Now let's wash that down with some freshly squeezed OJ:
Better add some lemon!
*Lemons,
Perfect for orange juice.
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Microsoft Opens First New Retail Store in Scottsdale, Arizona
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Better add some lemon!
*Lemons,
Perfect for orange juice.
Better add some lemon!
*Lemons,
Perfect for orange juice.
The makings of a laxative capable of inducing a Windows volume dump.
The makings of a laxative capable of inducing a Windows volume dump.
The poster is Mac OSX.
I wonder if they had to coach on the excitement - e.g., okay clap and look excited about Microsoft stuff. Sort of the manufactured excitement we've seen from Mr. Balmer who no doubt went crazy after a very considered several hour meeting along the lines of: (Person 1) so people are excited about Apple products because Apple tells them to be? (Person 2) Well, no exactly, but that seems to be part of it? (Person 1) So, if we go out there and act really excited, maybe everyone will be really excited? (Person 3) Okay, I'll do it - I'll jump around and yell and tell people who though they could just sit there to get up and get into it! . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvsboPUjrGc
OK, now that we're past the weekend and all the hoopla, I'd interested in hearing from Phoenix locals here about the vibe now as they stealth through the store and what they may hear either between bored / jaded employees or salespeople interacting with customers.
Back in the day, we used to call it shopping or stroking the competition. Instead of marching in advertising for the competition, you roll up to a sales stooge and have him try and sell you a hot new product, let's say a Zune HD. Into the salespitch, you would ask him something, "Now this won't lock up on me like the first gen Zune did on New Year's Eve. will it?" just to see if they have any kind of back history with their product line. Then you ask "Can we confirm that on this model?" Usually you can tie up about three levels of helpers with something like this so now you got a small hapless crowd trying anything to get some confirmation - maybe even making phone calls, tech support, just wasting their time, looking like schmos. If you're a good enough actor, you can ask just the most ridiculous questions like "Do you guys carry a dialup modem for this Zune HD, in case I'm in a non WiFi spot?" When a stumped sales newb asks his superior a question like that with others standing around, because it just advertises their ignorance, it's a great sport, I tell ya.
I used to record phone strokes and it was awesome to play them back, listening to the stammering and stuttering. With pocket digital recorders or iPhones, you can capture even the live in-store ones now.
I wonder how soon the massive sales crew will thin back to one third its size. I'm sure that soon, some will figure out that this game was way overpromising looking and the constant corporate rules / policies / strategies changing (this being a pioneer store and all) that Microsoft will no doubt implement will be a total buzzkill shortly...
Back in the day, we used to call it shopping or stroking the competition. Instead of marching in advertising for the competition, you roll up to a sales stooge and have him try and sell you a hot new product, let's say a Zune HD. Into the salespitch, you would ask him something, "Now this won't lock up on me like the first gen Zune did on New Year's Eve. will it?" just to see if they have any kind of back history with their product line. Then you ask "Can we confirm that on this model?" Usually you can tie up about three levels of helpers with something like this so now you got a small hapless crowd trying anything to get some confirmation - maybe even making phone calls, tech support, just wasting their time, looking like schmos. If you're a good enough actor, you can ask just the most ridiculous questions like "Do you guys carry a dialup modem for this Zune HD, in case I'm in a non WiFi spot?" When a stumped sales newb asks his superior a question like that with others standing around, because it just advertises their ignorance, it's a great sport, I tell ya.
I used to record phone strokes and it was awesome to play them back, listening to the stammering and stuttering. With pocket digital recorders or iPhones, you can capture even the live in-store ones now.
I wonder how soon the massive sales crew will thin back to one third its size. I'm sure that soon, some will figure out that this game was way overpromising looking and the constant corporate rules / policies / strategies changing (this being a pioneer store and all) that Microsoft will no doubt implement will be a total buzzkill shortly...
Time to break out and use those Apple stickers?
Maybe this was the reason Apple gives everyone Apple logo stickers with every little box of software/hardware!
Wouldn't it be priceless to see their front windows covered in them
Maybe this was the reason Apple gives everyone Apple logo stickers with every little box of software/hardware!
