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Microsoft’s attack on the Mac continues with new Surface Book ads

Published Mar 9th, 2016 6:15PM EST
Microsoft Surface Book Commercials
Image: Microsoft

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Microsoft this week stepped up its somewhat curious advertising attack on the Mac. Following up on four commercials highlighting the advantages Windows 10 PCs have over the Mac, Microsoft this week rolled out two brand new ads featuring wildlife photographer Tim Flach explaining all of the tasks that his Surface Book can accomplish that his Mac can’t.

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So while you might have understandably assumed that the old Mac vs. PC wars of the mid-2000s were nothing more than a footnote in the annals of tech history, Microsoft is apparently intent on injecting some life into a battle that has arguably become stale since the advent of the smartphone wars.

But I digress, onto the ads.

In the first ad, Flach explains that he loves to take pictures that engage people. Consequently, Flach loves the Surface Book because of its high resolution display and because it lets him ability to use a digital stylus to make photo modifications directly on the display itself.

“Being able to use a pen like this on a screen directly with the image just gives me a different relationship to it,” Flach says. “And I can’t do that on my Mac. This is brilliant for me.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQw6vxYo8KE

In the second commercial, Flach continues to heap praise on Microsoft’s Surface Pen.

“Being able to use a pen like this on the screen directly with the image takes me back to my time as a painter,” Flach says, “and I just can’t do that on my Mac.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzuhBrHOnP8

Of course, don’t expect Apple to get into the hybrid device game anytime soon, or ever at all. This past November, Tim Cook called the Surface Book a diluted product while emphasizing that Apple has no plans to release a hybrid Mac/iPad device.

“We feel strongly that customers are not really looking for a converged Mac and iPad,” Cook said. “Because what that would wind up doing, or what we’re worried would happen, is that neither experience would be as good as the customer wants. So we want to make the best tablet in the world and the best Mac in the world. And putting those two together would not achieve either. You’d begin to compromise in different ways.”

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.