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Tim Cook: Microsoft’s Surface Is A “Fairly Compromised And Confusing Product”

8 points by stevewillows 14y ago

duiker101 14y ago
Well, this Is a comment from a bit too extremist side. Also, speaking of confusing things: springboard. Anyway, for now I loved everything I've seen of the surface
- stevewillows 14y ago
  I found it interesting that he was so quick to be negative about a product he's never tried. Ballmer should send him one.
  - taligent 14y ago
    Did you read the article ? His quote was in the response to this question: "Windows 8, of course, features both the standard desktop interface and the new Windows 8 UI (formerly known as Metro). The surface, runs Windows RT, doesn’t offer the full desktop experience, but it does run Microsoft’s Office suite in the old-school desktop mode." You have to agree that WinRT having a full desktop experience that looks identical to the Win8 desktop but not being able to run Windows apps is pretty confusing and compromised.
    - stevewillows 14y ago
      It's one thing for us (consumers etc) to go through the typical microsoft bashing, but as the head of Apple I would expect him to at least try it before anything.
    - rossjudson 14y ago
      Compromised? Sure; every tablet is that. Confusing? You just wrote it into a single sentence. Are single sentences really confusing? "Runs office and metro apps". Five words :)
    - dpark 14y ago
      His quote was not in response to that question, because 1) That's not a question, and 2) That's part of the article. If it were a question taken from the call, it would be in quotes. It would also be the weirdest "question" ever in an Apple earnings call. Investor: "So, Mr. Cook, Windows 8, of course, features both the standard desktop interface and the new Windows 8 UI (formerly known as “Metro”). The surface, runs Windows RT, doesn’t offer the full desktop experience, but it does run Microsoft’s Office suite in the old-school desktop mode." Tim Cook: "What?"
  - mtgx 14y ago
    Not that different from the people who haven't tried it either, and yet are somehow very positive about it.
  - Someone 14y ago
    I think it is quite likely that Cook has had competent people look into Windows RT for him. If that is true, he may be excused to have an opinion on it. I do not find it that negative either for a comment on a competitor's product. It leaves out praise, but is in line with what many reviewers say (and Ballmer has had stronger remarks about Apple's products in the past) Finally, one could say it is honest that he states he has not used it yet. If only all HN commenters would be that frank :-)
taligent 14y ago
Seems to be a fairly popular opinion and I have to agree with him. It tries so hard to be a business/productivity device with the built in kickstand and keyboard. Yet the software is all consumer right now. I do think over time once the software gets better the Surface will find its feet.
- bentlegen 14y ago
  Have you used one? Or are you echoing what other people have said.
- mc32 14y ago
  It seems that the RT is pretty much a consumer device, primarily --no Ad integration, no legacy apps. The Pro version will be the Enterprise version, and one would hope by then they will have grown the App market inventory.
jacalata 14y ago
spoiler: the rest of that sentence is "though he also admitted that he hasn’t “played with one yet." too pointless, didn't read.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
mmanfrin 14y ago
CEO of the largest competitor to the Surface calls a product he has not used 'compromised and confusing'. STOP THE PRESSES!
- FireBeyond 14y ago
  The same CEO who said that the iPad mini at 7.9" is perfection, but "who would ever want to do a 7" tablet?" - reminds me of the hitchhiker in There's Something About Mary: Hitchhiker: You heard of this thing, the 8-Minute Abs? Ted: Yeah, sure, 8-Minute Abs. Yeah, the excercise video. Hitchhiker: Yeah, this is going to blow that right out of the water. Listen to this: 7... Minute... Abs. Ted: Right. Yes. OK, all right. I see where you're going. Hitchhiker: Think about it. You walk into a video store, you see 8-Minute Abs sittin' there, there's 7-Minute Abs right beside it. Which one are you gonna pick, man? Ted: I would go for the 7. Hitchhiker: Bingo, man, bingo. 7-Minute Abs. And we guarantee just as good a workout as the 8-minute folk. Ted: You guarantee it? That's - how do you do that?
Shorel 14y ago
The cars he mention don't look that bad: http://yachtpals.com/files/news/boat-car-aquada.jpg http://yachtpals.com/files/news/boat-car-aquada.jpg

