In a segment I like to call “In Depth with Deez_Nutz,” I went undercover to find out exactly what kind of coverage TWiT is providing with all of these expensive products Leo “has to buy” because “it’s his job.” Remember, he’s buying them to protect us. Thank you Leo for such compassion for us, and for doing your job, because without you and your wonderful in-depth reviews, we just wouldn’t know what to buy.
I looked at TWiT’s Microsoft Surface Book coverage — a random choice. I had no idea ahead of time how good or bad this would turn out. I will provide comparison coverage so we can see how TWiT’s content compares to, for instance, some random guy on YouTube probably operating out of their basement — not a million dollar studio — and likely also doing their own editing, production and all that, you know, “work”.
Besides the usual: Leo carrying around his new toy, petting it and interrupting every show bantering on about it, TWiT provided three official segments on the Microsoft Surface Book.
- The Unboxing
- The Review
- The Hands-On
The “Unboxing”
You can tell that Leo didn’t even spend 10 minutes planning his unboxing. It’s poorly lit and totally off-the-cuff, but overall I am positive on the unboxing. I like this because it makes you feel like you are actually there experiencing the product for the first time. I like how Leo randomly fumbles around with the product too.
I would’ve liked this to be edited to be tighter, with better preparation and more professional production value. I would assume most consumers do not have the time to watch a 20 minute unboxing, so they would appreciate a shorter video.
Comparison Unboxing:
Note: to find a comparison unboxing, I just did a search on YouTube for “Surface Book Unboxing” and selected the first video that came up. Low and behold, it’s amazing! It’s professional and well lit. Nice job, random guy on YouTube in your basement doing all the work yourself.
The Results: If I was a consumer, I would prefer Leo’s unboxing. I think it is more interesting and a better experience. Good job, TWiT.
The “Review”
This is where TWiT totally goes off the rails. This so called review is just Paul and Mary Jo talking about the product on Windows Weekly. No offense to them, and I respect their opinion, but hello! This is not a review, people!! No shots of the product, specs, or benchmarks? Anyone? Bueller?
Comparison Review
To find this comparison review, I picked the first suggested video YouTube offered and low and behold it was amazing! It’s a very detailed review with good production value and preparation. Nice job random guy on YouTube. Your review is better than TWiT’s!
The Results: Okay; I don’t know what the fuck is going on here. Clearly TWiT did not do a review. The YouTube guy clearly wins.
The “Hands-On”
The so called “hands-on” with the Surface Book aired on TWiT’s now-cancelled “Tech News 2Night” news show. It is Megan Morrone interviewing Natt Guran from The Next Web, a journalist who actually did a real review of the product. But there is never any “hands-on.” I don’t even think there are any hands in this hands-on.
So let me get this straight. Instead of doing an actual hands-on, TWiT’s “News Department” is interviewing a journalist who did an actual hands-on, and TWiT is calling that their hands-on? I am speechless. That is not a hands-on!!
Furthermore, why is the news department interviewing other news departments? Isn’t it the news department’s job to cover the news just like the other news departments do? If every news department interviewed other news departments, what would be the actual source of the news? This is like Wolf Blitzer interviewing Sean Hannity from FOX news to report on the news. This is lazy and another example of TWiT doing things on the cheap and not doing any of their own work. It seems the more I investigate TWiT, the more I am realizing that this whole company is meticulously designed to re-purpose content and use people.
Comparison Hands-On:
To find a comparison hands-on, I did a search for “Surface Book Hands-On,” and picked the first video that came up and low and behold, it’s amazing! It has actual hands in it with good lighting and good production value. It’s almost as if it was planned out! Nice job random guy on YouTube doing all the work yourself. You did a better job than the multi-million dollar fully staffed TWiT!
