During their midterm election coverage last night, CNN's commentators watched Republicans pummel Democrats to gain a Senate majority through updates from a row of silver Microsoft Surface tablets. The presence of the devices didn't slip past tech savvy Twitter users:
I see @Microsoft Surface is the device choice of @CNN election night. I'm a little envious.
— Paul Swann (@PaulSwann) November 5, 2014
Except those Twitter users weren't as eagle-eyed as others, who caught some commentators with a little something extra in front of their Surface tablets: Apple iPads.
CNN commentators using Microsoft @surface tablets as iPad stand. Facepalm. pic.twitter.com/BPxWTf2zhI
— Adam (@adamUCF) November 5, 2014
Even the good people at CNN who have Microsoft surface tablets in their face hide iPad ... - http://t.co/Sz6CpzLrEg pic.twitter.com/7Bam8uyI2G
— Melbourneer (@_Melbourneer_) November 5, 2014
Right in the kisser.
Microsoft is having a rough time marketing-wise. In September, NFL commentators who watched Drew Brees use a Surface during a game described it as an "iPad-like" tool, without ever clarifying it was a Microsoft device. This is after the company paid the NFL $400 million to be the "Official Tablet of the NFL."