Microsoft lies and cheats to portray advantage in tablet ads

Jordan Kahn

Screen Shot 2013-05-23 at 3.26.30 PM

iPad-vs-Windows-tablet-Microsoft-ad-comparisonOptical illusions? The iPad screen on the left is actually bigger

Earlier today Microsoft unleashed its second ad in what appears to be a new campaign focusing on directly comparing iPad to Windows 8 tablets side-by-side– not unlike Apple’s own very successful ‘Get a Mac’ campaign. However, it appears that some of Microsoft’s claims are turning out to be quite inaccurate.

To go along with the two videos posted to its YouTube channel and currently running on TV, curi.us (Via DaringFireball) points us to a comparison Microsoft has posted on its website pitting iPad against the ASUS VivoTab Smart Windows tablet. In the ad, Microsoft claims that the Windows tablet “has a bigger touchscreen,” but Elliot Temple from curi.us breaks down why it just isn’t true:

The iPad screen is 7.76 by 5.82 inches. The ASUS screen is 8.8 by 4.95 inches. ASUS is larger in one direction but smaller in the other direction, and has 3.55% less area than the iPad, not 36% more as Microsoft depicts. 

How can the screen with a larger diagonal measurement be smaller? Because it’s a different shape. Long and thin gets you a bigger diagonal but a smaller screen, for the same diagonal inches.

While Microsoft might not have all its facts straight on display size, it using the fact it still hasn’t delivered an Office app for iOS as major part of its new campaign… Read more

Report claims Microsoft roadmap has iOS/Android support scheduled for fall 2014

Jordan Kahn

office-for-ipad-the-daily-exclusive

Since we first heard rumors that Microsoft was working on Office for iOS as far back as 2011 and got a look at alleged leaked images of an iPad app that Microsoft later denied were real, every couple of months we’ve seen reports that say the app is coming soon. First it was November 2012, then early 2013, and others claimed “sometime after” March 2013. The latest rumor: Microsoft has Office for iPhone and Android is scheduled for fall 2014.

ZDNet claims to have got its hands on Microsoft roadmap for next year and says on it is “iOS/Android support for Office”: Read more

Microsoft raises prices on Microsoft Office for Mac, no one notices

9to5 Staff

Microsoft-office-mac-price.

According to Computerworld, Microsoft raised its pricing on Office for Mac 2011 during its Office 365 event last month by as much as 17 percent and stopped selling multi-license packages of the application suite. The move is likely to drive customers to its Office 365 program for PC/Mac that is $99 a year for a family.

The move puts Office for Mac 2011 on the same pricing schedule as the new Office 2013 for Windows. The price increases and the disappearance of the multi-license bundles also makes Microsoft’s Office 365, a software-by-subscription deal the company has aggressively pushed, more competitive with traditional “perpetual” licenses.

It’s not clear when Microsoft raised prices. The oldest search engine cache Computerworld found with the new prices was Feb. 2, so the company boosted them before then, likely on Jan. 29, the day it launched Office 2013 and Office 365 Home Premium. Microsoft did not mention the changes to Office for Mac in its press releases that day, or otherwise publicize the move on its Mac-specific website.

Indeed, Apple now offers Office for Student/Professional for $140/230. Amazon still says it is $119 but notes that Office 2011 is an older version and the newer version that includes a key card is $139 marked down to $131 with a new SKU. You can still buy the multi-user packs at significant discount, but those likely are only while supplies last. Read more

Microsoft job listing hints at Outlook and Powerpoint for iOS, perhaps other Office apps

Jordan Kahn

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We had a few hints in the past about Microsoft possibly preparing an iOS version of its Microsoft Office suite of apps. In May, The Daily posted an image of a supposed early build of the software—demoed by a Microsoft employee—rumored to launch in November.

Another hint that Microsoft could have iOS apps in the works comes from a set of job listings posted earlier this month. It looked for a software engineer on the Outlook Test team to work on “Microsoft’s next move on the Mac and on iOS.” Another was on the Powerpoint Test team.

This is not solid proof that Office is coming soon, since Microsoft does have several other iOS apps, such as SkyDrive, OneNote, etc. that could benefit from office integration, but the job listing specifically looks for someone to test Outlook/Powepoint on Mac and iOS.

Read more

Microsoft might be in denial, but the Daily sure thinks it saw the Office iPad App [updated]

Seth Weintraub

Update: And one more:

Microsoft attempted to kibosh the news surrounding its Microsoft Office app for the iPad started by The Daily earlier today. It told The New York Times: 

“The Daily story is based on inaccurate rumors and speculation. We have no further comment.”

It also told Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet:

A Microsoft spokesperson said the screen shot accompanying The Daily’s story is not a picture of a real Microsoft software product. But the spokesperson also said Microsoft is declining to comment as to whether or not the company has developed a version of Office for the iPad and/or when such a product may come to market.

She later added this communication from Hickey:

“Right now, someone with a mid-level job at Microsoft is being yelled at. To that person: I’m sorry, I owe you a beer. But say it however you want to, we both know that Office for iPad is on its way. And if it’s as cool as the version I’ve seen, you’ve got a winner.”

A Microsoft employee released a third statement to the MacObserver:

Danell Arvberger, Sr. Category Manager – Office for Mac, said, “Interesting, this is the first I’ve heard of it. Thanks for sharing the article. If I find anything out and able to share I will let you know.”

It sounds like Microsoft is doing a non-denial denial. But wait, Hickey has more:

Read more