Microsoft's Windows 7 launch: Deals, deals, deals
With Windows Vista, Microsoft staged a fancy launch, complete with this human billboard in New York City. Thursday's launch is expected to be a bit more subdued.
(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET News)With Windows 7, Microsoft is going back to basics.
It's true of the product, which is as notable for its everyday performance as any one new feature. It's also true of how Microsoft plans to launch the new operating system on Thursday.
Rather than go for flash, the company is focused on making sure that all of its partners are ready to sell lots of PCs and copies of Windows 7.
"We're living in a different world today," Microsoft Vice President Tami Reller said in an interview with CNET News.
Microsoft is hoping to strike a contrast with the launch of Vista, which was marked by ambitious marketing (Remember "The Wow starts now"?) but a product that wasn't fully baked, nor were other software and hardware makers ready for the big changes that came with Vista.
Windows 7, meanwhile, offers only minor changes to the Windows core from Vista, and aims to be faster and easier to navigate than its predecessor.
Reller said the goal with the marketing of Windows 7 is to let the product speak for itself. Early ads have featured Kylie--the perfectly precocious preschooler--reading some of the product's positive reviews.
"We'll stay true to that on October 22, and we'll stay true to that post-October 22, which just results in sort of less acrobats, and more customers," Reller said, adding that there will be more than just Kylie.
Among the promotions Microsoft tried with Windows Vista was an outdoor human billboard, which left spectators--quite literally--out in the cold on a very nippy New York day.
Microsoft said this time around, it is putting nearly all its energy on getting the product in front of as many people as possible. As has been the case with past Windows launches, there will be plenty of specials and promotions tied to the Windows 7 launch. Customers, she said "can expect great, great deals."
"This is where we've put a lot of coordination effort to make sure that customers more than ever get some great, great value, starting on October 22 and continuing."
And, of course, Microsoft is planning a massive advertising campaign to promote the product. The launch of Windows 7 is key for Microsoft, which gets a huge chunk of overall sales and profits from Windows.
Although some PC makers have already started introducing their Windows 7-based models, Reller promised there are other machines yet to be announced.
"You'll see a few more PCs for sure in all categories, whether they're gaming machines, whether they're new notebooks, a few new Netbooks," Reller said. "You will see more."
Some stores will also open at midnight, Reller said, without offering specifics. Microsoft itself is opening its first retail store--in Scottsdale, Ariz.--to coincide with the launch, although that store opens at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Sources said to expect a celebrity or two, plus some nice goodies for whoever happens to be the first to walk out of the store with a copy of Windows 7.
Microsoft is also opening a "Windows Cafe" in Paris, though that location will be selling lattes rather than laptops.
As for formalities, Microsoft plans launch events around the globe, with Windows unit head Steven Sinofsky in Japan kicking things off, followed by Julie Larson-Green at an event in Britain and finally, (due to time zones) Steve Ballmer presiding over the main event in New York.
Microsoft will also ring the opening bell on Nasdaq on Thursday, while Microsoft will join with its computer maker partners to end the day's trading.
Unclear is whether Microsoft will be making a return appearance to late-night TV. With the launch of Vista, Bill Gates took to the Daily Show stage, talking tech with Jon Stewart.
"You'll certainly see a lot of coverage from us that day, but no commitments on the exact venue," Reller said.
I'll have more from my interview with Reller in a post on Tuesday morning, including her thoughts on Apple and those now-infamous Windows 7 house parties.
Update, 6:05 p.m. PT: Most retailers have not yet posted their Windows 7 deals yet, but Office Depot has an online ad up touting hundreds of dollars of "free after rebate" software with the purchase of Windows 7.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
great idea, MMC.
I suspect that Linux, like OSX, is growing (albeit not as fast as OSX is).
The challenge for Linux is to get some UI engineers/artists in there who can actually do something with the OS. Yes, it is flexible as all hell and can look like anything you want it to. Problem is, there needs to be a default look that catches the eye (which thereby catches the masses' eye)... and IMHO there isn't yet.
Linux also needs to stop having so many forks and different groups arguing with each other over what the product should look like. Ubuntu was the best chance so far at presenting a unified front that the public could identify with and that went nowhere. They really need some big name to come forward and do marketing with it. Maybe one of the OEM's like Dell will take on the challenge and call it Dell OS or whatever just so it has some name recognition.
The way it is right now, it's an also-ran, regardless of its merits.
Hobbyists and Devs can do Linux. But these no way i'd give it to my parents to install or configure. Old hardware may work ok; but Ubuntu fails on the new equipment i've used (HP desktops and netbooks). I've given the "we can't include drivers due to licensing" answer. 'get' this, command line that, compile this, modify config. Too hard for mainstream.
