3 ms·

I think that’s always been Microsoft’s point of the Surface line. The PC market is flooded with cheap laptops, and Microsoft wanted something premium to compete

I think that’s always been Microsoft’s point of the Surface line. The PC market is flooded with cheap laptops, and Microsoft wanted something premium to compete against Apple.

alharith 7y ago
Well step one should be to create a product that competes.
- diffeomorphism 7y ago
  Higher resolution screen, better aspect ratio, touch and an ntrig pen. Seems they would need to make it more expensive for a fair competition.
- pjmlp 7y ago
  Given the technical specifications of Apple's laptops it is not that hard for many of us.
  - alharith 7y ago
    Thats right. In this world, things sell on their technical specifications alone. I was so mistaken all along. I should have been taking my product advice from HN!
- speedgoose 7y ago
  It's not a fair competition to have in the same category a mobile device with a touchscreen and a laptop with a tiny touchbar.
cogman10 7y ago
IDK, I think it is more to set a baseline experience expectation. (Similar to what Nexus and Pixel did for google) A LOT of PC manufacturers bundle a lot of crappy software with their laptops. MS hardware is just windows.
- criddell 7y ago
  Microsoft is guilty too. I was pretty surprised when I saw a launcher for Candy Crush on a new computer. Go ahead and feature it in the store, but it doesn't belong in the menu of a new computer.
  - 0xffff2 7y ago
    Well, they're not guilty in the sense that that is the baseline Windows experience, disappointing as that fact is.
  - beefalo 7y ago
    It's pretty shameful that it's pre-installed even if you are doing a fresh install of windows on a machine you put together
Aunche 7y ago
Also, they don't want to jeopardize their relationship with PC manufacturers that buy Windows, so they aren't going to make a modestly priced regular laptop that competes with their customers.

3 ms·

I think that’s always been Microsoft’s point of the Surface line. The PC market is flooded with cheap laptops, and Microsoft wanted something premium to compete

by madeofpalk 7y ago

I think that’s always been Microsoft’s point of the Surface line. The PC market is flooded with cheap laptops, and Microsoft wanted something premium to compete against Apple.

alharith 7y ago
Well step one should be to create a product that competes.
- diffeomorphism 7y ago
  Higher resolution screen, better aspect ratio, touch and an ntrig pen. Seems they would need to make it more expensive for a fair competition.
- pjmlp 7y ago
  Given the technical specifications of Apple's laptops it is not that hard for many of us.
  - alharith 7y ago
    Thats right. In this world, things sell on their technical specifications alone. I was so mistaken all along. I should have been taking my product advice from HN!
- speedgoose 7y ago
  It's not a fair competition to have in the same category a mobile device with a touchscreen and a laptop with a tiny touchbar.
cogman10 7y ago
IDK, I think it is more to set a baseline experience expectation. (Similar to what Nexus and Pixel did for google) A LOT of PC manufacturers bundle a lot of crappy software with their laptops. MS hardware is just windows.
- criddell 7y ago
  Microsoft is guilty too. I was pretty surprised when I saw a launcher for Candy Crush on a new computer. Go ahead and feature it in the store, but it doesn't belong in the menu of a new computer.
  - 0xffff2 7y ago
    Well, they're not guilty in the sense that that is the baseline Windows experience, disappointing as that fact is.
  - beefalo 7y ago
    It's pretty shameful that it's pre-installed even if you are doing a fresh install of windows on a machine you put together
Aunche 7y ago
Also, they don't want to jeopardize their relationship with PC manufacturers that buy Windows, so they aren't going to make a modestly priced regular laptop that competes with their customers.