Latest news with #MicrosoftSurface
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Brand trap
In today's hyper-consumerist world, brands have evolved from simple labels into seductive illusions. Behind every gleaming logo lies a psychological operation, engineered not just to sell, but to trap. From Paris fashion ramps to Times Square billboards, from digital hoardings on Marine Drive to big banners at cricket stadiums, corporations deploy celebrity endorsements, influencer propaganda, and social engineering to convince us that their products will elevate our status, identity, and happiness. Like millions of others, I once believed that Apple made the best smartphones, Sony the finest cameras, and that Macbook Air was the only laptop worthy of having. Brand loyalty wasn't a conscious choice, it was instinctive, even emotional. Then I experimented. I switched from Mac to the Snapdragon X Elite powered Microsoft Surface laptop and was stunned by the performance. My OnePlus phone offered a smoother, more user-friendly experience than my old iPhone. The change came without the hefty price tag. That's when it hit me, I wasn't choosing better products, I was choosing better marketing. Brands don't merely sell products, they sell aspirations. Luxury fashion houses such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Dior craft more than clothes; they engineer exclusivity. Through extravagant runway shows, celebrity presence, and curated social media deluge, they create a world that whispers, 'This is what success looks like.' An advertisement for Chanel No. 5 doesn't talk about the perfume directly; instead, it showcases an elegant lifestyle filled with romance, surfing, fashion, and passion. In a Patek Philippe promotion, the models simply wear the watch; the focus is on heritage, not the timepiece. The marketing for Gucci shows elegance and high fashion aesthetics, nothing is overtly pointed out. One more weapon in the advertisement armoury is the tag line, the catchy phrases that do their part in capturing their audience: Nike – Just Do it; Apple - Think Different; L'Oréal – Because You're Worth It; Adidas – Impossible is Nothing; Rolex A Crown for Every Achievement. On social media and television, the rich and famous flaunt expensive watches, cruise around in Lamborghinis, and carry Hermès Birkin bags. Personal stylists ensure iconic personalities remain 'branded'. The illusion trickles down, infecting the middle class, who chase the same fantasy, often at the cost of financial strain. College campuses and high-society gatherings are breeding grounds for brand promotion. One student's Prada top or another's Chanel clutch becomes someone's life goal. The unspoken competition for social validation easily evolves. Instagram reels, TikTok trends, and YouTube vlogs bombard us with HD fantasies, private jets, designer bags, Monaco nightlife, luxury resorts and cruise parties. Influencers subtly plant the belief that joy is just one purchase away. Many don't buy luxury goods for personal use, they buy them to be seen. But the hard truth is that no one really cares. A stranger might glance at your Lamborghini, Rolex, or Balenciaga, but they'll forget them the next moment. The validation stands for an iota of time, but the financial burden created for purchasing that item remains for a long time. Escape the trap. Prioritise utility over hype. Ask yourself, 'Do I need this, or am I chasing a brand?' Research quality, not labels. Be aware of the manipulation. Every ad, influencer post, and red-carpet appearance is a pitch. Define your own style. It's a confidence booster. Embrace minimalism. Some of the world's wealthiest people, like Warren Buffett and Mark Zuckerberg, dress simply because they don't need brands to validate them. So the next time you're tempted by that shiny logo, ask yourself, 'Am I buying a product, or buying into a fantasy?' sureshbabu2222@
Gizmodo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
Microsoft Surface Laptop (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) Hits a Price That Makes Old Tags Look Silly Thanks to Prime Day
Happy Prime Day to all who celebrate. This week you can all sorts of excellent deals across every product category at Amazon from laptops to treadmills to food processors to other laptops. If that happens to be exactly what you're in the market for, you should pay attention to this Microsoft Surface deal. This 2024 touchscreen laptop is part of this week of savings and you can chop off 34% from the price. It's normally $1,200, but for a limited time you can grab it for just $790. That's bring its down by a full $410. The 2024 Microsoft Surface laptop comes in an array of expressive colors including black, platinum, sapphire, and dune. They all have various discounts happening for Prime Day, but you'll find the steepest savings on the dune model. It's designed for portability, measuring in at just 13.8-inches and weighing under three lbs. It's razer-thin too so it can slide easily into a bag or backpack. See at Amazon The bezel is ultra thin to maximize the workable space despite the compact form factor—best of both worlds. The touchscreen allows you to use the laptop like a tablet if your would prefer. It has a refresh rate of 120 Hz with exceptional contrast at 600 nits of brightness. Battery-life is impeccable, lasting up to 20 hours in a single charge. As far as ports go, it's got built into it two USB-C and one USB-A. AI is the big buzzword of the last couple of years in tech. If these LLM's tickle you, you'll be happy to see this Microsoft Surface laptop supports Copilot+ to bring more productivity and efficiency to your day. It's powered by the fast Snapdragon X Plus 10-core CPU which delivers better performance than the MacBook Air M3 chip. Go further with a handful of Microsoft Surface accessories. You can upgrade your power supply to one with 45W of power delivered over USB-C. The Surface arc Mouse is a slim and light mouse that can flatten to pack easily (also available in a ton of cool colors). You can optimize your workspace by tacking on the USB docking station which adds four extra ports. And of course, get the full versatility of the Microsoft Office suite by subscribing to Microsoft 365. Through Prime Day, you will be able to save 34% on the Microsoft Surface 2024 laptop. It's usually set at $1,200, and after the $410 discount, you'll be able to pick it up for just $790. See at Amazon
CNET
07-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
Prime Day Brings the Price of My Favorite Windows Laptop Down to a Record Low
