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When my husband says “Let’s go shopping” I know exactly where he wants to go. It’s always Best Buy. I’ve been there countless times but never realized that there is a Windows store right inside the Best Buy! In fact, most Windows stores within stores average 2000 square feet. That’s pretty hard to miss. Maybe it’s because I considered myself a diehard Apple fan that I never paid attention. I love my Macbook Air and my iPhone. And my kids love my iPad that I never get to use. My Apple loyalty cracked a little though last week when I was invited to a Windows event at Best Buy. Myself along with some other bloggers were shown around the store and introduced to many of the Windows products. I feel like I’ve been living under a rock. When did desktops become so versatile?
My oldest is 6 years old and in the first grade. There are some recommended programs for home use but we don’t have a desktop. I’m frustrated because I think there should be apps for that! We’ve been considering a family desktop but don’t really have an ideal place for a set up. Well, that excuse goes right out the “window” because most Windows desktops don’t even have towers. Their screens are touchscreen and can double as a tablet — even the extra large size ones! Since you can stream video, they can even act as a television. They’re super portable — not how I remember desktops at all! One of the coolest features I saw during the event was screens running 2-3 apps at the same time! Talk about multi-tasking! It really put my Macbook to shame! This is the “desktop” I’m drooling over — the XPS 18 Portable All-in-One Touch Screen Computer:
Isn’t it pretty? And I can’t help but yearn for a Microsoft Surface — have you seen the commercials?! They’re pretty impressive in person too. Plus, they come in different colors — I love the purple one but the pink and blue ones are really cute too.
Here’s some techie info on them:
“Surface 2 is the most productive tablet for personal use. It offers all the entertainment and gaming capabilities you expect from a tablet, along with the ability to get work done. Surface 2 is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, making apps run faster and smoother and increasing battery life to up to 10 hours of video playback. The 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD display now renders 1080p video for enjoying shows and movies, and its full-size USB port has been upgraded to USB 3.0 for up to four times faster file transfers.
Camera resolution has also increased, with a 3.5-megapixel front camera and 5-megapixel rear camera, both capable of capturing 1080p video and featuring improved low-light performance, making face-to-face conversation with your favorite people crisp and clear. Even with these and other upgrades, Surface 2 is slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor. Surface 2 will ship with Windows RT 8.1, bringing improvements in key areas such as personalization, search, multitasking, built-in apps, the Windows Store experience and cloud connectivity.”
Even more features are available on the Surface Pro 2 including increased speed and longer battery life. The Surface 2 starts at just $449!
There are some pretty great deals on computers this time of year. Here are a couple worth highlighting:
- Lenovo – IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro Ultrabook 2-in-1 13.3″ Touch-Screen Laptop – 4GB Memory – Silver; $899.99, Regular Price: $999.99 You Save: $100.00
- HP – Split 2-in-1 13.3″ Touch-Screen Laptop – 4GB Memory – 128GB Solid State Drive – Modern Silver; $649.99, Regular Price: $729.99, You Save: $80.00
These are definitely worth checking out and you can get some hands-on time with them in Windows stores inside of Best Buy! You can find more computer deals here.
If you’re looking for a new phone, there are some pretty great deals on Windows phones as well including a prepaid one for $100! Did you know you can use Microsoft Office on Windows phones? I had no idea. What a cool feature!
Although it wasn’t covered at the event, I have to give a shout out for the Xbox One. I stood outside in the freezing cold at midnight on release day and it was totally worth it. My 5 year old daughter got Just Dance 2014 for her birthday and my kids have been playing it everyday. It’s adorable to watch and they’re exercising when it’s too cold to go outside to play. The whole family is anxiously awaiting Kinect Sports Rivals. We downloaded the preview and it’s really fun!
After the Windows Best Buy event I’m a lot more open minded and realize that technology has come a long way, further than I had even realized! If you get a chance, be sure to check out some of the Windows products in Best Buy stores so you can experience them in person.
A special thank you to Windows, Best Buy and the hosts of the event for the informative tour and goody bag!