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13 Feb 2009 10:32

tags

U.S.: Microsoft wants to be Apple, have its own retail outlets

  • Putting players in place Yesterday, MS named David Porter, a former Wal-Mart and Dreamworks Animation exec, as vice president of its retail stores. Taking a cue from Apple, the stores would sell computers with Microsoft software on them, as well as non-PC products like Zunes and Xboxes. Since starting their stores, Apple has made out like gangbusters and cut into MS’ market share. source
  • Putting players in place Yesterday, MS named David Porter, a former Wal-Mart and Dreamworks Animation exec, as vice president of its retail stores. Taking a cue from Apple, the stores would sell computers with Microsoft software on them, as well as non-PC products like Zunes and Xboxes. Since starting their stores, Apple has made out like gangbusters and cut into MS’ market share.
  • What we imagine We think this could perhaps be the ninth layer of hell if done wrong. Just imagine – stores with Songsmith karaoke bars, walls lined with numerous versions of Windows, and repeated showings of those terrible Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates commercials on giant TV screens. And honestly, we’d be afraid of getting locked in the store overnight by a blue screen of death. source
  • Putting players in place Yesterday, MS named David Porter, a former Wal-Mart and Dreamworks Animation exec, as vice president of its retail stores. Taking a cue from Apple, the stores would sell computers with Microsoft software on them, as well as non-PC products like Zunes and Xboxes. Since starting their stores, Apple has made out like gangbusters and cut into MS’ market share.
  • What we imagine We think this could perhaps be the ninth layer of hell if done wrong. Just imagine – stores with Songsmith karaoke bars, walls lined with numerous versions of Windows, and repeated showings of those terrible Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates commercials on giant TV screens. And honestly, we’d be afraid of getting locked in the store overnight by a blue screen of death.
  • Bad timing? Yeah, nothing against the idea or anything, guys, but you realize we’re in a recession, right? You guys laid off people recently, too, so it’s not exactly like you should be unaware of this fact. And on top of that, one of your biggest retail outlets, Circuit City, bit the big one. Not to tell you not to do this, guys, but is this really the best use of your time? source

12 Jan 2009 20:09

tags

Music, Offbeat, Tech: The dumbest idea for a software program, ever

  • Microsoft Songsmith sucks Songsmith, which creates music based on your ability to sing, could be a cool idea. But its downfall is the uber-cheeseball MIDI backing music, straight out of a Casiotone circa 1985 (disclosure from the author: I own this keyboard). source