

Is Microsoft Turning the Corner in the Consumer Space? - Anchor
http://blog.pluralsight.com/2013/02/21/is-microsoft-turning-the-corner-in-the-consumer-space/

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fumar
I am replacing my lady's Samsung Galaxy II with a Lumia 920. She loves her
Surface RT.

I was doubtful of the Lumia at first. But, I spent a good while playing with
the device at the store. It is super smooth. The screen and camera are great.
The only thing missing is the Square payments app. Which we use for our
business. The app ecosystem makes the transition difficult.

But, overall using Skydrive has been great with the Surface. I look forward to
seeing it work in conjunction with the Lumia.

Personally, I was thinking of moving from the Galaxy Nexus to Nexus 4. As much
as I like using a clean version Jelly Bean, the Lumia hardware is calling my
name.

As for Microsoft turning a corner, It still has a long way to go.
Specifically, in its communications. Many of the features, I like about
Surface do not get mentioned. The dancing commercials do not communicate
functionality. For example, I use the microHDMI cable to connect Surface to a
monitor. Then I can use Excel on a monitor and the web on the Surface. The USB
port alone, has been a godsend on the go.

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venus
I've never seen one of these supposed "Smartphone of the Year" Lumia 920s in
the wild, so I'm guessing the answer is "no". Perhaps they are turning the
corner in stuffing online "Smartphone of the Year" polls.

edit: from the same blog yesterday:
[http://blog.pluralsight.com/2013/02/22/video-unleash-the-
pow...](http://blog.pluralsight.com/2013/02/22/video-unleash-the-power-of-
coldfusion-for-your-website/)

I wonder if ColdFusion was the "Engadget Reader's Choice Web Framework of the
Year".

~~~
psbp
Microsoft has lost all possible credibility by astroturfing. I'm doubtful of
any bit of positive feedback that I see about their products.

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stinos
losing objectivity and going all for prejudice seems a bit over the top if
it's based on just the astroturfing

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AnthonyMouse
The boy who cried wolf comes to mind.

Really the proof is in the pudding. I'll know Microsoft's mobile products are
worth not comprehensively ignoring when there is a general consensus among
trustworthy people that they've achieved at least ~20% overall market share.
And if Microsoft has to try double hard to get there because of general
suspicions about their past behavior then bully for them -- let it serve as a
lesson to others that we have long memories and ruining your own reputation
has consequences.

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rednukleus
So are you saying its worth comprehensively ignoring OS X and Linux? They have
never had anything close to 20% of the personal computer market.

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AnthonyMouse
They have never to my knowledge paid anyone to surreptitiously lie to me
either. That's what happens when you lie, in the future no one believes you.

Also, isn't that what people do in reality anyway? I don't see an official
version of e.g. Photoshop for Ubuntu, which I have to imagine would exist if
it had >20% market share. And OS X does have >20% market share among those who
use Photoshop, whereas pick your favorite non-web based line of business
software and chances are it isn't available for OS X or Linux. Isn't that why
everyone always says they aren't worth considering for business use? No
software? Not enough market share?

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rednukleus
Well, here is an example of a blatant lie that Apple put in a newpaper
magazine a long time ago: <http://i.imgur.com/qq19rcD.jpg>

The famous "we invented the first personal computer system". I guess nobody
can never believe anything they say again.

Steam should probably stop selling games for OSX and Linux, as they don't
represent anywhere near 20% of the market.

Or should we just cherry pick some stat where they are over 20%? Let's do that
with Windows Phone 8 too then. I'm sure they are over 20% usage of something,
or will be soon. >20% usage of One Note?

Or we could just judge technology on its merits, and take everything
technology sites say about all of this stuff with a grain of salt.

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venus
Is there an argumentative equivalent of "damning with faint praise"? Because
if the best you can do to prove that Apple lied is pull out some black and
white scan of a 30 year old newspaper ad where they _might_ have taken a bit
of license with the very fuzzily-defined term "personal computer", then you
actually make it look like Apple is the most scrupulously honest corporation
in the history of the world.

~~~
rednukleus
I used that as an example, because it is a very famous lie that they told.

Parent comment didn't even bother giving any examples.

Would you like to write up an encyclopedia of lies that Microsoft has told, or
should I use your logic to assume that they must be more honest than Apple?

Personally I don't think either of them are trustworthy.

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jrkelly
The 920 is really a beautiful device -- if you haven't gotten your hands on
one you should try it out. It's the first phone I can't stop fiddling with
since the original iPhone.

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Gigablah
I have the 900, and while I really like the OS, the form factor is slightly
unwieldy for me. The 920 is even bigger, so I'm looking at the 820 instead.
Pity about the lower pixel density on that one.

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Geee
Nokia introduces some new phones on monday at MWC. Based on rumors: 520, 720,
and maybe a new slim aluminum 920 called Catwalk.

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damian2000
Aren't Pluralsight biased though? their courses are mainly focused on the MS
stack.

