I see.... Gotta change Wikipedia entry on computer to "machine that runs the full version of Photoshop"

The problem is this definition of "computer". I'm sure all would agree(at least I hope) that the iPad Pro, iPhone, Apple Watch, etc. are all "computers" in the literal sense.

However, Apple's iPad Pro commercial specifically used the term "computer" to mean something along the lines of a traditional desktop or laptop. Most consumers see "computer" as a MacBook or iMac, and the iPhone and iPads are simply smartphones and tablets.

 

[Jimmy Bubbles]

"Full office."

Isn't Microsoft the one advertising that Office 365 is a better experience because you can have the "Full office" experience on any device?

For sure, besides they're the ones who build Office for ANY  product.

 

[Popeye206]

Burn! Paybacks from the "I'm a Mac and I'm and PC" commercials. Funny!

However, I'm still of the camp that a Tablet is for a different kind of computing. If you need full apps then you're much better off with a real laptop. Just because the Surface can run full apps, does not mean it's useful or easy to do so.

 

[Jimmy Bubbles]

They must be doing this because Microsoft has nothing left to advertise about since their Windows phone went extinct. They're hoping the Surface Pro is their "next big thing".

 

[GQB]

Windows applications that can run on the Surface Pro, billions....

Don't bring a knife to a cannon fight.

As a 'tablet', Surface is mediocre. As a 'desktop machine' iPad is mediocre.
Amazed how much people are invested in comparing apples to oranges.
I do things on my iPad in photography, art and music that I vastly prefer to doing on a desktop computer.
On the occasion where I need to do a spreadsheet, I pull out the Mac or PC. Pretty much it.

I don't understand the Trumpesque chest beating that goes on around this subject. Use what works for you.
Period.

 

[Michael Goff]

I love how part of the ad is, basically, Microsoft crapping on their own Office apps.

 

[niun]

As a 'tablet', Surface is mediocre.

It's been almost a year now and I still don't have an answer to this statement.
Why?

 

[erzhik]

The title of this non storie should be as follows:

New Surface Pro 4 Ad Takes on Apple's 'What's a Computer?' iPad Pro Campaign. Continues to be irrelevant

John Mcgregor posts a snarky comment about Microsoft. Nobody gives a ****.

 

[Marx55]

A true computer is a Mac. Apple should make a Mac tablet to boost market share.

 

[Sharkey311]

But you're still having to use Windows OS for it. Everything else is moot.

 

[kd5jos]

I've been saying this for months since the iPad Pro surfaced. If it's gonna have a 'Pro' label, it better be able to do Pro stuff. I would LOVE to have an iPad Pro that ran a full version of macOS

That's nice, not what "Pro" means, and you ruin the 10 hour runtime with an OS designed for a desktop. What you would effectively be doing is taking something that can spend all day computing, and turning it in to a Surface 4 where you get 3.5 hours.

it's conveniently lighter than a laptop, the track pad/keyboard combo that Microsoft has introduced is really smart,

I've used both. The smart keyboard with Apple Pencil (if I NEED it), works great. No problems, no issues.

plus being able to run full pro applications?

For half the time...

Yeah... I would love all of that.

For half as long.

Not an iPad that you've made bigger? I feel like Apple has lost touch with their customers. I know they're all about "we want to make products our customers never thought they needed..." mentality but at the end of the day, sometimes I just want what everybody else is practically thinking at this point.

I want to only spend four hours a day using my device, only in areas where there is WiFi if I need to connect to the Internet.

As opposed to -

I can spend all day working from this device, wherever I have LTE OR WiFi, and if in the off chance I run into something that the iPad version of the app doesn't do, I notify the developer and switch to desktop for a few minutes...

I would LOVE to be able to run Logic Pro X and Adobe Premiere and Lightroom (the full version, mind you), and Protools on a computer that's as thin as an iPad with all the touch capabilities. Heck, double the Lightning connector to be able to power a hub of sorts or something. I dunno. I just feel Apple is kinda stagnant at this point. I'm more excited for new Desktop updates than these iPad ones now over the past year or two.

Is it going to be easier to design a Surface to last 200% longer, or update apps to do all the "power" stuff you think you need?

 

[TechZeke]

It's been almost a year now and I still don't have an answer to this statement.
Why?

Because people can't accept the truth. I've owned 3 iPads(1, 3, Air 2) before, and now own a SP4.

