APPLE iPAD AIR
Didn’t I read that Microsoft was discontinuing the Surface?
I remember growing up in the 80s/90s how benchmark tests were a big deal because each new generation of chips meant a noticeable jump in speed and performance. But with chips now so fast does someone notice the speed difference between the iPad Air and Surface 3?
Blasphemy! Oh, you’ll smoke a turd in hell for that!
This author is out in la-la land. Not even Microsoft compares the Surface Pro to the iPad - their ads compare it to the MacBook Air. And for good reason as they’re both in the not-quite-a-desktop-replacement notebook category.
This article is poorly written. Moreover, the author has little historical perspective that would allow him to avoid some of the false platitudes he was making.
Most egregiously, the famous “1984” ad was against IBM, NOT Microsoft. In those days, Microsoft was widely considered an imperfect good guy, licensing the PC-DOS they peddled to IBM because they oursmarted Big Blue on the original deal.
The author has NO memory of the Amelio and Spindler eras.
The U2 whatever wasn’t even a blip on the MacRumors forum (mostly fanboys, but enough real users to make it a reasonable place to check).
Finally, the presumption that Geekbench speed isa the only benchmark to count on a tablet is LAUGHABLE. Will a decent Intel processor beat a decent ARM processor in a broad array of uses? Of course.
And my old 1965 Chrysler 300, properly tuned, can pass almost anything except a gas station.
Tablet users generally value battery life OVER computational performance. In Apple’s case, many iOS users GREATLY value the gated garden software and OS approach. Those who want more options and more control at a possible cost of stability would opt for Android.
My guess is that the Surface is cannibalizing sales from Windows based laptops, and very little from iPad/Android.
Perhaps, but then you’ll still be using MS software and UI. I’ll pass. I have moved on.
Does the MS Surface run Windows 8?
OH ...
Game, set, match, Apple wins!
(Windows 8 is horrible.)
There are a few things that have me down on Apple and a few things that have me up on Microsoft.
A first thing negative at Apple is the guy at the top. He is a disaster and although his PR Team have been busy writing a narrative of how wonderful he is, it is a lie and a sham that will increasingly come into focus in time.
A second thing negative about Apple is there is an Apple culture that extends to the streets and into cyberspace. In particular, there are those who praise Apple and talk smack about Microsoft at every instance.
Then there is the issue of sabotage of Microsoft products. I have personally witnessed in Best Buy a row of Microsoft phones and Windows 8 laptops that did not work at all because the keyboards had been messed with or the monitors damaged WHEREAS all the Apple products were unmolested.
I confirmed my suspicion of sabotage in 2 stores of GAMESTOP where demo units of XBOX ONE, Playstation 4, and the new Wii U Console (Nintendo) have all been out on their floors for several weeks now. In both stores, the XBOX ONE unit controllers were not working WHEREAS the Playstation and Wii U demo units were. And it is not the possibility that Microsoft has defective controllers because an XBOX ONE Kiosk at a major shopping center has had all its equipment working without failures or incidents.
When I asked the GAMESTOP floor managers why he thought XBOX ONE was not working while the other competing demo units were working, he said he thought some persons had messed around with the controllers (which are quite durable). I told him what I had witnessed at Best Buy and also the other GAMESTOP store as well the Microsoft XBOX Kiosk, and he nodded in agreement.
I think the jury is still out on Microsoft but I think it’s safe to say they have turned a corner whereas Apple could be flying towards a flameout.
The new Chief at Microsoft is a family oriented guy who came up through the ranks and appears to be indifferent to politics which I like and think can be good for business as it sets a tone for all their products and marketing.
The Surface 3 Pro is a full desktop replacement and I will be looking to acquire one or two or possibly the followup product. I have read a little about Windows 9 and 10 and I like how the company is working with the public and user community to upgrade or introduce new features that are driven a lot by those that use Microsoft products. Apparently they’ve gotten the message to avoid shocks and surprises to their current customers.
All in all, Microsoft appears to be on a better track.
BS...
It’s too expensive though, IMO
BFL
I chuckle at this, because when I go to a “mall” about twice a year, there is an Apple store over-run with people and a Microsoft store with cobwebs growing on the two bored-to- tears employees.
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It doesn’t need to beat it. Once Apple sucks you into their orbit, you’re toast, lol. I love those Samsung Tab S screens (the Basic mode has been tested as highly color-accurate) and one day I compared them to my IPad Air. Samsung embarrassed Apple here, clearly.
But there is NO way they can pry me from my iPad! iOS 8 is a buggy mess that Steve Jobs would have had people assassinated for! Yet I’m hooked. They finally got me.
I still use a Windows (7) PC, but iMac with 5k Retina (hello!) is calling.
Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to compare a MacBook rather than an iPad? Hell, my 4 year old desktop will run rings around either of these devices.