Microsoft says Vista buyers to get free Windows 7

[paulusa302]

SEATTLE -
Microsoft Corp. said Thursday that prices for the Windows 7 computer operating system are largely in line with those for Vista, and that people who buy PCs before the new system goes on sale in October will get free upgrades.
To drum up demand among people who aren't in the market for a new PC, Microsoft also said it is taking limited pre-orders for Windows 7, selling some for as little as $50.
People who buy Windows Vista Home Premium, Business or Ultimate computers starting Friday can contact their manufacturer for a free upgrade when Windows 7 becomes available on Oct. 22.
As a result, Microsoft said it will defer recognition of an expected $200 million to $300 million in Windows revenue until later quarters.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker said it will cost people $120 to upgrade their existing machines to the Windows 7 Home Premium version, $10 less than the comparable Windows Vista package. Upgrades to the Professional and Ultimate versions will cost $200 and $220 respectively, the same as Vista.
The cost is identical regardless of whether the upgraded machine was running Windows XP or Windows Vista.
Versions meant to be installed from scratch on a computer will cost $200, $300 and $320 for Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate.
By comparison, Apple Inc. said in early June that upgrades to its newest operating system, called Mac OS X Snow Leopard, will cost $30.
For customers buying new machines, the cost of the Windows software is typically included in the purchase price. The prices announced Thursday are for people who buy Windows separately or upgrade from older versions.
Microsoft is hoping Windows 7's debut will be much smoother than Vista's. The current operating system was plagued by delays; when it finally launched in January 2007, many people complained it was sluggish and didn't work with existing devices and programs.
This time, to goose early sales and build buzz, Microsoft is cutting the price by about half for people who pre-order upgrade software for Home Premium ($50) and Professional ($100).
The sale will start Friday in the U.S., Canada and Japan, and on July 15 in the U.K., France and Germany. It will last for about two weeks, or as long as allotted copies of the software last.
People can buy the software on Microsoft's download site or at retailers including Best Buy Co. Inc., which said it is limiting sales to three per customer.
Microsoft would not say how much it will cost to upgrade from a lesser version of Windows 7 to a more robust one. The company also declined to say what effect Windows 7 prices will have on netbooks, a popular category of small, inexpensive laptops. The low prices are possible in part because they run the older, cheaper Windows XP.
Microsoft said this month it is making a version of Windows for Europe that does not come with Internet Explorer, its Web browser, in an attempt to ward off sanctions from antitrust regulators there.
Brad Brooks, a corporate vice president for Windows marketing, said Microsoft hasn't had time to polish upgrade software for Europe, so it plans to sell the full version of Windows 7 to European Union consumers at upgrade prices at least through December.

LINK

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/200906...indows7_prices

[Chase]

very interesting, i might jump on this, WIN7 is fantastic....

I see it going on many netbooks here soon, it is light and snappy, much like XP, only better.

[paulusa302]

Microsoft to cut prices on Windows 7
SEATTLE (Reuters) -
Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) is to sell the standard home-user version of its new Windows 7 operating system for 8 percent less than the comparable version of its Vista system, as the global downturn hits spending on technology.
The world's largest software company, whose recent ads champion low-priced PCs against more expensive Apple Inc (AAPL.O) computers, said the new system will be available at even lower prices for a short time, as it looks to tempt buyers ahead of the holiday shopping season.
The new operating system, which Microsoft hopes will be a bigger hit than the poorly received Vista, will be generally released on October 22. It will be available on pre-order from U.S. stores such as Best Buy (BBY.N), online retailer Amazon.com (AMZN.O) and the company's own website from Friday.
Microsoft said it would sell the Home Premium upgrade version of Windows 7 -- which most non-business customers already using Windows will want -- for $49.99 from Friday until July 11 in the United States. The discs would be shipped after general release.
After July 11, the pre-order price will be $119.99, 8 percent less than the current $129.99 price tag for the comparable version of Vista, which cost $159.99 at launch in early 2007.
The Professional upgrade version of Windows 7 -- aimed at small companies using multiple computers -- will be on sale until July 11 at $99.99, then at $199.99 afterwards. The comparable Vista version is the same price.
Prices for the full retail versions of the software -- for customers who want to install the system from scratch rather than upgrade their existing Windows system -- are also being reduced or held.
Microsoft will sell the full Home Premium version of Windows 7 for $199.99, 17 percent less than the comparable Vista version. Full versions of the more advanced Professional and Ultimate editions will be unchanged at $299.99 and $319.99 respectively.
To further tempt buyers, Microsoft said it was making a free upgrade option available to computer makers, meaning that customers who buy a PC or laptop with all but the most basic Vista versions from Friday should be able to get a free upgrade to the equivalent Windows 7 version.
How that offer is made available to customers is up to the individual PC makers such as Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N), Dell Inc (DELL.O) and Acer (2353.TW).
Microsoft and the manufacturers are hoping such an offer will avoid a sudden drop-off in already falling PC sales by persuading customers not to hold off on purchases until Windows 7 is launched.
In contrast to the Vista operating system, which was released in different language versions over several months, Microsoft said Windows 7 would be available in 14 languages on October 22 and a further 21 on October 31.
Versions for sale in Europe will not have Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 web browser included, due to the company's recent decision to detach it in the face of a pending European Commission antitrust ruling on charges that Microsoft does not allow fair competition among browsers by including its own on its operating systems.
However, Microsoft said it will make IE8 available as a separate package for no extra charge. Customers can also install a competing browser.
Microsoft said on Thursday it will only offer full versions of Windows 7 in Europe rather than both full and upgrade versions. For a short time it is offering the Home Premium version for 49 euros ($68) and the Professional version for 99 euros ($138).
Microsoft also said the packaging of discs for the operating system was being reduced and would use recyclable plastic.
(1 euro = $1.39)
(Reporting by Bill Rigby; editing by Carol Bishopric)

[Naomi]

and I just bought 6 new computers with Vista

[paulusa302]

here is a link to do a pre-order

Newegg.com - Pre-Order your Windows 7 Now!

[daveindelaware]

and I just bought 6 new computers with Vista

I'm sorry.....

... WIN7 is fantastic.... I see it going on many netbooks here soon, it is light and snappy, much like XP, only better.

So, what makes Windows 7 so much better than XP? Especially on a netbook? I'm guessing by your post that im takes up way fewer resources?

[paulusa302]

I just ordered my copy of windows 7 for my laptop.

[Chase]

win7 has a lot less restrictions, its smarter and faster, less resources for sure, i like it a lot.

[Raptor]

Win7 is "unrestrained" XP....Vista was a tragedy like 98, but it made MS a ton of money.

Rather than fix Vista, they took all the junk out of XP SP2 and are re-packaging it. Switch to Linux or go back to DOS 7.0 - you'll be better off.