By: Emma Tkachuk
In today’s society technology is everything, which also means it is always changing to keep up with customer demands. There are so many competitors in the industry, with the two powerhouses being Apple and Microsoft. Recently, Microsoft has come out with the new Surface 3. It is different from any other tablet they have developed, such as the Surface 2 or Surface Pro 3. Microsoft hopes that their new Surface will replace the need for laptops. They have taken feedback, given by customers with previous Surface products, and completely innovated their new tablet.
Microsoft was already receiving pre-orders for the new Surface 3 the day of the product announcement; they unveiled of the new tablet on March 31st. It is the best of both worlds between a tablet and a PC. The Surface 3 is thinner (8.7 mm) and lighter than any other tablet they have made, weighing in at 1.37 pounds. It can run all the apps Windows provides, along with any other desktop apps the customer feels needed for in their everyday life.
How does it compare to other products on the market? It is being closely compared to the latest MacBook Air and it definitely adds up. The Surface is lighter and thinner than the MacBook. The Surface is made from magnesium, as opposed to Apple’s signature aluminum build. The display on the Mac may be just fractions bigger than that of the Surface, but the Surface has a much higher resolution at 241 pixels per inch where the Mac has 135 pixels per inch. The Surface also includes a front and rear-facing camera, instead of only having a front camera. One big difference is that the Surface has LTE available for people who are on-the-go, which the MacBook does not offer. Another very important factor is price: the Surface 3 is listed at $499, or $630 if you also buy the much needed type cover; the MacBook Air starts at $900. Although the Surface is considered a tablet, it is not compared to the iPad Air 2 because they are nearly two totally different products.
With all the features the Surface has to offer, will Microsoft finally surpass Apple? They have created a product that can change the way you work, and offer everything that will help you accomplish it, in a sleek and compact design. In my opinion, the Surface goes above and beyond any laptop or tablet on the market, even those made by Apple. So, will this tablet really replace the need for a laptop? Or will people choose to go with a regular MacBook or iPad because they are the normal, secure choices?
Marketing Discussions 
The technology today is always changing and the tablets are getting better and better. Personally, I think that tablets are great but I’m not sure if they will replace laptops completely. I believe that so many people just like the idea of a laptop rather than a tablet. Tablets are becoming more popular but I think if producers are still putting out laptops people tend to feel safer and better off with a laptop because of the idea of having a laptop over a tablet.
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A couple years ago, I was deciding between the surface and the Lenovo Yoga (which is a laptop but has tablet features like touch screen). I know some people who have the surface but i know personally if I am going to spend that money, I will buy a laptop. I think a customer’s decision will be based on what they need the product for. I believe that most Apple fanatics will stay with the Apple products, but just switch to the laptop if they need an actual keyboard, but this does not mean that some customers wont “jump ship”. Since the systems are totally different, I think people will buy the products based on personal preference, but will also make sure they buy a product that encompasses what they need.
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I personally thing that the tablet will not replace the need for a laptop. Yes, it is nice that it is easier to take on the go and allows for you to use it wherever you are, not needing wifi. But, I personally do not like typing on a touch screen. I know there are keyboards you can attach but the keyboards are still kind of small. I personally am an Apple user and love my macbook Pro. I agree with Kyley that ultimately people will buy the products based on personal preference. I don’t think that Microsoft will lose money on this product because there are many people who are Microsoft and PC users but there are also ones who are Apple users. Though tablets are becoming very popular item to have, I don’t think they will replace the laptop.
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Hi, Emma. From my point of view, I don’t think the new tablet Surface 3 that Microsoft came out will replace laptop. It is undeniable that Microsoft has made an excellent innovation in the industry. From function to weight, Surface 3 did surpass MackBook to some extents. However, consumers who are fans of Apple or who prefer laptop would choose PC or laptop. In other words, it is difficult to change consumers’ mind unless there are plenty reasons for them to buy it. For example, I bought iPad Air. But I did not use it frequently, because I usually needed to do homework or finished a PowerPoint for classes; the iPad was not convenient without a keyboard (then I had to spent more money to buy a keyboard) So, I personally prefer the idea of laptop. However, it does not mean Microsoft could not success. The new Surface 3 not only meet consumers’ needs for laptop, but also satisfy consumers who prefer tables. Thus, Surface 3 changes the industry dramatically, and would expand to new market place and new consumers as well. In the next few years, I don’t think Surface 3 will replace laptop.
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I believe that the new surface three tablets that Microsoft has came out with will not replace our laptops. The reason why I feel this way is because it may be very hard for a typical day to day laptop user to make a complete switch to a tablet regardless if you can attach a keyboard to it or not. It is however an intriguing move by Microsoft who is still trying its best to compete with the best which is Apple.
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As an owner of an Apple iPad, i could possibly see tablets taking over laptops in the future just because of how easy is it to transport. I do think it will take some time for that to happen though, simply because i feel that the technology needs to be updated so that more can be done on the tablet. As of right now, in my opinion i generally loose interest in the tablet after a while.
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This tablet sounds very appealing, however I do feel it will face some stiff competition by Apple. With many people being strongly committed to Apple products, it makes the demand for Microsoft products to decrease greatly. I personally own both an iPad and Macbook Pro, and have always wanted to have the accessibility of a laptop, but also the compactness of a tablet. With the Microsoft surface offering both of these features in one, it definitely serves as a strength over Apple products.
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This tablet is really advanced looking but I personally believe that it will not take the place of a laptop. This is because laptops are more reliable and easier to use. People tend to not want to adapt to changes especially older adults when it comes to new pieces of technology. I for one would never consider switching to a tablet over a laptop because as a college student it is a lot easier to use something that has everything on it and not worry about whether or not I will lose something on my tablet if I would choose to switch to that.
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I am personally not a fan of tablets, but if I was going to use any tablet it would be the Ipad. I have many friends with Ipads, and I also have a few at my house, and they are the only ones I know to be reliable. Back when they were first releasing Ipads there were other companies trying to come out with their cheaper versions, and you did not see many of them become successful. I honestly don’t see tablets in general staying successful in the future with laptops being more functional and easier to use, but if there was one to take off, I don’t see it being from Microsoft.
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