Given its price advantage and a head start in the market, Microsoft's TV strategy will be difficult for Apple to beat. - Farhad Manjoo

[W]hile Apple has slowed its design cadence, its rivals have sped up. ... Over the course of a few months, Samsung put out several design refinements, culminating in the Note 7, a big phone that has been universally praised by critics.

It's easy to rib Microsoft for copying Apple, and seeing the two stores side by side does make Team Redmond look a bit pathetic. But in business, losing face isn't as important as making money. And after visiting a couple Microsoft stores, I'm convinced they'll help Microsoft bring in more cash.

I love the Surface. And that's true even though I know very little about it. ... I was only permitted to touch the device while the machine was powered off. ... despite all these unknowns, I'm already deeply smitten. Not because the Surface is so great — though it seems like it might be — but because it represents a new and potentially powerful force in the tech industry.