Coinciding with the worldwide debut of Windows 7 and the launch of physical retail stores throughout the world, Microsoft has revamped its online store as well.
The news comes from Trevin Chow, Senior Lead Program Manager for Microsoft Store.
Big surprise: the revamped online storefront features some new categories (including ‘Computers’!), so you can now go there to buy Windows 7 PCs as well as accessories and even third-party software like Adobe Photoshop and Nero 9.
So far, the new look and fresh categories are only reserved for the U.S. online store, though I reckon other countries will follow suit soon.
Another surprise: the Microsoft Store team has a Posterous blog.
This is US only. The UK site doesn’t have the Computers link as of 11:45 BST.
Yup, just like I wrote
Ooops… next time I’ll read properly…
It’s live here in India. Did add them to cart though!
This is what MS should be doing to counter Apple store. Opening store in the street is passe.
This is stupid. Microsoft is a hardware company and Apple is a software company. Copying them doesn’t make any sense at all.
Argh. Reverse that. Apple is hardware/Microsoft is software.
Really? So who wrote OS X and all the previous versions of that OS? Seems to me that Apple is both a Software and Hardware company. Also seems to me that it would make sense for Microsoft to remain competitive in the market that they have to compete with their competitors on all levels. Or did common sense just pass you by the day it was being handed out?
I agree, this store may not sell much. But we can compare models, authentic and available models. Then we can go to shop, test hardware and buy.
what hardware software? i dint get.
It’s good news.
Penguin
soon it will be there .. till then you can get to read some really interesting and helpful articles on Windows 7 .. its covering articles on security, internet browsers, desktop apps , Media player.. ..
http://windows7.iyogi.net/
hope these articles were of help to you guys …
Cheers,
Daina
computers have “90 days of Microsoft Support Services included”.
if MS goes into proper support services for home users, very interesting… with visibility and control of OS and key apps, it could provide a high level of service
just like apple has and does…
Yeah, Apple’s 1 year warranty combined with 90 days of phone support is great. Even better is the fact that there’s an option for a 3 year warranty which many sales staff try to sell even though it is not needed in many countries because of statutory consumer protection. In essence, they try to get people to pay for something that they’ve already got. That’s a really high level of service.
It’s nice to see that not all Microsoft sites are bloated and hard to navigate. I like the looks of this store, it’s a couple steps in the right direction.
Now, the Windows 7 party commercial… not so much.
Looks like they also redesigned Microsoft.com or I haven’t been there for a while and they made it green?
Microsoft.com kinda cool looking huh?
Is it just me or does the whole Microsoft.com website look a lot like Apple.com in its new layout? (Menu buttons at top, Main graphic large and centered, evenly spaced banners below) ??
You say that as if Apple invented that look for a website. That’s like have of the world wide web you just described there.
have=half
Apple has had that layout since Y2K — go to archive.org and check the wayback machine for Apple.com – click the first date link for Feb. 26, 2000 …
Everybody since then has been copying Apple’s layout.
I have used Windows 7 Beta for a few months and I would have to say that I like it. It is much faster and programs don’t lag even when you running multiple programs at once. There are some neat features introduced into Windows 7 and the overall use is much easier and simpler. Microsoft took Windows 7 seriously and they needed to do that. I have written a detailed experience about my use of Windows 7 and I hope you can find it useful. Please comment and let me know
http://ketiva.c...a_version1.html
It is still too early to determine what kind of problems might rise from Windows 7, but overall I think it will be a great operating system.
It’s still dirty as hell that they have different versions of Windows … confusion to the enemy!
I really don’t see Microsoft 7 being any better than vista except for maybe a little faster. They need to come up with something better or just stick with improving XP. They try to hard to push out products but they all suck! Oh well
Nice!
However, I’m a bit surprised that Win7 gets tiny coverage compared to Apple announcements. Given the market share, you’d think TechCrunch would do the reverse!
This is by far the greatest business blunder MS could have made for many reasons, it is foolish and nearsighted to assume that opening an MS store will have any impact on the general retail traffic in ANY location, ppl will assume it is an Apple Retail Store then when they see the big MS logo, they will leave — simple.
I saw the video of the opening, why did MS create a carbon copy clone of an Apple Store ? I mean EVERYTHING, the shelves, staff uniforms.. etc.
This is such a tacky move on the part of MS , they really don’t need to do this when they have 80 % market share ( yes that figure is correct )
This is not competition, it is GREED plain and simple , it’s a retail form of the Zune which they professed so loudly would ” kill” the iPod — and to date the iPod still has 90% of the Mp3 player market.
Foolish move M$.