Microsoft Store opens to Scottsdale campers (video)
By Thomas Ricker 
posted October 22nd 2009 1:26PM
posted October 22nd 2009 1:26PM
P.S. The first four campers each received a free Zune HD from Microsoft. Nice.
posted October 22nd 2009 1:26PM
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This MS store even copied the employees-line-up and clap-or-highfive bit that all Apple stores do.
Yeah, basketball players, baseball players, football players copied Apples employees-line-up and clap-or-highfive too.
So let's do the math here
Apple Store - Smug - Overpriced, Overhyped, Ergonomic Crap + Giant Ass Screen wrapping around the entire perimeter = Microsoft Store
Ok cool, now open one in Chicago already!
Can you say "Rip Off?!!"
I'm guessing these were all paid actors.
Its not about being an Apple fan ( which i am ) but this is Sad, wrong, false, desperate & lame. Its like the larger the lie the more people believe it.. the staff are making the noise. that constant squawk, reminds me of primary school plays where everyone had to pretend to cheer ( usually led by 1 or 2 individuals ) . We all know that these new stores will end up just becoming a service centre for repair or unhappy users... enjoy the pretend party you sad sad people, these places will soon become hell on earth & only another reason for any confused visitors to switch to mac...
Dude, get a life.
Now let's run down the mental might of the Apple douchbags on this story (AND THIS IS JUST FROM THIS PAGE):
"Those people waiting in line are for the tickets being handed out at 5pm for Ashley Tisdale's appearance. I'll bet a majority do not give a damn about the store itself."
"but this is Sad, wrong, false, desperate & lame. Its like the larger the lie the more people believe it"
"I'm guessing these were all paid actors. "
"This is sad. I can understand waiting and camping out for an Apple product but Microsoft? No way!"
"A lot of those people are also likely seeking tech help from the MS store employees, since there are over a dozen W7 versions and the whole upgrade/clean install issue has been made very confusing to the average consumer."
Do you F'ing twits ever stop to read the garbage you post and actually see how insane you come across?
Those people waiting in line are for the tickets being handed out at 5pm for Ashley Tisdale's appearance. I'll bet a majority do not give a damn about the store itself. I guess Microsoft didn't have enough faith in their products so they had to get some teenage celebrity to lure people and appear to be busy.
I'm not sure if BSOD reminding blue t-shirts on employees is a good idea. :D
Ok I am as disturbed as everyone else looking at crazy people lining up for the store. After some search online i found this.
Microsoft will celebrate its grand opening with product giveaways, games, and a 5:00pm concert by ’High School Musical’ star Ashley Tisdale for the first 1,000 people that visit the store. A full list of opening day store promotions at the Microsoft Store include:
· First 1,000 people to visit the store will get 2 tickets (each) to the Ashley Tisdale concert
· First 100 people to visit the store get an Ashley Tisdale autograph after the concert
· First 1,000 people to visit the store will receive a free Grand Opening Day gift bag.
· First 350 people to purchase a PC will get a free copy of Office Home & Student.
· First 1,000 people to purchase a PC will get a free HP D1660 printer.
· Anyone who purchases a PC between 10/22/09 and 12/31/2009 will receive 50% off their purchase of Windows 7 software.
So here you go. the reason why ppl camped out.
I feel its still not worthy of spending 18 hours outside a store.
Ok. Now THAT makes sense. Thanks.
wow microsoft sucks they set it up exactly the same as a apple store they even made the outside look the same. Screw Microsoft they SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Microsoft doesnt suck...they would suck if they applied themselves.
Vista, however, clearly sucked. RIP. Or rather, just R.
The store is massive, the size of one of the larger mall Apple stores. Are they all going to be this size, or will they also do a scaled-down boutique concept as Apple has done with some locations? MS will have to generate a lot of sales per square foot to make this pay off.
Really,
These people can't wait just a couple of days and just walk in like a normal human being and buy it?
Why do you have to be the first?
I'm planning on waiting until right after Thanksgiving. This way the retail version that has had wide exposure can run through its paces.
The RC version looks great. I've waited long enough. One more month won't kill me.
Lame! Could it be any more like a rip off of the Apple Store? I mean... even the line of employees clapping for people to come in? Uh.. we did that when we opened the Apple Store Oakbrook in 2002? And they've contined to do for pretty much every store opening since then... another busted attempt where Microsoft just rips off an idea that already worked for Apple... several years too late. :)
So clapping because of their excitement for the first grand opening is copying Apple? Where does it end?
What about having a smile on their face, as hundreds of people are cheering?