Wouldn't it be priceless to see their front windows covered in them
That's funny, it NEVER seems to get old for Microsoft...This is getting old now.
Apple should do a new ad spoofing the new "Windows 7 was my idea" campaign, featuring the OS X development team - under the tagline "Windows 7 was our idea."
For a detailed analysis of the rip off , including a video of Apple Store opening, see:
Microsoft New Store, Unique or Apple Store Copy?
http://obamapacman.com/2009/10/micr...opening-reveals-extent-of-blatant-plagiarism/
Microsoft New Store, Unique or Apple Store Copy?
http://obamapacman.com/2009/10/micr...opening-reveals-extent-of-blatant-plagiarism/
I was there at the opening, just so happened to be at the mall about an hour after they opened. The store was still pretty packed, people taking pictures everywhere. If it isn't obvious from the photo's, they COMPLETELY ripped off the Apple store. From the lanyards they wear to the colored t-shirts, everything screams apple. The only thing they have going for them is a wall to wall flat screen display that rotates through different product placements, and a few different screens. One of them was all sea life themed, so there were bubbles and dolphins up on the screen. Not kidding. It was a different approach, I'll give them that. The whole thing was sickening, and people were just walking around with their noses in the air like they had actually created something original. They had the surface tables that were playing a lame "Astroid" like shooting game, one employee said to my friend ,"It's fun, wanna play?" in a tone that reminded me of someone offering a kid drugs for the first time. Creepy. The employees acted like little Microsoft drones, they would try to corner you and talk up the products. Kinda like a timeshare in a way. It was tricky to even tell the difference between the employees and customers. There weren't even that many customers, more Microsoft employees and VIP's than anything.I can't get over that high-fiving though, did they not know that they're being clowned on for being corny as hell, and then they pull something like that? It'll be interesting to go by the mall in a week or two when the honeymoon is over and they have to rely on getting people in there without the draw of a crowd and flashing lights.
I'm always amazed that no matter what day, time or city I wander into an Apple Store, the place is packed.
I'm sure it's that very phenomenon that had the Microweasels salivating about their own retail prospects, but if they think they are going to duplicate that success by merely cloning the interior design and the wardrobe of the staff, I think they'll soon be coming to a sad realization.
(Cancel or Allow.)
All I can say Windows95/Macintosh89=AppleStore2001/WindowsStore2009
ahahah always like the little fat kids that can't just make the school bus.
This would be something MS would likely be more embarrassed about:
Jerry Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm SO7E6 - Not a PC (once again)
Attachments
Maybe this was the reason Apple gives everyone Apple logo stickers with every little box of software/hardware!
Wouldn't it be priceless to see their front windows covered in them
Speaking of Apple stickers...
When the iPod Touch gets the OLED screen w/ HD output, I'll be back. I'm just going to turn on my new iPod Nano w/ built-in FM transmitter now. Hmm, glad APPLE thought of that first and that yeeeears before low-end junk MP3 players like Coby didn't copy them! Yep... yep.
Always a unilateral stealing process here. lol I just gotta laugh.
That can't be more wrong.
You do know that Apple invests into innovation and usability?
Due to Apple's R&D into usability, the total cost of ownership for a Mac is less?
Danish Police High Tech Control Center runs on Apple Computers, and why no windows.
http://obamapacman.com/2009/10/danish-police-high-tech-control-center-runs-on-apple-computers/
FYI: Go take Economics 101: People pay more for something better.
You do know a certain product with OLED and HD output is severely handicapped?
iPod touch vs this other product
http://obamapacman.com/2009/09/microsoft-zune-hd-vs-apple-ipod-touch-3g-feature-comparison/
And yet McDonalds stays in business... or alternatively the Starbucks is more expensive and makes worse coffee than my local coffeeshop, yet it rakes in the money. Better take Economics201. Consumers are generally ill informed. If you wave something shiny in front of their face and have enough people tell them "it just works" then they'll believe it.
Too bad Apple have a glossy screen fetish and can't withstand a drop of water on their keyboards before an instant 800 usd AppleDoesn'tCare rape charge for changing a logicboard.
FWIW I think the MS stores are a stupid idea.
It doesn't seem like you are going to get much of a different experience from going to the MS store then going to a Best Buy.