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CNN Anchors Caught On Camera Using Microsoft Surface As an iPad Stand
MojoKid writes Since the release of its Surface Pro 3 tablet, Microsoft has pushed their new slate hard. It's as if the company wanted it to overwrite that part of our memory that recalls the Surface RT and its monumental losses. This past August, we saw the company make a big move by deploying a boatload of Surface Pro tablets to every team in the NFL, gratis. All season so far, coaches and even players have made use of them to plan their next course-of-action, and for the most part, they seemed to be well-received. Unlike some of the products Microsoft tries to get us to adopt, the Surface Pro 3 really is a solid tablet / convertible. Unfortunately, at least where the CNN political team is concerned, Microsoft hasn't won over a few anchors, like they have in NFL, when they were supplied with brand-new Surface Pros. In recent shots captured and tweeted about, a Surface Pro 3 can be seen acting as an "iPad stand," and quite an expensive one. As humorous as this is, it might not seem that interesting if it were just one correspondent who pulled that stunt. Let's be honest, some people just like their iPads. That wasn't the case, though. There were at least two commentators using an iPad on the same set, despite having the Surface right in front of them and seemingly hiding it behind Microsoft's darling Windows 8 slate.
If someone is used to finding information to do their job on one device (iPad), it can really obstruct their workflow to insist that they find their info on a completely different device (Surface) with a substantial learning curve and different apps, especially when under the extra pressure of being on camera. It's kind of like putting a NASCAR driver in a completely different car than he expects on race day with no warning.
I'd happily give a Surface Pro 3 a try if you want to send one my way.
I was considering buying a Surface (some previous-gen ones were on sale for a reasonable price), but was driven away by the extra $$$ for the keyboard/case and the lack of decent apps in the Windows 8 store... there's a whole lot of crap there, and not a lot of things I'd like to use.
- chrish
Yesbut does it run Linux.
That's not a glib comment. I mean it. In the thin, light (and good performance), the Surface Pro looks like a really, really nice machine.
It's as fast as the best Mac Air/Ultrabook. It's also the lightest in the category, falling under 1kg including the keyboard (I think even giving my venerable eee 900 a run for it's money). Not sure if the keyboard is good enough though. Other nice thing is it has a stylus. I don't really care for touch screens on a laptop at all (completely useless as far as I care). A stylus on the other hand makes a world of different when you bring out the GIMP (or inkscape). This is something I do actually do from time to time.
Can't stand Windows, as it happens (or OSX), so the question for me is whether it runs Linux. If it does, it will probably be my next laptop.
Funny thing, the only thing I've ever liked about Micros~1 (see I didn't go for M$) is the hardware. I used their keyboards and mice for years.
SJW n. One who posts facts.
In terms of sheer numbers, I'd guess you are right: more Win32 applications have been written since 1995 or so than there are apps for iOS. Especially if you include in-house software.
In terms of applications to do something most people want to do, which is a subjective measure I admit, iOS may have the lead. Particularly so if you look for software that's optimized for tablet use: there are a lot of very capable Windows programs which are rather less usable on a tablet than with a physical keyboard and mouse, whereas iOS apps are all designed around touchscreen use.
For example, I've been looking for a map program (similar to Google Maps) that runs on a handheld Windows 7 PC with attached GPS. It's surprising how few choices there are that do the basic function of showing your GPS position on a map, and aren't some crusty thing last updated in 2004. True, if I included Windows 8 "Metro" apps there would be a wider choice, but still it is dwarfed by what you get on Android or iOS. (FTR - in the end I went with Anquet Maps for hiking maps and Mapfactor PC-Navigator for city use.)
-- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
You can't make people use a device by edict. Just because a sports team, a league, or a broadcaster has signed some contracts, it doesn't magically make their users productive on another device. Microsoft dropped the ball by not providing decent applications for their own platform themselves. They supposedly know how to write software, yet they steadfastly refuse to write apps for their mobile platforms that are good enough to make people switch. All it'd take is good apps, nothing more, nothing less.
A successful API design takes a mixture of software design and pedagogy.
Except it's close to 2X the price of the ipad. That tends to blow it up hard.
And honestly the Surface is not the only game in town, Fujitsu Stylistic has a better build quality and honestly is a far more mature tablet PC platform.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
The summary isn't even correct. The Surfaces were there for advertising only. Sure the hosts had a choice to use whatever they wanted but the Microsoft product had to be on display. The real screwup was by the advertising managers who agreed to the deal.
Off topic: I cannot imagine for one second that Ubuntu through whatever hack is required to run natively on a macbook is a better user experience than OSX itself. I get a lot of the legitimate mac bashing that goes on (expensive hardware, elitist culture, etc etc) but the OSX gripes baffle me.
I'm typing this on an early 2009 macbook my alma mater handed me freshman year. It started with Leopard and is now running Yosemite. It has a unix shell, it has vim, it has a compile toolchain (clang via xcode and gcc via homebrew), it has git...it even has x11. OSX is unix, and a darn good one. Not only that it came preloaded to edit your gnar vids from your snowboard go pro.
Back on topic, the Surface Pro 3 is a great little machine. Got one for my daughter for her graduation present, as she didn't want to learn mac or droid and wanted something to replace her aging laptop. She takes notes with the pen in her own handwriting. The keyboard/cover/thing is actually a decent keyboard - the trackpad on it is kind of meh, however. I just wish the price points were a little lower, but that's just cos I'm a cheapskate.
The anchors in question have iPads and are comfortable using them. Microsoft almost certainly paid CNN to have all their anchors use Surface tablets on air, and the anchors probably aren't particularly thrilled that they have to ditch the platform they're comfortable with. I'm sure that now that this (admittedly hilarious) picture has circulated, it will be mandated that CNN anchors not have iPads anywhere near them while on the air.
Because they have a paid advertising agreement with microsoft and microsoft is pissed and they're now in damage control mode