back to article Hello! Still here! Surface 2! Way better than iPad! says slightly desperate Microsoft

Microsoft has attempted to revive the fortunes of its ailing fondleslab Surface 2 with a comparative ad campaign that pits the blue tablet against the latest iPad. In a pair of YouTube polemics, Redmond tells the world exactly what the iPad doesn't have: a kickstand, hands-free gestures and a way of monitoring your kids' …

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      1. Steve Todd

        It's no use hiding behind an AC mask

        If you're going to make your posts quite so obvious, Mr Obviously!

  1. Paul Shirley

    better than last years efforts

    At least they remembered to show them doing something, last year you could easily get the impression Surface was just a colourful prop for dance routines and the keyboard a great way to make clicking sounds, tap dancing style.

    Probably the right choice attacking iPad as well, there are too many physically similar Android convertibles around. Playing the 'it runs Windows' card again isn't an option, didn't work first time and if anything people care less now.

    Can't see long term success in stealing iPad defectors though, with Android undercutting everyone in every sector and defectors inevitably not being fanbois (or they wouldn't move), painting Surface as a better iPad won't justify the pricing.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Two ways to deal with a failed product

    One is to acknowledge you failed, learned from it and move on.

    Then there is the keep whipping the dead horse method. Fail to realize you failed, keep spending money trying to convince the world that the horse is not dead and blame everyone but yourself for the failure.

    Microsoft, the horse is dead, move on.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Just wave something in front of the screen

    Surface, for those who hands are otherwise occupied and expecting some splatter.

    --

    When I stop taking the piss for a moment I almost want this to work as I've stayed clear of Apple and Android while OK, is by design, adds driven to survive.

    MS saying they are not going to use your data is just a joke, unless there is another revenue stream they can keep running they will have to "leverage" something for the Evil Grannies *.

    I genuinly dislike the current market where ecosystems are in so much flux, assuming I still want to use any software locally what platform should I trust to still be present in a year or two's time?

    * Evil Grannies

    These are the shareholders, the faceless people who's pension relies on the company doing well in the short term, as they don't seem to have an overwhelming moral code or force and are mainly pension funds therefore they must be Evil Grannies, anybody saying "it's the fund managers doing the bidding" is just covering for them (obviously).

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Elephant in the room?

    "But for the moment it doesn't need to. Redmond's fondleslab only boasts a 1.65 per cent market share compared to Apple's 27.4 per cent. ®" ... And Google's 70% marketshare...

  5. bed

    Microsoft to kill win RT?

    You may wsih to look at this...

    http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/26/microsoft-kill-windows-rt-larson-green

    1. Tom 35

      Re: Microsoft to kill win RT?

      They can't kill it off yet, they have to give the Nokia tablet a chance to fail first.

      Will they outright kill it, or do more of a Zune and treat it like plant that no one remembered to water?

  6. Pat 4

    GAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

    What the FRACK is that crappy, 80's cheap MIDI musac??!??!??!

    FFS! This is a multi BILLION dollar world-wide corporation and their add sounds like a repeat of "How it's made" on Discovery channel! Like a cheap Casio keyboard on demo mode...

    If it wasn't Microsoft I'd think it was a joke...

  7. stu 4

    Microsoft and advertising

    It defies belief that their ads are so consistently bad though doesn't it ?

    forgot the product, forget apple vs Microsoft... just as an exercise in advertising - they are just consistently utterly abysmal... these scroogle shite they are running just now is different but just as bad 'hey - stop using gmail... they spy on you.. come back to hotmail.. we know it is utter shite, but we don't spy on you (we just allow all the 100s of spams a day right into your mailbox un-targetted).....

    Who remembers:

    - the black man with the white arm

    - the abysmal 'have a windows 7 party' general idea and campaign

    - the shoe shop thing with Gates

    - that terrible laptop hunters ad

    - but top for me so far has been the advert/tutorial for 'how to organise a party (perhaps with a side tutorial on how to breath and arse/elbow detection techniques)... that one is so good I'm posting it below:

    http://gizmodo.com/5366105/this-incredible-windows-7-launch-party-video-is-either-the-best-or-worst-microsoft-ad-this-year

    1. monkeyfish

      Re: Microsoft and advertising

      Some of the winpho ones, while not great, are on the line of acceptable. Certainly less vomit inducing than the current crop of ipad/iphone "designed in california" ads. But yes, MS are generally terrible, remember the win7 "designed by me" ads? Presumably win8 was designed by someone else.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Microsoft and advertising

      If you thought the Win7 launch party marketing gimmick was bad, look up these gems from Microsoft:

      1) Scroogled

      2) Googlighting Stranger

      3) Gmail Man

      4) The Smartphone Beta Test (Nokia Lumia 900)

      5) The Browser You Loved To Hate (IE)

      6) (Countless 'Windows phones are better than the silly iPhones and Droids' ads)

      7) #DroidRage

      8) Zune Squirt

      9) Microsoft KIN ads

      10) Bing It On

      Special mention:

      A mock funeral parade for Apple when Windows Phone 7 went RTM, circa 2010.

