Filed under: Retail, Odds and ends
First two Microsoft stores pretty close to Apple counterparts
On Tuesday, CNET announced that the first two Microsoft stores would be located in Mission Viejo, Calif. and Scottsdale, Ariz. The California store will be in The Shops at Mission Viejo, a complex that already has an Apple Store. The Arizona store, according to the Associated Press, will be located in Scottsdale Fashion Square (shown at right), a little less than nine miles from Scottsdale Quarter, where Apple opened its fifth Phoenix-metro store last month. "Hurray," I thought sarcastically after hearing about the Scottsdale store. "Just what I always wanted in my city -- a Microsoft store."
It's not surprising why these two locations were chosen. There's a lot of money in both areas, and a lot of existing Apple stores. It would be a notch in Microsoft's belt to draw traffic away from these highly penetrated areas.
I've already told my fellow TUAW comrades that I'm willing to brave visiting the store when it opens, just to see how it compares to its Apple counterparts. I've already asked for hazard pay. But, after, I think I may just need to stop by my local Apple store to appreciate the guys who drove Microsoft to do this in the first place.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
brotkel said 6:42AM on 7-30-2009
Given the experience I had with the techs at the Apple store in Mission Viejo, the Microsoft store might attract a lot more customers who get as fed up as I did. I took in a Unibody MBP purchased in January because the video card hardware was causing kernal panics when playing games in OSX and Windows using the 9600M graphics chip, and the geniuses kept insisting that it was a software problem because their diagnostics couldn't duplicate the problem, even after doing a full reinstall. At one point, they even said that it was due to "corrupted system files" caused by "changing the keyboard layout" to Dvorak. Called Apple's support line and they fixed it in under a week by replacing the logic board at no charge and with no arguing.
Anyway, the shops at Mission Viejo draws a very fashion-conscious crowd and the Apple store is always packed. I'm going to be very interested to see how the traffic is at the Microsoft store when it opens. I'll try to provide some pictures of both the store opening and the effect it has on the Apple Store's daily traffic.
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JT said 6:55AM on 7-30-2009
Did it ever occur to you that the techs couldn't recreate the problem, thus, they could not replace the parts without some form of proof? They must be able to recreate your issue in order to do anything. Your call to the support line qualified as a Lemon Policy replacement.
And what the hell is MS going to sell here, retail boxes? It will be a store full of boxes and shelves. There is no point in going to an MS store. Worst idea ever.
Howie Isaacks said 7:02AM on 7-30-2009
Of course they fixed it at no charge. It's under warranty. The Mac Geniuses aren't perfect. It sounds like they followed their policy perfectly. If you can't recreate a problem, how can you confidently repair it?
brotkel said 7:38AM on 7-30-2009
Even if the techs in the store can't replace it, they shouldn't make up a stupid reason like changing the keyboard layout in OS X corrupts system files. They should say that they can't do anything about it, but to call the phone line and get help. For what it's worth, I had the kernal panic documented in the crash logs every time it occurred, and it was reproducible if they had tested the video card for long enough. Telling people that their brand new laptop has an unfixable problem in supposedly-unsupported functions built into the OS is a terrible answer.
Jordan said 9:15AM on 7-30-2009
"corrupted system files" caused by "changing the keyboard layout"
Does Apple really think it's users are that stupid? That's the funniest thing I've heard today.
Peter said 1:48PM on 7-30-2009
Actually, the funniest thing I've heard recently is Apple's claim that hacked iPhones can compromise AT&T's cell network.
I dunno if AT&T's headquarters has dungeons, but any engineer who designed a network with such a vulnerability would be there right now.
Alongside the stupid lawyers representing Apple.
Marc Tatossian said 7:42AM on 7-30-2009
What would Microsoft sell in these stores? Mice, keyboards and entry fee? I also doubt that Microsoft's "guru bars" will be as good as the geniuses.
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Level 5 said 9:21AM on 7-30-2009
Wow buddy, are you serious? I take it from the post you don't really care for MS, but that doesn't stop them from having products to put in a retail location. For that matter, how many non-Apple products are in Apple stores? Have you forgotten about aftermarket Macbook/Pro/iPod/iPhone cases, sleeves, bags, headphones, etc there are in Apple stores? How many additional software suites do you see in Apple Stores like Adobe CS, and games that aren't made by Apple? Oh yeah, a ton. Here's just what I can think of that you'd see in a Microsoft Store that's JUST made by Microsoft.
