I guess it gets the idea across, but for the consumer who isn't really paying attention it will just look like an iPad ad thanks to the Surface's inherent lack of visual distinctiveness.
I was left thinking that the sound they used when the cover cum keyboard was attched was that of the iPad mag cover being attached dubbed over in post editing.
Please somebody tell me what the hell is a keyboard-cum-cover? I Googled it but still no luck. How someone can propose this as reasonable marketing strategy or brand name choice is beyond idiotic. Ok, I'm imagining a marketing meeting (I've been in plenty) and someones says "I've got it!" 'Cum Cover' that's the ticket! Didn't any eyes roll back into their heads?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Summa cum laude I get, not this Freudian slip. It is not just this author it is all over the net going back to July. They fixed the misnomer 'Metro' They should have fixed this too.
I think you people need to learn some English. "Cum" basically means something that can take on two roles. For example, a singer-cum-actress is someone who can sing and act. It's a real word. Look it up.
Coming from Microsoft, this isn't a bad commercial. The school girls are really creepy though. It seems like MS is trying to make the keyboard cover a unique idea, and it actually is not bad. Except it can only be used when the tablet is sitting on a table. You really cannot use the tablet, with the keyboard and the "kickstand" on your lap. So, it's the world's most portable desktop device.
The problem I see with Windows 8 is so many controls are hidden unless you have the cursor in the right place, this gets old quickly. Also, it's designed to be a tablet & touch-centric OS first that has such a poorly designed fallback mode for mouse and keyboard based computers, I don't know why they bothered to offer a desktop version of the OS. The new UI seriously gimps any large screened computer to a setup that's appropriate for a 10" screen at most.
Yeah, but OS X is doing the same thing. Hidden controls are a bit frustrating at first. I had a friend use my iMac which has the magic pad. He could not get the scroll arrows to un-hide when moving the cursor to the edge. I thought it is a bit odd too. It will only pop up when you use the two finger scroll, but not if you move the cursor to the edge. Now if you turn off the magic pad and use your mouse, the scroll marker re-appears. I guess at least that's helpful. But a little confusing to a new user.
Also when using Mission Control, It took me a few days to learn how to get a new desktop opened. I accidentally moved my mouse to the right upper corner and the new desktop tab appeared. I guess it just seems strange at first to have features hidden. It reminds me of the easter eggs hidden in apps a decade ago.
But typing on my iPad now..... Sucks. A keyboard cover if it worked well, would be very nice. Not gonna get a surface, but I'd love for apple to do it.
There are many keyboard alternatives out there (non any good?), but I am surprised no-one has brought out a magnetic bluetooth cover keyboard for the Mac yet. Not sure how you'd make the pad stay upright, but...
Key issue for me. I was hoping the Surface commercial would tell me something it does that would make me interested in checking it out. The ad does not do it. Any object could have been used in this commercial and nothing would have changed (and probably was "any object" because these were plastic props with no functionality -- much like the real Surface?).
You mean fresh ideas like all the second screen stuff they copies off iOS and AirPlay
No- like second screen stuff in gaming. That's pretty awesome- you have to admit. I don't game at all, so it doesnt appeal to me in the slightest, but I can give credit where it's due.
And their ideas for second screen absolutely surpass what Apple is doing with theirs. How it turns out, we'll see, but just to hate before anyone even puts their hands on something is pretty childish and one-sided.
Quote:
Originally Posted by charlituna
MS keyboard is a copy of several done for iPads since version one.
No- it's not a copy of several done for iPads. iPad ones are bluetooth and require batteries. This is fully integrated. That's not the same at all.
Even if the Surface is the best tablet with the best reviews, I'm still not buying one- but I can appreciate it.
Yep. Mice since Windows 1.0, I think. Then there's UltimateTV. They did network cards and keyboards. Zune. Plus that obscure XBox that nobody ever heard of and nobody ever played.
Definitely not their first foray, but they aren't really a hardware company either.
I believe Microsoft mice are basically a deal with Logitech, although I know they had a hardware team starting in the late 90's that directed mouse and keyboard design. Can't say on the rest of it, but I would imagine MS mostly directed and specified. I'm sure they do much of the software in the hardware they produce, but it seems very unlikely that they would be involved deeply in all aspects of the design and engineering (other than SW engineering,) like Apple is.
Marketing a good product is easy. Just show what things you can do with it (with the tablet).
Marketing a mediocre product is difficult. You have to add all these lights, effects, dancing, and others distractions just to make the product look kind of good. That's part of the problem Microsoft has.
The problem I see with Microsoft is that they don't really innovate. To enter the tablet market, ok, no problem there. But when they advertise it on commercials, why can't they just show people what can we do with their tablet? What does a bunch of dancing people have to do with my use of the surface? And the magnetic cover... Do you expect me to take that as something that has not been thought of yet by display the use of it so prominently on the commercial? Do you think I will be putting together and apart the keyboard and the tablet that much during the day? What about just showing me how nicely Microsoft Office can work on the Surface? That could be a nice thing!
The only and very only thing that I like about the surface is the integration of the keyboard on the cover. Neither Apple or Samsung or HTC or any of the others have done that. But we still need to see how it will affect the battery life of the Surface. I applaud Microsoft for coming up with that idea.
Comments
I was left thinking that the sound they used when the cover cum keyboard was attched was that of the iPad mag cover being attached dubbed over in post editing.
You asked for it.
http://postimage.org/image/krrn9qrhz/
Quote:
Originally Posted by Napoleon_PhoneApart
It has a keyboard cum cover?!
