Apple's First Store in Ginza/Second in Osaka

[Steve Bildermann]

[GomiGirl]

Giving away T-shirts?? Why can't they give away something useful.. like a G5???

[cstaylor]

I hear they'll be doing repairs in 48 hours... now that's worth a trip to Ginza...

[Caustic Saint]

Well, the store has opened - and was packed on opening day. Check out the photos in Apple's gallery.

I must admit, it's one very nice looking store.

[Taro Toporific]

Well, the store has opened - and was packed on opening day. Check out the photos in Apple's gallery.
I must admit, it's one very nice looking store.

Yep, even NHK mentioned the crowding problems and foot traffic jam in Ginza last Sunday. Five stories of fun, free net cafe, and theater. NHK also mentioned that they provide service in 9 languages. As I said before, the squeaky Japanese girl they have answering the store's phone is good at tech questions in English besides giggling in French and Japanese.

[Caustic Saint]

Five stories of fun, free net cafe, and theater. NHK also mentioned that they provide service in 9 languages. As I said before, the squeaky Japanese girl they have answering the store's phone is good at tech questions in English besides giggling in French and Japanese.

Well, since it's more of a local call for you than me, can you find out how long it'd take for them to build-to-order a G4 iBook with a 60Gb drive and an Airport Extreme card?

If nothing new/cool/impressive gets announced at MacWorld SF in January, I may just pick one of those up when I'm in town. The price is certainly right at 145,400yen, I just wonder how quickly they can put one together for somebody who's only in town for a short visit.

(Apple Korea's become a bit of a joke as far as the supply of the 12" G4 iBook is concerned. None in stock, no word on availability and no build-to-order options even if they did have them.)

[Taro Toporific]

...good at tech questions in English besides giggling in French and Japanese.

Well, since it's more of a local call for you than me, can you find out how long it'd take for them to build-to-order a G4 iBook with a 60Gb drive and an Airport Extreme card?

It's 145,000yen and it's in stock.
Airport card can be done in-store, the 60Gb drive takes 4-5 working days if the store tech guys are busy. Right now the Airport card and 60Gb drive can be done in-store since the tech guys are, and I quote Squeeky-chan, "sleeping in the back on top of the foam peanuts."

[Caustic Saint]

It's 145,000yen and it's in stock.
Airport card can be done in-store, the 60Gb drive takes 4-5 working days if the store tech guys are busy. Right now the Airport card and 60Gb drive can be done in-store since the tech guys are, and I quote Squeeky-chan, "sleeping in the back on top of the foam peanuts."

WAAAAHHHHH!!!

No fair. Your country is cooler than mine.

(Fucking Apple Korea. )

[Taro Toporific]

Giving away T-shirts?? Why can't they give away something useful.. like a G5???

These people seemed to think the line was worth it...

Title: Longest Line
Location: Ginza Apple Store (Tokyo)
Director: Masanori Fukumoto
Date: Sunday, November 30, 2003
Description: Be sure to watch the whole thing, it's truly UNBELIEVABLE
WARNING: 38 MB Quicktime file
http://homepage.mac.com/hsk/applejapan.html

[masaka___]

That line is ridiculous (and I'm not even half-way through the video).
Crazy.

Apple ain't that cool.

[Caustic Saint]

Giving away T-shirts?? Why can't they give away something useful.. like a G5???

These people seemed to think the line was worth it...

Title: Longest Line
Location: Ginza Apple Store (Tokyo)
Director: Masanori Fukumoto
Date: Sunday, November 30, 2003
Description: Be sure to watch the whole thing, it's truly UNBELIEVABLE
WARNING: 38 MB Quicktime file
http://homepage.mac.com/hsk/applejapan.html

That's nuckin' futs!

And people actually go to the end of a line that long? With as many streets as it crosses it'd be easy enough to cut in line. Or would that be disturbing the wa?

[GomiGirl]

And people actually go to the end of a line that long? With as many streets as it crosses it'd be easy enough to cut in line. Or would that be disturbing the wa?

Standing in line is the national pastime!! I am sure that often people don't know what they are lining up for, they just jump in th queue..

I know people that will wait in line for 2 hours to eat at a "famous" stand up noodle shop.

But Apple is THAT cool and if I wasn't studying that day I would have joined in the fun.

I wonder how many people were carrying their Newtons? (Believe it or not, it is still really popular here.)

[Steve Bildermann]

wonder how many people were carrying their Newtons?

I for one am always very careful with my newtons. Especially in the cold weather.

[hyogojoe]

I considered going to the Big Stink for the opening, but in the end I was too busy. But someone said Steve Jobs was there and mentioned the Kansai store would open "late next year" so I 'spect I'll be there for that.

I visited the NYC store last Oct.--very nice but I couldn't spend the time I wanted hanging out....

hyogojoe

[Molokidan]

Dear lord. . .I can't believe those people!!! I mean, 1000th from the top was only like halfway through the entire line. That's ridiculous!! I even saw some kids standing there with their insane parents. .I feel bad for them!

[Caustic Saint]

Dear lord. . .I can't believe those people!!! I mean, 1000th from the top was only like halfway through the entire line. That's ridiculous!! I even saw some kids standing there with their insane parents. .I feel bad for them!

But...but...they were giving out free t-shirts!!! Don't you get it?!?



There may be something akin to that (though I'm guessing nowhere near as big) if the miniPods debut next week (as rumored).

I'll be going there in 3 weeks to pick up a spiffy new iBook. Hopefully there won't be any crazy lines that day.

[GuyJean]

Apple's Osaka Retail Store to Sport Suspended Spiral Saircase
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=432

Apple Computer is proceeding with plans to open its second store in Japan in Osaka during the fall of 2004. The flagship store will be large enough to sport a number of architectural advancements that won't be found in any of the company's U.S. locations, sources tell AppleInsider...

The Osaka location is reportedly spacious enough to allow Apple to adorn the store with a wide, spiral staircase that otherwise would not be ideal in its North American stores. According to sources, the stairs will mostly consist of glass panels, while the stringers (the sides of the stairs that hold up the treads) will likely act as primary support for the structure.

Current plans indicate that the staircase will descend from the second story, suspended from its landing at the top. "The structure will not reach the floor below, and instead will be suspended off the first floor by the height of one riser, completely hung from the floor above," one insider said. "You couldn't really do a staircase exactly like this in most parts of the US because in most jurisdictions there, you can't have open risers on your stairs any more due to life safety codes."

Wonder if it'll have revolving doors from Mori...

GJ

[Taro Toporific]

Apple's Osaka Retail Store to Sport Suspended Spiral Saircasehttp://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=432

.... According to sources, the stairs will mostly consist of glass panels... "You couldn't really do a staircase exactly like this in most parts of the US because in most jurisdictions there, you can't have open risers on your stairs any more due to life safety codes."

DIE, DIE, you handicapped geek Taro
(Stairs without risers eat my crutches. Ah, I gues it's the freight elevator for me. The Ginza Apple Store has been testing voice activated doors on their elevator: the elevator voice the replies in "Fred" not "Victoria" in English, go figure.)

[mr. sparkle]

aaaiight--location for mr. sparkle's dog and donkey show!

[Taro Toporific]