“More than 1,000 people [lined up] directly across from the Microsoft Store, which officially opened at 10 a.m. in The Shops at Mission Viejo,” Niyaz Pirani reports for The Orange County Register.
“A curtain that shrouded the store dropped and the crowd roared as workers within the store, dressed in shirts matching the primary colors of the Microsoft logo, danced and lined up to give high-fives to patrons as they streamed through the doors,” Pirani reports.
MacDailyNews Take: Sounds very familiar yet horribly perverted.
Pirani reports, “Many, including Aliso Viejo resident Stefanie Tran, had been waiting for this moment since the day before. Tran was first in line, around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday. She waited through the night, partly for her own curiosity, but mainly to secure tickets to a parking lot performance by Canadian pop star Justin Bieber at 5 p.m. today.”
Those in attendance “received their high-fives and picked through gift bags that included tickets to see Bieber, a $25 Zune Pass gift card, ChapStick, a sport bottle and a sticker,” Pirani reports. “At least one man was seen clutching a MacBook while waiting for Justin Bieber tickets for his sister.”
MacDailyNews Take: ChapStick? What did Balmy have a bunch of tubes left over once his daily Gates ass-kissings ended?
Pirani reports, “Though a majority of those who camped out in the cold the night before were there for the concert, some did come to shop. ‘We came at 8 p.m. last night and yes, it was worth the wait,’ said Shelly Nicks, of Laguna Niguel. ‘… I’ve been looking for a laptop. I’m really computer illiterate, so I can’t wait to get started.'”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft. Banking on computer illiterates since 1975.
“Mac users have made conscious technology choice and are therefore better informed.” – Paul Thurrott, December 15, 2004
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Joe J.” for the heads up.]
Love how one guy proudly had his Macbook Pro out while waiting for tickets for his little sister.
It’s funny the the give so much credit to the ‘illiterate’ mass purchasing anything. Why I trust the word of someone who says they have no ‘literacy’ in something? These sto
Awww computer illiterate. Enderaring comments for lost souls
“I’m really computer illiterate.” Sounds like the next “I made Windows 7” avertisement.
Man, it took giving away concert tickets to get people to come to your store? All Apple has to do is open a store and Mac users come in droves not looking for bribes!
Who the xxxx is Justin Biebe? MS can’t even get someone w/ a recognizable name?
I have a feeling the “computer illiterate” types are exactly the customers Microsoft is banking on for their stores…
Why do we need these stores? Are folks having a really tough time finding places to buy Windows machines?
Rewind a few years to before the Apple stores opened. What did we have? A poorly maintained corner of CompUSA, that usually had the store ladder in front of it, machines without power, sloppy haphazard software titles, and empty soda cups from the BK next door.
Where else could you actually see a real Mac in person? Frys maybe, though no one there wanted to sell you one. Didn’t Best Buy try and fail once of twice? SEARS?!?
My point is, there was a desperate need for an Apple store, and Apple came through by creating one of the most prosperous retail operations in history.
So again I ask, why do we need these stores? What need do they fulfill, other than the “We also have stores that look vaguely like The Gap” need?
I can find a decent Windows retail experience anywhere. What does the MS store offer me that others don’t?
Oh, and one more thing…
I would like to thank every employee at Washington State Apple store locations for never, EVER, attempting to hi-five me.
MS has to result to pop singers at their stores to guarantee people. Apple simply builds the store and a sea of people show up.
I’ve been to a grand opening, the iPhone launch, and a few OS releases at the Apple stores, and on NO occasion did company boosters have to cheer and whoop and hi-five to whip up excitement in the crowd. The excitement was palpable in the face of every person in line.
“I’ve been looking for a laptop. I’m really computer illiterate, so I can’t wait to get started.'”
So instead she buys a Windows PC! EPIC FAIL! LOL
It really amazes me how MS really has absolutely no shame in knocking off almost everything Apple does… They have ZERO identity and that’s their biggest problem…
So glad I’m a Mac, iPhone, iPod, iMac, Apple TV owner!!
@ ChrissyOne,
“Why do we need these stores?”
We don’t, do we?
Well no. But certain people can buy PCs and be happy with them. I have no problem with that. They have plenty of places to do so.
I really don’t see this going anywhere.
@ChrissyOne,
I agree with your sentiment whole-heartedly. However, can you say that you are really surprised? Microsoft has a long, long history of imitation masking as innovation. I think we all knew it was only a matter of time. 5 years from now, the MS retail experiment will be gone, suffering a fate similar to the Gateway stores from last decade.
@ ChrissyOne,
Yep, agreed.
Dang, free chapstick?!? I should have totally gone…
Oh, I’m not the slightest bit surprised. In fact, I fully expect we’ll see MS branded machines before too long. A full-on PlaysForSure redux as they cast their hardware ‘partners’ to the wolves.
It’s just hard for me to fathom that there are big decision makers at MS that come to work every day and say “Do what Apple does” without anyone, ANYONE, asking…
“Er… why?”
Whoever that “illiterate” person is, that was a plant by MS. Come on Mission Viejo, Orange County? You know who you are if you live in those environs.
If Microsoft wants to open a store in Rochester, NY, I believe that the old Gateway Country space is available.
@ Gil
Good point! That’s like someone in Alaska claiming they’ve never seen snow.
Every time I see a video of this I can’t help but feel it’s a tech version of a Black Mass. Something altogether depraved and unholy.
But still, I wonder if the Microsoft Gurus™ can help all the Pretards recently shut out of iTunes.
MW leaders, as in:
Microsoft: Always followers, never leaders.
Computer illiterate . . . and still is.
Micro$oft – Your pain; Our passion.
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