The Results: Releasing a video called Hands on with Microsoft Surface Book does not make it a hands-on. If I was a consumer looking for a hands-on, I would be totally confused watching TWiT’s content. They simply did not do a hands-on. Clearly the YouTube guy is the winner here by far.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. It looks like the only reason Leo “had to buy” the Surface Book after all was — well — to open it!
To cover the Microsoft Surface Book, TWiT filmed a random segment of Leo opening up his new toy. There is no actual review, no benchmarks, nor anything else of value. Instead they had Paul and Mary Jo talk about the product on Windows Weekly, and they called that their review.
For the hands-on, the “News Department” interviewed a journalist from another news department, and TWiT called this their hands-on. But there was never actually any hands-on.
TWiT is a lazy organization that seems to put no energy or creativity into anything they do. They just point a camera at themselves sitting on their asses while using other people’s hard work.
For a million dollar company with a million-dollar studio and a full staff of producers, editors, and a news department, I expect more than this.
This is the worst tech coverage of a product we have ever seen in the industry. This is not serving TWiT’s audience or their advertisers.
TWiT, you should be ashamed!
they couldnt film any review or hands on because the surface book got swallowed up in the rolls of fat when leo placed it on his lap.
great article and comparison videos. thanks for posting.
Phat Phuck Dev Null» Quote comment
Welcome to Twit, the derivative network. They have never put any real effort into anything except talking to each other. There is NO Twit Labs or NO Tech Guy labs. There are no labs whatsoever. You can visit and ask to see their test facilities. Zilch. The reviews consist of “I like this” or “this is neat” or “this lens is $8000 but I shoot my pics with an iPhone anyway.”
It’s really pathetic.
Lard Ass» Quote comment
Silly boy, what matters is that Leo got to buy the Surface Book as a business expense.
He’s a vapid human being. The most telling was in a pre-show when the Google Pixel C was put up for sale. Everyone else was talking about the shitty reviews and how underwhelming the software was, and Leo gets there late and gets word of the news – “oooh, it’s out? Like you can buy it right now? Oooh, if I get it on Amazon I could have it tomorrow for the show.”
And of course he proceeded to give it a glowing review, as if he had made up his mind already before buying the thing. But Leo is always objective, right?
Jimmy Jam» Quote comment
This is all very interesting but I don’t see what it has to do with Megan’s eyebrows, 2TonTonya’s weight problem, Film_Girl’s personal hygiene, the obese priest’s chins, or Leo’s latest blood sugar count and expected date of death. Please get back on track. TIA.
Disappointed» Quote comment
It comes down to talent and staff. I watched the early early BYB episodes and saw people using and reviewing products.
Now, its just make any content that will get views so we can read an ad. And anyone who thinks a 20 minute un-boxing is content should retire.
Leo finally started attaching ads for his other shows at the ends of some of his podcasts. This would have been a good idea when he had content, now he is just bailing water from his sinking boat.
Lisa Bettany» Quote comment
Excellent post. This is the type of reporting on Twit that you guys should be doing. Not those stupid articles where you take something completely out of context. If you guys did more articles like this you might gain some credibility.
Lurker» Quote comment
Eat a Purple Dick
Purple Pee Eater» Quote comment
And the result is … Lisa and Leo both think that personalities drive increased viewer numbers, not technical content. Any tech statistics, measurements, and such are subjugated to the expression of opinions by the “trusted” personalities that appear on camera.
Very quickly, the current management of TWIT has moved fast away from the technical audience they claim as their own. This model, of course, cannot survive. If it could have, there would be this kind of thing on big-time commercial TV — and there’s not.
Charles Chadwick» Quote comment
DEEZ_REPORTS.
Thank you for the time and effort you put into this. This is really good.
Harkonnen Mentat» Quote comment
Deez_Reports providing more interesting content than TWiT.
Well done!
Zon» Quote comment
Whenever Leo has his “App Cap” in iOS today, it is clear that is the second time opening the app at best. Most of the time it seems like the first. He doesn’t even know how to use it and is clearly winging it.
