Apple store

Apple Store in Turkey Wins Supreme Award

        On Cult of Mac, dated Dec. 12  we find fascinating facts about the amazing Apple Store in Istanbul, Turkey which just won a Supreme Engineering Award.  Called an "impossibly perfect glass lantern" the top consists of four glass panels seamlessly joined on site with structural silicone.  You'll want to see the photos here: http://www.cultofmac.com/305967/apple-wins-supreme-engineering-award-glass-lantern-store-turkey/   and here: http://architizer.com/blog/istanbul-apple-now-open/  

Apple Sales Tax

       Jim Hamm found something interesting,  "If you buy something from Apple, and it's significant dollars, you might take a close look at what tax rate Apple charged you. It might not be the correct rate.  Here is a story with further details.
        "This is something I hadn't considered or checked in the past when I bought a major item from Apple -- but I will henceforth."

Apple Store Coming to San Francisco

Jim Hamm sent us the article about the 27 year-old Mac computer — and he's also sent this info on a snazzy new Apple store coming to San Francisco. (Jim keeps up with the old and the new!)         "Take a look at these renderings of Apple's new store coming in San Francisco. Hope all that glass front doesn't face west where the sun would be an irritant every afternoon. Well, maybe in SF the fog or other tall buildings might block the sun, though. Still, an impressive-looking store."

Black Friday Deals

        Well, it's Black Friday, when the stores expect to be "in the black" when all the sales are tallied.  Maybe you're out shopping right now?  Here's from the link from InformationWeek,  pointing out Apple sales, listing discounts also at Best Buy and WalMart, the Apple online store, as well as giving links to find your local Apple Store.  Also, click to see an iPad Mini Tablet slideshow.
        Look at Apple's site, too. It's a one day sale. Save $ and have fun.

Those Helpful People at the Apple Store

        Jim Hamm makes some observations, "Working at any retail store is tough: long hours, short pay, mostly on your feet, dealing with the public —which is tough in itself. Here's an article giving a peek at what it's like to work in an Apple Store.
        "If you've been in an Apple store you've noticed all the personnel are young — one never sees any gray hair (other than from the customers). Here's a comment from the article with a reason for this,  'Generally, an Apple employee is someone who can afford to live cheaply, is not bothered by the nonstop commotion of an Apple Store and is comfortable with technology.  People who fit that bill tend to be in their early or mid-20s, the former managers said. They typically don’t have children and many don’t have spouses, which means they are relatively inexpensive to cover with health insurance.'"

        Jim concludes, "It appears Apple store employees use this experience as a springboard to other jobs with more of a future."
        Trying to (unsuccessfully) open that link posted above a new article from Los Angeles Times dated 6-23 comes up: headline "Did NY Times Report Drive Apple to be Extra Generous to Workers?"
        This just in:  Jim Hamm sends this link about employees of Apple stores and this one from NY Times.   Click where it says Read. 

Apple's Six Best Decisions

        "Here's an interesting article and observation by Ted Landau of Apple's six best decisions — and why they make Apple the company it is today."  Jim Hamm goes on to elaborate,  "My only quibble with Ted is that the iPad should be included in the list. But he goes in detail explaining why he left this device out of his nominees. Possibly many of us — well, me, anyway — tend to think of Apple as a Mac, or computer, company. Not so much anymore. Here is a quote from the article: 'Apple’s success depended upon moving away from its focus on the Mac.' Hence, the dropping of 'computer' from the company name a while back."