Hard to believe that a company the size and stature of Microsoft hasn't had an online store to call its home -- not even a quirky collection of "Bill Gates is my homeboy" CafePress t-shirts and mousepads. The newly launched Microsoft Store solves that, however, with its many store-like properties. Therein you can find all sorts of Microsoft products, like software, peripherals, games and professionally-printed "Bill Gates is my homeboy" t-shirts.* What's particularly notable is that Microsoft is jumping into electronic software distribution here, meaning in addition to traditional physical purchases you can buy a bit of software and download it right there on the spot. Downloaded software can be re-downloaded for as long as Microsoft provides mainstream support -- about 5 years in most cases. We'd prefer forever and always, but we suppose that will have to do. The store is live now, and we'd suggest you head on over before we make some drastically ill-advised enterprise software impulse buys.

*This isn't true.

[Via ZDnet]

We highly doubt Art Lebedev chose the opening day of the 2008 Beijing Olympics on purpose here, but nevertheless, the design studio made famous by its Optimus Maximus keyboard will be opening up shop in the Big Apple on August 8th, 2008. At first, the store will actually be held within RCS Computer Experience at 575 Madison Ave. and E. 56th Street (on the second floor, just opposite the escalator), but if sales start pouring in, we reckon it could land its own place in due time. It is noted that this location will devote almost all of its shelf space to Optimus Maximus keyboards, but a few other electronics gizmos should be available as well. So, who's camping out for the opening?

Be still, our hearts! Judging by a post (penned in Russian) over at the studio's Livejournal, we could be seeing a number of Art Lebedev retail outlets popping up over the next year and change. From what we can glean, (more) B&M locations could surface in a plethora of Russian cities (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, etc.) along with one in New York (!). Granted, we get the impression that the "stores" may resemble holes-in-the-wall within other establishments (rather than dedicated structures), but we 'spose only time will tell. Camp out for the next edition of the Optimus Maximus right here in the Big Apple? Why, of course.

[Thanks, Dmitriy]

It's no big secret that Sony is gearing up to redesign the PlayStation Store for users in Europe and the US, but with just days to go until the hard hats are donned, we figured it prudent to pass along the latest tidbits surrounding the change. Apparently the refacing will start on April 3rd and finish up in around a fortnight, but until the job is finished, "no additional downloadable content will be posted." Of course, existing content will remain available, and chances are you'll appreciate the updates when all is said and done, but we know how tough it'll be to not log on weekly and eagerly sniff for all new material. Hit up the via for lots of pictures -- we're told it'll help the sting.

[Via PS3Fanboy, thanks Kiwi616]

If our solemn word wasn't enough to convince you of trouble in retail-ville for Palm, take this news as empirical. According to the smartphone-maker, it is officially shuttering all of its retail locations but one over the next five weeks. Originally, we thought that the airport locations would steer clear of the axe, but news today is that 34 stores total -- 26 airport-based and eight branded stores -- will be saying adios before long. Sure, this news doesn't sound real hot, but Palm claims they want to cut costs and focus on its next-gen phones, which is what we've been asking them to do all along... so maybe this is a blessing in disguise?

Just in case you had the slightest fear that ole Steve wouldn't be introducing something worth updating the Apple store over, well, consider that fear squashed. Yep, the e-doors to the online Apple store are indeed closed, and we're betting they'll remain tightly sealed until that "one more thing" is unveiled.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

We don't pay too close attention to how frequently the O2 online store goes down; hell, we only pay attention to the Apple store's ups and downs because every time Apple takes it offline we get about a hundred tips letting us know. But tonight the store-down moment goes to O2, which supposedly pretty much has the lock on the iPhone (pun not intended) in the UK. Check back here shortly, we'll have all the live coverage you could possibly need (and then some).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Remember last year when we found out some dudes had set up gadget shop under the Engadget name in Midvalley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, without our permission? And then a fellow Engadget reader actually OUTED them on camera, as they denied even knowing what Engadget is? Well, that store eventually went out of business (or changed its name), so it was a happy ending -- until now.

Looks like reader Stuart Thomson spotted a new, second Engadget store at what we understand is called "The Pyramid" mall (or perhaps Sunway Pyramid mall?), also in Malaysia. We wouldn't be surprised if this was started by the same guys who set up the last shop -- that logo looks identical to the one on the first Engadget store. Are we on the brink of an entire chain of totally unauthorized Engadget stores bootlegging our name? We don't know, but if anybody's headed to Malaysia and wants to go give these guys a stern talking to on our behalf, hit us up!

