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Ads will possess your phone using subliminal sound waves
Er, we don't want to sensationalize this or anything, but your phone could soon be at the mercy of inaudible sound pulses that trigger location-specific ads, sales promotions and other potentially demonic notifications. Unlike normal advertising within apps, and also different to sound-responsive apps like Shazam and Shopkick, a new platform called Sonic Notify is meant to work discreetly in the background, without the need for any user activation. Its creators, NY-based digital agency Densebrain, plan to attach small high-frequency sound-emitting beacons to store shelves, which will "set people's phones off" when they stand in front of a particular product. It's not clear how the platform might affect your battery life, or why you wouldn't just disable it at the first inopportune alert, but drug stores, TV networks and big players like Proctor & Gamble are nevertheless said to be gripped by the concept.
Best Buy touts its Apple store within a store
Best Buy is an authorized Apple reseller, and it wants its customers to know that this holiday shopping season. The retailer's latest ad focuses on a customer who just discovered Best Buy sells all the hottest Apple gifts. The edgy commercial pits the customer who purchased all her gifts from Best Buy, against Santa who arrived too late to put anything under the tree. Not all Best Buy locations carry Apple products, but those that do are a valuable resource for Apple owners. Best Buy carries most Apple products including the iPhone, iPod, MacBook Pro and the iMac. The retailer also lines its shelves with Apple-compatible accessories for those in a pinch who need a case or screen protector right away. It's also a launch partner and carried both the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2 on the first day of sales. Best Buy may not be your first place to go for all things Apple, but it should be on your short list. [Via AppleInsider]
Tim Cook announces impressive Apple Retail Store numbers
Photo courtesy Engadget Tim Cook has taken the stage in San Francisco to kick off today's Apple event, and he's shared some big numbers for Apple's retail stores. The company's largest store in Asia boasted more than 100,000 visitors in just its opening weekend. Cook says Apple was impressed when its LA store had over 100,000 visitors in a month, so that weekend must have been really busy. The Hong Kong store also had a solid turnout, selling more Macs on its first day open than the company has at any other store in the world. Apple currently has 357 stores in 11 different countries, says Cook, and "many more are coming."
Apple unwraps flagship Hong Kong Apple Store
Apple has taken the wraps off its flagship Hong Kong store, 9to5Mac reveals, and underneath is a gorgeous store at the International Finance Center, with a (now familiar) glass staircase running through the center. The store was confirmed on Sept. 5 after pictures were uploaded to Facebook. It is scheduled to open Saturday.
Apple begins shipping Thunderbolt displays
The Thunderbolt-compatible displays Apple announced back in July have reportedly started shipping out to stores and retailers. MacRumors reported that the displays shipped this week, and should hit shelves very soon. Electronista has heard that shipping to customers will start up on September 15, which is a little later than the original "60 days" we were promised. But late is better than never, right? Honestly, these things are bee-youtiful, offering a 27-inch LED display, complete with an edge-to-edge design (hot!), a Facetime camera built in, a 2.1 speaker system, USB and Ethernet ports and of course a Thunderbolt port. If you'd like to get one, it'll set you back a cool $999 -- not cheap, but far from expensive for what you're getting. The MacBook Air above is, of course, not included.
Apple Store heading for Hong Kong
Hong Kong's first official Apple Store has been confirmed (Google translation here). Engadget Chinese reports that a Hong Kong mall has uploaded pictures to its Facebook page, including some lettering on a banner advertising a forthcoming Apple Store. The Engadget team traveled to the mall and shot many photos of the barrier and confirmed that the store is scheduled to open on September 24th. If you happen to be around, please send us your photos and stories. Enjoy your new store, Hong Kong!
