# Microsoft Surface commercial - Fail **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976 "2012-12-04T18:23:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/21 "2012-12-04T21:11:59Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > How often do the magnetic ipad covers break? It’s basically the same thing, except the windows one costs 150 dollars. Does the keyboard connect magnetically? They don’t make that clear, and that sound effect _really_ sounds like plastic clipping onto plastic, which makes me envision inevitable little broken pieces of plastic. So, ad fail for me. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/22 "2012-12-04T21:16:30Z")
Well, the cover for the Surface tablet includes an integrated keyboard, so that perhaps explains or justifies the $150 cost. I doubt that the Surface covers attach magnetically, as I’ll bet that Apple patented that idea. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/23 "2012-12-04T21:17:24Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > The commercial is all flash and no heat. It tells virtually nothing about the product, and offers no reason to buy one other than The Cool Kids are using them. I guess it really can do everything a iPad does. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/24 "2012-12-04T21:17:48Z")
It’s magnetic and sounds like the same sort of sound effect as Apple used for their magnetic covers, to me, at least. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/25 "2012-12-05T02:09:21Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > _shrug_ It seemed relatively obvious to me but then, I think I’m much closer to the target demo than you probably are. Shouldn’t the ads target those of us not already indoctrinated to the Windows mantra? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/26 "2012-12-05T02:44:15Z")
I’ve had the opportunity to play with them at the Microsoft store at Shops at North Bridge on Michigan Ave, and found the actual product very cool. From a pure design perspective, it’s actually better than an iPad, and a LOT better than most of the Android tablets I’ve played with. I just object to the price. If it were $399 with the keyboard cover included, I’d be all over it. I suspect it’s so high because Microsoft isn’t counting on making most of their money from the App store (and extracting a tithe from each developer). ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/27 "2012-12-05T03:21:21Z")
Going to slide this over to Cafe Society, since it’s about a commercial. ---
**Author:** ![Nom\_de\_Plume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85f322/32.png) [@Nom\_de\_Plume](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nom_de_Plume)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/28 "2012-12-05T11:12:08Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > I just saw a beer commercial that didn’t tell me anything about how the beer tastes, and just showed me good looking women dancing at a party where the beer was served. Same principle. But the beer commercial is not introducing something new to the audience. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/29 "2012-12-05T11:45:18Z")
> [@Nom\_de\_Plume](#): > > But the beer commercial is not introducing something new to the audience. I don’t think this the Surface advert is introducing something new either, because anyone in the target demographic for this commercial already knows what a tablet is. They just need to know about this particular tablet, and why they should buy it - and to be fair, you can see a fair number of applications during the course of the advert, enough to give you some indication of what it’s about. Exactly the same as not needing to be told about beer; just about why you’d want to buy this beer over any others, which is to say that you’ll apparently get invited to the sort of parties where attractive women dance. And who could complain about that? Lies, damn lies, and advertising. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/30 "2012-12-05T12:24:28Z")
Interesting thread because I don’t watch much TV but happened to catch the ad a couple of times recently. I had no idea what it was advertising. When it concluded the first time I surmised that _Surface_ was some new MS software. The visual impressions I got where pretty much what the OP says. The ad makes the product look like some kind of pointless, colorful knickknack. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/31 "2012-12-05T14:04:06Z")
It really must be a generational thing. I’m baffled that people could look at that commercial (any of the Surface commercials really) and not get that they’re selling a tablet. Specifically one designed with an attachable keyboard in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/32 "2012-12-05T14:54:59Z")
I understood that they’re selling a tablet. The commercial I didn’t get was the one showing people drawing lines and circles on the screen. Apparently they’re demonstrating a visual password system, but this wasn’t clear to me. ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/33 "2012-12-05T15:01:24Z")
This ad wasn’t meant to give you useful information about the product. Its purpose was to get you talking about it. Mission accomplished. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/34 "2012-12-05T15:16:20Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Well, the cover for the Surface tablet includes an integrated keyboard, so that perhaps explains or justifies the $150 cost. I doubt that the Surface covers attach magnetically, as I’ll bet that Apple patented that idea. :rolleyes: First of all yes, it’s a magnetic cover. It attaches strong enough that you can hold the keyboard and dangle the computer from it. Second, nice job on rounding up on the price of the keyboard. The keyboard shown in the advertisement costs $119 when purchased as an accessory, and if you buy the Surface with a keyboard it’s only $100 more. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/35 "2012-12-05T15:22:52Z")
I hadn’t seen any of these ads before this thread, and I agree that they’re horrible. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/36 "2012-12-05T15:22:55Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I guess it really can do everything a iPad does. And yet an iPad can’t do everything a surface can; what with the USB 2 port; micro SD, micro HD Video, Microsoft Office installed. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/37 "2012-12-05T15:23:00Z")
The real problem is that the initial product Surface \*\*RT \*\* does not run standard Windows applications (.EXEs). It only runs special apps made for the platform. Many people will buy it expecting they can run all of their favorite programs since it is called Windows. They will be in for a rude awakening. Sometime in 2013, Microsoft will release another more expensive Surface product that can run standard Windows applications. Microsoft’s president of the Windows division, Steven Sinofsky, just stepped down. This may indicate rough roads ahead for them. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/38 "2012-12-05T15:44:38Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Second, nice job on rounding up on the price of the keyboard. The keyboard shown in the advertisement costs $119 when purchased as an accessory, and if you buy the Surface with a keyboard it’s only $100 more. Eh, don’t blame him. I was the first one to mention the price and I couldn’t be bothered to fact-check. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/39 "2012-12-05T16:26:09Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > The real problem is that the initial product Surface \*\*RT \*\* does not run standard Windows applications (.EXEs). It only runs special apps made for the platform. Many people will buy it expecting they can run all of their favorite programs since it is called Windows. They will be in for a rude awakening. > > Sometime in 2013, Microsoft will release another more expensive Surface product that can run standard Windows applications. I believe the price is a little over a grand. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976/40 "2012-12-05T16:53:48Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > The one ad that has been good is the little girl painting. I think that’s Surface, I’m not sure. I liked that one until the end, when I saw that the parents had covered an entire wall of their apartment with the little girl’s “art”, some of which was printed on larger paper than what you get with a standard printer. So I’m thinking “this gadget could get expensive” and “dang, what happens when the wall gets filled up”. I’m also wondering what happens when the kid produces something that the parents don’t want to display. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-surface-commercial-fail/642976.md?page=3)