      1. asdf

        Re: Microsoft and advertising

        Yep Microsoft never got big because of marketing. They got big because IBM was even more anti consumer.

      2. stu 4

        Re: Microsoft and advertising

        that reminds me of the other thing they are shit at - product placement.

        The majority of films and TV use apple gear when computers are required - I imagine because they look cool.

        Since apple don't pay for product placement EVER though most will have the apple logos covered up. Some even have them running linux. e.g. supernatural (logos covered, linux). Some don't bother though and have the apple showing. e.g. 30 rock.

        However, MS DOES do pay for product placement - it's the only way they can get em on the screen. Usually in partnership with Dell. e.g. elementary with it's crappy surfaces, or smallville and it's Dells everywhere.

        You don't see it so much now, but a few years ago when they were flogging Bing to death there was a spate of tv and films that had people using Bing for searches, and even worse dialog like 'let me just bing that'. e.g. spiderman.

        absolutely desperate.

    3. Fihart

      Re: Microsoft and advertising @stu 4

      - the abysmal 'have a windows 7 party' general idea and campaign

      God, how could we forget ?

      The crapmost patronising marketing idea I have ever encountered.

  8. asdf
    Trollface

    woot

    Lets all take a moment to congratulate Microsoft for finally achieving a market share that doesn't round down to zero. Two percent you better watch your back buddy.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I bought an Asus T100 a few days ago; its hard for me to understand why anyone would buy an RT device when there are products like the T100 available.

    If you really need a full HD screen (T100 is not) on a small screen, there are lots of other options.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Another round of Surface writeoff coming your way soon

    Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.

    Surface 3 tablets anyone? How much money do you have to burn before you get it, Microsoft?

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Surface has barely scratched the surface of the tablet market.

  12. asdf

    hmm

    Bets the first thing any new CEO does is come in say yeah Windows RT and the Surface you are a short bus money loser and you are gone.

    1. hoverboy

      Re: hmm

      The biggest problem that MS have is that although all their products share a common-ish theme (The tiles) the codebases are not compatible so they lose a lot of developer support. Their strategy is reportedly to converge on a single code base for all devices. If they can pull this off then it will be worth the while of developers to write more apps for them.

      Of the four main consumer product lines, XBox has its niche, full blown X86 Windows will be around for lifetimes yet and the phones are pretty sweet (and starting to take off now, at least outside the US) RT, however is really a bit pointless, especially considering, as others here have pointed out, the affordability of decent Atom-based tablets.

      The tiles work well on a phone screen, I have one and I wouldn't go back to an iPhone now. The first part of the convergence will be to merge RT and Phone OSs, with features applied dependent upon screen size. The 'RT' brand will then quietly fade away...

    2. sam bo
      Joke

      Re: hmm

      "Bets the first thing any new CEO does is come in say yeah Windows RT and the Surface you are a short bus money loser and you are gone."

      If Elop gets the job, maybe he can use his "burning platform" line again - except this time he suggests they dump Windows and give Android a run.

      hey, it worked for him last time, who knows ?

  13. A Butler

    Own and use a Surface RT excellent laptop replacement

    Most commentators here have net given the Surface RT tablet a chance, I have.

    It is the most flexible device of the lot out their as a laptop replacement and a tablet. No other device comes close. Of course its not as good as an iPad as a pure tablet for playing with on the couch at the end of the day. However disconnect the magnetic keyboard and it almost as good.

    Attach the keyboard, add in an external USB NIC and VGA lead to the bag and for most people it will do all the tasks of a portable laptop perfectly for 1/2 the price. Couple that with the improved 8.1 update (Outlook, offline Skydrive file access), a MICRO sd card slot (usual 64GB recommended) and you are sorted. You can load up the device with all those old MP3's (from the now defunct laptop) and movies from torrent sites unlike the iTunes walled garden.

    Add in that like the iPad is will not get viruses however unlike the iPad all flash sites are supported you have a far better all-rounder device

    So in this recessionary times its the ideal device for anyone wanting to buy one productive value device. Of course most of the contributors here have no issue buying a iPad air for the train, an android device for the home have a laptop for those big meetings with possible a media server for their media content. Unfortunately not everyone is made of money like the IT boomers here....

