Google's first ever high street store opens in London

[HEXUS]

Situated on Tottenham Court Road, the debut store showcases hardware and apps.

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[shaithis]

As much as I like google, I can't get excited about this at all.....in fact, even when I moved to London 16 years ago - before the internet exploded - I found the "famous" TCR to be rather underwhelming for buying tech gear.....I can only imagine what it's like now-a-days.

How many stores can people walk into and pick up a plethora of android phones?

[aniilv]

I wonder if I buy something in there will I receive same ignorant treatment from customer support as with online purchases?

[Dooms]

Big Google/Android fan here but I do find this store kind of pointless. They don't have many devices of note and the turn around with new chromebooks is so quick I doubt they would hold much stock?

Either way I suppose its existence doesn't effect me negatively and I'll prob pop my head in next time I'm down that way just to see whats what

[JoeOfJoedonia]

Maybe they will have QR codes for apps to buy online!

[abaxas]

But google is like apple if you remove every business ethic there is.

[tomthum]

What they selling "SPYWARE"

[ed^chigliak]

Rock up with cash, no phone and no ID of any kind. Just stand there and soak up the relative anonymousness of it all.

If you go back a 2nd time remember to a wear balaclava, gloves, sun glasses and refrain from talking to staff. Try to adopt a different gait when you walk around the store.

Google can probably track you by odour or something wierd in which case you might need to do what dogs do in this situation ie roll in cow poo or a dead hedghog to disguise your scent and if possible approach the store from down wind.

Alternatively you can stay in the privacy of your own home and surf the internet.

[shaithis]

What they selling "SPYWARE"

So because android currently doesn't support updates in the sense that most people are used to, google are selling spyware?

If you want to tout that rubbish, at least blame it on the handset manufacturers who know it's their problem to rollout the updates for their handsets.

[peterb]

What they selling "SPYWARE"

Yawn.

[abaxas]

We all know google try and lock people into an ecosystem to track/datamine them.

That is their business model.

[Jowsey]

Rock up with cash, no phone and no ID of any kind. Just stand there and soak up the relative anonymousness of it all.

If you go back a 2nd time remember to a wear balaclava, gloves, sun glasses and refrain from talking to staff. Try to adopt a different gait when you walk around the store.

Google can probably track you by odour or something wierd in which case you might need to do what dogs do in this situation ie roll in cow poo or a dead hedghog to disguise your scent and if possible approach the store from down wind.

Alternatively you can stay in the privacy of your own home and surf the internet.

...what?...

On topic, kind of academic for me, living in the Newcastle (or as any southern will tell you, "Scotland....right?") so I'll probably never visit it. It's very clear what it's there for though. They don't anticipate huge sales from it I would imagine, they are just trying to 'appear' to be a like for like competitor for Apple. Because as it stands I know a lot of people who's first contract phone was a 16th birthday gift, and it was an iPhone because mam and dad had seen it advertised, and since then have always bought iPhones so they've never not had an iPhone.

[Brian224]

On topic, kind of academic for me, living in the Newcastle (or as any southern will tell you, "Scotland....right?")...

Try being a Man of Kent living in Hebburn and constantly being told that you are a Cockney

[.havoc]

Try being a Man of Kent living in Hebburn and constantly being told that you are a Cockney

Wait...you're not a cockney?

[edzieba]

Annoying there seems to be no official announcement anywhere, and no mention of the all important information for a physical store: the opening hours!

[Raz316]

*Walk through door, bell chimes and assistant walks towards you*
Hi there I'm wondering if you s
SOLVE CRIMES?
No I'm wondering if you se
SEPARATE THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF?
No please, let me finish, do you sel
SELECT ONLY THE FINEST INGREDIENTS?!?!?!?!
Look, forget it, I guess I'll go
COMPARE.COM?!?!?!?!