We're not even making this up, Verizon actually sent out a press release to let everyone know that their stores will be open "all day" today -- and what's more, you'll be able to purchase and take home any of its 18 offered music phones! We guess we have to hand it to these guys for making an effort (no matter how feeble) to draw some attention to themselves on iDay, though. Wait -- no we don't.

We know the pencil pushers, er, Excel gurus out there are already crunching numbers, mapping out routes, calculating the opportunity risk in ditching work entirely on Friday, and figuring if you'd rather wait for the next iteration, so here's one more asset to help you wrap your mind around an attack plan. AT&T's "Find a Store" feature now boasts a selection that enables users to find retail outlets nearby that will definitively stock iPhones, meaning that your strategy of misguiding your local "friends" to an empty store is likely to backfire. Additionally, an anonymous tipster has noted that current Cingular / AT&T customers who aren't yet eligible for a new contract can still purchase an iPhone, but it sounds like an extension to their current contract will be tacked if this does prove true. Enough chatter -- now, get back to your scheming.

[Thanks, Anonymous, image courtesy of Seattle Post-Intelligencer]

Fellas, if you thought Ralph Lauren's literal window shopping contraption was your wallet's arch-rival, we've got some unfortunate news, and for the ladies (or guys) who just love to spend it up, HP's about to become your very best friend. The clever gurus at HP Labs have developed a marketer's dream tool that enables customers to enter a retail store, swipe a card, and instantly receive a printout (shown after the jump) that includes "a personalized shopping list, relevant coupons, notice of associated store discounts or sales, and even a map to where the items can be found in the store." The inaccurately named Retail Store Assistant (we were thinking more along the lines of Wallet Depleter) is currently in the "experimental" stage, and would include an in-store kiosk which customers could access via a loyalty card or by inputting their phone number. Of course, this isn't the first stab we've seen at retailers using previous history to target consumers, but the team behind this apparatus insists that it will be much more effective than the typical junk mail that barely graces our eyes before hitting the trash. Best Worst of all, the system will reportedly be available even on the web, meaning that those with an urge to shop can log on during the waning hours of the workday and plan out their shopping spree for maximum efficiency. Oh, the humanity.

It seems funny now, but Apple's 2001 decision to open a chain of glossy white boutiques was thought to be pretty risky at the time -- there was no shortage of pundits declaring that the stores would fail spectacularly. (To be fair, no other manufacturer made it work except Sony, kind of. Read on.) Six years and several million iPods later, of course, the stores are a resounding success, and flagship stores are suddenly all the rage. Not every manufacturer's getting so lucky at the mall, however -- Randall Stross of the New York Times compared his experiences at a couple of Sony's 39 retail stores with a visit to an Apple Store, and came away less than impressed. Stross found both Sony outlets virtually deserted except for inattentive salespeople and security personnel, while the Apple Store was packed with shoppers and friendly staff. The Sony stores, according to the "retail consultants" Stross later talked to, are merely "places of stuff," a condition which makes them not "shop-able," while the Apple outlets "extend an emotional connection." Stross concludes that Sony would do better if they had a hit product (duh) but we think the real secret is something a little different (no pun intended) -- Stross quotes a consultant who says all you need to do is "absorb the fumes" at an Apple Store and you "feel like the smartest technophile in the world." Man, that RDF is some pretty powerful stuff, eh?

[Via TUAW]

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment. This week marks the second birthday of Switched On, which recently passed the 100-column mark.

If you love the iPod, you may delight in how long it has maintained its superiority over other digital music players. If you hate the iPod, you may bemoan how consumers have overlooked the superiority of other digital music players. But if you're in an Apple Store, you may simply wonder if there are any other digital music players.

Two years ago, the first Switched On column focused on whether the new iPod photo would yield a video-playing heir. That level of attention, though, was nothing compared to the treatment that the the product receives every day in the church of the immaculate gloss. Apple stores present rows of well-maintained iPods fresh from their announcement ready to be enjoyed with a variety of sample songs and connected to earbuds, headphones or speaker systems from Apple and others. Cases and car chargers dangle below colorful signs extolling the breadth of content available at the iTunes store. A knowledgeable, no-pressure staff is usually hovering to answer any questions about the product you might buy while support specialists can address issues with the one you may have bought.

Compare these point-of-purchase penthouses to the plastic cells inside the glass case jails in which many MP3 players often rot away their shelf lives. It's a safe bet that, for a high percentage of those who tried to a digital music player at retail prior to purchase, the iPod was the only such device they were able to experience hands-on even if they were open to alternatives.