TextileWolf» Quote comment
So sad.
“FUCK YOU. How do like that?” ~Leo Laporte 2010
Dick Cocksucker» Quote comment
TYFYC DEEZ!
I love you man.
FUCK YOU LAPORKE!
Ken Sintek» Quote comment
Deez_Nutz…. Thanks for the great reporting! Keep up the good work. You will go FAR in Drama!
Bravo!
y0y0» Quote comment
Great job Deez_Nutz… I agree this is a lazy and lacklustre attempt at a complete review but is typical of what we’ve come to expect/despise from Twit LLC, the ad company.
I disagree with you that the average consumer would find his unboxing more “interesting” than the YT example. An unboxing is typically short in scope and he showed stuff nobody would normally care about (e.g. selecting the language, etc). I felt like I was being held hostage the whole time. But like you said there should have been better editing and production value.
For me Twit’s review failed on all parts, the unboxing, the review and the hands-on. A complete strike-out.
TheTruth» Quote comment
Why i don’t watch twit. No personalities anymore, and Leo thinks he can coast on his prior fame from 20 years ago
Joel osteen» Quote comment
I agree. where is JCD and Jolie? That’s the best combination of personalities ever. And they had something to say!
The Fat man hated Jolie or perhaps Lisa nixed her because she was getting unwanted attention from Leo.
Douche-eliminator» Quote comment
> prior fame from 20 years ago
Yes. From his comments on current tech to bringing back a stand-up video podcast and calling it a “TV show,” this is something that therapy could address. As JCD wrote, there is a lot of anger there that should be faced and dealt with.
Charles Chadwick» Quote comment
Did JCD write something?
Jimmy Jam» Quote comment
Did anyone else see ChiefTWaT talk about his tea addiction in the chat late last night? He says he’s hooked on chagga tea and that he’s been losing weight with it. I poked around and it looks like yet another herbal gimmick. If it had lights I’m sure it would be the latest best thing everyone should buy right now.
Oinker» Quote comment
If you all hate TWIT / Leo why do you waste so much time and energy on watching / listening / analysing this stuff. I think you all need a new hobby, something actually productive.
Teg Bud» Quote comment
Personally, I love to hate Leo. With every failure or gaffe my sense of schadefreuse goes through the roof! I never watch or listen anymore (its been 2 yesrs since I did last). TD watches so I don’t have to!
Hugh Jassole» Quote comment
Because we care that he is ruining himself and won’t listen.
Joel osteen» Quote comment
I’m glad you agree TWiT is a waste of time and energy.
Odd that you are concerned about others’ hobbies. That’s really creepy.
MilkArgument» Quote comment
Hey, it’s a hobby though, right…?
To which, I can only say the fine Mr. Teg Bud, like, really needs “a new hobby, something actually productive” to do with his time… or, like, something, donchaknow?
Critiquing and condescending the hobbies of others anonymously is a really useless hobby.
Now, what that says about someone with a hobby of decrying the hobby of a person who attacks the hobbies of others (damn, is this ‘Inception’ or something…?) The world will never know!
RT2» Quote comment
Itm. Fuck the fat man
Phat phuck dev null» Quote comment
Deez, I salute you!
Esch» Quote comment
The Ultimate Never Asked Questions:
How is ANY unboxing either entertaining or informative?
When did unboxing become a “thing?” And why?
FUCK UNBOXING!!!
Lard Ass» Quote comment
LOL Leo saw that there are unboxing videos on You Tube so he figured it must be the cool, hip thing the kids are into these days. Unboxing videos are just an excuse to say “Look at me even though I’ve got nothing else to do”. Leo has no concept of there are a million unboxing videos just like his. But his real purpose is nothing more than to show off crap he spent money on. He’s all about showing off his material things. Just take a look at the latest Triangulation. The guest would be in the middle of talking and Leo would continually interupt him just to show off that he has this toy and that toy.
Me» Quote comment