Prime Day, Amazon's annual summer sales event, will run from July 8 to 11 this year, but we're already seeing some dramatic price cuts across a variety of categories. That includes some big sales from Amazon's competitors -- like Walmart and Best Buy -- who are attempting to counter Prime Day with some impressive offers of their own. When it comes to the Microsoft Surface laptop, one of our favorite Windows laptops on the market, Amazon is taking the prize today for best offer. You can get the latest 2025 version of the Microsoft Surface laptop 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD for $800 right now. That's $100 off this top performing laptop's typical price and the lowest price we've seen. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. If you want a bit more storage, you can also pick up the same laptop with 512GB of storage for $900. That's also a record low price. In his roundup of the best laptops of 2025, CNET senior editor Matt Elliott called the Microsoft Surface 7 the best Windows laptop, citing the polished design and battery life as chief selling points. "The Surface Laptop 7 ran for nearly 20 hours in testing -- that's the longest of any 13- or 14-inch laptop I've ever tested -- including the M4 MacBook Air," Elliott writes. This offer is not for the exact 7th edition Elliott reviewed, which was released in 2024, but rather a newer version released this year with nearly identical specs. It offers Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8 Core processors, delivering fast performance and power. You also get a touchscreen, haptic touchpad, and two USB-C ports. If you're on the hunt for a monitor to go with this, check out this 27-inch HP monitor down to just $120. Not sure if this is the laptop for you? We're keeping an eye on the latest Prime Day laptop deals as well. Best Prime Day Laptops Deals It's never too early to start shopping for an upgrade to your laptop, and our favorite Prime Day laptop deals are guaranteed to save you time and money. Check out the best savings here. See Now Why this deal matters We don't see this laptop go on sale too often, and when it does it's not usually a significant price cut. Saving $100 on either configuration (256GB or 512GB) is a rare discount. While this is still a spendier laptop, if you're in the market for a reliable Windows laptop that rivals Apple's M4 Macbook Air, this is the laptop for you. Just remember, Prime Day brings big savings but they're fleeting and items can go in and out of stock rapidly. For that reason, if you want it, get it while you can.
Tom's Guide
23-06-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Score! Microsoft Surface Laptop gets epic price cut at Best Buy
Back to school season is in full swing and right now there are plenty of great deals you can take advantage of. If you're shopping for a new laptop, one of my favorite sales comes via the Best Buy Member Deal Days Sale. As part of the sale, you can get Microsoft Surface Laptops and tablets on sale from $799 at Best Buy. Many of these Snapdragon X Elite-powered devices are great for both school and home. These are also some of the best prices we've seen so far this year. Below you'll find some of my top deals right now. Powered by a Snapdragon X Plus chipset, this powerful tablet features a 13-inch 2880 x 1920 PixelSense display with 120Hz refresh, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and Qualcomm Adreno GPU. Note: It doesn't include the Surface Keyboard. This 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop packs a Snapdragon X Elite CPU, which is ideal for school, work, and everything in between. Along with its drastic performance boost and longer battery life thanks to the chip, it comes with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD — all to power its Copilot+ features. With a $200 discount? Now that's a steal. The new Surface is powered by a Snapdragon X Plus chipset. This configuration also features a 13-inch 2880 x 1920 PixelSense display with 120Hz refresh rate, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and Qualcomm Adreno GPU. This bundle includes both tablet and Surface Pro Keyboard.
Gizmodo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 Is Going for Peanuts With Over 60% Off, a Limited Best Buy Certified Refurb Deal
Looking to replace you laptop but don't feel like shelling out thousands for the latest MacBook? Well you don't need to sweat. You can grab yourself something perfectly capable of meeting your everyday needs. New is overrated. Like-new is good enough for just about anything and is a great way to save yourself hundreds and hundreds of dollars. What happens to new products anyway? Well I'll tell you. They become old. It happens to us all. Stop trying to fight the entropy of the universe and just accept things get old. See at Best Buy Get this refurbished Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 for the insanely reduced price of just $500 for a limited time. The Microsoft Surface is a super versatile option that can fulfill a lot of the needs of pretty much anyone, be it you're a student, small business owner, or just someone who wants to go online with something other than their phone. Right now, you can get the 2018 Microsoft Surface Pro laptop for a crazy $799 off. That's over a 60% discount from its starting price of $1,299. Performance and Portability This Microsoft Surface Pro laptop 2 packs an Intel 8th generation Core i5 processor, engineered for exceptional speed and performance. It comes with either 8GB of memory, allowing for smooth performance across a diverse range of applications, whether your using them for school work, business or leisure. The storage supports 256GB so you'll have plenty of space for files, photos, and more. The screen measures in at 13.5 inches across, with a screen resolution of 2256 x 1504. Battery life is super reliable, boasting up to 14.5 hours of running time before you'll have to go find an outlet to plug it back in for a charge. The keypad is a staple of the Microsoft Surface, with its comfortable to type on keys, soft palm rest, and large trackpad. It attaches to the Microsoft Surface magnetically so it can be removed when needing to use the Surface simply as a tablet. When not using the Microsoft surface at all, you can fold the keypad up against the screen to keep it protected. Great for traveling with it in your bag. For a limited time you can secure yourself this refurbished Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 with a 13.5″ touchscreen and 256GB of storage for a full $799 cheaper than when it first launched. That means right now the price is down from it's original listing of $1,299 to just $500. That represents a savings of over 60%. See at Best Buy
