microsoft store

Microsoft has revealed the entire list of pop-up stores (or holiday stores) it plans to open throughout North America this coming holiday season. It's a positive sign to see Microsoft build a larger retail presence to combat its main competitor - Apple. 32 stores will open up shop in 20 US states, as well as shops in British Columbia, Toronto, and Alberta, Canada. 

With the imminent release of Windows 8, coupled with new Office, Surface tablets and Windows Phone hardware, there's plenty of opportunity for Microsoft to build on its branding revamp to a more simplistic and modern feel. It's a common thought that Microsoft has almost become a new company to what consumers have grown accustomed to.

This morning in Boston, Microsoft dropped the curtain on their latest store at the Prudential Center to a massive crowd, loudly celebrating the grand opening. 

Considered to be one of their new flagship stores (located very closely Apple), the Boston Microsoft Store managed to garner a large crowd who cheered the countdown and opening--certainly exciting to see. In addition to the new store, Microsoft of course also showed their new company logo.

Windows Phone developer Lance McCarthy was on hand to video the unveiling and it is certainly thrilling to see. It looks like Microsoft has some fans, after all. Thanks, Lance, for the video!

Update from Pulse: "We have been prioritizing web and updating iOS and Android platforms and will look at the Windows phone in the near future. In the meantime, can we persuade you to check out the web app on a desktop platform." In other words, Pulse for Windows Phone looks to be dead for now.

Yet another mystery has fallen on Windows Phone users as the popular Pulse newsreader app has disappeared from the Store. We’ve reached out to the Pulse team for an answer on the matter and will update accordingly.

Recently, the company launched a very snazzy web-based version of their service that is really a sight to behold. The service now syncs between your web version and the app, allowing seamless management of your feeds and news. Unfortunately, any mention of Windows Phone has all be been erased from their site...

Microsoft is set to unveil a number of holiday retail stores including Manhattan in New York City, according to a handful of published job listings. We previously looked at a number of potential locations for Microsoft stores in an unofficial list, but it's good to see evidence of actual positions at future stores open up.

For those looking for one heck of a deal, you may want to consider heading the online Microsoft Store for that Nokia Lumia 800 entertainment bundle. We first reported on this a few months ago where the four-part package fetched for $899.  No doubt a bit pricey but how does $599 sound?

To refresh your memory, the Nokia entertainment bundle comes with a Lumia800 (black or magenta) which is unlocked and tuned for AT&T’s 3G frequencies. You also get the Play 360 which is a portable, high-fidelity speaker that will allow you to stream your Lumia’s music via Bluetooth (and it has NFC for the future too). To top it off, you get a swanky Nokia Purity HD headset by Monster which for home use is an outstanding choice (they’re over the ear, so not as portable as the in-ear solution) and a Nokia Luna Bluetooth headset (reveiw). 

The Play 360 ($150), Luna BT headset ($79) and Purity HD headset ($200) means you’re getting an unlocked Lumia 800 for just $170 which is pretty awesome if you ask us. We of course have a few Lumia 800s here but they have Euro bands making them less than optimal for use on AT&T. Because of that, we’re seriously contemplating throwing down some cash on this bad boy package. We do dearly love our Lumia 900 but the 800 is really the apex of design with the curved screen—truly a great phone.

The Lumia 800 features a 3.7” Super AMOLED screen with ClearBlack, 16GB of storage and an 8MP camera. It’s a solid phone and if 4G LTE is nowhere near you and you don’t use the somewhat gimmicky front-facing camera, picking up the 800 contract-free is a solid option.

We think this drop actually happened a few weeks ago but regardless, head over to the Microsoft Store to take a look. Remember, only black and magenta are available. For those curious, the "magenta" for the Lumia 800 is much more red than pink--it's okay for you guys too. And no, Amazon surprisingly has not yet matched this price but we’ll keep a watch if that happens. Thanks, Blitz_Empire, for the tip

Microsoft is set to open a new store at Westchester in New York, and according to the construction manager on-site it's set to open "very soon" indeed. We've previously looked at an unofficial list of Microsoft Stores that are to be revealed in the states and the software giant has also recently opened a store in Freehold, NY.

New York Metro has a job listing for a Retail Store Teacher position at the Westchester store, should you be interested in such a career with the software giant. More information will be published when the store is open and ready for business, so stay tuned and take a look at the above photo of the retail store under construction.

Thanks, Sean, for the heads up!

The new Microsoft Store in Danbury Fair mall, Danbury, CT

Microsoft is really on a roll with these official Store openings, no doubt they are in a rush to get them open in time for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 this fall. 

The latest is the Danbury Fair mall in Danbury, Connecticut. The store has been under construction since May and now not only are they throwing their doors open at 9:30am tomorrow but at 6pm, they're hosting a concert in the parking lot with an expected 2,000 people in attendance.

Who's playing? Young the Giant with "reggae-flavored rock group" O.A.R. headlining. Not bad, not bad at all.

Microsoft is also donating $1 million in software to the local chapter of Junior Achievement which adds a nice touch. The store is on the 2nd floor of the Danbury Fair mall, located between Lady Footlocker and, we're not kidding, MetroPark. Booya.

​If you feel like going, may we suggest you get there early in the morning to get your wristbands. The first 200 in line on the grand opening morning will receive two premiere viewing tickets/wristbands for the concert later that night. 

We've been promised some photos and report from reader Nicholas R. (who also sent the above shot back in May), so hopefully we can show that this weekend sometime. Either way, this is hands down one of the biggest store openings for Microsoft yet. Feels good, man. Feels good.

Click here to see the unofficial/official list of upcoming Microsoft Stores. Edit: Looks like they're also opening in Toronto, Canada, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Core Madera, CA too. (Thanks, Travis)

Source: NewsTimes, Nicholas R.

According to a report over on El Nuevo Dia, Microsoft is set to open up an store in Puerto Rico by the end of 2012. The new store is planned for Plaza las Americas, a sizeable shopping complex located on the island.  

The software giant is also opening up new stores across the states, at locations including Boston and Orlando. Here's hoping they'll continue to expand beyond the borders, and maybe plonk one in merry ol' London to enjoy the constant downpour.

Source: El Nuevo Dia, via: MiWindowsPhone; thanks, Edwin, for the tip!

With the announcement of a new Microsoft Store being built for Boston, lots of our readers anxiously await to see if Redmond will be coming to their areas soon. While Microsoft does not pre-announce these stores too far in advance, one way you can easily figure out is by simply looking up where they are hiring.

Yup, on the Microsoft Store Careers site they have many positions open and looking to be filled. What's more, these jobs are in cities not yet announced (but you can bet they will be soon). So, are you lucky?

We are. A store is opening in Huntington Station, NY, most likely at the Walt Whitman Mall. What else is at that shopping center? Why one the busiest Apple stores in New York (besides the Manhattan store). It certainly appears that Microsoft is gunning for Cupertino on their own turf and we'll be there to cover it.

Without further ado, the unofficial Microsoft Store list as compiled by reader Travis:

• White Plains, NY
• Huntington Station, NY
• Newark, DE
• Overland Park, KS
• Salem, NH
• Orlando, FL
• Arlington, VA
• Bridgewater, NJ (Bridgewater Commons)
• Freehold, NJ (Raceway Mall)
• Danbury, CT (Danbury Fair Mall)

Great to see the East coast finally getting some stores. Celebrate in comments. Thanks, Travis B., for the list; Image via the Denver Post