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NFL Commentators Still Calling Microsoft's Surface Tablets "iPads"

Posted by samzenpus on from the a-rose-by-any-other-name dept.

AmiMoJo writes: Back in 2013, Microsoft inked a $400 million deal with the NFL to promote the Surface. Unfortunately for Microsoft, commentators and even players couldn't help themselves from referring to the tablets as iPads. Last year, announcers referred to the Surface as an "iPad-like tablet,", while Chicago Bears quarterback called them "knockoff iPads". It happened on more than one occasion, and while you can bet that Microsoft and the NFL have been in talks with announcers and players about the goof, little progress is being made. This year, the problem persists.

7 of 262 comments (clear)

  1. Microsoft still can't win can they? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe they just have bad karma now or something but even this post was put under http://apple.slashdot.org instead of http://microsoft.slashdot.org!

    1. Re:Microsoft still can't win can they? by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 5, Funny

      Aspirin is a brand name jackass.

      I prefer generic donkeys and mules over the overpriced brand name ones.

      What is your position on brand name miniature red-head roosters?

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  2. That's okay. by buckfeta2014 · · Score: 5, Informative

    My mother still calls a PC tower a modem...

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    1. Re:That's okay. by Dusthead+Jr. · · Score: 5, Informative

      My former boss used to refer to it as a hard drive and the CRT monitor was the computer. I upgraded it to a larger size and he asked if I had gotten a new computer. Most people I know seem to call any generic mp3 player an iPod. And before Android became a household name, every smartphone was an iPhone.

  3. This problem really shouldn't exist. by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The commentators are supposed to be professionals and plugging products is part of their profession. Do they fuck up the "Brought to you by Dodge: Take a stand against ordinary." plugs? No. And, if they did, they'd be getting yelled at during the next commercial break. Can you imagine if they said "Brought to you by the Toyota F-150, heartbeat of America." when the dodge logo popped up on the screen? (I just picked Dodge and their slogan out of thin air. I have no idea if Dodge advertises like that during NFL games but you get what I mean.) The tablets are a product and it's being advertised. Microsoft has paid a ton of money for this product placement and I find it hard to believe that their contract doesn't include assurances that their products will be correctly referenced a minimum number of times per game. And it probably has penalties for misidentification. Like calling their devices by the trademarked name of their biggest competitor. You don't need to be an expert on the product you're plugging to get the name right.

    1. Re:This problem really shouldn't exist. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      In other news, NFL professionals still calling Hand-egg game 'football', says Rest of World.

  4. That's a funny thing, by pecosdave · · Score: 5, Funny

    because I've been calling the new iPad Pro the Apple Surface Tablet.

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