Kobe Bryant tribute at Montgomery Mall

Kobe Bryant is being remembered at the Microsoft Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The former NBA star and Oscar winner was one of nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was one of several tech industry leaders to comment on Bryant's death in the hours and days after the crash.

Xbox events at Microsoft Store in Bethesda

Microsoft Xbox One X

The Microsoft Store will be hosting two events of interest to gamers next month. First will be the long-anticipated launch of the new Xbox One X console, on Monday, November 6. There will be giveaways, and a chance to play Forza Motorsport 7.

On Saturday, November 18, attend their Minecraft Earth Party for exclusive giveaways, free skin packs and more. The Microsoft Store is located on Level 2 of Westfield Montgomery Mall, right across from Starbucks.

Xbox One Minecraft Special Edition console available for pre-order at Microsoft Store in Bethesda (Photos)

The latest advance display sample at the Microsoft Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall is the coveted Minecraft Special Edition Xbox One bundle.

It includes a 1 TB Xbox One console and controller branded with Minecraft artwork, and the special Xbox One edition of the game. They are taking pre-orders "while supplies last." The Microsoft Store is on Level 2 near Starbucks.

MICROSOFT STORE CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU, BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The future Microsoft Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall has posted a large Coming Soon wrap at its upper level site, near Macy's. Its message is echoed by the store's website, which says "Get ready to experience the Microsoft Store near you. Although we can't reveal too much now, we can promise a lot of fun – and dancing – during our Grand Opening."

Celebrity guests at recent Microsoft Store openings have included Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson and Demi Lovato. Whether Bethesda will get stars of that echelon remains unknown at this point. If not, the promised "dancing" will be more likely generated by the Kinect system for Xbox One.

MICROSOFT RETURNING TO WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL IN BETHESDA?

Is Microsoft opening a new store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda? There is good reason to believe so. Montgomery County has issued a permit for interior alterations at the mall, and names Microsoft in the space description.

There is a pair of other Microsoft Store trends at the moment into which such a development would fit perfectly. One is the opening of several Microsoft retail stores in malls that hosted a Microsoft pop-up store during the 2012 Christmas shopping season. Westfield Montgomery Mall was among the retail centers that did.

Second, Microsoft is now opening a new type of store in the United States, called Microsoft Specialty Stores. Two such stores are opening in The Mall in Columbia, and Towson Town Center. These stores feature what the company calls a "curated" selection of Microsoft products. One can expect the company's hottest products to be among those curated, including the newest Surface tablet and Xbox One.

Should that be the type of store opening here, don't expect the full Microsoft Store experience such as one finds at Tysons Corner, pictured in the above photo from my blog 18 months ago. Stay tuned!

MICROSOFT POP-UP STORE OPENING OCTOBER 26 IN BETHESDA

My prediction that the Bethesda Microsoft Pop-up store would open on October 26 has been vindicated.  The store will indeed open that day, Microsoft announced yesterday, the same day the company's much-anticipated Surface tablet goes on sale.

Microsoft's pop-up store will be located at Westfield Montgomery Mall through the holiday season.