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Blockbuster Set Top Boxes and Microsoft Retail Stores?

i'm getting really tired of hearing about microsoft trying to compete and make gains. maybe they should focus ALL that energy and resource on hiring designers, artists and creative programmers to make something they would be proud to call their own... and that doesn't suck.
 
Well, considering they do not really sell hardware. I say what's the point? I order my MS-ONLY apps from newegg.com who is usually cheaper than retail. I guess the only point would be if I want/need it now - especially since CompUSA is gone and the office stores do not sell development style software like .net, visio, etc.

Other than that I say what is the point with MS doing this?
 
Darkroom said:
i'm getting really tired of hearing about microsoft trying to compete and make gains. maybe they should focus ALL that energy and resource on hiring designers, artists and creative programmers to make something they would be proud to call their own... and that doesn't suck.
Click to expand...

About the only thing I use from MS that is worth anything is office (on the windows side, Visio, and .net for programming). I said it before they should just stick to their programming languages, office products and that should be it.

Since Miscrosoft is really moving toward enterprise applications - why open these stores.
 
why cant microsoft come up with there own sales/marketing techniques.. why o they have to copy off of Apple... what is microsoft going to sell... at there stores.. not much being that they really only have software and 360 they dont have hardware:apple::apple:
 
Wow, Microsoft OS Development and Marketing development is really screwing up.

First its Vista which you can say got most of it ideas from OS X.
Flip 3D VS Expose
Gadgets VS Widgets
MS Finder VS Finder
and etc.
Whats next? FutureMachine VS TimeMachine?

Second is Zune vs iPod which is MSoft attempt to steal iPod sales.

Then now? Set Top boxes and retail stores???.

Crappy product name vs iTV, good competition for Apple though but I just dont get with MSoft releasing product by product after Apple releases theirs, its like some poster said, Apple did this, let us copy it regardless how crappy our product is.

Retail stores? Why would anyone go to a MSoft retail store? They can just go to WalMart and still get a copy of Vista or since Vista is very incompatible with most of the all hardwares, just go to dell.com and buy a whole new PC, printers, modem and etc. You will save much more petrol money and you will still get Vista.

MSoft experience? I wonder if their genius could answer about Vista incompatibility :D

Oh and dont forget about the non-apple fights.
X-Box VS PlayStation, because MSoft release 360 too early hoping to steal PS3 sales (which hasn't been launched yet at that time), now the console business is suffering cause of Microsoft stupidity. New generation consoles are not selling as well as PS2 or XBox, sales are slow and these companies are losing money, stupid MSoft.

Oh yeah, and remember the recently Yahoo bid, MSoft is desperate in owning Yahoo because wants to complete with Google, honestly, I dont understand why MSoft wants to own Yahoo, they already has MSN? You can go to their websites and they has the make this your homepage, a homepage favored by millions. See millions, why still want to acquire Yahoo and make it sucky?
 
At the MS Store they could paint the walls the same shade of blue as their customers are so used to seeing on their screens.....


I think this is a lovely shade myself ;)
 

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030108 said:
Now who can tell me the square footage of an average Tiffany's and the typical PREMIUM they pay for space compared to an Apple store.
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Its probably about the same, but I don't make a habit of visiting either branches of Tiffany or Apple Stores ;).

wheelhot said:
Oh and dont forget about the non-apple fights.
X-Box VS PlayStation, because MSoft release 360 too early hoping to steal PS3 sales (which hasn't been launched yet at that time), now the console business is suffering cause of Microsoft stupidity. New generation consoles are not selling as well as PS2 or XBox, sales are slow and these companies are losing money, stupid MSoft.
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You've made some good points, but the only problem with releasing the Xbox 360 early was the hardware issues that they've had.
 
The simple fact is Microsoft is used by practically everyone on the planet, more than a 95% computing share.

I doubt MS really cares about what a few arrogant Apple fans think of them opening a shop. It's not like Apple patented opening stores now is it.
 
shervieux said:
Well, considering they do not really sell hardware. I say what's the point? I order my MS-ONLY apps from newegg.com who is usually cheaper than retail. I guess the only point would be if I want/need it now - especially since CompUSA is gone and the office stores do not sell development style software like .net, visio, etc.

Other than that I say what is the point with MS doing this?
Click to expand...

MS sells lots of hardware, but it mainly falls into three categories:
XBOX - wildly popular
Computer Peripherals - They're nice, but do we really need another retail location for them, in addition to the multitudes of stores that sell MS peripherals.
Zune - This thing really isn't catching on. Is it?
 
MacRumors said:
...Today, Blockbuster announced that they are bidding to acquire Circuit City...
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I'll miss shopping at Circuit City but, to do business with Blockbuster is akin to dealing with the devil. My last business dealing with Blockbuster (AKA Slimy Business Practices, Inc) was in December 1999 when I told the manager that their deceptive business practices had lost them a customer for life. Their clearly deceptive "3 day and 2 night rental" policy regularly generated late fees that, according to several Blockbuster employees I spoke with, catch a significant portion of their customers with miscellaneous fees. The difference between me and their regular customer is I don't just complain - I take action.

