future shop

Well I went to FutureShop expecting more of the same old same old and I wasn't disappointed :-). Cleaner lines and better organized stuff but really not much different. Oh well.

Here's what I want: a store staffed by people who are all like the "Apple Geniuses" i.e. if I am looking for an iPhone lanyard strap, I could talk to an iPhone expert, if I am looking for a washing machine, I could talk to an washing machine expert. And there would be WiFi and computers so I could do my research in-house. I'd rather queue for somebody who knows what they are talking about than have to deal with three friendly people who don't.

I don't really enjoy dealing with staff who obviously don't have any product knowledge or who know less that what a Google Search would reveal. Unfortunately that's the norm for stores like these.

However, I am dreaming I know. I'll settle for a staff that isn't afraid to admit they know less than the customer and who are charming and friendly without being overly so.

And if anybody knows where I can get a lanyard case for an iPhone 3G, please leave a comment!

UPDATE: Vincent Janelle says that it could be that the Eye-Fi card is not approved by the CRTC.  Thanks Vince!

I am going on Darren's client Future Shop's blogger opening tonight and I know it's off topic but I have a question for Future Shop buyers: Why don't you sell the cool gadgets? Like the Eye-Fi card which IMHO is mass market (and to my knowledge has been available in the USA for over 6 months but is still unavailable from Canadian mass market retailers)  but still cool?

I have always loved gadgets. Ever since I have been a kid back in the 1970s I have been buying (via mail order) gadgets that were unavailable in Canada. Things are better now, since we have E-Bay (which I loathe, but that's another blog post) but we are still behind. Perhaps somebody should open up a retail version of TigerDirect.ca? I'd pay a premium to touch and feel cool gadgets that aren't officially available in Canada and to buy them immediately without suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous duty, mail order, e-bay and other annoying things like that.

Had a great time at the HD debate betwen Amber MacArthur and Leo Laporte moderated by Tod Maffin at Future Shop (Dave Olson's perspectives, Miss 604's liveblogging, Derek's pictures, Smith's photos; check out the awesome definitely NOT HD video from the N93 after the jump). Herewith some random observations:

1. Broadcast stuff is not for me. I'll keep my 4 free channels via my rabbit ears and keep randomly watching TV when I feel like until I am forced to trade to digital.
2. I'd much prefer to download a non DRMed video from Apple or wherever with or without ads (especially if those ads were tailored to me and why shouldn't they be! I like ads about stuff I care about like digital cameras, family stuff, decent local non franchise restaurants, etc not about stuff like A&W or Tim Horton's or other not so great stuff) and I'd pay something reasonable like $0.99 for an episode without ads
3. For sports events like hockey games, I'd prefer to stream over the internet again with ads I care about or $0.99 (or something reasonable) without ads
4. Cable TV or TV from a t*lco is not in my future unless I become a millionaire because their "bundles" of channels are not how I watch stuff nor are they what I want to watch
5. HDMI and HDCP s*ck; why bother? Like all DRM infested stuff, a total waste of time
6. High resolution LCD wide screen monitors for my computer that double as TVs are my future; like Amber, I like Samsung (I am writing this on a 22 inch Samsung widescreen)

Intro

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4