Apple is tops in retail dollars per square foot across US stores
A site called RetailSails has done an analysis of the top global moneymaking retailers per square feet of store space, and guess who comes out on top? That's right, it's Apple, who reportedly picks up over $5600 a year per every square foot of retail store space. There is some confusion and estimation here -- Apple is opening and closing stores all the time, and the company only releases sales numbers for retail on a worldwide level, not just the United States. RetailSails has done its best to get the numbers right, but even they admit this is designed to give more of a general insight on the scene rather than specific figures. All that said, there's no question at all that Apple is doing an amazing job with its retail divisions, designing impressive stores in all the right places and making sure that those stores deliver on sales and revenue expectations. Even a store like Tiffany and Co., which tends to be smaller but sell relatively more expensive items in general, can't keep up with the revenue Apple has flowing in. It's no wonder, then, that Apple keeps posting record sales, and opening new stores as fast as it can. If there's a ceiling to demand for these products in these spaces, Apple hasn't hit it yet.
How one independent retailer competes with Apple Stores
Darryl Peck has a 25-year long history of working with Apple; first as a software developer, then as a reseller at outpost.com. Four years ago, the seasoned businessman decided to open his own retail store, PeachMac, and now he competes head-to-head with the Cupertino company. Even though Apple has five stores throughout Georgia, Peck still manages to draw in customers. Similar to Apple, the secret to his success is ample inventory, attractive store layout and exceptional customer service. Peck fills his stores chock full of Apple products and over 1500 accessories, as compared to the 300 or so carried at Apple Stores. Each accessory is carefully selected and tested for product compatibility before placing it on the shelves. Inventory inside the store is well-organized and pleasing to customers. Peck also places a high priority on customer service. He hires top-notch people and offers different programs and workshops not offered by Apple retail stores. Because he runs a small operation, Peck can focus more on his customers and believes the programs he offers are better than Apple's. This strategy is working out well for Peck. Despite the odds, PeachMac is thriving. The entrepreneur has five PeachMac stores in operation and plans to open three more by the end of the year. [Via Business Insider]
Fake Apple retail stores ordered to close
Two unofficial and unauthorized Apple retail stores have been ordered to close by Kunming, China officials. Not because of their less-than-official nature, but because neither had on official business permit. Chinese law protects trademarks, of course, but also prevents one store from copying the "look and feel" of another. Exactly how "look and feel" is legally defined in this context is unclear. All in all, five stores were found to be selling products without authorization and two were closed. The stores' appearance was convincing at first glance. Blue-shirted employees even greet customers. A blog post on BirdAbroad drew attention to the shops, resulting in at least one outraged customer who didn't now she bought a counterfeit product (not all stores were selling faked goods), not to mention cranky shop owners who had been happily operating under the radar. Reuters notes that one of the shops mentioned by BirdAborad has not been closed, and is in talks with Apple about becoming an official retailer.
Apple discontinues most boxed software
Considering that the Lion release today (which has gone swimmingly) was a vote of confidence, Apple has moved to get most of its boxed software out of the Apple Store completely, sending a notice out to retailers to discontinue titles like iWork '09, iLife '11, Aperture 3, and most of GarageBand's Jam Pack addons. All of that software will of course be available on the App Store with a download, but Apple won't be keeping them in the actual retail store any longer. This follows Apple's actions earlier this year to remove a number of peripherals and retail games included inside Apple Stores. Much of the hardware is still available, and of course the games can be purchased with a digital download, but Apple seems to want to have its stores as clean and simple as possible. And who can blame them? Apple's latest strategy has been to narrow down product lines and streamline software purchases with an App Store model, and that's worked out just great so far. With Lion already a solid indicator that customers are ready to take to the Mac App Store when needed, there's little if any reason left to bother with actual boxes and discs any more.
Microsoft Store to expand retail presence by 2014, makes shopping for a PC redundant
Microsoft really wants to hang with the cool kids at the mall. Or, at least park its retail derriere next to the likes of Apple's sleek boutiques -- to the tally of 86 stores by 2014. We know most of you are scratching your heads thinking, "Microsoft store? Don't you mean Best Buy?" Aye, but we don't. The MS-branded outfits started cropping up in 2009 and with 11 locations already dotting our map, COO Kevin Turner hopes to plant some more Windows flags in California, Florida, most of the northeast and even some overseas territories. Comments regarding the Ballmer-led company's retail expansion came during the 2011 Worldwide Partner Conference and centered mostly on the benefits of customer feedback. It sure is nice to see the former market monopolist catering to us plebes, but we're more interested in the D-list stars and awkward dancing destined to accompany opening ceremonies.
