The five dumbest things people say about Microsoft and its products - The Verge
Wow. I say that a lot lately about some of the comments I read from people in the tech industry from incredibly idiotic decisions companies make (including MS) to the journalists who cover them to the comments I see on the articles those journalists write. And it isn't the good type of wow. It isn't the type of wow with cow people, elves, and cool undead monsters. Its more like "WOW thats dumb". But really there are always 5 dumb things floating around the industry about the company in Redmond, Microsoft.
Here's 5 stupid things that are CURRENTLY being said about MS and its products:
5. Microsoft Office Isn't That Important
You've heard this before. Plenty of people think Google Docs or Open Office (lol) is a viable alternative. The thing is they really aren't. Compatibility and features are what makes Office. Not learning new software is what makes Office. It being the standard makes Office. Yes technology journalists collaborating on Google Docs is awesome and I do it too sometimes but for most people they need and want Office.
4. Windows Tablets Haven't Worked In The Past
Anyone making this argument should take a long look in the mirror. Yesterday isn't today. The reasons tablet failed before was because of weight, a touch interface, battery life, thinness, and software. Before Windows 8 none of those things were there. Now we have all of those things. Totally different places.
3. Surface Pro Pricing/Battery Life/"Its A Netbooook"
1080p touchscreen with active digitizer. Core i5. HDMI out. USB 3.0. 64/128 GB .4 GB RAM. First what ultrabook has those specs at the price of 1000/1100 dollars? Not the MacBook Air. Possibly 100 dollars less if you have your own keyboard. Netbooks don't have top tier specs.
Far more importantly people are saying that the Surface will have 4 hours of battery life. That's not what the Surface team said. They said it would have the battery life of the Surface RT. The Verge said this about Surface RT:
"Battery life, on the other hand, was consistent and impressive on the Surface. Microsoft claims that users can nab somewhere in the vicinity of eight hours on a single charge in mixed use. My experience bore those numbers out, and then some. I was able to put the Surface through a full day of relatively heavy use (video playback and streaming, document editing, lots of web browsing, app downloads, game playing, email, Twitter, and more) and still had some charge left that evening... and into the next morning, without having plugged it in overnight. Battery life on the Surface seemed more akin to an iPad than a laptop — which makes sense given the ARM architecture. In the same way I never worry about whether I've charged the iPad recently, I found myself carelessly leaving the Surface off of the charger for extended periods. And I think that's a good thing."
In what way does half of over a day of heavy use sound like 4 hours?
2. Windows Phone Isn't Any Good Because It Doesn't Have Hundreds of Thousands of Apps
I'm going to say something and I know its crazy to a lot of people. But I'm going to say it anyway. Not everyone cares so much about apps. Not everyone plays games on their phone or cares that they get the latest games. I personally don't. And there quite a few people like me. They just want a phone that works well and does what they need it to do. And yeah sure if you're a doctor and you just need an app thats on iOS that doesn't exist on any other platform thats ok. But most people aren't like that.
1. Microsoft is Dying or Will Soon Be No Longer Relevant In Consumer Products
40 Million Windows 8 Licenses. 750,000 Xboxs Sold (more than the Wii U and the PS3). 4 times as many Windows Phones Sold This Year (the 920 is pretty much sold out everywhere and everyone keeps saying how well its doing). And most of the hardware to sell Windows 8 isn't even here yet. Is Microsoft at the top of everyone's list? No. Have they made some mistakes? **** yes. But it definitely isn't doing poorly and isn't anywhere close to dying.
Wow. I say that a lot lately about some of the comments I read from people in the tech industry from incredibly idiotic decisions companies make (including MS) to the journalists who cover them to the comments I see on the articles those journalists write. And it isn't the good type of wow. It isn't the type of wow with cow people, elves, and cool undead monsters. Its more like "WOW thats dumb". But really there are always 5 dumb things floating around the industry about the company in Redmond, Microsoft.
Here's 5 stupid things that are CURRENTLY being said about MS and its products:
5. Microsoft Office Isn't That Important
You've heard this before. Plenty of people think Google Docs or Open Office (lol) is a viable alternative. The thing is they really aren't. Compatibility and features are what makes Office. Not learning new software is what makes Office. It being the standard makes Office. Yes technology journalists collaborating on Google Docs is awesome and I do it too sometimes but for most people they need and want Office.
4. Windows Tablets Haven't Worked In The Past
Anyone making this argument should take a long look in the mirror. Yesterday isn't today. The reasons tablet failed before was because of weight, a touch interface, battery life, thinness, and software. Before Windows 8 none of those things were there. Now we have all of those things. Totally different places.
3. Surface Pro Pricing/Battery Life/"Its A Netbooook"
1080p touchscreen with active digitizer. Core i5. HDMI out. USB 3.0. 64/128 GB .4 GB RAM. First what ultrabook has those specs at the price of 1000/1100 dollars? Not the MacBook Air. Possibly 100 dollars less if you have your own keyboard. Netbooks don't have top tier specs.
Far more importantly people are saying that the Surface will have 4 hours of battery life. That's not what the Surface team said. They said it would have the battery life of the Surface RT. The Verge said this about Surface RT:
"Battery life, on the other hand, was consistent and impressive on the Surface. Microsoft claims that users can nab somewhere in the vicinity of eight hours on a single charge in mixed use. My experience bore those numbers out, and then some. I was able to put the Surface through a full day of relatively heavy use (video playback and streaming, document editing, lots of web browsing, app downloads, game playing, email, Twitter, and more) and still had some charge left that evening... and into the next morning, without having plugged it in overnight. Battery life on the Surface seemed more akin to an iPad than a laptop — which makes sense given the ARM architecture. In the same way I never worry about whether I've charged the iPad recently, I found myself carelessly leaving the Surface off of the charger for extended periods. And I think that's a good thing."
In what way does half of over a day of heavy use sound like 4 hours?
2. Windows Phone Isn't Any Good Because It Doesn't Have Hundreds of Thousands of Apps
I'm going to say something and I know its crazy to a lot of people. But I'm going to say it anyway. Not everyone cares so much about apps. Not everyone plays games on their phone or cares that they get the latest games. I personally don't. And there quite a few people like me. They just want a phone that works well and does what they need it to do. And yeah sure if you're a doctor and you just need an app thats on iOS that doesn't exist on any other platform thats ok. But most people aren't like that.
1. Microsoft is Dying or Will Soon Be No Longer Relevant In Consumer Products
40 Million Windows 8 Licenses. 750,000 Xboxs Sold (more than the Wii U and the PS3). 4 times as many Windows Phones Sold This Year (the 920 is pretty much sold out everywhere and everyone keeps saying how well its doing). And most of the hardware to sell Windows 8 isn't even here yet. Is Microsoft at the top of everyone's list? No. Have they made some mistakes? **** yes. But it definitely isn't doing poorly and isn't anywhere close to dying.
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