Yoga 3 Pro

Every once in a while, Microsoft and Apple reignite the classic Mac vs. PC battle through cleverly designed ads. The latest attack launches Microsoft’s latest notebook, the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro, placed head-to-head with Apple’s famous 13-inch MacBook Air. The ad starts by comparing the 17mm ‘thickness’ of the MacBook Air with the 13mm ‘thinness’ of the Yoga 3 Pro, continuing with a series of moves that flaunt the flexibility of the tablet, showcase the touchscreen and tent modes of Lenovo’s latest convertible, while the Air is failing to “dance” in funny comparisons. The dance performance ends with the MacBook Air declaring ‘game over’ and closing its lid. The ad is a light sting at Apple, but it does reveal the direction the Microsoft is taking and where its marketing focus lies. Apple recently moved into the top five PC makers for the first time, thanks to an increase in Mac sales of 8.9 percent in the last quarter; that is translated into 5.52 million Mac sales over a period of three months. Besides the amusement these ads bring, it’s hard to determine whether or not they are effective. Surface sales more than doubled in the last quarter, but there are things left unsaid in the above ad about the powerful Air, advantages that Microsoft chose to not even mention with its latest ad campaign, more precisely price and battery life, and not necessarily in this order. Price-wise, there is a 30 percent differential: Apple’s laptop starts at $999 and Lenovo’s at $1299. This $300 difference is partly because of the high-resolution touchscreen display on the Lenovo. However, Apple’s choice to use an inferior screen on the MacBook Air helps it run for 13 hours without charging, while Lenovo’s Yoga 3 Pro 5,200mAh battery...