Androidland
{{Short description|Android retail store}}
{{Notability|date=August 2022}}
Androidland was an Android-themed pop-up store, created by the carrier Telstra in collaboration with Google, on Bourke Street, Melbourne, Australia, in December 2011.{{cite web |url=http://apcmag.com/meet-androidland-australia-opens-world-first-android-store-in-melbourne.htm |title=Meet Androidland: Australia opens "world-first" Android store in Melbourne |publisher=Apcmag.com |access-date=2011-12-10}}{{cite web |access-date=2021-12-06 |title=Androidland opens in Melbourne |url=https://australia.googleblog.com/2011/12/androidland-opens-in-melbourne.html |first1=Lachlan |last1=McGrath |website=Google Australia Blog |date=2011-12-02}}
The store was themed heavily in green, featuring several Android "green robot" sculptures. In the store, Telstra provided visitors with an interactive spaceship zone that featured a flight simulator (via the Google Earth software, a Liquid Galaxy set-up{{cite web|access-date=2021-12-06 |title=A Walk Through Telstra's Android Wonderland |url=https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/12/a-walk-through-telstras-android-wonderland/ |date=2011-12-05 |website=Gizmodo Australia |first1=Logan |last1=Booker}}), and also included a massive screen on which visitors could play Angry Birds. It further featured scented areas with gingerbread and grass aromas, called "Android grass", to further immerse visitors.
History
Androidland had been in development since July 2011.{{cite web |first1=Chris |last1=Welch |access-date=2021-12-06 |title=Androidland: Telstra and Google open dedicated store in Melbourne |url=https://www.theverge.com/2011/12/4/2610372/androidland-telstra-google-open-store-melbourne |date=2011-12-04 |website=The Verge}}{{cite web |access-date=2021-12-06 |title=Telstra Tests "Androidland" ā The First Ever Android Store [Video] |url=https://phandroid.com/2011/12/02/telstra-tests-androidland-the-first-ever-android-store-video/ |date=2011-12-02 |website=Phandroid |first1=Quentyn |last1=Kennemer}} Google Australia helped to train the store's Android experts to be able to assist visitors with their current devices, help them with their new ones and recommend apps to install.{{cite web |first1=Matt |last1=Brian |access-date=2021-12-06 |title=Telstra Opens Androidland, The World's First Android Store |url=https://thenextweb.com/news/welcome-to-androidland-australias-and-the-worlds-first-android-store |date=2011-12-02 |website=TheNextWeb}}
Warwick Bray, the Executive Director of Telstra Mobile, stated, "Over the past 12 months we've seen a huge growth in the number of customers coming in-store and asking us about Android phones and tablets. With Androidland we wanted to create a retail environment like no other that helps us to answer customer questions in a fun, interactive way."{{Cite press release |url=http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media-centre/announcements/telstra-launches-world-first-android-store-in-melbourne.xml |title=Telstra launches world-first Android store in Melbourne - Media Announcement ā About Telstra |access-date=2012-01-01 |archive-date=2011-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111205013607/http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media-centre/announcements/telstra-launches-world-first-android-store-in-melbourne.xml |url-status=dead |website=Telstra |date=2011-12-02}}
In October 2013, Spice Group announced a partnership with Google to set up 50 AndroidLand stores in India along with 100 smaller versions of the stores as AndroidLand mini stores.{{cite news |first1=Gulveen |last1=Aulakh |access-date=2023-06-16 |title=Spice Group plans to roll out 100 AndroidLand Mini stores in 18 months |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/hardware/spice-group-plans-to-roll-out-100-androidland-mini-stores-in-18-months/articleshow/23827129.cms |newspaper=The Economic Times |date=9 October 2013 |issn=0013-0389 |via=The Economic Times - The Times of India}}
Reception
Logan Booker, writing for Gizmodo Australia wrote, "It's a friendly environment, definitely, and if I were to make the switch to Android, Iād be sure to stop by to aid in my decision-making. The interesting fusion of business with an "experience" beyond product demonstrations gives the shop-within-a-shop a corporate Powerhouse Museum feel."
The Telstra press release stated Androidland was a temporary installation but also noted the possibility of the installation expanding through other Telstra stores in Australia based on customer feedback.
References
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{{Android|state=collapsed}}
Category:Android (operating system)