Yeah, if I can't even print at home, Linux doesn't have a chance! They should start charging, make some money to get help from developers and company's to get some drivers & good software (that doesn't look so cheap, and broken up). I would pay for a decently priced Linux system & Software!! If it worked!
For now, I'll stick with what works, Usually OSX and rarely Windows.
PS. Wine is still far off too! I can't play or install anything thru it! Forget this!
It's still not very user friendly but as soon as it is I'm switching after getting fed up with both Windows and Mac OS.
You can never write off a huge open source project like Linux, it may take 5 years or 50 years but at some point it will be able to compete side by side with other OS's and will be free.
Boring.
Why am I telling you this?
Well, you are so damn biased about windows that it compels people to shout back at you.
Both Windows and OS X have their strengths. Both are the best genius people offer. So shut your trap and stop posting irrelevant comments which always start a flame war for no damn reason.
The 64 bit version only runs on processors that support the x86-64 ISA.
I was also not impressed with the "side by side" comparisons of OS X vs. W7 on a MacBook Pro. First of all, using a laptop is lame. A MacPro would have been better suited for this test. It was unfair to Windows to say the least. An even better scenario would have been to test W7 on a PC system with identical features of a MacPro. I think the results would have favored Windows in many cases, but not all.
If one goes by the reviews of W7 from respectable sources, we can all expect better computing on all levels. This is good news for everyone, including Apple.
Will W7 "destroy" Apple? Hardly. I think it will benefit both MS and Apple in that now people can have a choice of respectable operating systems AND the option to install either on a high quality system with longevity.
Cody
Ever see the ads on TV for a truck stating it's the 'best of its class'? Read the fine print on those things and you'll find out the 'testing' was done by holding open tryouts for all trucks that reported to a location in the desert at 11 AM on a Sunday wtihout telling the other companies you were doing it. So... that particular truck was the best in its class because it was the only truck there. It takes third party groups like Consumer Reports or even the trade press to do proper unbiased reviews.
@codenews:
Now that's just mean- Apple doesn't want anyone to ever compare on price alone or else it makes them look very bad regardless of their reasons behind it.
Better computing is an interesting comment. That typically doesn't come down to the OS but rather what programs you use or can get to do that computing you want to do to begin with. However for working with media files I found Vista better than Leopard for my purpose (music library). Right now I'm having networking connectivity issues with my Macs and my inexperience with troublshooting mac is telling.
And I'm someone who prefers windows telling you this.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=aapl
And Dan is right, this will have no effect on Leopard. That's like expecting an islamist extreemist to become christian because there's a new Pope.
quickly followed by; is that it? yet another bloated service pack (it's not a new OS) with unwieldy GUI, will they ever learn?
You might want to come up with something new for your arguments. They are getting rather stale.
Ah you've finally seen the truth. I'm use 3.0 right now!
To manage files and hardware and to run programs? Wow, is that what an OS is supposed to do? :-)
I wonder what ckurowic rather have it do- make toast?
I agree with shycelticwitch if I decide to use Windows 7 it maybe six months to a year or two..
Besides I have installed Ubuntu 9 at home and so far I have been able to run most of my windows software using wine with little or no problems. I primarily use Vista for games and it is working just fine.
Ina! where are the "Deals, deals, deals"?
"Meh."
Microsoft, stable....? *** r u smoking
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Apple-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-prnews-3672045436.html?x=0&.v=1
Must be, that was the main selling point with the orginal Macs.
Maybe 7?
I agree, he was talking about Macs.
What are those?
Huh? My two Vista machines that I use daily have never crashed or bluescreened... EVER. not sure what you're talking about.
Win7 RC on Centrino Mobile 1.3GHz/1.25MB for the last four months. No problems with that either.
I expect the same from 7.
Scam, Scam, Scam...
Beg, Beg, Beg...
Borrow, Borrow, Borrow...
Steal, Steal, Steal...
Vista 2.0, Vista 2.0, Vista 2.0
Fail, Fail, Fail...
Lame, Lame, Lame...
And I'm not bashing MS, folks. We've seen the reports of problems in Snow Leopard recently. Linux release patches as well. I'm just saying to be realistic: Expect that there will be bugs in any modern OS. Hopefully they won't be too serious and they will get resolved quickly.
- by sweaty_taco October 19, 2009 2:54 PM PDT
- Speaking of deals...where is the 3 license family pack for $149? I cant seem to find any retailer selling it online.
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- by cbscowards October 19, 2009 4:42 PM PDT
- I saw on a MS website that it was "while supplies last" (Which seems totally stupid to me). But I can't believe that the supplies would be that small. :-)
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- by sweaty_taco October 20, 2009 8:03 AM PDT
- Cool. Thanks cbscowards. I just looked at Amazon and they have it.
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Showing 1 of 3 pages (123 Comments)Actually, Amazon has it available for pre-order now.