[Waragainstsleep]

I'm kind of surprised no-one has suggested that the new Mobile Me/iCloud services might be about to go live. I wouldn't have thought that a sale would require so much training material. Or fuss.

[imitchellg5]

What?

[The Final Dakar]

If Apple puts out something for the anniversary (which signs point to) it's not going to be something intangible.

[Sealobo]

it's going to be a special mousepad.

[SpaceMonkey]

http://forums.macnn.com/89/macnn-lou...monday-monday/

[brassplayersrock²]

Skin infestation a delusion, study says - CNN.com

and

Binge drinking may harm learning, memory – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs

[ort888]

This is Apple. They are probably running a huge $25 off any purchase of $2,000 or more sale or something.

[The Final Dakar]

10th anniversary man. So, like, $10.

[residentEvil]

- 10 ipod nano's per store giveway (must be present to win)
- 10 t-shirts for first people in line per store
- 10gb free cloud storage to those who sign up during the event
- 10% discount one day only on any purchase

[ort888]

Buy 9 iPads, get your 10th iPad for 10% off!

[ajprice]

10th Anniversary Mac Mini for $10,000

Delivered to your door by Steve Jobs in a stretched limo, he doesn't wear a tux though, its still jeans and turtle neck.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by ort888 

This is Apple. They are probably running a huge $25 off any purchase of $2,000 or more sale or something.

OMFG!


*goes and waits in line*

[imitchellg5]

So, can anyone explain what is actually going on?

[Shaddim]

10th anniversary of retail stores and Apple is doing a "surprise" event.

[olePigeon]

iPhone GS Woz Edition

[Salty]

iCloud seems like a weird product to launch at retail since it's something that you can't actually leave the store carrying. That said if it was a new iPhone someone would have broken the story already.
If it was Lion (which isn't ready) it's coming through the App store so same deal.
New Mac Pros and Mac minis wouldn't be that interesting.

7 inch iPad? Haha, I'm kidding that's not gonna happen.

My guess is they're just taking a really weird strategy with iCloud.

[Kerrigan]

That article on binge drinking was very informative.

[freudling]

Nerds wearing t-shirts and special edition iPods. And the leaks: Apple wins again, gets you talking about them. Every week their PR and advertising machine generates buzz. As long as your talking about them, they're winning.

[imitchellg5]

New store layout. No products.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by freudling 

Nerds wearing t-shirts and special edition iPods. And the leaks: Apple wins again, gets you talking about them. Every week their PR and advertising machine generates buzz. As long as your talking about them, they're winning.

You manage to make to sound like we're losing if Apple has a positive image, somehow.

[freudling]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

You manage to make to sound like we're losing if Apple has a positive image, somehow.

Say what?

[The Final Dakar]

Your post had a negative tone.

[ort888]

AppleInsider | Apple to overhaul retail operations with iPads running new RetailMe software

zzzzzzzz

[The Final Dakar]

Ha, so the rumor outlets completely missed the mark?

[ort888]

Sounds like they are re-doing the whole Apple Store experience.

[Brien]

iPads instead of labels/signs is a neat idea. The rest is meh, although they have been pushing the personal shopping/setup angle for awhile now.

[Salty]

iPads instead of label signs sounds kinda wasteful and over the top. I mean, are these gonna be iPad 1s or 2s? Hopefully they'll at least be refurbs or something like that. They can't manage to get enough stock to all their stores to meet demand, but they can use them as digital signage?

Also, if all of this was for new "retail me" software (whatever that is) and some store maker overs, why do it all at once? Why require staff to be super secretive about it? What's next, Apple closing down One Infinite Loop every time Jobs goes to the can?

Like seriously, the Apple stores are nice and all, but they're nothing compared to their products. Half the time it's hard to like the person who you're trying to rope into selling you a bloody adapter so that you can use the Mac you bought off their website because you can't stand going into the store and talking to those snooty douche bags that didn't hire you... or is that just me?

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by Salty 

Also, if all of this was for new "retail me" software (whatever that is) and some store maker overs, why do it all at once?

Because that's how chain stores with centralized inventory management work.

Originally Posted by Salty 

Why require staff to be super secretive about it?

Because the details on how internal sales, ordering, and inventory management work constitute trade secrets, and having an excellent such system is a competitive advantage.

All sales personnel require training and background knowledge about the sales process, and it seems obvious that they should not be allowed to blab about it to anyone - hence the NDA.

Mind you, I have no idea whether this is what's going on, and honestly, I don't care all that much.

I'm just saying that a new retail management system would be sufficient cause for this kind of action.

(I'm thinking iCloud for WWDC - but if they don't include streaming to iOS devices from a home library à la SimplifyMedia (RIP), it won't make a difference to me, so I'm perfectly calm Dude.)

