Yeah, this sounds exactly like what people need in their retail experience:

“At Sony Style Comcast Labs, trained staff show consumers how to unlock the full potential of their devices by demonstrating how Comcast’s advanced delivery services integrate beautifully with Sony’s hardware products and entertainment content.” —Stan Glasgow, President and COO, Sony Electronics US

Anyone who is feeling masochistic tomorrow and wants to check this place out, please let us know how it is. It’s located on the ground floor of the Comcast Centre at 17th and JFK Boulevard.

SONY ELECTRONICS AND COMCAST UNVEIL CO-BRANDED RETAIL STORE: SONY STYLE COMCAST LABS
Interactive Technology Lab will Debut a Live Demo of 100 Mbps

PHILADELPHIA – March 16, 2009 – Sony Electronics Inc., a world leader in consumer electronics and technology, and Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK), the nation’s leading provider of entertainment, information and communications, are partnering to open a unique retail experience in the Comcast Center: Sony Style Comcast Labs. Sir Howard Stringer, chairman and CEO of Sony Corporation, and Brian L. Roberts, chairman and CEO of Comcast, conceived the idea as a destination where consumers could learn about emerging technologies and experience new digital devices.

The co-branded retail store and technology lab, which opens to the public tomorrow, will showcase the latest innovative products and services from both companies and preview future Comcast technology, products and services.

“This is another great example of innovation and consumer technology being showcased in Philadelphia by Comcast. Comcast has attracted great partners like Sony that continue to benefit our citizens with cool products,” said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.

Of the many future technologies on display, the following will be unveiled to Philadelphia consumers for the first time:
1) The Future of High-Speed Internet: 100 Mbps surfing and downloading live.
2) The Future of Home Phone Service: the enhanced cordless telephone – forget smart phones, this one is a genius with email, IM, text and Yellow Pages.

“Consumer electronics are becoming increasingly advanced, and the strategy behind the Sony Style stores has always been to create a comfortable environment where consumers interact with and educate themselves about the latest technology,” said Stan Glasgow, president and COO of Sony Electronics in the U.S. “At Sony Style Comcast Labs, trained staff show consumers how to unlock the full potential of their devices by demonstrating how Comcast’s advanced delivery services integrate beautifully with Sony’s hardware products and entertainment content.”

“Innovation has been the cornerstone of all that we do at Comcast and this new interactive space is the perfect showcase for our current and future technology,” said Tony Werner, Comcast’s chief technology officer. “We’re thrilled to have this unique space anchor our corporate headquarters as a clear demonstration of innovation. It’s also a terrific, hands-on way for consumers to experience how all our products work together.”

Sony Style Comcast Labs feature the best of Sony’s electronics and the most innovative service offerings from Comcast. Sony Electronics offerings include BRAVIAÒ high definition LCD televisions, VAIO® PCs, a (alpha) DSLR and Cyber-shotÒ digital cameras, HandycamÒ camcorders, PSPÒ and PlayStationÒ 3 game consoles and emerging technologies like OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TVs. Comcast will showcase all of its products and services from voice to video and Internet and demonstrate how they each work together seamlessly for the consumer.

Shoppers will have opportunities to make informed purchase decisions about what best fits their needs via personalised service and product demonstrations from in-store Sony Electronics and Comcast representatives.

The Sony Style Comcast Labs is located the heart of The Market at the base of the Comcast Centre in Philadelphia at 17th and JFK Boulevard.

Myspace was first to be banished back in 2007 (so 2007!), and now Facebook has met a similar fate. Tinycomb has quoted a Genius:

“Apple Stores have become a regular Internet Cafe, so placing the most popular time-killer [Facebook] of them all on the banned-list will certainly help everyone get a chance to test out the computers.”

But Apple, making sure your machines meet all of my liveblogging-my-life-via-Facebook needs is my single most important in-store test!! [Tinycomb, Photo: Giona/flickr]

Update: Fortune’s Mac blogger says the ban is on a store-by-store basis; many have indeed banned, but it’s not Apple’s policy as a whole.

One, it reminds me a lot of the actual Microsoft retail store that used to be in the Sony Metreon in SF. It was weird, because it was in a Sony building, but awesome, because it had tons of Microsoft stuff—much like this retail experience centre. I don’t remember actually buying
anything, but it was the Microsoft equivalent of being in an Apple store. It’s hard to describe, but is definitely something every tech person should experience once.

Two, it looks like Best Buy if Best Buy carried only Microsoft products. The actual store is inaccessible to the public, but you can get a virtual tour over here. [iStartedSomethign]

[Circuit City via Consumerist, Image via qnr]

• The store payment method will be PayPal. Good.
• Companies will be able to control what applications are downloaded by users. Good for companies, bad for users.
• Storefront will allow any price.
• Developers will retain 80% of the revenue.
• Carriers will be able to distribute software themselves.

[Intomobile]