Microsoft retail stores to 'rival' Apple's

[Michael415]

While I agree in general, I have yet to find a PC with nearly identical specs that is half the price. You generally get what you pay for in PCs. Apple may be about 20% inflated over a comparable PC, but it's certainly not double the price.

Apple needs to drive home the point in their advertising that you don't get a Mercedes with Yugo money. The general public has a bad perception that computers cost $500 or less, and that's just not true if we're talking about state-of-the-art, modern components.

I see your point but the concern would be to drive away potential customers. You don't see college kids going to a MB dealership often. Its a slippery slope to get on if they get too 'elitest'. Case in point Pioneer and their Plasma TV division. Hands down the best TV I have ever seen and owned but a very high price. They knew they were the best and everyone agreed but they priced themselves out of existence. Even when the prices tumbled it was too late they had built a brand known as super pricey and ppl had stopped even considering them.
As far as actual pricing take a 13inch MBP comes that comes in at 1200. 2.26Ghz, 2Gb ram, 160Gb HD Nvidia graphics.

Dell studio 14z 2.2Ghz, 2Gb ram, 250HD 14inch screen Nvidia graphics $749
I will concede its not half the price but it is 38% cheaper which is significant.

It all depends on how it's marketed. Windows 7 is a great release from Microsoft, no doubt - but what's the killer app? The killer app is that they "fixed" Vista. But how do you market that? If Apple were smart, they'd play up the fact that Microsoft finally fixed Vista, and for that you get to pay them yet again.

On technical merits alone, W7 is very much a refined version of Vista. There are no great technical leaps here. Snow Leopard is a different story. OpenCL, Grand Central and other, numerous technical innovations set SL apart from Leopard. Microsoft has yet to provide any avenue for developers to easily capitalize on multiprocessing capabilities of modern machines.

Trust me I am not saying W7 is perfect by any stretch and I cannot comment on the developers POV. The killer app though is a bit confusing to me in this situation. I would say the same about any OS, none are a killer app including SL. Its not a must have killer app its a stable, quick and reliable OS. As far as paying twice for Vista IDK anyone that actually bought it, lol.

Me too, but I think you give W7 way more credit than it deserves. If I wanted a more refined, stable and compatible version of Vista, I could always just go back to Windows XP (and save some resources to boot!).

True u could but the old saying is true, familiarity breeds contempt and XP has been around for a long time.....

 

[Telters]

Ok, now I am 12 and I SAVED AND WORKED for my MB. I knew that a mac was overall a better OS and was willing to pay a premium for that. I just find Mac a whole lot more simpler and it has lots of cool features. Now, I know I could have got a PC for 900 and had a 500gb HD and lots of RAM, but Mucrosoft has not gained any trust in me, and I know lots of my classmates would trade a PC for a Mac in an instant. I think Apple targets people who realize that a Mac is realible and simple, not cheap.

 

[the8thark]

To Michael415:

W7 is a good piece of software I agree with you. But MS still have multiple versions of it in store just like Vista was. A bad idea in my opinion. A mistake they never learned on.

 

[Village Idiot]

To Michael415:

W7 is a good piece of software I agree with you. But MS still have multiple versions of it in store just like Vista was. A bad idea in my opinion. A mistake they never learned on.

But why would some one pay for Vista Ultimate when they don't need any of the extra features?

W7 home premium is going to be the average home user's version. Why buy something labeled as Windows 7 Business for regular home computing? The only one I could see causing confusion would be w7 ultimate...until the people see the $200 price difference between it and home.

Home premium, business, and ultimate are the three that are mostly going to end up on shelves anywhere.

I mean, if Apple put drive encryption and security software into it's OS that only corporate people would actually need and charged everyone $400 for it without offering a cheaper alternative, would you not be miffed?

 

[cwa107]

But why would some one pay for Vista Ultimate when they don't need any of the extra features?

W7 home premium is going to be the average home user's version. Why buy something labeled as Windows 7 Business for regular home computing? The only one I could see causing confusion would be w7 ultimate...until the people see the $200 price difference between it and home.

Home premium, business, and ultimate are the three that are mostly going to end up on shelves anywhere.

I mean, if Apple put drive encryption and security software into it's OS that only corporate people would actually need and charged everyone $400 for it without offering a cheaper alternative, would you not be miffed?

I think what he was getting at is that there are multiple layers of features in the different versions that just aren't necessary and ultimately end up confusing the customer.

Microsoft did it right with Windows XP - a 'Pro' and 'Home' version are exactly what's needed. And if they really want people to upgrade, price both versions reasonably - $99 for Home and $199 for Pro. That would go a long way both to curbing piracy and encouraging adoption.

I really don't understand why the marketing geniuses at Microsoft think a user will pay $400 for an OS - that's just absurd.

 

[rezadline]

What are they going to show off, Zunes?

 

[Calijoefornia]

I really don't understand why the marketing geniuses at Microsoft think a user will pay $400 for an OS - that's just absurd.