- Windows
- Office
- Windows Mobile devices
- Zune
- XBox 360
- Microsoft Sync Demo car decks
- Media Center Demos
- Keyboards/Mice
- Presentation devices
- Sidewinder Keyboards/Mice/Gamepads
All you have to do is visit http://www.microsoft.com/en/us/default.aspx and hover All Products. And hey.. some of this stuff, is for Macs! Whatever happened to these companies working TOGETHER, instead of making lame snippy commercials ripping each other?
Dave M. said 11:13AM on 7-30-2009
Level 5: Are *you* serious? You think that the MS store is going to sell any hardware at all? How can they sell Windows Mobile devices? Which companies do they sell? If they do sell hardware like Desktop and Noteboook computers, which company's do they sell?
Sure, they can sell Zune and Xbox as far as hardware goes, but really, why would I bother going into an MS store to buy those when I could just as easily go to a BestBuy.
No, I don't see Apple stores selling a "ton" of software. I see them selling their professional line of software and yes, there are other titles, but there is not a "ton" of other titles. They barely cover a small shelf in the store I visit.
Lets take a look at your list of what you think will be sold there...
* Windows, Office, sure
* Windows Mobile devices, not likely. As I stated before, who do they choose to sell? Not to mention, they would have to work with many carriers to allow the devices to be activated in the store.
* Zune, XBox 360, sure...
* Microsoft Sync Demo car decks/Media Center Demos, Great, who cares? They are not going to be able to sell those items. Who is going to install the MS Sync products? Media Center software is not sold separately. It has to be sold with a computer.
* Keyboards/Mice/Presentation devices, pretty much the rest of your list. Again, I'm not going to travel way out of my way to an MS store when I can go to a much closer BestBuy or Office Max for that matter to get those items.
One item you didn't mention is media players (other than Zune of course)... Opps, never mind Microsoft has screwed over other media player manufacturers enough that I would assume that there are not many that would want to be featured in an MS store.
It's going to be quite interesting to see what actually is going to be sold at an MS store. If hardware is sold there, how do they work out which manufacturer is sold there? Would Dell have to pay Microsoft to get shelf space?
Level 5 said 11:10PM on 7-30-2009
Dave -
Come on buddy, you're smarter than that right? I didn't say you'd be able to buy any of those products, I said you could expect to see them there, as in demos OR for purchase but not nessecarily. Using your arguement, why would you buy any Apple products even at an Apple Store? You can just go to Apple.com and buy them online without ever having to leave the house. Simple. Because Apple has everything set up for demonstration, and has specially trained folks there to answer your questions. Most things you can find in an Apple Store, you can get at Best Buy as well, or online. It's the staff that is (supposedly, but in some cases not really) trained to address your needs with the equips. Isn't every specialty store this way, regardless of their wares being available in other stores? Oh yeah, they usually are.
As for notebooks and who would make them or whatever.. who cares? Windows runs similarly across all hardware. The key is not to put junkware on it. It's that type of crap that puts alot of PC hardware in a bad light (and is also why Windows run well on a Mac, because it's got no junkware slowing it down). The same with Windows Mobile. MS has a good thing going with HTC, who I believe make the finest WinMo devices around right now. I'm surprised anyone even KNOWS about WinMo because it gets zero advertising. Now's the chance MS has to demo the software without a cut-throat salesman breathing down your neck at a carrier store. WinMo IS GOOD, and although even as a WinMo owner I can say the iPhone is superior, some people don't like AT&T, or have a business account, and won't ever buy an iPhone because of that, regardless of how good it is. Those people could take a long hard look at WinMo.
Look, I could go on all day, but I won't. The possibilities are endless for a Microsoft Store. It's become a very popular thing to bash MS on Apple sites, and I'm not even sure why. It comes off to me that you have a chip on your shoulder and don't like Microsoft. That's fine. Don't go to a Microsoft Store then. I feel that people are missing the POINT though, especially with products that Apple doesn't compete with (like the X360). I mean really man, just because you're a GM fan doesn't mean you need to be up in arms about a Honda dealer being built up the street. Co-Exist.
Dave M. said 6:13PM on 7-31-2009
Fair enough.
I still have some issues with opening a whole store for the sole purpose of demoing Windows and Office as well as the few other software products Microsoft sells. It just seems like overkill.
