Apple Store idea that will have PC users flying over to the Mac.
Apple needs to put Apple Stores in Air Ports. It would be the BEST place on the planet to get switchers. People are board, people are stuck there for hours on hours. If apple provided a store were people could come in check there E-mail, surf the web and play with the computers and software people would be packed in there catching a Mac cold and not even knowing it. How many people would rather be checking there E-mail and surfing the web rather than looking at soviner silver spoons in a over priced gift shop. I think a lot. The only problem is no one would really want to bye a computer wail waiting for a flight. No worry they can order it and it will be on there door step when they get home from there vacation. This would be an absolute killer stradigy that would have apple shoulder to shoulder with M$ in no time (sorta...hopfully 
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OK, put this into the "worst joke" tread, I have a winner. <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />
But yea, cool idea. And when your flight is delayed, you could play quake/warcraft/... in the store AND wirelessly while you are waiting for a flight.
[ 07-24-2002: Message edited by: Ebby ]</p>
<strong>Apple needs to put Apple Stores in Air Ports. It would be the BEST place on the planet to get switchers. People are board, people are stuck there for hours on hours. If apple provided a store were people could come in check there E-mail, surf the web and play with the computers and software people would be packed in there catching a Mac cold and not even knowing it. How many people would rather be checking there E-mail and surfing the web rather than looking at soviner silver spoons in a over priced gift shop. I think a lot. The only problem is no one would really want to bye a computer wail waiting for a flight. No worry they can order it and it will be on there door step when they get home from there vacation. This would be an absolute killer stradigy that would have apple shoulder to shoulder with M$ in no time (sorta...hopfully
The Apple Store in Bloomington, Minnesota already sees a lot of that...
Let's make this a thread about ideas for Apple stores.
Mine: Bake-offs between PCs and Macs, featuring Jaguar, Microsoft RDC and Office, etc. Maybe some Samba demoing, Warcraft III demoing... Maybe you could even bring in your PC for classes on how to do things equivalently on the Mac, and get your old files off it, do cross-platform stuff, etc. I heard they might be doing this, I hope so! Unfortunately I haven't been to a store for a few months... There are none in Vermont.
If I ran a apple store, I would have actual DVD home theater system based around a G4, Projector, 5.1 surround, and remote control that sucker with applescript and a wireless TiBook.
For the serious gamer, I would set out a top-of-the-line Mac system with all the coolest games. No, 4 of them for a network. I would have to have a gigabit switch to connect everything to the xServe on the second table. $$ OUCH $$
To sum it up: DEMONSTRATE THE COMPUTERS TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL!
Oh, yea. <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
I can not go into Staples again.
"...does this PC come with a spell checker?"
People think I work there when I start talking. Oh well, I can't resist helping them, and of course, I always end with "But, you should consider a Mac!" And so on...
It's very sad why people buy PCs. The most mundane reasons. Solitaire oh boy! And even MineSweeper! Wait, even a spellchecker! :eek:
most people who would want to be checking their emails (business users) would already have a laptop on hand and would just patch into their networks.
the best plan for apple to beat microsoft is to arrange for a huge meteor to strike redmond.
<strong>actually, the only thing that would happen is a sharp rise in the purchase of 802.11 cards and people leaching off of apple's bandwidth.
most people who would want to be checking their emails (business users) would already have a laptop on hand and would just patch into their networks.
the best plan for apple to beat microsoft is to arrange for a huge meteor to strike redmond.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Apple could put a password on the network. And it is not true that people that want to check there E-mail have lap tops. People who have lap tops can check there E-mail and every one around them would like too but dose not have a lap top.
People who are going somewhere...what are they going to do, put the computer on lay-away?
People who are coming...either they are visitors or they live here already. Either way they don't hang out at airports.
What are you going to do, buy a new computer and fly it home?
A lot of people don't have pre-arranged rides either. Cab drivers charge extra to lug stuff that won't fit in the trunk.
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What would be more feasible is this:
Apple finds a company that does basically nothing but make kiosks/computer terminals. Apple contracts them to make web surfing kiosks with a Mac flavor. There'd be an everpresent link to Apple.com and the Apple Store Online. Maintenance would be outsourced to the kiosk maker too. This could be for one airport, one region, throught the state, whatever.
The economic climate really doesn't allow for risky ventures like this though. There are better places to put kiosks anyway, like malls where there aren't Apple Stores.
People aren't going to buy anything but souvenirs at an airport.....and selling an iMac as a keychain just isn't going to happen.
Putting a kiosk in might work, but it would involve hiring a person.
Just advertise with posters in the councourse.
D
<strong>the best plan for apple to beat microsoft is to arrange for a huge meteor to strike redmond.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I've got just the candidate for ya...
<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2147879.stm"; target="_blank">Big, big rock.</a> Of course, it's still incredibly uncertain where it's going to go, and the chances of it actually hitting are pretty small, but...
Wait. 2km rock, 28km/s, on Redmond... aw crap. That'd take out Pike Place too. Nebbermind.
Another idea could be kiosks at post offices. Lots of foot traffic. The post is considering offering an email solution of some sort, they should offer kiosks for email as well.
Starbuck went with someone else for in store wireless connectivity, I forgot which company because I don't go to Starbucks, but that would have been perfect for Apple.
<strong>Terrible idea.
People who are going somewhere...what are they going to do, put the computer on lay-away?
People who are coming...either they are visitors or they live here already. Either way they don't hang out at airports.
What are you going to do, buy a new computer and fly it home?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Actually you might be suprised. The Christmass season before last I worked in the CompUSA store on 5th Ave (NYC) as a demo day rep for the season.
Several people from out of the country wanted to buy iBooks & fly it home with them! So yeah, it's not crazy to think that people will come in, say yeah that's cool, buy it & take it with them. Of course I'm sure destops wouldn't sell to well ... but laptops, small periferals & software could.
As mentioned, people who may not otherwise visit an Apple store would come in (what else are you going to do on a 4 hour layover?) & look around. They might walk out of the store impressed.
Droves of people would come in and fight over the computers to check their email, spill crumbs and coffee on everything, and generally make a big mess. The store would be packed with irate people who don't have the slightest interest in buying a computer, or learning about Macs, but who want to use the free Internet access.
Not a good idea at all. They also don't have futon stores beside airport waiting rooms, for similar reasons
-robo
This is a great OS, so much so that I think businesses are going to be looking at Apple again.
Now IMO, they only need some updated hardware and more competitive pricing and they should get some serious market share back.