Originally Posted by Salty 

Like seriously, the Apple stores are nice and all, but they're nothing compared to their products. Half the time it's hard to like the person who you're trying to rope into selling you a bloody adapter so that you can use the Mac you bought off their website because you can't stand going into the store and talking to those snooty douche bags that didn't hire you... or is that just me?

[MacinTommy]

Hai guyz. When is this shit going down?

[turtle777]

This Sunday.

-t

[-Q-]

Originally Posted by Salty 

Half the time it's hard to like the person who you're trying to rope into selling you a bloody adapter so that you can use the Mac you bought off their website because you can't stand going into the store and talking to those snooty douche bags that didn't hire you... or is that just me?

Bitter, party of one, your table is ready.

I'll be curious to see what this grand celebration entails. I would hope there would be some customer benefit, although I can certainly see them trying to spin their change in retail sales process as a "revolutionary new way for customers to try and buy products" in a retail environment.

A free t-shirt would be nice.

[SSharon]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

This Sunday.

Figures. My local store is closed on Sunday.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by Salty 

iPads instead of label signs sounds kinda wasteful and over the top. I mean, are these gonna be iPad 1s or 2s? Hopefully they'll at least be refurbs or something like that. They can't manage to get enough stock to all their stores to meet demand, but they can use them as digital signage?

Seriously. Sounds like an insane level of overkill when you can already look up any informations that you want to know on the product itself. Or ask.

[ort888]

Plus ever product they sell has a screen already. Just put the info about the product on the screen that's there.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by -Q- 

Bitter, party of one, your table is ready.

I'll be curious to see what this grand celebration entails. I would hope there would be some customer benefit, although I can certainly see them trying to spin their change in retail sales process as a "revolutionary new way for customers to try and buy products" in a retail environment.

A free t-shirt would be nice.

Customer benefit? They want everyone to go and share with them the grandeur that is Apple, of course. What greater benefit could there be? It's like a Versace fashion show, they really don't expect the attendees to buy things. They're just there to say, "hey, look what we made, isn't it spiffy?"

This is directed at the Apple execs... Hey, fruit peddlers, wake up! Google is climbing right up your asses. Honeycomb is actually working now, and it's good. Having tinkered with an Asus Transformer with the newest Android, I can say the experience is almost on par with the iPad, if not better in some ways. 250k of them have sold, and it would have been 500k if the units were available. That's a lot of lost iPad sales, guys. The only thing really hurting them (the `droid guys) is their app store, which is a mess and lacks viable product in some categories. So, Steve, if you're reading this (doubtful), get off your butt and schedule the iOS 5 release and tell people what it's going to do for them. Like, better multi-tasking, more customization options, a notification system that doesn't blow, and how about some widget integration? No more excuses, just do it. `Kay?

[freudling]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

Customer benefit? They want everyone to go and share with them the grandeur that is Apple, of course. What greater benefit could there be? It's like a Versace fashion show, they really don't expect the attendees to buy things. They're just there to say, "hey, look what we made, isn't it spiffy?"

This is directed at the Apple execs... Hey, fruit peddlers, wake up! Google is climbing right up your asses. Honeycomb is actually working now, and it's good. Having tinkered with an Asus Transformer with the newest Android, I can say the experience is almost on par with the iPad, if not better in some ways. 250k of them have sold, and it would have been 500k if the units were available. That's a lot of lost iPad sales, guys. The only thing really hurting them (the `droid guys) is their app store, which is a mess and lacks viable product in some categories. So, Steve, if you're reading this (doubtful), get off your butt and schedule the iOS 5 release and tell people what it's going to do for them. Like, better multi-tasking, more customization options, a notification system that doesn't blow, and how about some widget integration? No more excuses, just do it. `Kay?

Yup, Transformer is gaining traction. Lots of good reviews out there. iPad is doing amazing... room for everyone.

[ort888]

I think the vast majority of the people buying the current lineup of Android tablets are people who would never ever buy an Apple product no matter what. (or people who own an iPad AND an Android tablet)

[Shaddim]

Likely that's some of them, but not all. 250k is a lot of tablets sold in just a few weeks, especially considering parts availability being in the crapper.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by ort888 

I think the vast majority of the people buying the current lineup of Android tablets are people who would never ever buy an Apple product no matter what. (or people who own an iPad AND an Android tablet)

I disagree completely. I suspect a number of them for example are those who are impressed by Android phones, yet already own an iPod (not iPad).

As for the PlayBook, I think anyone who bought one of those is either an idiot, a reviewer, or just very patient.

BTW, I do already have an iPad, but I'd consider a Transformer if it dropped closer to the $299 range. All I'd need is the 16 GB WiFi, esp. since it includes a MicroSD slot. The keyboard needs to be half the price though. $149 is far too much.

