AppleInsider Staff
In what seems to be a never ending stream of vitriol against Apple's iPad, Microsoft on Tuesday released two more commercials bashing the iPad Air over its lack of features compared to the Surface 2.
The ad goes just about as expected, with an A/B comparison of the Surface 2 and Apple's latest iPad Air, but this time Microsoft peppers a few new points into its usual "no kickstand and keyboard" drone.
Microsoft's first ad, embedded below, starts out with the tagline, "Surface has great support for hands-free cooking, iPad doesn't." The Bing Food and Drink app is touted as an optimal solution for all kitchen activities, what with a built-in kickstand to keep the tablet off dirty countertops.
The app's hands-free mode lets users wave their presumably filthy hands in front of the Surface 2's camera to turn pages in a virtual recipe book. According to Bing's website, the air gestures can be used to flip between instructional steps. Now the iPad.
"Free apps on the iPad don't offer the same hands-free technology," the narrator says. "Even after purchasing a hands-free recipe app, the voice command requires a quiet room to work properly."
Microsoft chose iCookbook, a $4.99 voice-controlled recipe app, as its whipping boy. A quick search in the iOS App Store yields a number of alternatives, however, like the $0.99 RecipePad that turns pages when a user bumps on the kitchen counter.
In the second ad, Microsoft trumpets the Surface 2's multi-user capabilities, which not only allow more than one person to have a customized home screen and apps, but can also monitor other user activity with auto-generated reports. Apple's iPad does not support said features.
Microsoft's ads are just the latest in a campaign that is more about comparing than focusing on the Surface 2's qualities.
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
Sponsored Content
Amber Neely
115 Comments
The whole reason the Surface has a kickstand is because it needs all the support it can get.
Ah, so now they have a [B]"Scrappled"[/B] campaign to go along with their [B]"Scroogled"[/B] ads. So good to see Microsoft take the high road. Think they might be just a little worried about both of them? EDIT: I can't think of a single instance where a Google ad even acknowledged Microsoft's existence. To look good some companies feel they have to make their competitors look bad. Kinda speaks to the value of their own product don't you think?
It's always easier to attack then it is to defend
First point doesn't really have anything exclusive to the Surface other than the app coming preloaded and free. I can see the iPads camera position being on the wrong side affecting it slightly but hardly a significant amount.
The second feature hit's on a big complaint I have with Apple. iOS devices have been out for over 5 years now, when are they going to add something like Windows Phones kids corner! Everyone knows kids love playing with these things, there plenty of apps aimed at them to, but there's no way of giving your iPad to your child without the risk there going email, imessage or facetime someone, or go and change a load of settings. A 1.5 year old has no idea what there doing with half the stuff, but they enjoy apps aimed at them. Why can't Apple make it so they can safely use the thing.
[quote name="Gatorguy" url="/t/160920/microsofts-new-surface-ad-calls-out-ipad-air-on-hands-free-gestures-multiple-user-accounts#post_2440468"]Ah, so now they have a [B]"Scrappled"[/B] campaign to go along with their [B]"Scroogled"[/B] ads. So good to see Microsoft take the high road. Think they might be just a little worried about both of them? EDIT: I can't think of a single instance where a Google ad even acknowledged Microsoft's existence. To look good some companies feel they have to make their competitors look bad. Kinda speaks to the value of their own product don't you think?[/quote] Yep. And their latest ad bashing Chromebooks was pathetic. I like the fact that Apple and Google aren't really getting involved in the mudslinging. Hopefully Microsoft's new CEO will get rid of Mark Penn. There's no question he's behind the Scroogled campaign as well as these anti-iPad ads. Microsoft has a chief marketing officer, what do they need him for?