Select IKEA stores to host Blink electric vehicle charging stations, Volts now suitable for furniture pickup
Need to pick up a foursome of Detolf display cases? Better know a pal with a pickup, bub. Unless, of course, your nearest IKEA happens to be one of ten situated in Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington. The famed furniture retailer has just nailed down a partnership with ECOtality, with a smattering of its western US stores to host Blink electric vehicle charging stations. Each of the sites be evaluated for feasibility and installation needs, and we're told that the first stations should become operational this fall. The pilot program is currently set to last through December of 2012, but we're guessing it'll end up surviving quite a bit longer -- after all, it was already tough enough to resist a weekly trip to this place. Now? Swedish meatballs just become a daily affair.
Microsoft to open another 75 retail stores
Microsoft is going on a retail binge in hopes of replicating the success of Apple Stores. In the next two to three years the Redmond company plans to open an additional 75 retail stores across America and in other countries as well. As noted by Neowin.net, Microsoft announced the expansion plans today at WPC 2011 and said that after the success of the first eleven stores, which opened over the last two years, the company hopes the rapid growth will help expand the "Microsoft story." Meanwhile, Apple has almost 350 retail locations worldwide since opening the first store ten years ago. While an expansion of Microsoft stores isn't so much of a threat to Apple, it could make other big box electronic retailers -- like Best Buy -- nervous, as customers may prefer to go to an official Microsoft store to purchase their PC.
Rumor: Apple planning something in stores for retail anniversary
Just this morning we were hearing rumors that Apple was planning some sort of event for this weekend's retail anniversary, and now BGR has heard that there's a flurry of activity behind the counter at Apple Stores. There are some overnight shifts planned for this weekend, black curtains to go up and hide the storefronts, secret information going out to managers and trainers, and mandatory meetings for all employees on Sunday. BGR speculates that it's a secret product launch, but that's a little overblown -- it's highly unlikely that Apple would launch a product directly in the retail stores. It's more likely a simple store refresh; a rollout like this is basically standard procedure for switching up the displays, and especially since most of the storefronts are still featuring the MacBook Air and the iPad 2, they're due for a refresh anyway. Apple's not much for anniversaries, but 10 years is a milestone for the very popular retail effort, so there may even be a congratulatory line or two in any new displays. Fortunately, we won't have to wait long. If the black curtains go up this weekend, everything Apple's working on will be public by Sunday. We'll keep an eye out, and if you happen to know more about what's going on, be sure to let us know.
Dish Network takes over 500 Blockbuster locations for some reason
Earlier this month, when Dish Network announced that it would be taking over Blockbuster's remaining assets, we openly wondered about what the deal would mean for the thousands of (mostly) empty rental stores still scattered across the country. Shuttering all of them seemed like a very real possibility, but it now looks like Dish has plans for at least a few of Blockbuster's old stomping grounds. On Saturday, the company agreed to assume the leases for about 500 of the 1,700 Blockbuster locations still in operation, according to papers filed with a New York Bankruptcy Court. Of course, it's still unclear what Dish plans to actually do with these stores -- or, for that matter, with the Blockbuster brand, as a whole. But it certainly looks like its long-term vision may incorporate at least some of Blockbuster's brick-and-mortar roots.
Sony offers sneak peek of new LA store - no fooling (video)
You might see a bunch of fake news on the internet tomorrow, but considering what we've seen of Sony's new LA storefront, we're fairly certain this isn't a prank. That's right, Sony's launching a newly branded retail store in the City of Angels Friday, and from the look of things, it spared no expense. The 4,200-square foot space is the first to ditch the Sony Style moniker for the simpler Sony Store, and while the aesthetics are decidedly minimal, the experience is anything but. As you might expect, the shop offers demos of a slew of devices; it's packed full of everything from VAIOs to ray modelers to 3D Handycams, and it's also rocking a fully loaded home theater setup called "The Cube." Considering the outfit's been looking to up its retail cred, we'd say the new spot has the stuff to do the job, even if that bright white modular look does seem strangely familiar. If you're in the LA area, you can check out the new digs starting tomorrow -- if not, hit up the guided video tour above.
