In an attempt to convince more consumers to consider a standard Windows laptop over a Google Chromebook, Microsoft launched another ad this week to point out disadvantages to owning a Chromebook. In this week’s advertisement, the software giant sent out self-described “Microsoft Evangelist” Ben Rudolph onto the streets of Venice, California to chat with people about software they use on a daily basis. Obviously, the point of the ad is to identify popular programs that aren’t available for Chromebook machines such as Photoshop, Illustrator and the entire suite of Microsoft Office software.
Rudolph also attempts to connect to Google Docs when out on the Venice street, but cannot connect due to a lack of Wi-Fi in the area. To show off a competing product, Rudolph brings out the ASUS T100, a Windows tablet / laptop hybrid that runs full Windows 8.1 rather than Windows RT.
While Rudolph claims the price is around $300, that’s not technically true. While the Microsoft Store ran a discount on the 64GB model at a $299.99 price point over Black Friday weekend, the standard MSRP of the ASUS T100 is $349 for the 32GB model and $399 for the 64GB version. In addition, all Chromebooks around the same price point and below have larger screens and a lighter weight than the ASUS T100.
That being said, the ASUS T100 offers Intel’s new Bay Trail processor for speedy performance, includes a SSD drive for local storage and sports a long battery life rated around 11 hours. Receiving high accolades from critics in the PC community, the ASUS T100 also undercuts Microsoft’s line of Surface tablets on price fairly significantly.
In the previous advertisement released during Black Friday week, Microsoft recruited a couple of the reality TV stars in the History Channel’s Pawn Stars to put down Chromebooks yet again. In the advertisement, a young woman attempts to convert her Google Chromebook into cash in order to buy a ticket to Hollywood. Predictably, the Pawn Stars try to set her straight explaining all the drawbacks to owning a Chromebook. Arguably unfunny, this is yet another advertisement in Microsoft’s odd Scroogled campaign.
