Yahoo! Internet Cafes in Vietnam

Loren Baker at Search Engine Journal reports on the opening of several Yahoo! branded Internet cafes in Vietnam. Asia is a region of particular strength for Yahoo! And this is unlikely to be replicated in the US. Still, I think it would be very interesting if Yahoo! or Google or Microsoft were to do something like this or partner for this in the U.S. or Europe.

Think about the Apple Store and how people go in to check email and browse the Internet — and also look at the products. While neither Google nor Yahoo! sell things per se (unlike Microsoft, which sells software and some hardware) I think either could build something interesting in the real world. But the cost of doing so makes it extremely unlikely. But also think about how real-world stores would offer a direct sales channel to local advertisers.