8 points by stevewillows 14y ago

Well, this Is a comment from a bit too extremist side. Also, speaking of confusing things: springboard. Anyway, for now I loved everything I've seen of the surface

stevewillows 14y ago
I found it interesting that he was so quick to be negative about a product he's never tried. Ballmer should send him one.
- taligent 14y ago
  Did you read the article ? His quote was in the response to this question: "Windows 8, of course, features both the standard desktop interface and the new Windows 8 UI (formerly known as Metro). The surface, runs Windows RT, doesn’t offer the full desktop experience, but it does run Microsoft’s Office suite in the old-school desktop mode." You have to agree that WinRT having a full desktop experience that looks identical to the Win8 desktop but not being able to run Windows apps is pretty confusing and compromised.
  - stevewillows 14y ago
    It's one thing for us (consumers etc) to go through the typical microsoft bashing, but as the head of Apple I would expect him to at least try it before anything.
  - rossjudson 14y ago
    Compromised? Sure; every tablet is that. Confusing? You just wrote it into a single sentence. Are single sentences really confusing? "Runs office and metro apps". Five words :)
  - dpark 14y ago
    His quote was not in response to that question, because 1) That's not a question, and 2) That's part of the article. If it were a question taken from the call, it would be in quotes. It would also be the weirdest "question" ever in an Apple earnings call. Investor: "So, Mr. Cook, Windows 8, of course, features both the standard desktop interface and the new Windows 8 UI (formerly known as “Metro”). The surface, runs Windows RT, doesn’t offer the full desktop experience, but it does run Microsoft’s Office suite in the old-school desktop mode." Tim Cook: "What?"
- mtgx 14y ago
  Not that different from the people who haven't tried it either, and yet are somehow very positive about it.
- Someone 14y ago
  I think it is quite likely that Cook has had competent people look into Windows RT for him. If that is true, he may be excused to have an opinion on it. I do not find it that negative either for a comment on a competitor's product. It leaves out praise, but is in line with what many reviewers say (and Ballmer has had stronger remarks about Apple's products in the past) Finally, one could say it is honest that he states he has not used it yet. If only all HN commenters would be that frank :-)

taligent 14y ago

Seems to be a fairly popular opinion and I have to agree with him. It tries so hard to be a business/productivity device with the built in kickstand and keyboard. Yet the software is all consumer right now. I do think over time once the software gets better the Surface will find its feet.

bentlegen 14y ago
Have you used one? Or are you echoing what other people have said.
mc32 14y ago
It seems that the RT is pretty much a consumer device, primarily --no Ad integration, no legacy apps. The Pro version will be the Enterprise version, and one would hope by then they will have grown the App market inventory.

jacalata 14y ago

spoiler: the rest of that sentence is "though he also admitted that he hasn’t “played with one yet." too pointless, didn't read.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

mmanfrin 14y ago

CEO of the largest competitor to the Surface calls a product he has not used 'compromised and confusing'. STOP THE PRESSES!

FireBeyond 14y ago
The same CEO who said that the iPad mini at 7.9" is perfection, but "who would ever want to do a 7" tablet?" - reminds me of the hitchhiker in There's Something About Mary: Hitchhiker: You heard of this thing, the 8-Minute Abs? Ted: Yeah, sure, 8-Minute Abs. Yeah, the excercise video. Hitchhiker: Yeah, this is going to blow that right out of the water. Listen to this: 7... Minute... Abs. Ted: Right. Yes. OK, all right. I see where you're going. Hitchhiker: Think about it. You walk into a video store, you see 8-Minute Abs sittin' there, there's 7-Minute Abs right beside it. Which one are you gonna pick, man? Ted: I would go for the 7. Hitchhiker: Bingo, man, bingo. 7-Minute Abs. And we guarantee just as good a workout as the 8-minute folk. Ted: You guarantee it? That's - how do you do that?

Shorel 14y ago

The cars he mention don't look that bad: http://yachtpals.com/files/news/boat-car-aquada.jpg http://yachtpals.com/files/news/boat-car-aquada.jpg