It seems the whole frick'in computer industry sits back, waits for Apple to do it right, then jumps on the bandwagon and claims they innovated.

A Microsoft "store". Just freaking wonderful.

Seeing as how the only system that Microsoft sells is the XBox, (they can't seriously expect to sell Windows, unless they're selling it near a hospital,) I guess the only thing in the world that they figure anybody would buy is keyboards, mice and XBoxes.

Imagine paying New York retail space rent on a store designed to lose money on every sale. Only Bill Gates could be behind that concept.

I'm sure a Microsoft store that has a lavish XBOX presentation area would draw 'oodles' of customers.

I'm guessing they'd have keyboards, mice, software for sale, but I'd think the lineup at the Windows Genius Bar would be 'freakin' long!!

Microsoft has a fairly large selection of software which it can offer for sale. (Much of it isn't very good, and all is over-priced, but there is a lot of it.) Microsoft also has a good amount of hardware which it can offer for sale, notably mice and keyboards. Microsoft's bluetooth mouse is better than Apple's. Microsoft's bluetooth keyboard is also better than Apple's. In addition, if they have any sense they'll sell other people's stuff. Not computers, but peripherals, even other people's keyboards and mice. And they'll sell other people's software, too. At the very least games and utilities. The way the Apple Store does things. And they'll sell books. Lots and lots of books. Have you seen the market for MSCP/MSCA/MSCE books? Not to mention A+, and Net+, and Cisco... They'd have to s**** this up really good to _not_ make a mint.

I do have every confidence that they'll find a way to s**** it up, though. Microsoft always takes at least three tries to get it right.

With all the product people were mentioning on here, software.... mice, keyboards etc...... All of that can be found at any CompUSA or even Best Buy. Apple started the stores to sell it's hardware and showcase it's products in a light that is postive and well maintained. I see no reason why they would open a consumer store to sell software and keyboards and oh yes, the xBox that you can buy at Target... It makes no sense, not even for business. If the losses money constantly.... they will keep it open just out of spite... They need the tax writeoff

Likely more of an xbox store. With their hands in the home media market with the xbox and media center, maybe it's less about Windows. I don't want to say it but the xbox is looking better and better. It will even integrate with the ipod in a way. Trojan horse to their other technologies for sure but I know a lot of Mac users who didn't care as long as it plays Halo and they could hack the xbox. With the xbox 360 though, they won't have to. It goes way beyond.

Here's hoping Apple teams up with Sony on the PS3. Otherwise, Apple has no chance in the home media center battle.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/608/608394p1.html

What possible reason would anyone have for going to a MS store? Everything they would sell could be obtained in stores elsewhere and at a much better price.

That said, I hope they open 500 of them simultaneously all over the country and stand around wondering why the Apple Stores down the street are so busy and their stores aren't.

can you imagine the genius bar? in our area there's an hour-long show on saturday mornings that tries to be the "car talk" of the computer set. it consists of 10 minutes of comments by the hosts on the order of "this wireless idea could be pretty big", 1 minute of crickets chirping when someone calls about *nix or mac, and 49 minutes of people giving excruciating detail on the registry entries that are screwed up and how to not fix them.

They'll have serious problems with the warehouse arbitrarily increasing in size to take over the entire store, forcing people towards the automatic doors that won't work, plastered with employment notices desperately seeking a "Windows Genius". Did I mention that the lights won't work either?

I think it would be really cool if they had a big blue screen (of death) in the store.

They'll just have a BSOD projected on all the walls and say "error" when you try to open the door!

http://webdesign.zackkatz.com

Taiwan's copy cat title has been officially transferred to Micro$oft.

I can just see it now... The genius bar will just be a flat panel with that Einstien dude from MS Office... "What can I help you with today?"... If you pay extra for a "pro" account, you get to change him into a paperclip or cute dog...

I think MS marketing lives in a dream world on Bill Gates island where never is heard a discouraging world. Discovery CHannel will have to add that on the list of MOst Dangerous jobs in America. Can you imagine being there when the next masive virii/trojan or disaster hits? In NEW YORK CITY in TIMES SQUARE? How will people react when MS' "super genius' bar tells people to call HP support or to reformat their hard drive? I've said it before - MS has no clue when it comes to consumers and this will a disasterous PR nightmare when every network has a spot picked out when the next massive Windows shutdown takes place - bwahahaha.