How often do you see architectural critiques of computer stores?
Blair Kamin looks at the Chicago Apple Store.
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Speaking of computer stores, c|net has an interview with Ted Waitt on Gateway's latest change in strategy.
There are several interesting issues here.
I would not claim to be an expert on retail, but all of us have been exposed to so much of it that it is easy to sort the KMart and Nordstrom experiences. I've been in many computer stores and most of them don't get the retail piece -- Gateway is among the worst. It seems interesting that they feel they can market what is essentially an entertainment improvement through this channel. Clearly some serious work needs to be done.
It isn't clear how rich this market really is. Digital set top box penetration is something important to all of the cable companies, but it just is happening as fast as they would like. The issue of price and performance comes to bear. Sixty dollars a month and up is serious money for most people. The same thing applies to home entertainment systems. Clearly the mid and high end of the market has interesting exotica (like $1500 remote controls and $100,000 speakers), but the real price that most people pay for TVs is less than $300 with stereos going for about the same. A $300 iPod or a $300 Gateway WiFi TV connection may be far too expensive for the mass market. Gateway needs to decide which market they are serving - it is clear Apple has made their choice with the mid-range. The current Gateway sales mechanism and image seems to only support the low end.
User experience and interface are extremely important. TiVo is a wonderful experience by most accounts, but sales are nothing what you would expect after you have talked to a passionate user. Of course the price isn't low and setting up and using a box may be beyond the average couch potato. Getting the items that Gateway is talking about installed and working may be non-trivial (I've spent time studying WiFi interference in the home setting and would claim that they will have some issues when live video is involved). I see nothing that suggests Gateway, as a Wintel hardware vendor, understands anything about interface.
Sony and Philips are moving into this space. I haven't been impressed with the offerings of either, but they have the name recognition as well as legacy hardware already in the home. Microsoft is also moving, but their interfaces to date have been stunningly bad. All of this in a market where the average user spends very little and buys new hardware (a) in a narrow price point, (b) on color and style and (c) on brand - usually existing to fit in with the current system.
The real question is how large is the mid market (people who pay a few thousand dollars for their home entertainment systems and spend $100 a month and up on cable, rentals, CDs and DVDs). You can probably sell things to these people, but the Gateway experience needs real revamping. These are the people who buy Macintoshes and Sony Vaios.
6:29:14 AM 
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