

Here’s how Apple assaulted Microsoft today — in three crushing quotes - motti_s
http://venturebeat.com/2013/10/22/heres-how-apple-assaulted-microsoft-today-in-three-crushing-quotes/

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motti_s
I don't get the big deal with free OS X updates. Apple sells hardware at a
premium and you get the software with it. You can't buy Apple software, so why
should you be able to buy software upgrades? It should have always been free,
just like iOS upgrades are free.

~~~
eldavido
The comparison isn't germane anyway. Apple charges $20-30 for something
Microsoft calls a "service pack", which they've always given away for free. I
just downloaded Windows 8.1 -- no cost. Amazing how these guys spin stuff and
people just eat it up.

~~~
JimmaDaRustla
Yup - making it sound like paying for software is bad. Considering how long
Windows 7 is lasting me, it was worth every penny since I can transfer it
between devices!

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mehwoot
_Now you can create a document on an iPad, edit it on a Mac, and even share it
with a friend who’s stuck on a PC._

Yeah, cause google docs has completely destroyed Office.

~~~
ripter
In a lot of places it has. I can't even remember the last time I opened
anything in Office. At work people share links to google docs instead of
sending docs.

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na85
Excel is still king of its domain, though.

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__chrismc
Absolutely.

From experience, the global Oil & Gas industry is completely reliant on Excel,
and that will not change any time soon. They use it for nearly _everything_...
It's the common UI to bigger, complex systems, and it's the data
storage/manipulation tool for more specialized, or "simpler" needs.

Many of the non-Excel applications in this space started out and grew from a
monster Excel workbook.

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guelo
Apple will say that tablet/laptop hybrids are dumb right up until they
announce their own. In fact, I would bet money that the Macbook/iPad
convergence is already in the works.

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ddebernardy
Perhaps.

But then, as it occasionally happens, they might also deliver something
overwhelmingly superior to anything around.

As Gruber recently commented on the Galaxy Gear: "About the best you could
expect from Samsung without having anything to copy from Apple: overpriced,
ugly, laggy UI, terrible battery life, dubious utility." (Come to think of it,
that seems to fit the Surface quite well.)

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ArekDymalski
Tim Cook describing the Surface as a “sorta-tablet, sorta-PC” thing, reminds
my Steve Ballmer mocking the iPhone few yrs ago. In both cases I find it
immature and short-sighted.

~~~
stonith
From a hardware perspective being half and half is fine, I think the criticism
of the surface is that the interface and software is optimised for neither
paradigm and the device suffers as a result. Apple may well release a Mac Air
with a touchscreen, but I doubt it will run in IOS mode and in OSX mode, it
will more likely pick one and stick with it.

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jack-r-abbit
> _other companies aren 't quite ready to completely embrace the post-PC
> world, where people are typing on virtual screens rather than physical
> keyboards_

I don't see Apple completely dropping all their various Mac lines. So
technically, they have not completely embraced it either. Why do they keep
claiming they have?

I can't be the only that cannot efficiently do their job (programming) without
a keyboard. Maybe "people as consumers" are typing only on virtual screens but
I think there is way too many "people as producers" that need an actual
keyboard. Yes, I'm sure there are some people that can make it work for some
types of jobs. But I don't think that is a very large segment. So I don't
want... we don't need... companies to completely embrace a non-keyboard world.
We need companies that can make a good product that can live in both worlds.
While what has been offered so far keeps missing the mark a bit... in a way
they are closer to this than what Apple has (that we know of).

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martin1b
Interesting how Apple is now acknowledging MSFT. Not classy and shows they
consider them a threat enough to 'assault' them.

And the love affair between the press and Apple continues...

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madoublet
Its funny how old rivalries never die. Meanwhile, Google and Amazon are
bringing better hardware to market faster and cheaper than Apple.

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Fuzzwah
I thought one of the crushing quotes would be able how much more _magical_ the
ipad is when compared to a surface device.

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martin1b
And it comes in pink, purple and gold!!!

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anigbrowl
It's good marketing and I don't blame them for hitting MS where it hurts, but
on the other hand this is the same company that wants customers to pay $3000
for a desktop model.

EDIT well a tower model, but you get the point. The Mac Tube reminds me of the
G4 Cube.

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moystard
Should we encourage that as users, this quote war between Apple, Google,
Microsoft and co? They just play the game of Apple fanboys in this particular
case, and I find that immature and totally useless.

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gesman
Apple is after consumers with their new set of never ending, shiny, made in
china toys.

That's all cool.

With Ballmer and his me-too copycatting and being always late to the party
strategy gone soon, Microsoft better (and likely) will stop playing gadget and
widget games and refocus on enterprise software and services department as
well as cloud strategy.

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eldavido
Remember when "cool new government technology" was a thing (in movies)? I do.

There's a huge debate going on in Redmond right now (ex-MS employee here) on
whether to focus on big, rich, slower-moving enterprises, or faster-moving
consumer tech.

Microsoft has rightly realized that consumer tech (not big
companies/government) is setting the agenda for the path of technology, and
they're going to fight tooth and nail to remain relevant to consumers. I think
they have the right idea commercially.

~~~
jinushaun
As far am I'm concerned, there isn't even a contest. The industry should have
learned from the iPhone's success and the subsequent BYOD movement:
enterprises are composed of people who go home and buy consumer products. The
consumer space drives the market and picks the winners.

~~~
gesman
There are way more profits to be made in selling enterprise services to mid-
size company vs. selling to their employees razor-thin margin gadgets.

And competing in consumer market business (with millions of way faster moving,
smaller companies) takes too much resources and focusing.

Apple won because they're all-in into that. Ballmer tried to play too many
games at once and proved that his "compete everywhere!" stupid ego was wrong.

Google will be biting pieces from Apple, not Microsoft. Microsoft's salvation
is in cloud and enterprise software and services. Once Ballmer announced his
departure MSFT stock suddenly became way more attractive first time in decade.

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superbaconman
the segmentation of consumers makes the whole debate boil down to who will you
make the most cash. I think apple has a solid hold and doesn't really need to
worry in regards to the consumer market. but developers are going linux
meaning more sales for PC vendors (plus Microsoft since they have default
license sales on that hardware). Both camps have a solid consumer base and at
this point I wouldn't bet against either.

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fumar
Do we expect Apple execs to praise its competition? Google Docs competes both
with Office and iWork, its also free! PR quotes for the perfect linkbait
articles.