And they claim Apple has a premium for their products. You know, the company where you can walk in to any Apple Store and buy a full retail version of an OS for $129...That Apple.

Yep, I can see how their premium prices are out of control.

 

[Village Idiot]

I think what he was getting at is that there are multiple layers of features in the different versions that just aren't necessary and ultimately end up confusing the customer.

Microsoft did it right with Windows XP - a 'Pro' and 'Home' version are exactly what's needed. And if they really want people to upgrade, price both versions reasonably - $99 for Home and $199 for Pro. That would go a long way both to curbing piracy and encouraging adoption.

I really don't understand why the marketing geniuses at Microsoft think a user will pay $400 for an OS - that's just absurd.

Remember, Microsoft's target audience is much larger than Apple's. They have to cater to the people that want the bare minimum as well as the people that need everything that MS offers.

I mean, most basic users don't need the admin tool panel where you can setup user account and machine policies as well as tweak pretty much every single aspect of the OS from there. Plus they don't need drive encryption. Two features that distinguish home premium from business and ultimate.

 

[iggibar]

I really don't understand why the marketing geniuses at Microsoft think a user will pay $400 for an OS - that's just absurd.

You hit the nail right in the head! I always wondered that, It makes no sense to argue about being able to buy a computer for half the price of a mac, but then turn around and pretty much pay more than 3 times more for an OS that, in my opinion, aghhh..aghh...aghmmmm...isn't worth it at all!

 

[osxx]

Its the new Microsoft tax .

 

[the8thark]

There is a few things I want to talk about.

Firstly there have been numerous articles posted here stating customer satisfaction is much higher with Mac users then PC users. If you can get better and cheaper PC's (which is a way is true) then Macs then why are the PC users not as satisfied?

Secondly there is customer service. For at least and a lot of people I know Apple's customer service is second to none. Which means a lot because a computer is a big investment to some people. And in a few years time they need to know the if anything goes wrong that the people they bought it from are still around and able and willing to deal with their concerns. And have the knowledge to do so.

Take the computers themselves out of the equation, a lot of people actually care for the above things. These MS stores can be as fancy as they want to be but without the above basics I don't know how well they will go.

 

[mbohn]

The retail store will be the best way to show potential customers W7's main technological breakthrough:

It comes in a 3-corner box:

Microsoft confirms Windows 7 family pack | Beyond Binary - CNET News

 

[Village Idiot]

There is a few things I want to talk about.

Firstly there have been numerous articles posted here stating customer satisfaction is much higher with Mac users then PC users. If you can get better and cheaper PC's (which is a way is true) then Macs then why are the PC users not as satisfied?

Ratio of PC users to Apple users. Ratio of high end PC users to your average Joe PC users. Two things you have to consider.

A PC user with an i7 machine with a 512mb+ GPU and 6GB of RAM is going to have no problems running Vista 64 vs the person with the P4 and 512mb of RAM with an integrated chip that's that's trying to run Vista.

The high end PC user that spent as much on his PC as a Mac user is most likely going to be one satisfied individual.

Secondly there is customer service. For at least and a lot of people I know Apple's customer service is second to none. Which means a lot because a computer is a big investment to some people. And in a few years time they need to know the if anything goes wrong that the people they bought it from are still around and able and willing to deal with their concerns. And have the knowledge to do so.

Which you really pay for in the long run. Two years free with some of Dell's machines where they'll send a tech to your house if need be and where they'll talk to you on the phone the entire duration of the warranty vs. one year free with only 3 months of time where anyone will speak to you on the phone unless you purchase the extended warranty and after that, you have to take it to an Apple store which can be over an hour drive for some people.

And of course there are varying degrees in between. Built your own system? You may have to call several different people and there's no guarantee they won't blame it on any of the other components.

Take the computers themselves out of the equation, a lot of people actually care for the above things. These MS stores can be as fancy as they want to be but without the above basics I don't know how well they will go.

I'm curious as to what PC's they're going to sell. Windows comes packages on a bajillion different machines, are they going to have HP, Dell, and Toshiba or are they going to be machines produced and labeled strictly for MS store sales? With the current economic situation, I don't see it benefitting MS too much.

 

[osxx]

Wonder if the interior color will be BSOD blue.

 

[CrimsonRequiem]

The retail store will be the best way to show potential customers W7's main technological breakthrough:

It comes in a 3-corner box:

Microsoft confirms Windows 7 family pack | Beyond Binary - CNET News

There doesn't seem to be anything new and innovative about that packaging. Looks like they slapped on the windows logo and overlaid a distress pattern.

I say good luck to them. They are seriously going to need it.

 

[j-holmes]

silly in my opinion. this market is mostly covered now anyway, i dont see a great appeal in it at the moment

 

[Z mannn R2]

hehe, I guess they're getting scared

lol....nah...