I ain't touching it without latex gloves.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Please somebody tell me what the hell is a keyboard-cum-cover? I Googled it but still no luck. How someone can propose this as reasonable marketing strategy or brand name choice is beyond idiotic. Ok, I'm imagining a marketing meeting (I've been in plenty) and someones says "I've got it!" 'Cum Cover' that's the ticket! Didn't any eyes roll back into their heads?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Summa cum laude I get, not this Freudian slip. It is not just this author it is all over the net going back to July. They fixed the misnomer 'Metro' They should have fixed this too.
I think you people need to learn some English. "Cum" basically means something that can take on two roles. For example, a singer-cum-actress is someone who can sing and act. It's a real word. Look it up.
Sunday not Monday
For anyone that checked out AMC's Walking Dead premier you would have seen Windows 8 commercials.
There is something very creepy about that girl. With everything going on in that video she instantly reminded me of the girl from Orphan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffDM
The problem I see with Windows 8 is so many controls are hidden unless you have the cursor in the right place, this gets old quickly. Also, it's designed to be a tablet & touch-centric OS first that has such a poorly designed fallback mode for mouse and keyboard based computers, I don't know why they bothered to offer a desktop version of the OS. The new UI seriously gimps any large screened computer to a setup that's appropriate for a 10" screen at most.
Yeah, but OS X is doing the same thing. Hidden controls are a bit frustrating at first. I had a friend use my iMac which has the magic pad. He could not get the scroll arrows to un-hide when moving the cursor to the edge. I thought it is a bit odd too. It will only pop up when you use the two finger scroll, but not if you move the cursor to the edge. Now if you turn off the magic pad and use your mouse, the scroll marker re-appears. I guess at least that's helpful. But a little confusing to a new user.
Also when using Mission Control, It took me a few days to learn how to get a new desktop opened. I accidentally moved my mouse to the right upper corner and the new desktop tab appeared. I guess it just seems strange at first to have features hidden. It reminds me of the easter eggs hidden in apps a decade ago.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andysol
I don't understand the trackpad on it- weird.
But typing on my iPad now..... Sucks. A keyboard cover if it worked well, would be very nice. Not gonna get a surface, but I'd love for apple to do it.
There are many keyboard alternatives out there (non any good?), but I am surprised no-one has brought out a magnetic bluetooth cover keyboard for the Mac yet. Not sure how you'd make the pad stay upright, but...
And then a very 'tasty' iPad 4 launch post Christmas?
*shrugs.
Apple's juggernaut shows no sign of abating.
Lemon Bon Bon.
You mean fresh ideas like all the second screen stuff they copies off iOS and AirPlay
Actually I believe they did. But at that time it was a unique feature. MS keyboard is a copy of several done for iPads since version one.
Spot on!
Key issue for me. I was hoping the Surface commercial would tell me something it does that would make me interested in checking it out. The ad does not do it. Any object could have been used in this commercial and nothing would have changed (and probably was "any object" because these were plastic props with no functionality -- much like the real Surface?).
Quote:
Originally Posted by charlituna
You mean fresh ideas like all the second screen stuff they copies off iOS and AirPlay
No- like second screen stuff in gaming. That's pretty awesome- you have to admit. I don't game at all, so it doesnt appeal to me in the slightest, but I can give credit where it's due.
And their ideas for second screen absolutely surpass what Apple is doing with theirs. How it turns out, we'll see, but just to hate before anyone even puts their hands on something is pretty childish and one-sided.
Quote:
Originally Posted by charlituna
MS keyboard is a copy of several done for iPads since version one.
No- it's not a copy of several done for iPads. iPad ones are bluetooth and require batteries. This is fully integrated. That's not the same at all.
Even if the Surface is the best tablet with the best reviews, I'm still not buying one- but I can appreciate it.
Yeah, when Apple showed it months before Microsoft created theirs. same with the video tricks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffDM
Yep. Mice since Windows 1.0, I think. Then there's UltimateTV. They did network cards and keyboards. Zune. Plus that obscure XBox that nobody ever heard of and nobody ever played.
Definitely not their first foray, but they aren't really a hardware company either.
I believe Microsoft mice are basically a deal with Logitech, although I know they had a hardware team starting in the late 90's that directed mouse and keyboard design. Can't say on the rest of it, but I would imagine MS mostly directed and specified. I'm sure they do much of the software in the hardware they produce, but it seems very unlikely that they would be involved deeply in all aspects of the design and engineering (other than SW engineering,) like Apple is.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnalogJack
You asked for it.
http://postimage.org/image/krrn9qrhz/
Mommy!
Make the bad girl stop that!
The making of Microsoft Surface
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcrs
The making of Microsoft Surface
They consulted with a Jony Ive look alike? [0:51]
Marketing a mediocre product is difficult. You have to add all these lights, effects, dancing, and others distractions just to make the product look kind of good. That's part of the problem Microsoft has.
The problem I see with Microsoft is that they don't really innovate. To enter the tablet market, ok, no problem there. But when they advertise it on commercials, why can't they just show people what can we do with their tablet? What does a bunch of dancing people have to do with my use of the surface? And the magnetic cover... Do you expect me to take that as something that has not been thought of yet by display the use of it so prominently on the commercial? Do you think I will be putting together and apart the keyboard and the tablet that much during the day? What about just showing me how nicely Microsoft Office can work on the Surface? That could be a nice thing!
The only and very only thing that I like about the surface is the integration of the keyboard on the cover. Neither Apple or Samsung or HTC or any of the others have done that. But we still need to see how it will affect the battery life of the Surface. I applaud Microsoft for coming up with that idea.