You know this was coming. With the premium Surface line being the culmination of its visions for software, Microsoft was never shy about its intentions to compete on hardware with the best in the industry, namely Apple. The company has arguably outdone itself with the introduction of its “ultimate laptop”, the Surface Book, in one of the best tech unveils ever, happening earlier this month. With powerful internals, great screen, keyboard, trackpad, touch and pen input, the Surface Book covers everything the MacBook has and more, and is clearly aiming at creatives, usually die-hard Mac users. If you’re one of these users and are thinking about a Surface Book as your next computer, Microsoft has just published an article on its website to help ease the transition.
While this is Microsoft writing about Surface Book and MacBook, the information can be applied for almost any user looking to switch from OSX to Windows 10, as most of the focus is on Microsoft’s new OS. Almost all aspects of going from Mac OSX to Windows are covered, from Windows 10 interface and basics, to replacement for some of the more common Mac shortcuts and commands, to photos, file and mail management, all in the form of a FAQ list.
Microsoft made sure to compare Apple ID with its Microsoft account system and highlight the similarities between the two in terms of syncing settings and more. Microsoft also shows how well the Surface Book can integrate to an already existing Apple ecosystem, with iTunes support, iCloud for Windows app, and the ease of connecting with an iPhone.
If there is one thing clear about Microsoft’s recent approach to devices and hardware, it is the clear challenger attitude the company is taking towards its arguably biggest competitors in the PC place: Apple. From collaborations with third-party OEMs producing premium machines, to direct comparisons between its flagship tablet line Surface Pro to the MacBook Air, and now the Surface Book, Redmond is obviously no longer content with leaving the luxury, well-built machines market to Apple.
From the responses of the industry so far, it seems they are slowly but surely succeeding. OSX is arguably now the main feature that will have many attached to their Apple hardware, and this kind of article from Microsoft should make giving Windows and the Surface a try that much easier.