Since that time, I've purchased almost all the DVD's I've watched (about 350) *and* made a point of loaning them to friends, neighbors,and co-workers at no cost - provided they agree to not do business with Blockbuster. I figure over the past eight years I've cost them over $5,000 in revenue. If everybody would do this, the Slimy Business Practices company would shrivel and die - something that would warm the cockles of my heart.

I encourage you to explore alternate sources of video rental. Borrow a friend's video. Buy/download from the Apple store. Rent somewhere else (like from one of those $0.99 video rental machines). Pay per view. Whatever. Just don't patronize Blockbuster. And for you, Blockbuster: Keep your hands off Circuit City. I like that store, and would hate to have to drive 3X further to go to Fry's for everything electronic.
 
Just sayin... said:
I'll miss shopping at Circuit City but, to do business with Blockbuster is akin to dealing with the devil. My last business dealing with Blockbuster (AKA Slimy Business Practices, Inc) was in December 1999 when I told the manager that their deceptive business practices had lost them a customer for life. Their clearly deceptive "3 day and 2 night rental" policy regularly generated late fees that, according to several Blockbuster employees I spoke with, catch a significant portion of their customers with miscellaneous fees. The difference between me and their regular customer is I don't just complain - I take action.

Since that time, I've purchased almost all the DVD's I've watched (about 350) *and* made a point of loaning them to friends, neighbors,and co-workers at no cost - provided they agree to not do business with Blockbuster. I figure over the past eight years I've cost them over $5,000 in revenue. If everybody would do this, the Slimy Business Practices company would shrivel and die - something that would warm the cockles of my heart.

I encourage you to explore alternate sources of video rental. Borrow a friend's video. Buy/download from the Apple store. Rent somewhere else (like from one of those $0.99 video rental machines). Pay per view. Whatever. Just don't patronize Blockbuster. And for you, Blockbuster: Keep your hands off Circuit City. I like that store, and would hate to have to drive 3X further to go to Fry's for everything electronic.
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Video rental machines???? Guess the US is the best place on earth! How do they work?
 
stevearm said:
The simple fact is Microsoft is used by practically everyone on the planet, more than a 95% computing share.

I doubt MS really cares about what a few arrogant Apple fans think of them opening a shop. It's not like Apple patented opening stores now is it.
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It's not arrogance. It's intelligence. 95% of the world thinks that McDonald's makes the best hamburgers. I fall into the 5% who know better.

I can see it now:

Hello, and welcome to the Microsoft Store. Step up to our Idiot Bar and check out our virus collection...
 
kornyboy said:
Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

I guess if they had something like the "Genius Bar" a MS store would always be packed out.
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I'm pretty sure Microsoft could make a killing by making a "Prodigy Lounge" that is basically a Genius Bar and charges just less than the Geek Squad. The line for tech support will go around the block.
 
Besides, poking fun at Microsoft is good, clean fun. It not like they're way up there in the original thinking department.

The Microsoft Store should capitalize on the company's nerdy image. The employee uniform should include tan chinos, glasses held together with tape, velcro-laced sneakers, and bad haircuts.
 
kornyboy said:
If I were Blockbuster I'd be a little nervous with Circuit City with whole Divix (and I'm not talking about the Codec) flop.
Click to expand...
Actually DIVX has been reincarnated with the AppleTV. So I don't think Blockbuster has a whole lot to be worried about.

wheelhot said:
Oh and dont forget about the non-apple fights.
X-Box VS PlayStation, because MSoft release 360 too early hoping to steal PS3 sales (which hasn't been launched yet at that time), now the console business is suffering cause of Microsoft stupidity. New generation consoles are not selling as well as PS2 or XBox, sales are slow and these companies are losing money, stupid MSoft.
Click to expand...
Actually MS is selling more 360s than they were selling Xboxes. Faster, even at a higher price. The console business is doing better now than it did last year.
 
A Blockbuster set top box would be a great idea. With the Movielink purchase they picked up a catologe that puts both Apples and Netflix's online content to shame..combined! They could then offer a subscription method and they'd be rocking and rolling as long as it was implemented well. Who wouldnt want a set top box with a subscription movie rental service. It'd beat the pants off the On Demand type services.
 
I totally agree

gvegastiger said:
A Blockbuster set top box would be a great idea. With the Movielink purchase they picked up a catologe that puts both Apples and Netflix's online content to shame..combined! They could then offer a subscription method and they'd be rocking and rolling as long as it was implemented well. Who wouldnt want a set top box with a subscription movie rental service. It'd beat the pants off the On Demand type services.
Click to expand...

I don't know why Apple is dragging their feet with the AppleTV...it's only a matter of time before Blockbuster makes their own box and makes AppleTV irrelevent. Even if the Blockbuster box has a horrible interface and is inferior they'll still win because they have so many stores and they'll be able to get the word out about their product. I have an AppleTV and I haven't had one person come to my house yet who knows what it is or what it does. Everyone is completely baffled by it. Why doesn't Apple take a chunk of the 50 billion they have in cash reserves and get their product out in retail stores and start filling the airwaves with AppleTV commericals.
 
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