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July 23 My dream Microsoft StoreI’m quite certain many of you have already heard about Microsoft’s plans to open actual retail stores this fall. I’d like to say I think that’s an awesome idea. There have been some critics in the comments section of the articles I’ve read, that claim this is a wasted venture; because they think Microsoft’s main products (Windows and Office) and a few other things would make a pretty weak store that probably will fail. Also, because it’s Microsoft, the store will be a bad copy of the Apple Store and such. A Microsoft retail store might fail if the honchos at Redmond make a messy attempt at doing a direct retail experience. If they make a store that’s very similar to the Sony Style store, it probably won’t last. Here’s ways how MS could probably fail:
So with that said, I’m hoping Microsoft retail stores won’t be like that. Instead, I envision these store to be something like this: I’d like to see it be called something nice and simple. The Microsoft Store or MicroStore would be pretty good. I like MicroStore better because it sounds more original and easier to say. The theme or style of the place should be sleek and modern, because Microsoft is a tech company. I’d like to see black walls, brushed aluminum accents, prevalent blue background lighting, lots of white martini lights, shelves and racks made of light wood, beanbags, plush stools and ottomans, engraved steel signage, and maybe some posters on the wall. HDTV’s will be displayed in parts of the store describing the features and benefits of the product, as well as perhaps tips and how-to guides. The store should be divided into the following zones with each purpose:
I’d also like to see Microsoft Surface tables that can showcase pretty much all products and services that Microsoft offers (with tips and how-to guides of course), Microsoft Research projects, upcoming product/services, a history timeline of Microsoft Corp. etc. This stuff will help offer an interactive showcase for Microsoft to display to potential users. It would be also cool if Microsoft had some holographic projector thing, displaying holograms of Bill Gates or a hardware product or whatever. Employees should wear something more professional than just T-shirts, but not too classy. Employees should also carry tablet PCs too so they can look up information if a customer would like to know more, and maybe they can even scan credit cards right there on the spot for purchases. It'd also be awesome if there OLED screens across the wall and stuff. Displaying lots of graphics, pictures and stuff relating to Microsoft. Workshops or cheap training courses could also be offered in a quieter area of the store, or a separate room and people can attend them. Please Microsoft, do NOT plaster a bazillion stock photos of smiling people all over the store. It's so annoying. I'd rather see more products and software than the people that use them. Also, NO dropping too much 'marketing buzzwords' such as 'connection' 'experience' etc. It just looks cheesy. So I would love to see Microsoft stores giving users and customers a more direct way of interacting with Microsoft, and maybe creating fans if it works out well. I can’t wait. Expect them in major cities this fall. July 20 The Future: Shift from Suburban to UrbanI predict that the ideal suburban life that Americans have been dreaming and living upon for a century, may eventually die out someday. The traditional idea of the suburban lifestyle is that the suburbs offer a wonderful choice for a middle-class person that wants a nice bigger home to live and raise a family in, easy to drive around, some greenery, an oasis away from the dirty busy city, and friendly neighbors and such. Or for wealthy people, the suburbs offer a place to have a big sprawling estate, ritzy McMansions, and not be too far from downtown or the central business district. You know, have easy convenience to needs, but can get away from the city. The lower class has pretty much the same ideals as the middle class regarding suburbs. However, having experience living in the suburbs outside of NW Houston myself, I know that these ideals are quickly dying out. The American dream that suburbs are the place to live, is quickly getting outdated. I’ve noticed these common misconceptions about suburbs that are not usually true to this day:
These are just the general discrepancies I notice in how people view the suburbs, and then the reality of how it actually is, or will at some point be. I noticed this poll on SocialVibe earlier this year, and it seem that more youths are also seeing the plus side of living in the city, or even the country. In this poll, it appears that suburbs are the least popular. Of course, this is not a scientific poll of any type, but it does seem like a good indicator of the trends I’m expecting to happen within the next few decades. I expect this to become a trend; Americans becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the suburban lifestyle, amid fuel prices, general goods, and utilities spiking up. You can try to make a suburban house more ‘greener’ and try to consume less, but at some point, it’s going to become too much. Either the suburbs will have to be redesigned from the ground up, or there will be a mass migration to the city or the country. Here are the scenarios that I think may happen: SCENARIO 1: Suburbs are redesigned for the 21st century (Sophisticated modern townhome style with parking garages underground) This is a more likely scenario, as us Americans will always still want larger houses to raise families in, and buy and store lots of junk, but that’s how it may probably be. The best way for this scenario to work would be:
That’s pretty much how I expect suburbs to adapt to America’s new desires in Scenario 1. Basically, the suburbs will be more of a mixture between a small town and a city. It would be at a level of density that has the familiarity and quaintness of a small town, but dense enough where you can have access to some of the many conveniences urban dwellers have. An ideal city in Scenario 1 would be just like this. Examples of such places are:
SCENARIO 2: Suburbs die out, become slummy and slowly disappear This is a more extreme scenario in which suburbanites totally drop the suburban concept for either the urban or country living. How? Well since Americans still have some strange fondness for suburban sprawl, I guess it would take sharp rising fuel prices, a housing bubble, downfalls of a car lifestyle are more perceptible, among other things that will cause a major exodus in suburbanites moving towards the cities, and maybe some to the countryside. The transition won’t be easy. Despite the downfalls to suburbs, these suburbanites also see cities as having downfalls too, particularly if they want/have a family and don’t think urban-areas are ‘family-friendly’ enough. Common fears of suburbanites of the city are:
All of those reasons should be non-issues by now. Why? Well I’d like to counteract by saying that:
So how’s this going to even be possible? Let’s say that a good amount of suburbanites are interested in moving to the urban area of the city, but they want city conditions to be better. Local officials in government take notice of this and start on making plans to help this happen. Why? Getting suburbanites moving into urban areas will help make government work more efficiently, and it will help with the local tax base in revitalizing and improving areas. The government sets up a special ‘suburbanite’ zone within the city; an area designated as a transition site for suburbanites to live, and maybe even work and play within the city. The government will try to encourage developers with incentives or tax breaks to build more affordable housing that would suit middle-class suburbanites such as townhomes, luxury condo/apartment buildings, etc. The government will also pump some money into the schools in that zone to quickly transform them into more top-notch ones, similar in quality to the schools that exist in suburbs. Also, to discourage habitual suburbanites from turning to their cars to commute around the city, the transportation department will definitely work on making the zone as pedestrian friendly as possible, include quality mass transit, and bike lanes. This is called gentrification, though in my scenario, this is gentrification implemented more heavily throught the government. (monorail provides a nice and efficient alternative transportation for former suburbanites to use) Now you may think that’s pretty unfair, that the government is pumping money into this zone for the middle class, rather than helping the poorer classes that need it more. But it’s not as bad as one may think. Trying to increase density in an area, especially with middle class citizens, will greatly help the tax base in this zone. Since middle class citizens pay higher taxes compared to the lower class, the tax base will have more sufficient money to keep schools, public parks, street maintenance and other things in tip-top shape. Most of these developments, at least the once that took that government’s tax breaks or incentives, are required to have a certain number of units set aside for the lower class, so that the lower class aren’t completely kicked out of this zone. The lower class may not like the idea of having their building or apartments torn down in place for ‘progress’ to happen. Even if they’re promised that it’s only temporarily or that the government will help find other housing places, it still feels bad. The idea behind the ‘suburbanite’ zone isn’t necessarily to kick out the lower class, but to help revitalize and improve the area by putting in more people and businesses that have the wealth to support the tax base so that revitalization and improvements in the area are made possible financially. So while the zone progresses, and more and more suburbanites move in and become city dwellers, suburbs dramatically get worse. Lots of houses are up on the block, businesses are disappearing, and not many people who are interested are willing to pay the same price for a declining suburban area. Eventually, the owners will probably sell it for much less than they hoped for, but at least they are rid of it. More or less likely, poorer citizens who may have been displaced by gentrification will move out here. Why? These are probably people who have already dreamed of living the American Dream, and owning (or renting if owners are that desperate) a house will come true for many. These houses left behind be more spacious than where they had lived previously (most likely an apartment or tiny cottage) and with former suburbanites willing to go for lower just to get rid of the place, the American Dream is accomplished not so difficultly as they’d expected. At this point, you’ve got two major transitions: The middle class moving into the cities, and the lower class moving into the suburbs. So what about the upper class? Most likely they’re still clinging onto their estates, or they already also have a fancy penthouse/condo/townhome in the city so they’re not really that worried. Though they might give up the estate if desperate measures are needed. Let’s speed it up by 15 years. By now, the urban area has transformed into a much more vibrant and hip area to really live, work, and play in. With many wealthier citizens to help with the tax base, the public school system continues to be superb with a focus on more green mega-schools, parks are complimented with many nice features, and streets feel safer and are much cleaner as automobile use dwindles and people get used to alternative transit. Businesses are booming as lots of foot traffic encourages citizens to go about the city leisurely and