Microsoft Retail Stores
Microsoft is a really, really big company. They're also really good at a lot of things. There are a lot of things behind closed doors that we just don't hear about until they're finalized, or never see the light of day for some reason, regardless of how novel we may find them. But seriously, the latest things coming out of MS seems to be the farthest from novel. It just sounds like MS has run completely out of ideas by blatantly copying Apple. I'm a recent Apple fan, so my opinions are biased, but then who's opinions aren't biased? Take the latest tidbit of news on Macrumors.com. Microsoft is including something called, "Guru Bar", which for anyone who's been in an Apple store will realize sounds VERY similar to Apple's "Genius Bar", right? Even the much acclaimed Windows 7 is mimicking features found on Apple's OSX. I know Windows lovers will argue against that and find it innovative, but if you've studied the design process and the process behind product creation you'll know that it is much easier for people to do "incremental innovation" or improve upon what's already been built that create something new from scratch. There are many things I hate about Windows, but a lot of features in Windows 7 seem visible in OSX. I am really not sure what MS can sell in these stores since they really don't have much of their own genuine product line that you can't find at any other electronics store like Best Buy, and you can probably even get it for cheaper at Best Buy. It just sounds like a "novel" idea in the head of whoever is leading this to spend millions of dollars to set up stores right next to Apple to try and step on some feet instead of actually using that money to do something. Sounds much like Apple's commercial where MS just puts all the money they have into (horrible) advertising instead of actually fixing problems with Vista... MS seems to be suffering the same symptoms as GM, but to be honest, any company as large (and successful) as MS runs that risk along with the risk of being really complacent. Project Natal is awesome, but I think the gentleman at Lionhead who introduced it really needs to check in with reality. He stated, "science fiction writers, film makers, they haven't imagined what we're able to do here today." Actually, buddy, they've been imaging FAR more than what we're capable today. Remember the whole thing about flying cars by 2000? How about Star Wars with androids and interplanetary space travel? If this was a statement made in excitement during his live presentation, I'd understand. But this was something he said during the video presentation, so he gets no sympathy. Anyways, digressed a bit. MS, please stop trying to imitate or destroy the competition in order to survive. You're only prolonging your own death by doing so as you die from the inside out. I know there are amazing ideas with amazing applications that can turn a profit as long as you guys LISTEN to what's going on around you and inside your own company.