Originally Posted by
LIH Prem
lol Scott, you're cracking me up. Microsoft == Apple now? hahahaha, and Engadget is your trusted technical source?
Microsoft is no Apple. Though they are trying to emulate them with the placement of their retail Microsoft stores near where a few Apple stores are located. I've seen the Microsoft store in Valley Fair .. it's ridiculous. I think having stores is a fine idea if it helps them make money, but emulating Apple and trying to locate within eye-shot of Apple stores is a ridiculous strategy, IMHO. I still remember how they used to ridicule Apple for their market share.
Back to the tablet .. I do hope it's great and it helps push the market and the competitors.
-David
Regarding MS stores -
Does anybody remember when Gateway had stores all over? They turned a fairly large company into a rather small one in short order. Apple can make their stores work because they have control over hardware, software, distribution, and any other aspect of the market for their products. Microsoft does not have any of these advantages. They have prospered immensely by using a totally different licensing model, and cannot change schemes in midstream (beg pardon for mixing metaphors). Every store they open will deplete their (admittedly vast) funds.
Retail computer sales is a cutthroat business. Remember CompUSA, Circuit City, and more local stores than you can shake a fist at? Heck, even Best Buy is hurting.
Is MS taking on their new marketing scheme in an attempt to be like Apple (which, BTW, makes 2/3 of its money from the iPhone), or because they can't generate any enthusiasm among resellers?