Microsoft’s cheap shot at Apple’s iPad actually spotlights exactly why Windows 8 tablets suck (with video)

“A brand new Windows 8 ad pits the iPad against Microsoft’s Windows 8 tablet, in an attempt to show how much more versatile the Asus VivoTab is vs. the iOS device,” Darrell Etherington writes for TechCrunch.

“Microsoft uses Siri’s voice (which isn’t difficult, given that it’s a fairly generic computer-generated female tone) to highlight what the Windows 8 tablet can do that the iPad can’t,” Etherington writes. “The problem is that not only is the Siri construct weak and her actual lines poorly written, but the abilities Microsoft chooses to highlight show exactly why it doesn’t ‘get’ the tablet market. People aren’t looking for multitasking PowerPoint slide deck-creating machines; they have computers for that.”

Etherington writes, “The closing bit here is maybe the worst part; showing that Apple’s iPad can easily provide a remarkably realistic experience for playing Chopsticks on the screen is not the way to trash your competition, especially if you noticeably can’t offer up an equivalent experience on your own hardware.”

 
Read more in the full article here.

Related articles:
Microsoft cautiously preps 2nd-generation of Surface tablet flops with smaller displays – May 2, 2013
As Surface and other Windows tablets flop, Microsoft slashes Windows 8 and Office prices for OEMs – March 7, 2013
The late, not-so-great Microsoft Windows 8 – March 7, 2013
The mobile train has left the Windows 8 platform behind – February 7, 2013
Microsoft blames PC makers for Windows 8 flop – January 24, 2013
Fujitsu President: Weak demand for Microsoft’s Windows 8 killing PC Sales – December 28, 2012
Philip Greenspun: Microsoft’s Windows 8 is a Christmas gift for someone you hate – December 7, 2012
MKM Partners cuts Microsoft price target, estimates on lower than expected Surface, Windows 8 sales – December 5, 2012
Why Microsoft’s Surface tablet is doomed – December 5, 2012
App developers shun Microsoft’s Surface tablet – December 4, 2012
Microsoft Surface Pro to offer only half the battery life of Apple’s latest iPad with Retina display – November 30, 2012
Microsoft’s Surface Pro iPad killer to start at $899 – November 29, 2012
Microsoft’s Surface tablet flops, orders reportedly cut in half – November 29, 2012
TechCrunch’s Siegler reviews Microsoft Surface RT: ‘It’s time for a drop test – right into the garbage can’ – November 19, 2012
Slate reviews Microsoft’s Surface tablet: Too slow, mercilessly buggy; why is it so bad? – November 6, 2012
InfoWorld reviews Microsoft Surface RT: A disappointment; you’re better off with Apple’s iPad – October 31, 2012
Gizmodo reviews Microsoft Surface RT: Do not buy; inferior to Apple’s iPad; the worst of both worlds – October 25, 2012
The Verge reviews Microsoft Surface RT tablet: ‘The whole thing is honestly perplexing; who is this for?’ – October 24, 2012
ZDNet’s Kingsley-Hughes: Microsoft’s Windows 8 is an awful, horrible, painful design disaster – June 8, 2012
Analyst meets with big computer maker, finds ‘general lack of enthusiasm’ for Windows 8 – June 8, 2012
Dvorak: Windows 8 an unmitigated disaster; unusable and annoying; it makes your teeth itch – June 3, 2012
The Guardian: Microsoft’s Windows 8 is confusing as hell; an appalling user experience – March 5, 2012
More good news for Apple: Microsoft previews Windows 8 (with video) – June 1, 2011

54 Comments

  1. especially if you noticeably can’t offer up an equivalent experience on your own hardware

    The GLARING omission in this particular particularly stupid advertisement is: Where is the equivalent of Siri on the Windows tablet? Hello? Deaf? Dumb? Do you read hand signals?

    I don’t want to insult anyone who is hearing impaired. But Microsoft is incredibly logic and marketing impaired.

  2. I agree with his observations, but Etherington is missing the point. Microsoft is trying to head off mass adoption of iPad in the enterprise. The best way to do that is to portray iPad as a device which excels at frivolous, non- business tasks (i.e. chopsticks) while highlighting it’s inability to utilize common business software (i.e. powerpoint). This ad was not targeted at consumers.

  3. There have been allot of attack ads agains Apple if late from various companies like Goosung and Microsoft and blackberry too I think. I don’t really understand who these ads are for. They won’t really convert Apple fans and are quite boring and old.

  4. everyone i know with a ipad says they wish they bought a windows 8 tablet, because there no freedom or multitasking, Who want a device that you have to jail break to do what u want…..

    1. How odd. I’ve found the opposite. Most folks I know that didn’t get an iPad or a Nexus Tab and wanted to wait for a Surface Pro changed their mind and bought an iPad when they found out about the limited storage. No one I know bought a Surface RT.

      I do know one person who did buy a Surface Pro and then promptly traded it in for a Asus Windows 8 Laptop.

Reader Feedback

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.