PDA

View Full Version : First Microsoft store looks set to open



Sporkman
October 19th, 2009, 02:58 PM
First Microsoft store looks set to open

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona (Reuters) -

Microsoft Corp's first store looks ready to open in an upscale Phoenix valley city in the next few days, as the software maker takes its first step in trying to match rival Apple Inc's successful venture into retail.

Expectations are running high that its first store, in the Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale, Arizona, will open next week, to coincide with the launch of Microsoft's new Windows 7 operating system next Thursday...


http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nm/20091016/tc_nm/us_windows7_store_1

the fix it man
October 19th, 2009, 03:06 PM
I wish them all the best.

karimruan
October 19th, 2009, 03:12 PM
Is it me or does Apple pretty much give Microsoft all of their ideas? lol

Sealbhach
October 19th, 2009, 03:23 PM
Microsoft Store? I thought that's what torrents were for?

Only kidding.

.

JillSwift
October 19th, 2009, 03:30 PM
Aside from their software, xbox, and zune - what does MS have to sell in a brick-n-mortar store?

EDIT: Oh, and keyboards 'n' mice.

river226
October 19th, 2009, 03:33 PM
Is it me or does Apple pretty much give Microsoft all of their ideas? lol

lol, should be interesting to see how close exactly it is to an apple store

coldReactive
October 19th, 2009, 03:55 PM
Do we REALLY need another one of these?

HappyFeet
October 19th, 2009, 05:41 PM
Microsoft Store? I thought that's what torrents were for?


I've been to that store a bunch of times. ;)

starcannon
October 19th, 2009, 05:45 PM
Not sure what will happen with this; I do remember when other big companies tried to enter the brick and mortar world though. Gateway comes to mind first. I'm not sure this will help MS, but I guess if they have the excess money laying around, they might as well give it a whirl.

GL Microsoft, I'm still going to be using Linux though.

coldReactive
October 19th, 2009, 05:45 PM
Not sure what will happen with this; I do remember when other big companies tried to enter the brick and mortar world though. Gateway comes to mind first. I'm not sure this will help MS, but I guess if they have the excess money laying around, they might as well give it a whirl.

GL Microsoft, I'm still going to be using Linux though.

Yeah, the gateway stores around Madison, WI all closed down and moved out.

-grubby
October 19th, 2009, 06:01 PM
Aside from their software, xbox, and zune - what does MS have to sell in a brick-n-mortar store?

EDIT: Oh, and keyboards 'n' mice.

Y'know, that sounds like an awful lot to sell to me.

EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Microsoft_software_applications#Current

coldReactive
October 19th, 2009, 06:02 PM
Y'know, that sounds like an awful lot to sell to me.

EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Microsoft_software_applications#Current

Not when all that only takes up about 3 half rows in a best buy store. :|

AlanR8
October 19th, 2009, 06:24 PM
Was in an Apple store in Leicester (UK) last Monday evening with a friend who was looking for some help with his iPhone.

It was 6:30 PM and the place was HEAVING with people buying systems! I was impressed.

Their stuff looks fantastic and generally just works. Whilst I can't quite persuade the wife to give up on Doze to run Linux, a visit to an Apple store would be all that it takes to break the habit.....

Microsoft, good luck. Apart from software, seem to remember they make a good mouse!

Exodist
October 19th, 2009, 06:34 PM
Woot! Found the place for our Ubuntu Release Party!

JillSwift
October 19th, 2009, 06:51 PM
Y'know, that sounds like an awful lot to sell to me.

EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Microsoft_software_applications#Current
Thank you for not answering my question.

I know they have a lot of software, they are a software company after all. That's why i said "besides their software..."

I'm just trying to imagine what the real draw would be for such a store, after the novelty wears off. Software shopping is far easier over the web.

I can see advantages with things like trying out the Zune, or X-Box. They make some nice keyboards and mice, too. They have a couple of business gadgets that are pretty cool, like a 360° camera for meeting telepesence.

Still, given the greater selection of similar devices and software at sores like Best Buy, I can't see these stores being anything other than a deep money sink. Apple only manages it by being both a hardware and software company with a wide range of gadgets and toys, and some of the slickest marketing on the planet (Well, pretty much).

karimruan
October 20th, 2009, 01:56 AM
lol, should be interesting to see how close exactly it is to an apple store

anyone here of MS's table top PC? It is like the apple tablet that is being rumored about, not sure who got the idea first, but from what I saw, apple's is considerably smaller, and loaded with the iphone OS. Wonder how they modified the OS source code if at all?

Dullstar
October 20th, 2009, 02:20 AM
Don't worry, they'll just sell little buttons that say to kill the GPL, which we will then proceed to burn.

Sporkman
October 23rd, 2009, 04:33 PM
Long lines as Microsoft opens retail store

* By Tim Gaynor - Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:11PM EDT

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz (Reuters) -

The idea that hundreds of people would line up outside anything to do with Microsoft would have been far-fetched only a few years ago -- but on Thursday that's what happened when the software giant opened its first retail store in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Around 500 people, some of whom had camped out all night, waited in line for the opening of store the Fashion Square Mall in this upscale city, where they were met with cheers by staff wearing Microsoft T-shirts.

Microsoft has at least partially succeeded in changing opinion about its lack of coolness, helped by positive reviews for its new Windows 7 operating system.

"It's a good idea to give consumers a warm and fuzzy (feeling) about using an operating system... It will make consumers feel better about their purchase," said shopper Hafthor Stefansson, an IT consultant who said he uses both Apple and Microsoft systems, as he stood outside the store...

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nm/20091022/tc_nm/us_microsoft_store_2

magneze
October 23rd, 2009, 04:37 PM
Stories like this make me wonder what Microsoft are about these days. Are they going for the consumer market, the business market?

The "me too" aspect of a lot of what they do is also really grating.