Random prize: Send us your local Apple Store Network screengrabs and get a free iTunes gift card

Man, it’s hard to find free help these days! I wanted to check out the amount and kinds of computers on display at various Apple Stores across the country, and figured the best way would be to ask Apple Store shoppers to send me screengrabs of the “Shared” window on whatever computer they were using. [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Random prize: Send us your local Apple Store Network screengrabs and get a free iTunes gift card", url: "http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1413" });

Plano Texas Apple Store evacuated for bomb scare during iPhone launch

Well, the Plano Texas Apple Store has officially won the coveted 2008 “Worst iPhone Activation Experience” Award. While various Apple stores have all had their fair share of activation problems/server outages this morning, the launch at the Plano Texas Apple Store in particular deserves special mention. Faithful Macenstein reader Trish tells us that in addition [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Plano Texas Apple Store evacuated for bomb scare during iPhone launch", url: "http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1491" });

Fort Worth University Park Village Apple Store almost there

The picture above is not the actual Fort Worth University Park Apple Store, but we presume it'll look something like this when it opens later this month. Our Twitter buddy Jamie Phelps says that "the innards are finished" and the store should be open within the next week or so. If you were on our last Talkcast, you know how wildly interesting it is to see an Apple Store opening (our own Robert Palmer attended one just last week), so keep an eye on this one, Texans.Of course, we should mention that as incredibly awesome as our readers are, they are not always trustworthy when it comes to Apple Store news. Our good friend Ged Maheux kindly tipped us a little while ago about an Apple Store opening near him in Greensboro ... which then turned out to be a Williams Sonoma instead (the Apple Store is still opening there, but not until next year). We love our readers -- more than is socially accepted in some parts of the world, really -- but as always, take their Apple Store tips with a requisite grain of salt. Permalink | Email this | Comments

What’s the best way to get kicked out of an Apple Store?

Section: Apple, Apple News, Retail & Apple Store, Software + Apps, Games, Third-Party, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & AppsWhat happened? Four teens in Palo Alto have been officially banned from all Apple Stores. How long? Forever. Wow, let’s just take a moment to consider how hard that must be… Alright, time’s up. The reason for this banishment according to the Palo Alto Daily News is that the teens downloaded an unnoficial, third party car racing game called Raging Thunder at Apple’s University Avenue Store.  After being detained for two and half hours, the teens were supposedly told they were not ever welcome in another Apple Store. That’s harsh, but what do the teens have to say? “I can’t walk down University Avenue without going in there,” said senior Daniel Fukuba. “I’ll have to get a friend to buy stuff for me, like a drug deal.” “We thought that it was completely harmless,” Eric Vicenti said “I’m not going to take it out on Steve Jobs or anything.” However, some questions still remain. Have you ever played Raging Thunder, and is it worth getting kicked out of an Apple Store? Why was Apple so harsh to these teens when I’m sure it has happened at other Apple Stores all over the world? Are they seriously banned forever? Let us know what you think of all this. Via [Palo Alto Daily News] Full Story » | Written by Josh Holat for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

The indestructible Apple Store?

Apple opened its first brick-and-mortar stores in 2001 and hasn’t looked back since. Philip Michaels considers some of the reasons for Apple’s successful retail expansion.

Apple Stores for Calgary, Honolulu, Geneva, Bristol

This week marks a slew of Apple Store openings, as Israel's first Apple Store opened Sunday, Geneva and Bristol open Thursday, Friday sees Zurich's Glattzentrum shopping center open and Honolulu's third store arrives Saturday alongside Calgary. Geneva opens four days earlier than originally predicted, and will be located on the Rue de Rive. Geneva and Zurich's Glattzentrum are the second and third...