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Apple Camp '08 schedule posted
Today Apple posted the schedule for Apple Camp. Apple Camp is held at Apple retail stores for kids 8-12 to go learn about creative things like: making presentations with Keynote, taking and managing photos with iPhoto, creating music with GarageBand, and making movies with iMovie. Each sessions lasts about 3 hours and is available at all Apple retail locations. Kids attending will receive a DVD or CD with their creations on it, field guide, t-shirt, and will be able to get other giveaways. Best of all, Apple Camp is free though registration is required.Kids under 13 must have a parent/guardian present; otherwise, you'll have to bring an Apple permission slip (PDF link). You can now register on Apple's Camp registration website.
Blu-ray getting larger chunk of floor space in Borders, Target
With the format war being a distant memory in the minds of high-power retail execs, it's really no shock to hear of brick-and-mortar outlets shifting floor space towards Blu-ray. Sure, the high-def format still has quite aways to go before it begins to dominate DVD, but reports are already flowing in suggesting that Borders and Target are embracing the future. Reportedly, a couple of Target stores in Los Angeles increased BD facings from 60 to 90 since January, and we're also told that each Borders location "will feature at least one bay or rack fixture full of BD titles on one side," with larger stores having up to three. We'll admit -- Blu-ray player pricing is still well above where the general public wants it to be, but getting Blu-ray out in front on consumers is a surefire way to pull attention towards the medium.
Art Lebedev taking wares to brick and mortar
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]
Tweeter jump-starts operations with new stores and concepts
Tweeter stores (now formally known as Tweeter Opco) has had a rough go of things over the past year, but is hoping that a little experimentation in April will help get things moving in the right direction. First up, a new store that features a "Playground" design will be opening in Chicago's Lincoln Park. We pretty much think of any store with aisles of gadgets as a playground, but these stores feature home-like "vignette" settings that demonstrate how the gear will fit into your lifestyle. Tweeter will also be testing a totally new store concept at a remodeled Boston location. No details were given about what changes are involved, but the company's CEO says "It's quite a step forward." If it's better than a "playground," we can only imagine it's an "amusement park" at the minimum, and we're hoping for "mind-blowing dreamscape." We're all for some more competition, and we're guessing the new concept will be aimed at a more upscale market than typical "big box" stores. And besides, we're always looking for new places to haunt.
Sprint stores closed this morning -- but why?
It's not as crisis-inducing as the Starbucks outage earlier this week may have been for some of us, but there's another store closing happening today that we need to be monitoring pretty closely: we've heard that Sprint will be closing every last one of its locations -- even licensed dealers -- from 9AM to 11AM PST for some sort of webcast. Rumor has it Sprint's baristas will be given a refresher course on how to pull the perfect shot of espresso, but if it turns out to be something else, we'll let you know.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Verdant Computing opens an eco-friendly electronics store
Reducing the environmental impact of the electronics industry has been a hot issue lately -- and although it's inspired some wacky protests and even the occasional CEO rumination, there hasn't been an easy way for the average consumer to make environmentally-conscious tech purchasing decisions without doing a lot of research. Verdant Computing is hoping to capitalize on that market with their new store, which aims to only sell products that meet environmentally-oriented criteria like ease of recycling, energy-efficiency, eco-friendly packaging, and several others. In addition, the Verdant offices and servers are all powered with renewable energy, making the entire experience just a little more earth-friendly. It's nice to see companies take these types of steps to increase consumer awareness -- but it's even better to see how many products Verdant is already selling.[Thanks, Carl]
GameStop reaches 1000 stores outside US
Although we may not agree with GameStop's tactics, it's made them a lot of money and now they've opened up their 1000th store outside the US. Through old school incentives the company has motivated their employees to "always be closing" and that's how you get to have 4816 stores globally.Most recently GameStop opened up branches in Canada, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. Wonder if we can get a list of "Would you like to reserve X game" in every language GameStop now does business in? There's a fine line between honest business and being a pre-order pusher.
Get a Jawbone with your iPhone
One of our Weblogs, Inc. designers sent a Twitter the other day bragging that his new Aliph Jawbone had appeared on his doorstep. After a quick Google search, I realized he wasn't talking about a new part of his anatomy, but rather a hot little Bluetooth headset. They don't get slicker than this-- not only does it look like it taps right into your face, but apparently the science works, too, if the demo is any indication. At $120, it ain't the cheapest headset you'll find, but according to our designer, it's completely worth it.And so I wasn't that surprised to see, according to Macworld, that Apple is going to be selling these babies in their stores, right alongside the iPhone. Apparently a quality (and expensive) phone calls for a quality (and expensive) Bluetooth headset, and we're sure Aliph is thrilled to get shelf space next to what is already set to be one of the hottest products of the year. There's no word if the Jawbone is in Apple stores yet, but Aliph says if you want one, they'll be sitting right there in 157 Apple stores across the country next Friday.
Further iPhone launch day details unearthed
Alright, you already knew what day the thing was launching, then you discovered the time, and finally, you realized that you wouldn't even have to get off work early on the left coast thanks to all sales happening in local time zones. For those still obsessing over what will go down just a fortnight from now, BGR has discovered that "all AT&T stores will be closing up at 4:30PM" while employees set up those cutesy iPhone displays, toss back a few Red Bulls, and hopefully receive their shipments from the (potentially armored) trucks. At 6:00PM, either the doors will open back up or the fanatics will force their way in, and the outlets could stay open "as late as midnight" to satisfy the demand. Oh, and make sure you bring some spare change along -- word on the street is that a bevy of typical accessories (chargers, cases, etc.) will be tempting you as you wade through the checkout line.[Image courtesy of Seattle Post-Intelligencer]
Sell your messed-up DS Phat in Japan
Demand for the DS and DS Lite show no signs of abating. Japanese retailers are sitting on such a goldmine that they can get away with putting stuff like this on the shelves: a scratched, stylus-free, filth-ridden DS, yours for only $100! Box? Instruction manual? Get out of here! Gift wrapping extra. Store takes no responsibility if your kids get beaten up in the playground, or your partner leaves you for someone who knows crap when they see it. We'll take three. Do they come in candy pink?
