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Seems like a complete waste of money for MS. They're not even going to actually SELL anything ?

LOL

i can understand the model. its for exposure.

we have 3 Apple stores in Vegas, all within 5 miles along a single road. the largest one is located in a casino shopping mall, the most expensive retail mall in the world by square foot. why, there was another store not more than one block over in a much less expensive mall. exposure. its location within one of the most well known shopping malls in the tourist industry allows them to show of their production to many people that otherwise would never be able to see the goods in person. people from rural america and people from around the world.

this was more or less the reasoning behind the Apple store idea to begin with. it was the only way Apple could really reach the masses. they needed to put the products in the face of the consumers.
 
They are going to open stores next to existing Apple stores? How are they going to do that if no spaces are available?

Haven't been to a mall or commercial area recently, have you? Space is there for the taking.
 
hired apple talent

another move of a copy cat is to hire apple talent. Microsoft hired away a former regional store manager to lead this unit. Although he was only a regional manager, he was involved in most big store openings around the world. He will help their cause but they are still missing one very important thing. A good product.
 
BRLawyer was a president? :D

If you've decided to ignore every other sign that Microsoft believes Apple to be a threat, you can't ignore this.

Now I can't hide it anymore... :D

george-w-bush-us-president.jpg
 
Bring on competition, Apple needs it especially from Microsoft, lol.
 
I foresee a new PC/Mac ad.

Mac: "Hey, when you can't figure out ____ on a PC, don't worry, we're right next door."

PC: *Places a for sale sign and walks away
 
I'd like to have a discussion and not just copypasta chest thumping pride about Apple that we know to expect.

It is becoming quite predictable.

I know, it's supposed to be predictable...just like the PowerBook G5. ;)

p.s.: I have been working an awful lot; so when I get home and fire up Safari, it's enough for me to just reinforce my fanboyishness.
 
When the employees look out the Windows, their Vista will be that of everyone walking by without stopping.

To be Energy Star compliant, they'll need something to block the sunshine from coming in the Windows, like Blue Screens. :)
 
observation:
Windows users are a different breed of people (and how) they are not about to go to a boutique to buy..........Windows 7 or a DELL PC or a Zune to be had at Best Buy at 30% off on the internet

prognosis:
DOA-as in all things MS except their soon to be bypassed by the modern world OS-a prehistoric relic from the earths distant past (electronically speaking)
averaging out sales rankings from various sources (Amazon being the main) for example we see the iPod in the top 5-10 in sales of MP3 players.......the Zune doesnt even get close the top 1000 in sales ranks at 1,256
despite every trick in the book including the planting "disinterested" or "average Joe" ZUNE evangelists in all the Major colleges-
There is good reason why MS is doing 'panic selling'
They NEVER had to advertise-they would release Windows.xx open the doors and yell "Come and get it suckers!" (as if you had any real choice) But that is ancient history
The dinosaurs had their day-and time sits still for no one-not even Redmond

Im telling you that after 3 years of college, ive NEVER seen a Zune-I am more likely to see----the Loch Ness Monster on campus than I am a ZUNE
Its marketing strategy seems poorly thought out: "Hey kids buy up -why? because its not an iPod!" uh..OK
Filed with the SEC in January, MS noted a loss of $100 MILLION in Zoon sales for 2008....and its going to get worse as the economy tanks further-at least Apple has a good foothold

So a MS store would be a poor investment-AIG might net you more in the long run


This was a little harder-but it finally came down to the respected NPD research group, sales by rank (Amazon was tricky-Iphone either had the #52 spot vs BBs #75 slot-or else Iphone #576
BB #235) al things being equal-we have not yet -nor are we likely to see an 'iPod/iPhone killer'. Ever.

1.Apple iPhone 3G
2 Motorola RAZR V3 (all models)
3 RIM Blackberry Curve (all models)
4 LG Rumor

Several sites think the iPhone is poised to take over the world in terms of sales
Certainly ATTs astonishment at a one day store on store sales record of the iPhone as 'largest in its history' on day of release means something
The fact they are always out of stock does too-kind of like when the new PS came out a few years back-neither love nor money could get you one
You pass an ATT store these days-and you would think its an iPhone store-complete with sidewalk blocking signs that get pulled in at night
 
Windows users are a different breed of people (and how) they are not about to go to boutique to buy..........Windows 7 or a DELL PC to be had at Best Buy at 30% off on the internet

prognosis:
DOA
I only buy from Apple's online refurbished store or other resellers for the same reason, price.
 
Dumb and dumber. They won't make any money and won't dent Apple mindshare.

Exposure isn't an issue with Microsoft products. Their products are already all over the place.

There are already a million places you can buy windows and office.

Zune is meh. Make it better than iPhone/iPod/iTunes and Zune will sell in droves where it is currently carried.

Most major malls have Gamestops so a pc game/360 section will just undercut their retail partner.

Most Malls didn't have an Apple presence before the Apple Store.

This is just more seeing what sticks type of doing business. I would be disappointed if I was a MS shareholder.
 
Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that Microsoft has a good business plan for their stores. And, for the sake of argument lets suppose that in fact MS would like the store to at least break-even. Other wise they would have to spend a lot of money on the stores to recoup the small amount that they are losing to Apple.

1) Putting MS stores near Apple stores is not a dumb idea. In fact it saves them money.... Apple has done all the demographic research to place their stores. Franchise food operations do it all the time. Burger King, when they were starting up, merely located near an existing MacDonalds. Mickey D's had already identified neighbourhoods where people liked to eat hamburgers (as opposed to those neighbourhoods that liked lobster where neither McD's or BK would sell many 'burgers.)

2) Since the Apple friendly locations have a higher proportion of people who have a higher than average disposable income (whether or not we like it, we must accept that Apple computers have a premium price tag. I happen to think the premium is justified by a system that 'Just works' and that works well)... then the MS stores aren't likely to be carrying cheap PCs. Customers in those retail locations aren't shopping at Walmart.

3) If MS stores aren't trying to attract the price-point conscious customer, then we can assume that the products are going to be higher-end products.... products with a larger profit margin. I don't know which PC makers fit that bill, but it I don't think it will be Dell. Perhaps they will partner with Lenovo? If MS is worried that they are losing market share to Apple in the small business sector, then that is a possible partnership. Packaging a small business solution, and having someone who can explain it in person, could do well - and undercut what I think is Apple's next big market push - Small Businesses who need a small network.

4) Or MS is totally out to Lunch.
 
I disagree... I like Windows 7 more then Mac OS X leopard... I think the best digital media and app store is limewire and the best personal computer is one that can satisfy you needs. I do agree that the iPhone and the best media player is the ipod at the given moment, Zune HD looks interesting.

Except Limewire isn't a real store, the songs are usually a low bit-rate, often times the artists are mislabeled or the album or they don't even have one...and if that's not enough you'll end up downloading an obscene audio file at least 1/3 of the times you download something. iTMS is the best digital media and app store.
 
It will be unsuccessful, the store will be designed with all windows in front and just a wide open back door. Another blunder by Micro$oft
 
The more I think about it, the more I don't understand this move.

Microsoft MUST be partnering up with Dell, HP, etc to sell actual computers. Of course there will be an XBox section, and likely a Zune section with all of the related accessories, but without the manufacturer partnerships I'm envisioing a whole lotta empty space :confused:
 
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