[Waragainstsleep]

Before the iPhone existed, I used Nokia phones having replaced my Motorola and preferring the software. I then went back to a RAZR which was stylish but had awful software on it. Since getting the original iPhone not long after the US launch, I have never even considered looking at another phone.
With any of those others I would occasionally see one I liked the look of or the features stood out and I would have a play if anyone waved one under my nose to see if it was better than what I had. I don't worry about that any more. I laugh at people who tell me they have something better than my iPhone. I find it incredibly difficult to believe that an Android device could top iOS under any circumstances in much the same way I think about Windows/Linux and Mac OS. Sure sometimes there is a feature I will give some credit to in the software but overall they are invariably frustrating and ugly to use for any length of time. I no longer have any compulsion to investigate the latest gadget or device unless its something Apple don't make any equivalent of because I know that even if it does things my Mac or iPhone don't, and even if those features work as advertised, it will still ultimately feel like a cheap, ugly Apple rip-off.

I would postulate that there are in fact predominantly three kinds of Android users:

Apple-haters (often M$ fanboys) who will never buy anything Apple make, even if it extends their life by 100 years, makes them completely irresistible to their choice of opposite/same sex and only costs $1;
People who just buy whatever they are told will do all the same things as xxx but for less money;
People who just don't know any better and are pushed into their purchase by a salesman with an incentive to do so;

If they don't already, these three will make up 95% of all Android users before very long.

[imitchellg5]

I think average phone buyers either go for what their friends have or just the cheapest on contract. It's probably little different with tablet buyers.

[freudling]

I think consumers' purchases of electronics are well researched, even though they still buy what we take to be junk. Go figure.

[Spheric Harlot]

Just an aside - RIM appears to be taking care of themselves:

PlayBook returns high, misses sales targets by 90%

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

Just an aside - RIM appears to be taking care of themselves:

PlayBook returns high, misses sales targets by 90%

Hardly surprising.

Sorry, but RIM better change fast, or they're dead meat.

-t

[Eug]

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep 

Before the iPhone existed, I used Nokia phones having replaced my Motorola and preferring the software. I then went back to a RAZR which was stylish but had awful software on it. Since getting the original iPhone not long after the US launch, I have never even considered looking at another phone.

Same with me. I was a Nokia and Sony Ericsson fan, but none of them were ever quite right. Plus there was no consistency among them either.

BUT:

With any of those others I would occasionally see one I liked the look of or the features stood out and I would have a play if anyone waved one under my nose to see if it was better than what I had. I don't worry about that any more. I laugh at people who tell me they have something better than my iPhone. I find it incredibly difficult to believe that an Android device could top iOS under any circumstances in much the same way I think about Windows/Linux and Mac OS.

I actually think Android is pretty decent. I'd consider buying an Android tablet, for example. Even more so if I were primarily a Windows user.

I still prefer iOS, but the comparison is much, much closer than it was when I was comparing iOS to any Sony Ericsson phone of yesteryear.

BTW, I also happen to like Windows 7. Since Windows 7 came out, I bought a Windows 7 desktop and a Windows 7 laptop. I still prefer OS X, but would be fine using Windows 7. I don't think the Linux comparison is appropriate, because I still find Linux unusable for the mainstream, but Windows 7 is perfectly OK, and does offer some advantages in some areas, both from the software side and from the hardware side.

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep 

I would postulate that there are in fact predominantly three kinds of Android users:

Apple-haters (often M$ fanboys) who will never buy anything Apple make, even if it extends their life by 100 years, makes them completely irresistible to their choice of opposite/same sex and only costs $1;
People who just buy whatever they are told will do all the same things as xxx but for less money;
People who just don't know any better and are pushed into their purchase by a salesman with an incentive to do so;

If they don't already, these three will make up 95% of all Android users before very long.

Well, I think this is very closeminded. It's basically just as closeminded as assuming OS X is automatically better than Windows 7 and that anyone that chooses Win 7 over OS X is an Apple hater or just stupid.

[Eug]

[Shaddim]

Well, I can say one thing about Win7, it's adequate. I've never said that about any other M$ OS.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

Well, I can say one thing about Win7, it's adequate. I've never said that about any other M$ OS.

IMO:

Win 98 > OS 9
Windows 2000 > OS X 10.0
Windows XP > OS X 10.1

P.S. I had Macs that shipped with OS 9 and 10.1.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Eug 

Windows 2000 > OS X 10.0

Ridiculous comparison, IMO.

-t

[Shaddim]

Well, just because they may be better doesn't mean they're adequate. It's like saying spit is better lube than sand, but neither really gets the job done.