Iwata: Expect more Wiis in stores this month
The whole text of Nintendo's financial results briefing is worth reading (and would be mandatory if we could assign homework), but we'd especially like to point out this quote from Satoru Iwata: "As this month's production will be sold in the worldwide markets by the end of the next month, a small increase is expected at the retail outlets from next month." We knew that Nintendo was looking into expanding production, but could we already see results?This report is from the end of April, so "next month" probably refers to May. We hope the statement is accurate and that the supply of Wiis increases from none to some very soon!
DS kiosks brighten up Korean mall
These photos from a Korean mall's Nintendo DS kiosks are from a month ago, but it's interesting to see how the handheld is being promoted in the East Asian country. The showroom's walls are lined with posters of celebrities playing with DS Lites, stylish-looking chairs and tables are available for idlers, and a glass divider separates the area from the rest of the shopping center while still attracting passer-bys with gaming treats. It isn't clear if this is a permanent setup or if the kiosks are only there for the interim to accompany the DS' recent launch in Korea. The way Nintendo has put its games on display, encouraging people to try out titles like New Super Mario Bros., Brain Training, and English Training in an attractive space, reminds us a lot of Apple's brick and mortar stores and the old Xbox 360 Lounge in Japan. Do we have anything like this to advocate the Nintendo DS in the states? Check for more photos after the jump.[Via Insert Credit]
Japanese department stores trialing virtual makeover machines
Although some women do indeed prefer an in-store (human) professional when looking for a new lineup of cosmetics to try, those independent ladies who'd rather take things solo just might prefer this method. Mitsukoshi, Shiseido, and Fujitsu have teamed up to bring a virtual, real-time makeover machine into Japanese department stores in order to give women a chance to test out a smorgasbord of shades on their virtual face before throwing down their hard earned loot. Sure, we've seen hypothetical approaches before, but this rendition lacks the mess and time requirements of previous methods by allowing customers to snap an image of their face, and then scan electronic tags of interesting looking makeup in order to dash their on-screen persona with whatever they please. The system allows the user to test endless combinations of products without causing a mess, using up samples, or demanding extra help, and the "before and after" feature should do a number on same-store sales. While there's no details about a mass rollout, the system is being tested right now in the Mitsukoshi store in Ginza, so fellas, steer your ladies clear of this one if you value your bank account.[Via PlasticBamboo]
QinetiQ's 3D shoe-sizer coming to US Stride Rite stores
While already popular in Clarks shoe stores across the UK, QinetiQ's 3D foot gauge is finally making its way across the pond. Unveiled in three Boston Stride Rite locations, these trials are slated to lead to a more widespread release across the chain's 450 American locations, giving shoe-wanting citizens "quick and accurate" measurements when sizing up. The contraption features six 3D digital cameras that scan the foot to provided "highly detailed length, girth, and shape data," essentially helping to ensure the best fit possible. Additionally, recorded 3D data can enable trend analysis, which would assist in designing future styles and improving stock control. The optical ranging technology used in the device was actually derived from work done on the "detection of unexploded ordnance" for the UK's Ministry of Defense. Although we're unsure how quickly these things will roll out nationwide, we're sure QinetiQ stands to make a hefty sum from its invention, as its current deal with Clarks yielded a whopping £4.6 million ($9.1 million) over in England.[Via Gizmag]
Samsung's 70-inch LCD to hit stores in Q1 2007
We've drooled enough over this beast of an LCD, and had a small fit when we found out it would make it further than an expo floor, but now we're hearing actual dates, and that's always good news. While the spec list hasn't changed (or not that we're aware of, anyway), this beauty has moved up from "the first half of 2007" to "February" of next year. Additionally, versions sporting full 1080p support will be out "by March," and will fall under its second 7G lineup, which should be able to pump out "one million 70-inch LCD TV panels annually." Unfortunately, we still have no idea just how enormous the pricetag on this behemoth will be, but rest assured, we'll keep you updated on the progress.
Retailers giving HD DVD / Blu-ray titles more floor space, educating consumers
Considering Blockbuster is already trialing HD DVD and Blu-ray rentals in brick-and-mortar locations, Netflix's full backing of the formats, and the record-setting performance of Paramount's M:I III, we'd say that opening up a bit more shelf space for next-gen flicks is a fairly intelligent business move. The Video Buyers Group's 1,700 members will launch HD DVD and Blu-ray sections this month in anticipation of holiday sales, and numerous Targets are going out of their way to not only provide easier access to next-gen store displays, but to educate consumers on the technology behind the buzz as well. Reportedly, the bullseye-clad stores will boast "signage highlighting key differences between the formats," including clear alerts that signify what hardware is necessary to play back the snazzy HD discs. So when perusing the (presumably crowded) aisles this holiday season for those must-have titles, don't be alarmed to see next-generation setups placed front and center in the electronics department -- well, behind the Wii and Playstation 3 goods, of course.