@ snowglyder: C'mon dont tell me youre actually defending this. I have no problem with MS having a store (more competition to Apple, means better products for me), but ESPECIALLY the employees lined and clapping and cheering (with an occasional high 5) as you enter is 100% Apple Store ripoff (amongst many, many, other things). MS is simply looking at it from a business perspective. Thinking "hey Apple is making millions upon millions of dollars with these stores, if we come in with a similar (or duplicate) offer, we can get some of that retail $". Duplicating the Apple store, I"m pretty sure in their minds, equates to minimal risk. You can turn a blind eye to it, but dont try to defend it or act like "What else could they have done???". It makes you look just as crazy as the us Apple fans...
i think i saw the windows 7 boxes back in the corner behind all the other stuff that MS DOESNT make
It'd be funny if everyone was there for repairs lmao!
couldnt they just buy it online????????
I love how in video two you can see a guy in the crowd recording the whole thing with an iPhone :)
I love how in all the videos you can see Microsoft embracing the epitomy of suckage.
Remembering back to days of...
- Microsoft hijacking dead people's IDs and pretending they were writing in to support it (anti-trust trial)
- paid bloggers and public support, and
- the infamous lady "Mac to PC" switcher (her photo was stock and she worked for MS's PR firm)...
this wild, cheering, crazy crowd seems like another MS paid and setup PR exercise.
Other than "mild crowd" lineups for Win95 or gamers for Halo, when has anything from MS (especially Windows) garnered such a large and passionate reaction?
I live in Tempe and went to this thing today. It was a good laugh. The store is very nice and the prices are high. More to the point, there were a TON of Microsoft Execs walking around, in their brand new levi's and faux-cowboy boots trying to look casual, TALKING ON THEIR BLACKBERRIES! Ha! It was so fun. The store itself, looks like an Apple store if the entire concept was ripped off by Microsoft. This will be good for the common man who knows nothing about computers to go and get help from an actual nice human being. The gift bag was a 1 month zune subscription, $25 dollar MS Store gift card, a steel water bottle, a Bing t-shirt, 2 Ashley Whomoever tickets, a chapstick and a MS logo sticker.
Oh and all the employees gave me a caca face as I stood in line using my ipod touch to read my RSS feeds while waiting in line. AND they do not have free Wi-Fi, you must be a registered guest with a user name and password, lame. The best part of it was the Sarku Japan chicken teriyaki plate I had afterward. Do I feel like a wasted morning? No, it was fun to see all the dorks (myself included) wait for some place to open.
Hopefully they sell cameras... that last video was crap!
microsoft doesnt even sell hardware. FTW!
And people say Apple fanboys are the worst.
@ DigDug
I get what your saying, there are many versions, then doubled by 32 and 64 bit. But people are kind of smart sometimes and they will only see Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate in a store. most likely they will pick up Home Premium. If they do business, they probably just know to get professional, and then will probably be turned off by Ultimate's price. It is not that confusing. the confusing part may be which disc to put in but there are probably some instructions, correct me if im wrong.
that was for something WAY up there
I am primary a windows guy, and I have to admit this is ridiculous. C'mon guys camping for a store is just too much for my taste.
across from a MAC store...interesting
the sesame street of operating system stores.
I shake my head... I'm just speechless...
I hope they open one in Virginia
Dear Microsoft,
Until you can come up with your own work and stop copying your classmates, you must go sit in the corner and be still.
You really should be ashamed of yourself!
Pathetic.
anybody who's surprised that it looks similar to an apple store obviously hasn't been paying attention for the past 25 years.
Seriously, can some one tell me why all these people were excited about.....the "new Win 7" I have been using for a month ???
(Full version - Win7 Pro - bought from my univ for 5 bucks !!!!!)
So again all these guys are excited because they can shell $300 for the same them thing I got for 5 bucks a month ago????
Pathetic Windows Sheeple. They are now in their glory. I've never seen a happier bunch of lemmings on their march to the sea of Microsoft retail.
That is, by far, one of the weakest "openning event" lines I have ever seen.
Was the pre req to get in being a Tubby?
Linux Open Source FTW
The Microsoft store in Scottsdale has more to offer than Apple's stores!
I just got back from there, didn't see Ashley Tisdale, but I did post a blog with pictures!
http://ryanandres.net/blog/index.php/2009/10/grand-opening-of-microsoft-retail-store-in-scottsdale-az/
We all know every retail store ever copied Apple because they were the first to ever do a store. Duh! It all makes sense now. They were also the first to paint walls white and use wood furniture, so if your house has white walls and wooden furniture, you are copying Apple...
I think they are paid to line up and scream.