Good riddance to Radio Shack !

[Hobie]

Fry’s can’t hang on much longer eigher. YMMV

[moneymaker]

Last time I was in Fry’s it was like a cemetery. Where will we geeks go if they are gone?

[spdrun]

I was at B&H this morning — quite crowded. Do East Coast people still shop more at brick and mortar?

I’m not looking forward to a future of everyone rolling around in self-driving sensory-deprivation bubbles and with most commerce coming from big-box warehouses in flyoveria staffed by robots and/or minimum wagers. People who are yapping about “disrupting the next thing” should really think about the kind of world that they want to live in.

Imagine if technology is used to enhance, rather than disrupt. To use one example: instead of creating an industry manufacturing suits in China using bio-robots paid $1 per hour, selling them online, and shipping them to the consumer, try a different model. You go into a store in suburban Boston, cameras take measurements of your body. A salesman/tailor goes through different options, gives fashion advice, etc. A heavily automated on-site “factory” creates a tailored suit that fits perfectly and is available within 24 hours. Humans make any last-minute alterations, but most of the work is done by machine, and you can get custom, interesting goods for a reasonable price.

[Coronita]

[quote=moneymaker]Last time I was in Fry’s it was like a cemetery. Where will we geeks go if they are gone?[/quote]

Amazon

[CDMA ENG]

[quote=flu][quote=moneymaker]Last time I was in Fry’s it was like a cemetery. Where will we geeks go if they are gone?[/quote]

Amazon[/quote]

Nothing like walking through a Frys and playing with the O Scope… Just cant do that on Amazon… That being said they need to be out of the appliance and TV areas… They do brisk business in the computer, computer parts, and accessories area.

Also I love the fish tanks in the San Marco store… Awesome.

CE

[CA renter]

[quote=spdrun]I was at B&H this morning — quite crowded. Do East Coast people still shop more at brick and mortar?

I’m not looking forward to a future of everyone rolling around in self-driving sensory-deprivation bubbles and with most commerce coming from big-box warehouses in flyoveria staffed by robots and/or minimum wagers. People who are yapping about “disrupting the next thing” should really think about the kind of world that they want to live in.

Imagine if technology is used to enhance, rather than disrupt. To use one example: instead of creating an industry manufacturing suits in China using bio-robots paid $1 per hour, selling them online, and shipping them to the consumer, try a different model. You go into a store in suburban Boston, cameras take measurements of your body. A salesman/tailor goes through different options, gives fashion advice, etc. A heavily automated on-site “factory” creates a tailored suit that fits perfectly and is available within 24 hours. Humans make any last-minute alterations, but most of the work is done by machine, and you can get custom, interesting goods for a reasonable price.[/quote]

Another great post, spdrun. FWIW, we still shop at brick-and-mortars whenever possible. We only buy online if it can’t be purchased locally. I don’t understand the desire to paste one’s ass to an office chair all day and never interact with real people, either.

[scaredyclassic]

Yes. Think of the possibility. Custom shoes, gloves, condoms…

Sky’s the limit

[spdrun]

I don’t think I’d want to go to the “fitting room” for the latter product 🙂

[Anonymous]

One thing I hated about Radio Shack was their insistence on gathering personal information for just buying a battery.. I’m buying a battery not trying to get a loan for $20,000.. Most of their products are over priced and of poor quality..

[spdrun]

Phone number: (212)736-5000 or (212)867-5309

Problem solved.

[svelte]

[quote=CDMA ENG][quote=flu][quote=moneymaker]Last time I was in Fry’s it was like a cemetery. Where will we geeks go if they are gone?[/quote]

Amazon[/quote]

Nothing like walking through a Frys and playing with the O Scope… Just cant do that on Amazon… That being said they need to be out of the appliance and TV areas… They do brisk business in the computer, computer parts, and accessories area.

Also I love the fish tanks in the San Marco store… Awesome.

CE[/quote]

I’m worried about Frys. It is awfully quiet at the San Marcos store now.

And the right side of the store seems to be losing the computer parts and supplies focus.

I think Amazon et al may be taking a huge bite out of their customer base…not a good thing in the long run.

[CDMA ENG]

[quote=svelte][quote=CDMA ENG][quote=flu][quote=moneymaker]Last time I was in Fry’s it was like a cemetery. Where will we geeks go if they are gone?[/quote]

Amazon[/quote]

Nothing like walking through a Frys and playing with the O Scope… Just cant do that on Amazon… That being said they need to be out of the appliance and TV areas… They do brisk business in the computer, computer parts, and accessories area.

Also I love the fish tanks in the San Marco store… Awesome.

CE[/quote]

I’m worried about Frys. It is awfully quiet at the San Marcos store now.

And the right side of the store seems to be losing the computer parts and supplies focus.

I think Amazon et al may be taking a huge bite out of their customer base…not a good thing in the long run.[/quote]

So if you really need something for the computer… I just built a “Tower of Power” machine… Full custom… I did buy something things at FRYs but New Egg had really good deals on most of it…

Back to the point… If you really need something New Egg is the way to go. Get the free shipping because the their distro center is in the City of Industry in LA so the parts come in a day or two…

Which is really nice…

CE

[spdrun]

AFAIK, Newegg doesn’t sell electronic components. Mostly electronic appliances and computer parts.

[utcsox]

Everything from 1991 Radio Shack ad I now do with my phone.

[spdrun]

I stopped taking the above bit of tripe seriously when the author started yapping about doing most of his word processing on an iPhone. He’s either very patient or has a high threshold of frustration. If I had to type (or dictate) several pages of text to an iPhone, I’m pretty sure I’d be buying a new screen or a new window about 1/10th of the way through after I threw the thing in a rage.

Same with an iPhone’s tiny lens being no replacement for a real camera’s lens, resolution notwithstanding. Scanner app? Listening to re-broadcast scanner feeds ain’t the same thing as listening to the radio waves themselves. Remember that someone has to re-broadcast those things. They don’t just magically appear on an app. (And in case of a real emergency, cell data service might be down anyway.)

[Author]

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