Surface is Surfacing

Apple, it might be over. Our relationship started to fray after you bled me dry with USB C on the MacBook. All for what? A touchbar? Did you think of asking before you did that? I’ve hoped for the best. I spent money trying to make it work. You changed and so have I. I didn’t want it to happen, but I look at you now and I don’t see the same brand. This weekend was the pivot point. I left the damn dongles that convert everything from USB-C at the office.

You ruined my weekend for the last time. It’s not just the dongles though. I’ve realized it’s much deeper than that.

I’m slowing shifting back to Microsoft.

I’ve got my Surface hooked up to external monitor using my “old” Apple VGA adapter. Don’t get mad Apple. The Surface just works better with the stuff that you used to have.

I’ll take that one old dongle over the new ones you had me buy. Microsoft seems to care a little bit more about your throw aways. Everything else is bluetooth. It’s a shame. You made bluetooth great.

I even have the Surface on your old rain stand. I didn’t think it would work but without a keyboard on it, it’s even better. I bought an extra power supply from Amazon Choice for $25 vs. the $90'ish for the Apple. And also bought a sweet bluetooth mini keyboard from Amazon Choice for $19 which light’s up in three pretty colors too.

My Surface is no longer a novelty and is getting to become closer to my primary device. The Surface moved in and has a permanent spot. I have 2 setups now as opposed to one.

I had high hopes for the Apple TV however at $189 the Xbox One S is awesome for everything and is the primary home entertainment device. They support just about every app for entertainment that any other TV “smart” device does, and they did a decent job unifying it all. Also Microsoft has created unification with Xbox Live to include Windows. I’m a little bit of a jock and a nerd so I never took sides, however the nerds won with the rise of Major League Gaming. Even football is losing it’s interest. It’s a real thing and even though I’m past my prime for the pro’s, competitive play is fun now that it’s more “sporty”. Apple I don’t know why TV wasn’t a shared priority. I really tried. I even bought the latest with a gaming controller, but it just sits there alone with the controller. The kids don’t even want it in their life.

There’s no use for my iPad at this point. I’m not a fan of most Amazon consumer products, but that Kindle Paperwhite is still awesome. My distance from your apps has been healthy. I’ve been rehabbing away from the addictive algorithms that push unvetted everyday authors (ok I’m writing this for myself). I’ve realized that they were just trying to get attention rather than be helpful. Seems the better reading is coming from books, like the kind you buy from people called authors who get paid and write for a living. “Market tested content” seems to be much better for helping me think different. Between the Kindle and the Surface, why would I need an iPad?

I’ll admit with the Holiday shopping I made some VMWare purchases a week ago. My Apple stuff is already becoming more “Windowzy” . Parallels didn’t do it for me.

Plus I’m going to have fun “unclouding” a bit with an ESXI array. I’m not moving away from the cloud, but I’ve been needing a reason to tinker with some dev boxes. Unfortunately the Apple cloud just never became what it was supposed to be either.

Apple I used to go to you for safety and security. You made life simple with OSX. But after 13 -17 versions depending on who you ask, you never evolved that much. Even Windows became better with age. Sure, Windows has security flaws but for all my cloud stuff the Chromebooks with G-Suite seem pretty tight and easy to maintain for a small company. The team wants you around less and less too.

I’m over my iPhone and I’m not upgrading. I’m pretty sure I’m going to switch or just downgrade. I only need texting, a phone, a map, the time, a browser, and slack at this point. Plus you’re getting a little clingy and weird sharing personal things with people you barely know. My fingerprints weren’t enough? Do you really need to give them my face in 3D with all of my expressions meant for only you? Windows is ok with just a look in my eyes.

I’m not saying goodbye yet Apple. But you’re slowly becoming less top of mind like when a friend moves below fold on the “recent texts” window of a phone.

It’s not my choice, but I think things just changed that day when we both lost our Jobs.

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