Windows 7 (Not so) Crazy Microsoft Rumors Microso

These days, I see a lot of single-sourced strategies being posted by bloggers and journalists. More than a few of these are based on a single, anonymous source, with no further identificationto help readers decide whether a tip is likely to be true or not. No “according to a Microsoft partner who requested anonymity.” No “so says a customer angry over the latest slip-up, who asked not to be identified.” Not even a thinly veiled “according to a person who was not authorized to speak for Company X” (but did so anyway).
Currently, Microsoft has stores in San Diego, Calif.; Mission Viejo, Calif.; Scottsdale, Ariz.; Lone Tree,Purchase Office 2007, Colo.; Oak Brook, Ill.; Bloomington, Minn.; and Bellevue, Wash. Microsoft;s strategy with these stores has been to locate close to Apple stores in each city and use the stores like a showcase for new PCs, Xboxes, Kinects, Windows Phones, games, apps and other consumer goods.
As part of my task as being a full-time Microsoft watcher, I get lots of hints about Microsoft from clients,Office 2007 Standard Key, competition, partners as well as Softies on their own. Nevertheless, ever before because I worked for PCWeek extra than 15 many years back, I had it drilled into my head that till I could get three independent resources — none of whom was repeating something s/he heard in an echo chamber — to corroborate a tip, I couldn;t run it like a story.
I;ve run a couple of these rumors on my blog so much. One, about Microsoft;s plans for a Zune HD2, nonetheless is active and — I believe — likely to be proven true in 2011. Another, about Microsoft;s involvement in Facebook;s new messaging system, was right about the money.
This lack of attribution gave me a maybe-not-so-crazy idea. A year or so back, inspired by the “CrazyAppleRumors” folks, I bought the “CrazyMicrosoftRumors” domain name. I let it lapse. But I recently repurchased it. Why not put the concept to use?
As readers of my blog know, I have been advocating for a NYC Microsoft store for some time now. Those of us within the city without access to a car (and/or a driver;s license) have very few options for checking out multiple models of Windows PCs from more than just a couple of vendors. We are at the whim of the few remaining retailers that offer PCs.
Where do you think Microsoft should put its next Microsoft Stores? Or are you inside the camp that thinks Microsoft Stores are nothing but money down the drain?
Update: In case this is not entirely clear: I am not saying the showcase was a proxy for a store; it was a press/analyst event. But the event reminded me of the obvious lack of some kind of mega-retail store that offers a variety of Windows PCs.
If you want to send along any rumor candidates, just use the e-mail form at the bottom of my blog. All suggestions I receive are considered confidential, so don;t worry about including your real name (if you want to do so).
If I had wanted an Apple machine, I would have had a choice of 3 Apple stores in Manhattan — all within walking distance — where I could have test driven a variety of models. I;m not a fan of the Apple store experience, but hey, at least those stores exist. My source didn;t know where in New York the Microsoft Store will be located. If Microsoft follows protocol,microsoft Office 2010 keygen, it will be either on Fifth Avenue, the West Village or Soho, where the Apple stores are located.
According to one of my sources, who has had a very good accuracy track record, Microsoft may field as lots of as six new Microsoft stores in 2011. Around the short list of likely sites: Houston, Orlando and … at lengthy last … New York City.
I;ve asked Microsoft execs repeatedly when a Microsoft Store would come to the big Apple and was told by various folks that they had no idea. If my tipster is right and it;s in time for Holiday 2011, I wonder what the “big draw” will be next year,Windows 7 Pro Product Key, given this year it;s Xbox/Kinect. It will be too soon for Windows 8 PCs and too soon for Windows Live next (both rumored for 2012 deliveries).
I;ve launched a series of occasional posts here on “All About Microsoft,” where I take a single-sourced tip that I can;t find two other independent sources to verify and run it as being a “rumor.” I;m not going to do this with just any old tip; I am going to pick and choose ones where I have faith within the tipster;s batting average and/or believe the tip makes many sense. I will clearly label these posts as “(Not so) Crazy Microsoft Rumors,” so readers know exactly what they;re getting.
I bought my Windows 7 PC (the ASUS UL30A) over a year back without getting the chance to truly hold it or type on its keyboard. I had no idea how significantly crapware would be preloaded on it. I only found out about its existence via various blogs I read and took a chance on it after reading tens of reviews. That is a terrible way to buy a new PC.
This reality was brought home once more this week during Microsoft;s New York City holiday showcase. (Microsoft held the same event in San Francisco a week in the past or so.) Simply because there are no retail outlets in either of those cities where potential clients can come in and kick the tires of Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Samsung, Panasonic, Toshiba and other vendors; Windows 7 PCs, Microsoft had to rent space,Windows 7 Professional, haul in a great deal of equipment, fly in execs who could show off the machines to press and analysts (and ply us with food and drinks).
Today;s “rumor” has to do with the Microsoft brick-and-mortar stores, which have been slowly multiplying over the past year plus.
At Monday night;s event, I saw a few nice newish Windows 7 PCs at the December 6 event that I hadn;t seen prior to, including the Acer TimelineX 1830 ultraportable, the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge and U160 netbook, the Samsung SF510 “Shark,” the super-light Panasonic ToughBook C1, and the $9,999 Origin “Big O” gaming rig with an Xbox 360 built in. (Cool new Windows 7 slates? Nope, as expected, nothing to write home about.)