    And don't get me started on all the xmas €100 bargain junk Android tablets, I expect most to be broke and in landfill by the end of January.

    1. Tom 35

      Re: Own and use a Surface RT excellent laptop replacement

      " it will do all the tasks of a portable laptop perfectly for 1/2 the price."

      I think you have that backwards. For the price of a Surface, the keyboard, the SD card... you could buy a Very Nice laptop. If you want a small underpowered thing with a crappy keyboard you can get one for a lot less.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Own and use a Surface RT excellent laptop replacement

      "You can load up the device with all those old MP3's (from the now defunct laptop) and movies from torrent sites unlike the iTunes walled garden."

      Hello? VLC? Available for free in the App Store.

      1. A Butler

        Re: Own and use a Surface RT excellent laptop replacement

        Then you have the issue of a measly 16GB storage on the base iPad or spend a lavish amount for the apple robbery options of 32GB or 64GB..... even Wozinak bemoaned Apples's attitude to storage.

        I think the Surface is a better option storage wise.

        1. Richard Plinston

          Re: Own and use a Surface RT excellent laptop replacement

          > I think the Surface is a better option storage wise.

          """For the 32GB version of the new [Surface RT] tablet, users have access to only 16GB of storage, with the remaining half taken up by Windows recovery tools, Windows RT, Microsoft Office, and built-in apps."""

          http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/5/3603652/microsoft-surface-windows-rt-disk-space

          1. John773

            Re: Own and use a Surface RT excellent laptop replacement

            The Verge has it wrong even with respect to the original RT. Since I enjoyed using my Surface 2, I bought a RT for my parents. It comes with 16GB open WITH everything including MS Office installed. You can recover an additional 3GB by creating a USB recovery thumb drive. You can also add an additional 64GB via micro SD card.

            With my Surface 2, it came with about 18GB free with MS Office installed. Another 3GB were freed when I created a USB recovery thumb drive. I then inserted a 64GB micro SD card. No matter how you try to spin it the storage options are actually better on a Surface.

            Again, people take this way to seriously. At the very least, be honest about your arguments.

            1. Richard Plinston

              Re: Own and use a Surface RT excellent laptop replacement

              > """For the 32GB version of the new [Surface RT] tablet, users have access to only 16GB of storage, with the remaining half taken up by Windows recovery tools, Windows RT, Microsoft Office, and built-in apps."""

              > The Verge has it wrong even with respect to the original RT. Since I enjoyed using my Surface 2, I bought a RT for my parents. It comes with 16GB open WITH everything including MS Office installed.

              So, you are actually saying that the Verge is right: on a Surface RT 32Gb (they were reviewing the original RT), as delivered, there is 16Gb available. Which you confirm.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Own and use a Surface RT excellent laptop replacement

        Oh yeah, VLC is just super-slick on iPad. All you need are accounts at Slashdot and StackOverflow to work out how to get it to work at all, then enjoy buggy, faltering playback and crashes. On the Surface you plug in the USB stick, drag whatever video file to the Movies folder and it appears in the player. Job done.

        Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of VLC and use it constantly on my Linux box but you cannot compare the iPad's locked-down system with WinRT's flexibility.

    3. John773

      Re: Own and use a Surface RT excellent laptop replacement

      My Surface 2 is serving as a laptop replacement for my business trips as well. I am mobile professional and not in IT. The amount of hate for an inanimate tablet is pretty hilarious. People need to stop taking these too seriously.

  14. Redsyrup

    What iSheep fail to realize...

    Windows 8.1 will be adopted by Enterprise over the year or two and it's the exact same OS as what's on the Fondleslabs but also running on Desktops and Laptops. This spells doom for iPads in the work place. It's just a matter of time.

    1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: What iSheep fail to realize...

      Windows 8.1 will be adopted by Enterprise over the year or two and it's the exact same OS as what's on the Fondleslabs but also running on Desktops and Laptops

      er, no it isn't. The Surface 2 runs Windows RT which is neither Windows 8.1 nor Windows Phone so apps for either system don't just run on it.

    2. Snapper
      FAIL

      Re: What iSheep fail to realize...

      "This spells doom for iPads in the work place. It's just a matter of time."

      Holy shit! How many times have I heard variations of that opinion!

  15. Stoke the atom furnaces

    The problem with "Surface" is that it seems to have the same interface as Windows 8. I hate Windows 8 on my home PC, and wish it could go back to Windows 7.

    When my iPad needs replacing I will probably buy another iPad.

  16. Sebastian A
    Unhappy

    I remember when...

    I miss the days when advertising focused on telling consumers about the product. Now it's all about being deliberately misleading or rubbishing the competition.

