Google opening showrooms to show off gadgets for holidays

Google Inc is opening showrooms in six US cities, promoting its latest products and stepping up retail efforts against Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp as the year-end holiday shopping season gets under way.

Called Winter Wonderlabs, the outlets feature products such as Nexus 7 tablets, Chromebook computers and Chromecast video-streaming devices, the company said on a new website on Sunday. Consumers can order the gadgets online after looking at the wares.

The stores also feature a large snow globe that lets customers take videos of themselves, complete with fake snow.

The operator of the world's most-popular search engine is investing more resources to bolster its position in hardware and joins Intel Corp this year in rolling out showrooms to promote products. Microsoft has opened almost 50 stores after Apple found success with its retail outlets, where customers can purchase iPhones, iPads and Macs and also learn more about using the devices.

"The Winter Wonderlab is a fun and interactive way to experience all of Google's new gadgets in one place," the company said on the website.

Google is putting the showrooms at or near New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, Sacramento, California, and Paramus, New Jersey. The company is also building a barge in San Francisco Bay aimed at showing off new technologies.