 

[cuhnool]

The retail store will be the best way to show potential customers W7's main technological breakthrough:

It comes in a 3-corner box:

Microsoft confirms Windows 7 family pack | Beyond Binary - CNET News

I'm sure there will be 7 versions of that too. In my standpoint, I think it's pretty ridiculous how MS needs to make several versions of the same thing. It's very expensive, and to be even up to par with JUST features to OS X is if you shell out another $400 and get Vista Ultimate. So if you buy a $500 or $600 machine, and the OS it comes with (home basic, for example) and you don't like it, guess what? You're back at the store to buy a $400 OS. So really, if you think about it, it's pretty close to buying a Mac.

And Macs come with iLife pre loaded. Software that Windows machines do not have on there. And if you want that kind of software, that's more money for the Windows user. When I first got my MacBook, I was making songs in GarageBand after 5 minutes from turning it on to setting it up. Do that with a Windows desktop machine or laptop. The ability to be able to use every single feature of the operating system along with it's pre-loaded software turned me on, and I bet turns many other people on.

Also, the reliability is amazing with Macs. It's like buying a computer with the luxury and power of a Mercedes, but having the reliability of a Honda, one that will last you 300,000+ miles. I have had my MacBook for a little over a year now, and absolutely NOTHING has gone wrong with it. OS and hardware wise. It runs just about the same as when I first turned her on. When I had my Toshiba Satellite, guess what went out in 6 months? the CD/DVD drive. WOW. Then a couple months later, the internal Wi-Fi card went out. It was also extremely sluggish, and I could drive to Cincinnati and back in the time it took to boot up. So the 2 most used features of my laptop wen out in less than a year, and it took a year to do something. That laptop caused me nothing but trouble.

We all hate viruses. Well, if you switched to Mac you USED to hate them.

My 2 cents.

 

[NumberSix]

It'll be funny to see how many people shuffle out of the M$ store confused and irritated just to walk into an Apple store and feel free.

I wish I could visit one of those Apple Stores that you feel free in.

I've only been in two Apple stores so far, but it's been some of the most irrating experiences in my life. It's crowded, people are rude, the Apple personnel is snobbish

If a visit to the Apple store was what I would have needed to switch to Apple, I never in a million years would have even thought about switching. I would have walked out of there furious and never thought about Apple products again.

 

[Village Idiot]

I'm sure there will be 7 versions of that too. In my standpoint, I think it's pretty ridiculous how MS needs to make several versions of the same thing. It's very expensive, and to be even up to par with JUST features to OS X is if you shell out another $400 and get Vista Ultimate. So if you buy a $500 or $600 machine, and the OS it comes with (home basic, for example) and you don't like it, guess what? You're back at the store to buy a $400 OS. So really, if you think about it, it's pretty close to buying a Mac.

And Macs come with iLife pre loaded. Software that Windows machines do not have on there. And if you want that kind of software, that's more money for the Windows user. When I first got my MacBook, I was making songs in GarageBand after 5 minutes from turning it on to setting it up. Do that with a Windows desktop machine or laptop. The ability to be able to use every single feature of the operating system along with it's pre-loaded software turned me on, and I bet turns many other people on.

Also, the reliability is amazing with Macs. It's like buying a computer with the luxury and power of a Mercedes, but having the reliability of a Honda, one that will last you 300,000+ miles. I have had my MacBook for a little over a year now, and absolutely NOTHING has gone wrong with it. OS and hardware wise. It runs just about the same as when I first turned her on. When I had my Toshiba Satellite, guess what went out in 6 months? the CD/DVD drive. WOW. Then a couple months later, the internal Wi-Fi card went out. It was also extremely sluggish, and I could drive to Cincinnati and back in the time it took to boot up. So the 2 most used features of my laptop wen out in less than a year, and it took a year to do something. That laptop caused me nothing but trouble.

We all hate viruses. Well, if you switched to Mac you USED to hate them.

My 2 cents.

Does OS X come with drive encryption software? Ultimate does. If you actually need it, you'll pay for it. If not, then don't. And if you do need drive encryption, you're probably not using a $500 machine in the first place.

And the reliability thing is funny. My first apple MBP had a jeacked up case, returned it for another and the keys on it were crooked. The MBP I bought this year had a screen that needed to be replaced because the backlight was uneven. It also overheats and shut down when I do anything that taxes the video card.

Not to mention, I've had to reinstall OS X on the new one because one day I turned it on and and I got the big no entry sign.

My 2-3 year old 17" dell just has a bad power cord and that's from my roommates bending it up every which way.

Every company has their share of problems. If Apple's reliability was that great, you wouldn't have forums full of people posting problems they're having about their machines.

Oh, and if you think their QC is top notch, look up the thermal paste problem. Probably the reason that my MBP can't stay cool to save it's life.

I still use Windows Vista Ultimate, home premium, WHS, OS X, and Ubuntu. I compute smart so I don't have to worry about viruses.

Edit: I know there are others on here that use many different OSes and computers. Does anyone get annoyed with people just straight out bashing things like Windows. It's the same on other computing forums where people start talking trash about OS X.