  17. SVV

    They should have called their new OS iWindows

    That would have at least been funny

    1. TheOtherHobbes

      Re: They should have called their new OS iWindows

      You got that upside down: !Windows.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    As consumers just scratch their heads...

    Microsoft's main selling point for the Surface is apparently that it can be propped up and has a "real" keyboard.

    Meanwhile, probably 75% of the iPads I see in the wild are propped up and/or have real keyboards thanks to 1st or 3rd party accessories.

    I can only imagine the state of confusion most people will experience when they see this stuff being pushed as a unique selling proposition.

    1. Richard Plinston

      Re: As consumers just scratch their heads...

      > Meanwhile, probably 75% of the iPads I see in the wild are propped up and/or have real keyboards thanks to 1st or 3rd party accessories.

      What _is_ unique to Surface is that, due to the floppy way the keyboard connects, and it must be connected*, and the way the stand operates, it is only usable in landscape, and is almost completely unusable on the lap.

      In comparison there are several keyboard/covers/stands that allow landscape or portrait and/or remote keyboards and/or comfortable and stable laptop use. With the combination cover/keyboard/stand the tablet can be propped up on an airline tray while the keyboard is used on the lap - much preferred.

      * I understand there will be an additional cost item that will allow a bluetooth keyboard to be used on Surface 2/pro 2. But it is still stuck in 16:9 landscape by the stand.

  19. Raymaker

    Tried Surface Pro went back to Ipad

    I tried a Surface Pro for one month and I really wanted to like it, but it's no iPad, even for business. I know I can edit office documents on it, but I cannot present as the screen keeps going blank after 5 minutes despite working with Microsoft directly to fix this, it is obviously a feature to save battery that cannot be altered. The screen resolution cannot be matched to your attached display, if you do alter it to have a reasonable resolution, none of the fix resolution Metro apps work they just say "cannot open wrong resolution". I tried to use Display-link to connect my devices and screen and the USB does not have enough performance to drive the mouse in realtime. The pen does not fit in the device so goes missing very quickly and you have to choose mount it in the charging slot of recharge you Surface Pro, not much choice because the battery is so poor you will need to charge it all the time. The windows 8 interface is really confused switching between each format, and if you open a web page in Metro and it does not run you have to open it in old windows 7 style internet explorer

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Tried Surface Pro went back to Ipad

      Have you tried not being an idiot? I use my own Surface Pro in exactly the way you describe and have had none of the issues, except for the issue of resolution matching with an external display. Even so, it didn't stop me opening any apps or getting my job done, it just wasn't quite as slick as I might have hoped. FUD pure and simple.

  20. Parousia

    Happy customer.

    I own a surface pro 2 256gb model. I quite frankly couldn't be happier with the device.

    I'm a photographer and it can be stashed in with my equipment wherever I go without a moments thought, and is more than capable of editing and managing a heavy work load on the go, (the battery does brilliantly).

    Its a brilliant way to show clients images, its also great for tethering, and editing with a pen ads a dimension to the experience I rather enjoy.

    Granted this isn't everyone's use case but its certainly a lot better than people give it credit for.

    In regards to the RT model it certainly doesn't have the app selection and is far from perfect but there's some great multi tasking features that neither iOS or android have that are incredibly useful. Aswell as a rather refreshing change from a standard icon based ui. Personally if I was in that market I would look at something with an atom chip in it however.

    These products get better and offer features (in hardware and software) that the competition doesn't, which only serves to bring choice to the consumer... not a bad thing.

  21. mattper
    Happy

    nice...

    Damn, I can't wait to get one when it's free...

  22. Charlie Clark Silver badge
    Flame

    Parody of itself

    Those ads are incredibly patronising. I was just waiting for an "endorsed by the NSA" strapline at the end of the second one and a comedy central badge. But when neither came I realised these are real. So Microsoft is now selling hardware as kitchen aids? Well, I guess maybe no one else has tried it and doesn't realise what an enormous market it is (there may well be a market for tablets in the kitchen but is more likely to be along the lines of ones that really help you with making the food, controlling the stove, microwave, interacting with the scales (already I-Pad apps)).

    Whatever will they think of next? Surface as the ideal accessory for accident-chasing lawyers?

  23. Mikel

    Mouthpiece

    Vice President of corporate communications Frank Shaw will be along presently to remind us that people LIKE a little abandonware mystery with their PC purchase, especially when it's going under the tree. And hey, we are going to make a killing in April on those XP refugees because they have nowhere else to go.

  24. Sebastian A

    Smells like shill in here...

    From both sides. Anyone else picking up that distinctive odour of money and bullshit?

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