[WalterBright]

I was at Bellevue mall this evening, and the Microsoft store was packed solid with a long line outside. The nearby Apple store was empty.

Interestingly, all the laptops in the MS store had a touchscreen. The Apple laptops did not. I think MS has changed the game here, with my playing around with the MS store laptops I found the touchscreen interface to be a welcome addition (not a replacement, the touchpad mouse works the same as always).

[chipotle_coyote]

Um, Bellevue, as in Bellevue, Washington? Bellevue, as in just over three miles away from Microsoft HQ as the crow flies? A mall in Bellevue has people flocking to the Microsoft Store and eschewing the Apple Store? Huh!

[jmelloy]

The apple store in that mall does just fine. It recently moved into a spot with double the floor space.

I'm sure it's considered a flagship Microsoft store, but when I was computer shoppin last year the sales staff did not unde rstand the difference between "small form factor to watch tv and DVDs" and "tablet". Even when I said, "no, like a Mac mini".

[snambi]

I have a laptop, desktop, tablet and phone. Honestly a mouse or track pad is easier to with a desktop or laptop. Especially for desktops which are having bigger and more screens, using the hand to reach the screen is tougher and tiring. btw, with touch you can have only one click. the mouse can have two or three clicks. Anyway, microsoft mouse is the best out there, it is simple, it works on all surfaces, imho it is better than the apple mouse. Why would microsoft want to kill the best product they ever invented, the microsoft mouse?

[randomchars]

    >all the laptops in the MS store had a touchscreen. The Apple laptops did not.

Because Apple doesn't want it's users to get gorilla arms.

[WalterBright]

Followup: I went back and bought the ASUS X202E laptop with the touchscreen. It's $499 at the Microsoft store, and $599 elsewhere. So far, it seems nice.