Showing Windows without all the "junkware" is great, but it's not realistic since it's pretty hard to find a system that doesn't put some amount on the system. It's true that Apple does put some "junkware" on their systems, but the nice thing about OS X is that by removing the folders that the "junkware" resides in, you are removing "all" the pieces of that junk. Uninstalling junkware on Windows doesn't always get all the pieces. DLL's and registry entries are usually left behind.
I'm not trying to bash Microsoft or Windows here. I'm just trying to comprehend what Microsoft is really thinking by opening up a store.
Actually, why not work deals with BestBuy and other Big Box stores to put a Microsoft section in the store like Apple has done with BestBuy so that patrons aren't hassled by sales folks trying to sell them all kinds of products other than Microsoft's. That would be way more cost effective than opening up stores themselves.
*john said 8:53AM on 7-30-2009
No matter what Microsoft tries to do, at the end of the day the products are complete garbage, and a huge waste of money. Steve Jobs knows what he's doing.
The first picture of him since his liver transplant just got posted on http://www.johnthrasher.net
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bgibson72 said 9:03AM on 7-30-2009
They could have sent you to India for tech support, like MS does.
This is the worst idea ever, I have to agree. Why the heck would anyone have any reason to go to a Microsoft store, when their product is available just about everywhere. The whole point of an Apple store was to provide a brick-and-mortar location for Apple customers to purchase merchandise that was otherwise only available online or at small mom-and-pop shops that no longer exist thanks to Wal-Mart and Best Buy.
I can imagine the "gurus" have been trained to answer every problem with "add more memory" or "upgrade to Vista."
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Level 5 said 10:34AM on 7-30-2009
That's not even an apples/apples (teehee) comparison. Of course Apple's tech support on the Genius Bar would be superior to the comparable Microsoft store gurus or whatever they call them. Why? Apple makes the hardware! Microsoft doesn't make Microsoft Computers, they just make the software. They don't make the shitty 5 year old Dell or Acer that someone will undoubtedly bring in. Now if we were to compare how Apple handles the iPods in store compared to say, how Microsoft handles the Zunes, that's a fair comparison.
I know this is an Apple blog, but it's just that simple; don't like it, don't go in. If you need to run Windows or any other MS software on your Mac, you have plenty of places to go.
Jordan said 9:18AM on 7-30-2009
Apple "geniuses" are nothing special. Whenever I go into an Apple store all I hear them telling people is, ohhh it has time machine! and look, iPhoto!!!
Ask them anything technical...and they make stuff up.
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Peter said 1:52PM on 7-30-2009
I don't know which store you're visiting but I have never seen the scenario you describe. Never.
I've seen it a lot at Best Buy, but never in an Apple store.
Where were you shopping?
Chris said 9:27AM on 7-30-2009
Um, Microsoft already has stores EVERYWHERE. They go by the name Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Fry's, Circuit City, yada yada yada.
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Brian said 9:42AM on 7-30-2009
With Microsoft's scattergun approach to new products and ideas I give them a few years, really not sure what they are trying to do apart from earn the exec's wages by coming up with new ideas.
Yes Microsoft can sell lots of stuff but Apple stores are busy as it is a good poser place to go and you can use the machines. How are Dell going to feel if they stock HP.
And for the love of god why do you feel the need to advertise a product that is installed by default on nearly every machine and in every workplace.
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Level 5 said 10:47AM on 7-30-2009
It's not even about advertising. If you're new to a Mac, and you go into an Apple Store and say, "what's this Mac about?", you'll get the rundown about how a Mac works, and what makes it special. You'll hear about iPhoto, iMovie, how to back up things automatically with Time Machine, and alot more. Those things. For the first time with Windows 7 (and even a little in Vista I guess), things are being refreshed, rewritten, redone. The Calculator app, Notepad, Wordpad, Paint. They've been the same since Windows 3.0. People coming from legacy Windows versions will not recognize much of their operating system, even though it looks just like Vista at first glance. Sometimes people don't like change, and that's where MS can shine and say "We feel this approach is better, and here's why", then teach users how to take advantage of the new things in said programs. They can explain new features in Win7 like federated searches, clustered libraries, how to tweak your taskbar, etc.
Brian said 10:54AM on 7-30-2009
Fair comment but two shops is not going to teach more than a few hundred people a week, and if you need to teach people how to use your operating system then something is going sadly wrong (and I include all O/S's in this, some more than others)
I work on the number of times my mum needs to call, the more calls the worse the OS, I am praying for the OS which will stop the calls altogether.....