7 ms·
this is such a biased article with strawman arguments ("can you replace the sound card on the surface?") and silly comparisons(the author actually writes he cou
by ericfrenkiel 14y ago
this is such a biased article with strawman arguments ("can you replace the sound card on the surface?") and silly comparisons(the author actually writes he could buy 2 ipad minis for 1 surface).
the criticisms about the store experience and salesmen notwithstanding, this is apple fanboism at its best.
It's far better to keep an open mind and experience new ways of interaction than to deride/scoff at alternative UI and UX.
I switch between Android, Windows, and Mac OSX; it's far more interesting to enjoy more platforms than forgo trying new experiences.
- andrewljohnson 14y agoHave you tried a Microsoft Surface? I think he can scoff at the UI since he tried it.
- ericfrenkiel 14y agoYes, I'm typing on one right now =) It certainly has some flaws as a first generation product, but on the whole it's a breath of fresh air in the tablet space.
- snambi 14y agodid you buy it?
- randartie 14y agoor did he receive it today as a Microsoft employee?
- ericfrenkiel 14y agoNo lol, i work at MemSQL
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- ericfrenkiel 14y agoI did, I'm a bit of a gadget geek
- snambi 14y agohow do you like it?
- koeselitz 14y agoIf you don't mind saying - in what way do you find it a breath of fresh air? I ask because I am very much a Linux guy, not a Microsoft and definitely not an Apple guy - but my iPad has completely revolutionized the way I use computers. I guess the main draw is filesystem access, right?
- mirsadm 14y agoI'm more interested in knowing how the iPad revolutionized the way you use computers. I find it more hassle to keep mine charged then find a use for it besides reading news sites on the toiler.
- lostlogin 14y agoI'm surprised you use the battery up fast. I find charging mine annoying too - mainly because I so rarely have to do it that I don't have a set pace to do it (damn, I have to unplug the phone, wonder there I put the other charger). I seems to last an age on one charge. Its used pretty much 100% for reading and browsing.
- mirsadm 14y agoThe battery life is very good. It is just the lack of use and I forget about it. There is nothing technically wrong with it but I seem to struggle in finding a use for it to be honest. I just prefer being at a desk on my PC with a big screen.
- stcredzero 14y agoI had this experience of "revolution" before the iPad came out, when I bought my second-hand tc1100 stylus tablet PC. Pretty much, the use cases for the iPad are the same as the old tc1100. The only differences are much better battery life on the iPad and no need for a stylus and to pay attention to which GUI item has focus. Tablets do change how you use computing, simply because they are more mobile than the PC. Instead of a stationary tool, you now have a portable version.
- sam1799 14y agoI have tried the Surface, and been using Windows 8 and Windows Phone for over a year. On the other hand Marco tried it for a couple of minutes, and arrived at a hasty conclusion without even giving it a fair try. It is a completely different approach to iOS and Mac. And it is better. I can safely say Windows 8's Metro UI is miles ahead of Apple's iOS in terms of UI and UX. Metro UI is prettier, easier to use and by far more productive. Apple's iOS looks static, dull, ancient and boring compared to this.
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- corporalagumbo 14y agoMicrosoft might have a lot of good ideas, but they're wasted if they can't execute them as well as Apple. No amount of apologising can force the buying public to favour Microsoft.
- JuDue 14y ago"I have tried the Surface, and been using Windows 8 and Windows Phone for over a year. On the other hand Marco tried it for a couple of minutes, and arrived at a hasty conclusion without even giving it a fair try." Yes but he us upfront about that. He isn't pretending it is a well researched review. He is writing about his experience. ALSO - the UX issues he found are quite apparent on casual inspection.
- ghshephard 14y agoThe sound card comment was because the salesman was suggesting one advantage being a "PC Guy" was that he could upgrade his sound card. My response, btw, would have been identical to Marco's here.
- Jare 14y agoArguing quick examples and metaphors has never been useful to anyone except the arguer's ego. The salesdude actually tried to address Marco's underlying question (in what ways can you expand this thing?), even though it was clear Marco was there just for trolling. Surface love or hate nonwithstanding, this is an embarrassing post from start to finish.
- 27182818284 14y agoIt was important for the overall motif he repeated throughout the piece that the salespeople seemed to be forcing the issue too much and weren't personally invested. (How could they be? The store has been open for less than a month.)
- Jare 14y agoMarco was asking a Microsoft store employee if he applied to Apple store first. In what world...? It's hard to compete with that level of personal investment.
- cooldeal 14y agoI presume he did that so that if he got an affirmative answer he could've declared that Microsoft was hiring Apple Store rejects.
- lostlogin 14y agoOn the subject of trolling, isn't the very store he went into some kind of meta-troll. Built to be encountered before the Apple store is reached, copying layout and staffing concepts, trying to divert people from buying iPads, coyly calling the competition (iPad) a tablet, rather than name it. I think that there is a reasonable augment to be made that Microsoft is trolling Apple. The smart cover keyboard though, that's a definite win however I look at it.
- lalwat 14y agoagreed, Toronto's largest mall (Eaton C) featured the Surface today. It was packed. Everybody was exited and the product looked great.
- snambi 14y agoyes, the farther and farther you travel from silicon valley, microsoft products look more and more appealing. :)
- WalterBright 14y agoI was at Bellevue mall this evening, and the Microsoft store was packed solid with a long line outside. The nearby Apple store was empty. Interestingly, all the laptops in the MS store had a touchscreen. The Apple laptops did not. I think MS has changed the game here, with my playing around with the MS store laptops I found the touchscreen interface to be a welcome addition (not a replacement, the touchpad mouse works the same as always).
- chipotle_coyote 14y agoUm, Bellevue, as in Bellevue, Washington? Bellevue, as in just over three miles away from Microsoft HQ as the crow flies? A mall in Bellevue has people flocking to the Microsoft Store and eschewing the Apple Store? Huh!
- meanJim 14y agoWell normally the Apple Store is packed there and the Microsoft store is fairly empty save the kids who are playing that dance game on the kinect (My little sister included). But when you get the company e-mail to go out and tell you to support the release! You gotta go!
- jmelloy 14y agoThe apple store in that mall does just fine. It recently moved into a spot with double the floor space. I'm sure it's considered a flagship Microsoft store, but when I was computer shoppin last year the sales staff did not unde rstand the difference between "small form factor to watch tv and DVDs" and "tablet". Even when I said, "no, like a Mac mini".
- picklefish 14y agoI came here to post this. This article is so grossly biased by someone who made up their mind a long time ago. The writing is so poor and clearly attacks the silliest stuff that is unrelated to the product itself. This person is clearly jealous? of microsoft copying the apple store approach. It's such a weird article to make it to the top of hacker news. I guess that's a late Friday night for you.
- ghshephard 14y agoBiased? It's written by Marco Arment, well known author of Instapaper and now "The Magazine" - recent speaker at Cingleton. Of course he's biased. It's like complaining that Anne Coultier is being conservative. But, I disagree with you on the writing - he clearly put a lot of work into that essay, and it's less egregious than what I would expect from the other pundits.
- jopt 14y ago> strawman arguments This is a blog post, not a research paper. That's not a strawman argument, it's a joke.