Aaron Birney 
I was in the airport on my way back to L.A. the other day when I saw something that caught my eye and got me to thinking – empty telephone booths. There wasn’t something in particular about them that caught my eye, and I was by no means surprised to see them all empty. I think I was just surprised to see so many telephone booths still in existence.
Lara Marrero 
Photo courtesy of Bazaarvoice.
I consider myself to be a trusting person, but when it comes to shopping I apply a high level of scrutiny to every possible transaction. Bottom line: If I'm going to spend my money, I want make sure I'm getting what I want.
Irwin Miller 
Last week Apple announced a new, free App called Apple Store that allows customers to use their iPhone or iPad to scan a UPC barcode in any Apple Store and – using EasyPay – login with their user ID and pay for the item with the credit card on file. A receipt finalizes the purchase, sent directly to the customer’s device, or via email.
Irwin Miller 
I recently read the BBC News article about Google launching its Street View technology to document interior retail spaces and other environments. I believe the implications for the architectural and design profession are immense: By “being there” through richer online experiences, we can engage in more compelling conversations with clients about relevant retail environments around the globe in real time. It seems a logical evolutionary step following the growth of smartphones, higher quality cameras, Facebook and location check-ins.
This post on PSFK last week really struck me. For the past few years we’ve seen consumers using their smartphones in stores to seek enhanced product information, compare prices, read reviews, even place orders, so the concept is not new. But what grabbed my attention about this SK Telecom effort is the significant impact this could have on retail real estate.
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