Microsoft has created a software utility that will help Mac switchers import data into a Surface or other PC. After a short leak window, however, the utility is no longer available.

As is so often the case these days, the existence of the utility comes to us via Walking Cat on Twitter. It was immediately trumpeted as big news by tech blogs big and small, especially those in the Apple or Microsoft spheres. But I don’t really see this as a big deal. Nor do I believe this utility is all that special or even useful to most.

But then I can only guess at that because the download link is coming up dead for me this morning. Microsoft, it seems, has pulled the utility offline. Most likely because it wasn’t ready, or because the firm simply wanted to reveal it on their own schedule.

Image courtesy of Technobuffalo

Based on the screenshots I’ve seen—Technobuffalo has a nice collection—the utility is called Mac to Surface Assistant. It runs on the Mac you’re about to dump for a shiny and expensive new Surface device, helps you transfer documents, photos, movies, and music. But if you’re storing your important information in the cloud, and you should be, this is all superfluous because that data is already available from anywhere. Right? (That said, you may be moving from Apple’s iCloud to a more open and pervasive solution like OneDrive, so this tool still makes some sense.)

Anyway. No big deal. And I suspect an official release could happen at any time.

Tagged with Mac