by Playfuls Staff |
18th January 2007
If up until now Microsoft has been reluctant to sell its flagship products online, they are now making this final step, in a move aimed at boosting Vista sales and at fighting the Linux and OSX Leopard threats.[more]
It’s clear that the launch of Windows Vista on January 30 will NOT be as successful and triumphant as the one registered back in 1995, with Windows 95. Usual customers now have a much wider range of choices. From Sun’s Solaris to Apple’s future MacOS X Leopard and Linux, people can take whatever they want, and if they want it all they can of course run virtualization technology. Having more choices also makes customers more exigent when it comes to new products and more intelligent in acquisitions (I can buy what fits my needs vs. I buy what I’m being offered).
The competition is definitely the reason for which Microsoft decided to sell Vista and Office 2007 through online channels.
According to the press release, Windows Anytime Upgrade, Windows Vista Family Discount and Windows Marketplace will provide customers with greater flexibility in obtaining the new operating system and will ensure they have the edition of Windows Vista that matches their needs.
“With the consumer launch of Windows Vista so close, we’re excited to announce three new ways to make the purchase and upgrade experience easier than ever,” said Brad Brooks, general manager of Windows Client Marketing at Microsoft. “These new programs give our customers more flexibility and choice to ensure they get the edition that’s right for them.”
Windows Anytime Upgrade is all about luring you into buying high-end versions of Vista. If you are a Windows Vista Home Basic owner and you’ve watched a demo or a YouTube video about the Windows Vista Ultimate Extras and you like the flip-3D Aero UI or the moving desktop, go to http://www.windowsanytimeupgrade.com and get your upgrade-key. To use Windows Anytime Upgrade, you simply need to click on the Windows Anytime Upgrade option in the Start menu, select the desired upgrade edition, purchase it online to secure a new digital key, and then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the upgrade.
Microsoft’s official statement on the upgrade-matter says that within Windows Anytime Upgrade, customers will be able to obtain detailed feature-by-feature information on the different Windows Vista editions, so that they can make an informed decision on whether an upgrade is right for them. The integrated desktop and e-commerce experience allows customers, with one click, to go from the Windows desktop to an e-commerce shopping cart containing the upgrade path they have selected.
The business model for Windows Anytime Upgrade is unique in the industry in that selected original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and retail partners will be able to offer Windows Anytime Upgrade as online merchants, via a new e-commerce infrastructure developed by Microsoft. For the first time, both retailers and OEMs can ensure that their customers have the option to directly upgrade the version of Windows on their PC even after their initial purchase.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices to upgrade to more premium editions of Windows Vista are as follows: Home Basic to Home Premium $79, Home Basic to Ultimate $199, Home Premium to Ultimate $159 and Business to Ultimate $139. Windows Anytime Upgrade will coincide with the general availability of Windows Vista in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan on Jan. 30.
Windows Marketplace will also be used as sales-channel for Vista and Office 2007, as it is the biggest online place for buying software that runs on the Windows platform.
Windows Vista editions offered through Windows Marketplace are available in English only, in either 32-bit or 64-bit versions. Windows Marketplace visitors also can find a wide variety of Windows-compatible hardware and software, including products carrying the Certified for Windows Vista logo, which are tested to ensure superior reliability and quality when running on Windows Vista.
Windows Marketplace makes it fast and easy to download large programs such as Windows Vista through its digital locker technology. When you’re ready to purchase, create a Windows Marketplace account with your Windows Live ID. Remember, if you have a hotmail.com or msn.com account, this is your Windows Live ID. This manages your personal information like billing, software, purchase details, and communication preferences. It also provides easy access to support for the products you’ve purchased.
The digital locker keeps your software & license keys online, but the digital locker assistant is a free desktop client that downloads and manages your software installers on your PC. You don’t have to use the digital locker assistant to use the digital locker, but it makes your software available anytime, including when you are offline.
To make it easier for households with multiple PCs to make the move to Windows Vista, Microsoft is launching a limited-time offer for customers who buy retail copies of Windows Vista Ultimate. From Jan. 30 through June 30, the Windows Vista Family Discount will allow North American customers to license two additional copies of Windows Vista Home Premium for use on other PCs in the home at the reduced price of $49.99 each. Before completing the order online, customers will need to enter one valid full or upgrade Windows Vista Ultimate key from their retail boxed product.
After eligibility is verified online, the customer can purchase licenses to install Windows Vista Home Premium on one or two additional Windows-based computers. The Windows Vista Family Discount is available only in the U.S. and Canada. Soon, everyone will be able to consult more information at http://www.windowsvista.com/FamilyOffer .
First of all, make sure you have a Windows Vista capable PC. Conservative estimates from research group Softchoice and others suggest that at least 50 per cent of PCs currently in use do not meet Vista's minimum system requirements. That figure jumps to over 90 per cent among PCs used in corporations.
At a minimum, says Microsoft, your PC should have at least an 800 MHz processor, 512 megabytes (MB) of system memory (RAM), and a graphics card with 128 MB of RAM. It's important to note that these specifications are indeed for a minimum configuration, one which will not allow you to take advantage of all of Vista's performance enhancements.
The preferred configuration would include at least a 1 GHz processor and 1 gigabyte (GB) of system memory. Some computer makers, though, including Dell, are wisely recommending that the amount of RAM for Vista be doubled - to 2 GB.
Laptop owners should also have a look at the Windows Mobility Center: "One windows contains all data relevant for working with a mobile computer," promises Vanessa Weihbrecht, Microsoft product manager. That includes information on the battery level, the WLAN connection and synchronization status, for example.
Vista comes with Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media Player 11 and the anti spyware software Windows Defender. None of these programs are likely to make people convert to Vista, however, since they are already available for Windows XP. In fact many of the functions tucked into Vista are already available for free, claims Peter Knaak from the German consumer testing group Stiftung Warentest in Berlin. Which means each user ought to decide on their own just how see- through they need their windows to be.
