Apple Inc and Google Tablets under Fire by New Surface 2 Ads

The iPad Air by Apple Inc and the Galaxy Tab by Google have come under fire in new short advertisements posted in the Microsoft YouTube channel to promote Microsoft’s new tablet, the Surface 2. All of the videos were posted on 27 November 2013.

Surface 2 vs. iPad Air

Surface 2 has USB ports

This was the first video in the series to highlight the differences between the Surface 2 and similar products. This ad mentions that the Surface 2 has a USB port while the iPad doesn’t. It’s easy to project the Surface 2 onto a large screen or TV with the HD video outport, the ad says. Also: “The full-size USB 3.0 port makes charging your phone, uploading your photos, and transferring documents fast and easy. You can charge your device and get stuff done at the same time.” It goes on to explain that the iPad only has one port to be used for power or external devices. “Apple only officially supports only the connection of a camera via USB,” it adds.

Surface 2 is better for hands-free cooking

This video boasts the Surface 2’s new “Food and Drink App,” and shows how the kickstand and hands-free mode keep the screen from getting soiled. “Free apps on the iPad don’t offer the same hands-free technology,” the add says. “Even after purchasing a hands-free recipe app, the voice command requires a quiet room to work properly.”

Surface 2 allows multiple accounts and family controls

The Surface 2 lets you have multiple accounts on the same device with a customized background and apps for each one. Also, the ad mentions that Surface 2 will have family safety controls: “Parents will appreciate the built-in tools and auto-generated reports that monitor their kids’ interaction with the device and protect them while online.” It can be set up so that parents can monitor their kids’ surfing habits, delivering charts that show which sites they go to the most. It has never been easier to get creeped out by your childrens’ internet use. “The iPad doesn’t allow for multiple accounts and does not have the ability to monitor usage.”

Surface 2 vs Galaxy Tab

PowerPoint Presentations

The first ad that compares these tablets points to the full features of Office 2013 RT that are available on the Surface 2 but not Google’s Galaxy Tab. The Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 has Polaris Office, “but does not have the full editing capability that the Surface does,” like editing formulae in PowerPoint. To underscore this, a frustrated Galaxy Tab user is shown repeatedly hitting the +/= sign on his keyboard. The ad makes an awkward segue to “editing documents on the go” and highlights the kickstand and keyboard. “Surface offers an optional integrated keyboard and the ability to use a mouse,” the ad says. “The sturdy kickstand makes it easy to work from anywhere.”

Surface 2 has a full-size USB port

This ad is similar to the one comparing the ports on the Surface 2 and the iPad Air, except it says that the Galaxy Tab doesn’t have a full-size USB port. With the Surface 2, “You can charge your device and get stuff done at the same time.” The Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, on the other hand, has one micro-USB port to use for use for powering up and connecting external devices, which requires the purchase of additional connectors.

Surface 2 allows multiple accounts and family controls

Another ad points out that the Surface 2 has multiple user accounts and parental monitoring capabilities, while the Galaxy Tab does not. It is basically the same as the one comparing the Surface 2 to the iPad Air.

 

It will be interesting to see how Apple Inc and Google will react after coming under fire by Microsoft’s new Surface 2 ads.

By K. Elsner

Microsoft Surface YouTube channel


Discover more from Guardian Liberty Voice

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.