Austin360 blogs > Digital Savant > Archives > 2009 > February > 13
Friday, February 13, 2009
Alert: South by Southwest panel schedules are up
Panel schedules for Interactive, Music Talks, film screenings and and music festival showcases are now up at the SXSW.com Web site.
Hoping we’ll see these go up on Sched.org soon, too.
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Predictions for the new Microsoft-branded stores
Apple has shown how to sell consumer products in a stylish, inviting way at retail. Sony… not so much. (Don’t even get me started on Circuit City.)
Word is out that Microsoft is looking to expand on its recent touchy-feely ad campaign to reach out in a more significant way to customers; it will open Microsoft stores. No word yet on how many or where, but based on years of experience using Microsoft products, I have a few guesses of what the in-store experience might be like:
- Even at closing time, the Microsoft Store will sometimes refuse to shut down completely.
- Customers will be leery of shopping in the most recently added department of the store.
- Every time you touch something, a security guards asks you if you really want to be doing that.
- Display merchandise will be obscured by Aero-brand glass.
- You may not be able to see it by looking at the aisles, but dozens of unnecessary activities are happening just out of view, all the time.
- You will have the option of shopping at six different kinds of Microsoft Stores, from the Home store to the Ultimate Professional Store. They will all have different prices.
- You may need to buy all new clothes to shop at the Microsoft Store.
- Children can be dropped off and terrified at Clippy’s Playpen.
- Games for Windows department has map to GameStop’s Xbox 360 section.
- Music and movies you buy at Microsoft Store may stop working for you at home should the Microsoft Store go through a major renovation in the future.
- New clerks employed at Microsoft Store may seem more sluggish or lethargic than ones you’ve dealt with in the past, especially if you try to play a game with one of them.
- The Microsoft Store has much more merchandise in it than you will ever want or need.
- Free Zune with every purchase.
- Free Zune with every free Zune.
(With help from the ever-helpful Glark.)
Got more predictions? Post them in the comments.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment Categories: Applications, Computers, Shopping
