I'm a Surface Pro 3

Almost 10 years ago Apple was running an ad campaign that contrasted the ease of use and features of a Mac against the PC. Microsoft didn't respond. Apple had fun with Windows Vista and portrayed the PC as consumer unfriendly, bloated, slow, old fashioned and something that often went wrong for no apparent reason.

Consumers bought the PC because it was cheap and ran the same software as they had at the office. Consumers never loved the PC in the way Mac owners loved their favourite technology. It was a clash of two worlds. Apple controlled both hardware and software. Microsoft had no control over their hardware manufacturers who often shipped PCs with trial software that frustrated customers in order to enhance their profit margins. PC owners referred to this trial software as 'crapware' and were often desperate to remove it when they found their PCs grinding slowly to a halt with the inevitable overhead of multiple trial programs starting up each time the PC booted.

Microsoft are now making their own PCs. They are controlling the hardware and software so, in an echo of the Apple comparison ad, they are putting their Surface Pro 3 up against the Macbook Air.



Microsoft have done 3 ads that I am aware of. Quite brave to go up against the MacBook Air given Apple's brand recognition. Whether you like the Surface Pro 3 or not I think the ad works. I guess you could say it was 10 years in the making.....

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