Filed under: Microsoft
Microsoft opens its first retail stores - Video
After months of planning, Microsoft officially opened its first bricks and mortar retail store today in Scottsdale, Arizona. The store launch comes on a day when Microsoft launched its next-generation Windows 7 operating system, and began selling PCs through its online store.
Microsoft will obviously be using its retail stores to sell software, but also Microsoft hardware including the Xbox 360 and Zune HD. The stores will also sell computers and smartphones running Windows and Windows Phone. That includes a number of PCs from major computer manufacturers.
Overall, the whole thing looks an awful lot like another company's retail stores... I just can't quite put my finger on.... oh right. Apple.
Anyway, Microsoft also has a "Microsoft Answers Suite" which isn't exactly a bar filled with geniuses -- but it is a place where customers can bring computers to have an attempt to diagnose and fix problems.
The video above was shot at the grand opening today. You can find a ton of pictures of the store at Gizmodo.
Microsoft will obviously be using its retail stores to sell software, but also Microsoft hardware including the Xbox 360 and Zune HD. The stores will also sell computers and smartphones running Windows and Windows Phone. That includes a number of PCs from major computer manufacturers.
Overall, the whole thing looks an awful lot like another company's retail stores... I just can't quite put my finger on.... oh right. Apple.
Anyway, Microsoft also has a "Microsoft Answers Suite" which isn't exactly a bar filled with geniuses -- but it is a place where customers can bring computers to have an attempt to diagnose and fix problems.
The video above was shot at the grand opening today. You can find a ton of pictures of the store at Gizmodo.
I don't know if this is a labor of love or merely the brainchild of four very gifted games designers, but Level Up is a really weird mash-up of gaming elements that you have probably never seen in a Flash game before.
Let's start with the premise itself: Groundhog Day meets Memento. The game experience revolves around 'days': you explore the world and the clock slowly ticks towards the evening. You bounce around picking up gems and talking to the denizens of 'Level Upland'. Eventually you feel tired and head back to ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ben said 7:27PM on 10-22-2009
That's funny.. didn't Apple stores look like, oh I don't know, Gateway stores? Why mess with something that already works? Sensing a little Apple bias from you Mr. Linder.
Admittedly, MS shouldn't open a storefront in the first place, or if they should, it should have happened years ago. I just don't see a whole store devoted to just software, a handful of peripherals, and other company's PCs. They should just stick to their online store, if even that.
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nickux said 7:34PM on 10-22-2009
It's not just the look of the stores that's reminiscent of Apple, though. It's kind of funny how MS takes little things from Apple and changes them only slightly. Apple's Genius is now a Guru at the MS store, for example. Widgets on Mac OSX are Gadgets in Windows. The dock of Mac OSX is essentially the taskbar of Windows 7. I'm not starting a big fanboy riot I'm just pointing out some similarities I noticed.
Money Mike said 11:14AM on 10-23-2009
Everybody copies from everybody. You're a fool if you think the business world operates solely on innovation.
Do you think Apple has not copied useful features from Windows over the years, nickux?
Gene said 7:48AM on 10-23-2009
Ben. Gateway stores? Seriously? I don't want to insult you, but if you think that the Apple stores are comparable to Gateway's retail offering, you have missed the point of the Apple retail experience. Space, light, simple shopping, beautiful architectural elements, zero pressure: all part of the experience. Don't you think it's disgusting how Microsoft literally just copies everything? It doesn't demonstrate any ingenuity - it just assimilates. There's something inherently awful about that. The similarities here are revolting. Even down to the employees clapping. Every major launch and every major opening has this Apple touch. I'm quite confident that Mr. Linder is biased - and for good reason - Apple is simply a better product. More time has been spent thinking about the design and user experience, from top to bottom, than on nearly any other product you could imagine. PC fans think that Apple products have such caché because of how they look - beauty over performance/value.They're wrong. The entire experience is better - yes, it's pretty, but it also simply works better. Labels and actions are clearer and more intuitive. Motion, reaction, overall integration - is truly human-focused and far more refined. This isn't a matter of eliteism, it's a matter of a better product. The Mac/PC wars exhaust me, but I do feel passionate about it, so every so often, it bubbles to the surface.
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Brad Linder said 7:14AM on 10-23-2009
Heh... I love it when people start talking about my Apple bias. To be honest, I've never owned an Apple computer and while I've used a Mac a bit for audio editing with Pro Tools and video editing with Final Cut, I haven't found much that's convinced me I need a Mac instead of a PC.
But there's no denying that the Microsoft store seems to take some design cues from Apple.
The clapping thing isn't unusual in retail though. I know of a number of other retail chains that encourage employees to do the crazy clapping thing at store openings -- some do it just when the store launches, others do it (or something equally silly) every day when the doors open.
Gene said 8:11AM on 10-23-2009
Brad - Apologies for the assumption.
Brad Linder said 8:51AM on 10-23-2009
No worries. I'm not offended, just amused. I think people assume all tech bloggers have bias... and usually assume it's a pro-Apple bias for one reason or another.
I wouldn't say I'm biased against Apple per se. But I'm not really a Mac user, so while I always get a kick out of comments claiming that I prefer one thing or another, it's especially funny when people accuse me of being a Mac fanboy.
Money Mike said 1:49PM on 10-23-2009
"Even down to the employees clapping."
Hahaha... thank you for making it clear you weren't being serious. You sounded silly enough when you said "Apple is simply a better product," but without the "clapping" line, I would have thought you were being serious. I would have had to reply with something about how the definition for better does not include terms like "dumbed-down," "more expensive," and "less control," Mr. Fanboy. It's a good thing you were joking.
As a Giants fan, by the way, I think it's ridiculous that other fans also clap and cheer at their team's games. What a ripoff. Don't even get me started on the Gatorade dumping after a win.
On a side note, I would like to have a Mac to play around with on the side, but there is nothing "better" about it and it's simply very expensive by comparison. They're more like toy computers to me. I do have an iPod, though, and still think it's amazing, but that also is like a toy.
Marky said 7:06AM on 10-23-2009
That's hysterical, scarey and quite quite alarming!
What's the wooping, claping and false happiness for? Has the staff seen the products they are championing?
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Money Mike said 1:50PM on 10-23-2009
How is that hysterical, scary, or alarming? It's a bunch of employees clapping and cheering for the launch store of their company? A pretty good company at that. Don't let your bias hide the fact that Microsoft is very successful and currently has some great products - including the Xbox360 (best game console) and Windows 7 (excellent OS).
It sure easy to hate the big, bad company, isn't it? Too bad you probably still use their products in some way or another.
Matteo said 7:06AM on 10-23-2009
One word: sadness......
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