First of all, despite being heavier, the Surface Pro 4's kickstand actual makes it easier to 'lounge' with as tablet vs using a smartcover on an iPad. The type cover also works surpisingly well when treating it as a laptop.

Also, desktop apps work surprisingly despite not being touch optimized. I don't even bother with touch apps on my SP4, as I'm able to navigate the standard menus fine. It's more of a case of being used to how to interact with the touch screen.

 

[BrianKonarsMac]

The only rebuttal I can think of is this:

iOS apps optimized for iPad: over 1 million.
Windows apps optimized for Surface: don't know, but far less than a million.

Honestly though, do you often think to yourself - man, I wish I just had some more apps available... I really want to have a million apps. Ooh what's this, another fart app!? There are really only a few 'killer apps' per platform and these are pretty standard across platforms.

I'll take quality over quantity any day - at a certain point the touting of '10 BILLION APPS IN THE STORE!' becomes a huge negative as now you have to wade through endless piles of garbage just to find the really rare gem (or maybe it never gets found and the dev goes out of business). This is already an issue due to poor curation and discoverability.

edit: Just want to clarify I'm not saying Microsoft has better quality apps than iOS, my point is simply that I wouldn't consider access to over a million apps vs less than a million apps as a positive selling point.

 

[niun]

Because people can't accept the truth. I've owned 3 iPads(1, 3, Air 2) before, and now own a SP4.

First of all, despite being heavier, the Surface Pro 4's kickstand actual makes it easier to 'lounge' with as tablet vs using a smartcover on an iPad. The type cover also works surpisingly well when treating it as a laptop.

Also, desktop apps work surprisingly despite not being touch optimized. I don't even bother with touch apps on my SP4, as I'm able to navigate the standard menus fine. It's more of a case of being used to how to interact with the touch screen.

Sorry
I know the reasons why.. I want to know the reasons AGAINST it being a great tablet. I keep hearing this statement, "the Surface is an inferior tablet".
Nobody has told me why.

 

[mixel]

I'll take an ipad pro over a surface any day of the week.. (and did!) But it's not for everyone, and a reasonable level of research would be advised. I'd take an ipad pro over an ipad that ran MacOS too, despite others wanting that. Many users don't need "full desktop apps" then.. Yes, the ipad is pretty great as a computer replacement. Particularly with the camera adaptor and pencil. It's just lazy to imply that "mobile" apps can't be made as good as their desktop alternatives.

But yeah, I know a bunch of people who do "pro" stuff on ipads, iPp or otherwise, different needs, etc.

Procreate is reason alone for the iPpro.. (i have no interest in a keyboard for my ipad either!)

 

[cycomiko]

I love how part of the ad is, basically, Microsoft crapping on their own Office apps.

Except they are not.

But don't let that confuse you.

 

[Gigaman]

I own a surface 3 and I agree with this commercial 100%. It beats the iPad in every way possible. As the IT person for my company, I plan on switching out all of our ipads for surfaces soon.
I'm still amazed Apple has not come out with a full OSX tablet.

The only thing I think the iPad has going for it is the Stylus ( i refuse to call it a pencil). the pressure sensitivity of it with the ipad screen is pretty amazing and feels pretty great,( except for the ridiculous price, and lack of buttons, and stupid way of charging it) Well, maybe it's not that great after all. LOL

My surface stylus works great but I'd like to see more levels of pressure. (To be honest, they may have improved apon this with the surface Pro 4 as I haven't tried one yet.)

I don't know why you would think MacOS is a good OS for touch screens. But hm, a portable device with MacOS.. Sounds familiar.

 

[sdz]

Can your iPad do this?

Yes but it looks less informative. Its just a black screen with the white apple logo on it... :-(

 

[cycomiko]

No, it's not. An easy to use computer is the one your grandmother would pick.
.

My grandmother would pick nothing.. but she is also dead.

My father who is a grandfather has a windows 10 laptop and a surface 3.

My 5year old has an ipad

 

[donpaluh]

We need new hardware Apple!!! I am in, and generally love, the Apple universe: iPhone, iPad, MacPro, MacBook Pro, Apple TV and more. But if I can't get pro level hardware to do my job and you force me to switch computers to Microsoft and Windows (both of which I hate), then I may as well buy Android for the mobile devices too. I'm guessing the Apple Car that presumably Apple has been spending all their time on will work better with Apple's devices, but since I won't have any..