DACS General Meeting
July 2012
Meeting Review:
Microsoft Store Fireworks Display

By Elizabeth Talian

What a colorful and intense venue for our July 3 meeting!  A panorama of monitors using Adobe fiber optics wraps the walls of the new Microsoft Retail Store at the Danbury Fair Mall and surrounded meeting attendees. Our DACS group seemed to fill and overflow the store's small ‘theatre’, but the meeting was a fun change of pace for many members. Unfortunately, sound was an issue for anyone not lucky enough to be situated well under the special sound controlling canopy, due to the activity level in the store. Lots of Xbox game-playing teens and young adults trying out games and the Connect Sensor on those stunning wall monitors. Waving arms reflected in colors and motion on the NEC monitor tiles and game sounds combined to provide a sensory experience attuned to 4th of July fireworks .

Just to recap some highlights of Matt Evans’ (the Microsoft Store “Teacher”) presentation of the store to DACS members and friends: The Danbury store is the 20th Microsoft store of about 150 planned for the US and Puerto Rico (another planned for Toronto, we’re told). Microsoft’s goal with these stores, Matt says, is to repair its relationship with its customers. Microsoft claims 93% share of computers with its Windows products. Yet, MS does have issues with customer relations, as many of us can attest.

As part of that strategy, the MS store offers 15 minutes free diagnostics/support to any individual experiencing difficulty with any machine running a licensed MS Windows product. After the 15 minutes are up (if your problem can’t be found and corrected that quickly!), Matt said most people’s problems can be fixed for $99 plus any hardware, and that the work is done in-house at the store (backroom facility) with an average 5-7 day turn time. In addition, the store offers ‘Personal Training' through various contracts to address their finding that most people only access 20% of the potential of their Microsoft products. For $199, one can get 1 hour per week of in-store training for one year. For those interested in more intense support, MS offers an ‘Assure’ plan on the various manufacturers’ machines they carry, where they will facilitate work with those manufacturers.

Xbox 360 was discussed a bit (approximate price points $199, $299, $399 and $450) – the product MS initially sold at less than cost in order to gain game market share. Through the Xbox, one can stream video (Netflix, for example) to most TVs without a pc. The store offers many manufacturers' machines (Sony, NEC, etc), and features computer related items including the Barnes and Noble Nook (with whom it has a partnership) and HP printers which offer dedicated addresses, allowing “print from anywhere” capability.

MS Surface was presented – MS’s answer to the iPad. This tablet/slate series represents the first time in recent years that Microsoft is venturing into computer hardware production, beyond gaming and peripherals like mice and keyboards. Surface will be coming soon, in “two flavors” –  “light” and “pro”. The basic/light version, running the operating system Windows ‘RT’, Matt described as closest to the iPad, but will come with a full version of Microsoft Office. The Pro will run Windows 8 operating system and will run any MS software. Surface RT is expected to release at the same time as Windows 8, likely in October (before the holidays).

MS Signature program is unique to stores, Matt told us. MS opens each machine and preloads the MS software themselves. Nokia has an exclusivity Windows Phone 8 – immediate load time, no buffering …. mobile op 
One of Microsoft's goals is the seamless integration of touch based products – with Windows phones, laptops and the new ‘Metro’ users interface. This product goal, of full seamless integration, is expected next year.
The community area of the store where our meeting and presentation were held will host any number of events in the coming weeks. Visit http://content.microsoftstore.com/store/detail/Danbury-CT for more information. The meeting was an interesting change and allowed many of us a look at a shop we might have waited much longer to see. Many thanks to the Board members who made the arrangements, and to Andy for the photos!