Apple Stores (probably not) opening early tomorrow
There's a report flying around that Apple is opening a few retail stores early tomorrow, with brand new shipments of iPad 2s ready to go out the door, but before you grab your wallet and set your alarm, not so fast. TUAW did a quick survey of retail stores near our various houses, and none of the stores we called had any plans to open early tomorrow or have any iPad 2s in stock. You're, of course, welcome to call your own Apple Store and see what they tell you, but it seems unlikely that this is an official retail move. Update: Some readers found that their local stores did offer morning sales to iPad 2 buyers, but we have reports from other readers who were told to show up early to purchase -- and then got bupkis as the store staffers informed them there were no iPads to be had. Ouch. At this point, the quickest and easiest way to get an iPad 2 is probably to go ahead and order it from the website and sit out the 3-4 week wait. We've got other tips for you if you really want to try and chase one down (my personal recommendation is checking big box retailers, as I've often seen hard-to-find Apple products hiding at Best Buy and WalMart), but unless you just happen to get lucky, it's probably not worth the gas money and frustration you'll get from running around. If you are still on the hunt, good luck out there.
iPad 2 line watch: the few, the proud, the soaking wet (updating)
Last night you couldn't walk down the street in New York City without becoming seriously soaked and breaking your umbrella, but you didn't really think that would stop those crazy Apple fans, did you? Oh yes, the iPad 2 lines are in full effect in NYC and around the country -- we're hearing there are already close to 150 at The Cube in Midtown Manhattan and scores of others in line in Austin, Fort Lauderdale, Palo Alto and more. And with reports of online orders not shipping for 2 to 3 weeks now, we're assuming those queues are only going to grow in the next few hours. It is, of course, our time-honored tradition to bring you photos of those incredibly brave line-sitters, and we'll be doing just that this afternoon and evening. We'll be heading out to grab some shots of our own soon and bring you the smiles and tears, but until then hit the break for a few we've been sent so far. Oh, and good luck everyone!
Apple may drop peripherals and some games from its retail stores
According to The Loop, quoting sources inside Apple, Apple Stores will be clearing out over 30 boxed games and some hardware items from retail shelves soon. The changes are the result of Apple wanting more room to help customers set up their new purchases, get email up and running, and basically familiarize new owners with their gear. To make room, Apple stores will drop printers, scanners and maybe even some hard drives from the display area. The items will still be in stock, but not out front where they take up valuable retail space. Most games are also likely to be dropped, with Apple retail employees suggesting the online Mac App Store as a good place to find them It's hard to fault Apple for these decisions. Most of the peripherals can be found at lower prices online. Getting people better and more personalized service seems like a good use of the retail space. The only caveat is that most of the stores are really noisy, and I'm hoping Apple can 'think different' about a way to reduce the racket in the stores so that training and setup can be a bit more pleasant.
Ouch! Accident at Berkeley Apple Store construction site closes two businesses
Two walls have partially collapsed at the construction site for Apple's new Berkeley store, forcing two neighboring businesses to temporarily close. There was "A very large bang" at about 9:50 AM on the morning of February 22, according to George Kiskaddon, a partner at the book store Builders Booksource (located next door to the new Apple store). "One wall has been left leaning and bowing into the next door building," he said. Site workers were apparently digging new foundations on the site of the former Slater Marinoff building when two of the remaining free-standing walls suddenly sank about four feet into the ground. Fire officers evacuated the neighboring buildings as soon as they arrived as a precautionary measure. "There were no injuries," said Assistant Chief Sabina Imrie of the Berkely fire department, adding that the suspicion is that recent rain may have made the walls' foundations unstable.
