Posted 10/22/08 at 08:41:10 AM by Pulkit Chandna

Circuit City Stores Inc. might close 150 stores and opt for job cuts to stall its march towards bankruptcy, according to a WSJ report. Thousands of people might receive their termination letters, if there is any truth in this report. The retailer’s shares shot up by 20% on the back of this report.

Although the company’s spokesman Jim Babb refused to comment on the report, he admitted that the company was “assessing the productivity of our asset base.” With no signs of the ongoing financial storm relenting in the near future, the holiday season might not bring any relief for Circuit City – and its competitors. Apparently, the mess it is currently ensconced in has left Circuit City few choices.

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retail, job cuts, circuit city, stores

Posted 09/10/08 at 10:06:39 PM by Mark Edward Soper

Thankfully, that very strange Bill Gates + Jerry Seinfeld TV ad isn't the only way that Microsoft is reaching out to a customer base that's still suspicious of Windows Vista. The San Jose Mercury News' SiliconValley.com website reports that Microsoft is planning to put 155 "Microsoft Gurus" into big-box electronics stores like Best Buy and Circuit City to help improve how Windows Vista and other parts of the Windows ecosystem are received by retail customers. It's part of a $300 million marketing campaign that also includes closer cooperation between Microsoft and major computer OEMs to make Windows faster and more reliable. 

According to the official Microsoft news release, you can expect to see the gurus located in specially-branded 'store within a store' locations by year's end, using techniques being developed at Microsoft's Redmond-based Retail Experience Center (see photo at the start of this article).

Microsoft compares its new retail methodology to the personal shoppers employed by high-end stores such as as Nordstrom, while others suggest comparisons with the Apple "Genius Bars" located in Apple retailers. One difference: Microsoft Gurus are tasked with handling pre-sales questions only , while the Apple Genius Bar personnel can also provide technical support.

For anyone who's ever had to drive off a commission-based computer salesperson's desperate struggle to load you up with a lifetime's supply of ink or toner, a USB cable for each finger, or other high-margin goods, one question is, 'how will Microsoft Gurus be paid?' SiliconValley.com quotes Microsoft GM of Corporate Communications, Tom Pilla, as saying a major determining factor will be customer satisfaction and their "ability to translate the technology to a language consumers feel comfortable with."

So, how do you think the Microsoft Guru program will work out? For your chance to sound off, see us after the jump.   

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windows, microsoft, operating system, Windows Vista, retail, Microsoft Gurus

Posted 08/17/08 at 05:52:07 PM by Pulkit Chandna

A survey conducted by Ziff Davis Enterprise Research has revealed that 72% of the enterprises plan to abstain from Windows Vista despite the release of Service Pack 1. This comes at a time when most analysts expect enterprises to adopt Vista en masse.

Vista almost seems to be an anathema, for about 3/4th of the enterprises are so unequivocal in their dislike for Vista that they don’t even intend to adopt the OS three years down the line. Around 28% envisage a move to the OS anywhere between late 2008 and 2010. Half of those surveyed are not fazed by the end of XP’s retail sales and OEM distribution.

Lesson for Microsoft: The Mojave Experiment hasn’t been able to fool incredulous enterprises and it's time that MS devoted more time to addressing Vista’s glaring performance issues. Address their grievances, the tide will surely turn.

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microsoft, Software, Windows Vista, OS, Microsoft Windows XP, SP1, OEM, service pack 1, survey, retail, enterprises, adoption

Posted 07/18/08 at 12:28:56 PM by Paul Lilly

The average user would never dream of paying four figures for a processor, and even today's $1,500 budget boxes can end up being very capable rigs with the right parts selection. Even still, there exists a market for high-end silicon, and Intel's Extreme series always command a premium. But this time around, Intel might be looking to give enthusiasts a break.

Rumor has it that Intel will serve up its delicious 3.2GHz Extreme series Bloomfield processor at just $999 in thousand-unit tray quantities.  While that might not appear to be a bargain at first glance, it's a full $500 cheaper compared to the current cream of the crop, the Core 2 Extreme QX9700. If the rumor holds true, the new pricing will mark a return to the way Intel used to price its flagship Extreme model.

Intel is also expected to introduce a performance chip clocked at 2.93GHz at a much easier to swallow $562 price point, and a mainstream model at 2.66GHz for $284.

For those that haven't been following, Intel's much anticipated Bloomfield (Nehalem) processors will introduce a new socket with 1366 pins and finally bring an integrated memory controller to the table. 

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intel, cpu, processor, nehalem, hardware, rumor, build a rig, bloomfield, 3.2GHz, proc, retail, 1366, integrated memory controller