citizens actually take a notice to stores and businesses they pass by. Living, working, and playing IN the city has finally became a reality once again. Suburbs on the other hand, aren’t doing so great. The poor continue to occupy most homes and businesses, and you can really see how slummy the area has gotten. Schools sadly have inevitably become worse, businesses are not doing so well, roads are filled with litter, and even the poor that live out here have gotten tired of this. Many teenagers with poor parenting are off in their ratty cars speeding about, doing crimes and drugs, and making the area worse. Yards are poorly maintained and appear ugly, though a good number of people are trying to be sustainable by growing their own food in the backyard (as well as some livestock…). Graffiti that was once common in inner cities are now seen on more fence posts, garages, and even more buildings. The majority of the lower class, no matter where they live, will continue to exercise the same type of careless attitude to their local place. Shacks and trailers pop up among the land, and wildfires from cigarettes are pretty common. The police and fire departments have a hard time protecting and enforcing such a spread out area with rapid crime soaring. (empty stores in an aging strip mall) (abandoned store) (senseless litter) Eventually, the government steps in, and starts to work on fixing the suburbs. The best way to fix this problem? Demolish and destroy suburban sprawl once and for all. The government sets up a special area for these lower class ‘suburbanites’ along the edge of the city. Developers are encouraged to build nice, affordable apartment towers for these citizens to move into. To ensure less crime and mayhem from these folks, the government will try employ its best methods to keep this group happy. The government will try its best to make give schools, clinics, and other institutions in this area better teachers and materials so these kids can really learn. Great after-school activities will be offered so kids have something productive to do. Police will be able to patrol the area easier to remind people who’s in charge. Civic responsibility will increase through special programs. Hopefully the lower class will become better. At the same time, the government will work on taking down suburbs. New development outside of city limits will be banned, unless given special permission (like a fueling station for automobiles) or it takes place within a nearby town’s city limits. Lower class citizens are encouraged to move into the new lower-class suburbanite zone, with a certificate for a whole year’s free rent plus a chance to enter in contests to win new appliances and such. Those that choose to still remain (a good number of them are middle class folks who never wanted to leave) are left at their own risk. Crews will salvage parts from houses and demolish the rest of the structure, so people cannot move in or lay low in abandoned dwellings. Eventually a good number of houses and strip malls will disappear. Suburban houses or strip malls rarely ever qualify for becoming a “National Historic Landmark”, and the fact that it’s not really great architecture, will have very few protests from people if any at all. A good number of places will probably be converted for the federal government to use. Like for instance, a couple of streets may be preserved to house citizens under the Witness Protection Program. These citizens can live in a quiet underground community with other witnesses that they can relate to. The government may even construct large nuclear fallout shelters to house citizens in the case a nuclear attack is imminent. Or converting a large strip mall and its parking lot into a place to park military vehicles and have some military offices. The people who continue to insist living in the suburbs will be rather depressed, and may eventually move to the cities. In the end, the American Dream has become the American Wasteland. Well “American Wasteland” could apply to the present as well… Anyhow, that’s how I predict suburbs in the future will be like. Suburbs will truly adapt and change, or they just die out. Either way, the current way suburbs are now most likely won’t last the whole century. Here are some links worth checking out: Claims suburbs will never die - http://www.newgeography.com/content/00300-the-future-suburbs-suburbs-are-future Viewpoint similar to Scenario 1 - http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/02/the_future_of_the_suburbs.php Viewpoints similar to Scenario 2 - http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200803/subprime Growing poverty in American suburbs - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16077694/ Feel free to comment and correct me on any mistakes you find. I’d love to hear feedback. July 17 MSN finally tries to show itself on social sites and RSS feedsI noticed this ad on Windows Live Profile today: I know RSS has been available on MSN for awhile now, but Twitter and Facebook? They might as well also hit MySpace, Reddit, and other sites too. I would like to say I’m shocked it took this long, but considering how long it’s taken MSN to do other things, well it’s not much of a surprise anymore. I clicked on the ad, and got this site, where it showed what types of MSN content were available on Twitter, Facebook, and RSS: As you can tell, this site wasn’t made that perfectly, because when I hovered over “MSN Movies” under the Facebook section, not headlines or anything showed up. Just a plain blue rectangle. Same for all the other MSN on Facebook links. Even when I refreshed the page, there was still nothing. I’m running this in IE8 by the way, and even did Compatibility Mode, but nada. MSN still has some work to do on improving their sites… At least it’s nice to see them catching up some more. |
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