Windows Vista & Office 2007 Launched..

As per plan, Microsoft announced the launch of Windows Vista and the 2007 Office System to consumers.

That these are the most innovative and widely tested software products in the company's history has been oft repeated. According to Microsoft, Windows Vista and 2007 Office will "wow" consumers with their new user interface (UI), greatly enhanced security, integrated search, and improved overall performance.

Launching the flagship products, Chairman of Microsoft India, Ravi Venkatesan, said, "Today's global launch of Windows Vista and Microsoft 2007 Office System truly gives credence to our vision for the future of personal computing. We want to see technology help each individual in unlocking their true potential, and these new desktop technologies which are intuitive, easier to use, more secure, and much, much more fun overall, will truly redefine user experience."

Venkatesan informed that nearly 1 billion hours of user feedback has gone into the final versions of the two products.

Earlier released to business customers on Nov 30, 2006, Windows Vista and Office 2007 will now be available through retail stores across 30 countries, including India. In India, OEMs such as HCL, HP, Lenovo, Sahara, Wipro, and Zenith will be launching a range of Vista compatible personal computers for consumers.

Windows Vista will be available in four consumer editions; namely, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Home Basic, and Windows Vista Starter. And, it will be available in more than 18 languages, including Hindi. Support for 13 more Indian languages, including Telugu and Marathi, is expected by early 2008.

Meanwhile, Office 2007 will ship in two consumer editions; namely, Office Home & Student 2007, and Office Basic 2007.

Speaking at the launch, Managing Director of Microsoft India, Ms Neelam Dhawan, said, "We are excited about the support we have received from our partners. There are already more than 1.5 million devices and peripherals on the market that work with Windows Vista, including more than 2,000 that are Windows Vista Certified. This is an unprecedented momentum within the ecosystem, and we will continue to invest in the community, so that partners and customers can benefit from the myriad opportunities offered by Windows Vista and the 2007 Office System."

What contributes to the "wow" factor? For one, an innovative user interface that adds to visual appeal, while making the products easier to use. New capabilities that make creating and sharing digital content easier and more fun. And, entertainment possibilities, plus enhanced communication and productivity.

Advances that need mention are the Parental Control Panel, which allows parents manage their children's Internet and computer access; as also Windows Defender, which offers real time protection against spyware and malicious Web sites.

What are the minimum hardware requirements of Windows Vista? A modern processor (at least 800MHz1); 512 MB of system memory; and graphics processor which is DirectX 9 capable.

What about pricing? Windows Vista prices are comparable with those of Windows XP. Meanwhile, PCs loaded with genuine Windows Vista will retail in the country, for prices starting at Rs 22,000. Microsoft 2007 Office editions will ship for prices starting at Rs 6,000.

Will Microsoft Windows Vista succeed in replacing Microsoft Windows XP?

A confident Doug Hauger, Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft India, said that if they could get just 30 Windows Vista minutes with each Windows XP consumer, that consumer would never go back to using Windows XP. Hauger went on record, saying that already there are about 2,00,000 Windows Vista licenses plus around 8,50,000 Office 2007 licenses.

There are four editions of Windows Vista available for consumers, so here?s a breakdown: * Windows Vista Home Basic, $199/$99.95 (full/upgrade) Provides a basic platform for home users who want to keep tabs on email and Internet activity. Comes standard with Vista's new Search Explorer, Sidebar and Parental Controls. * Windows Vista Home Premium, $239/$159 Builds on Home Basic by adding the Windows Aero interface, Windows Media Center functionality, Windows Tablet PC technology and integrated DVD burning. * Windows Vista Business, $299/$199 Supports the Aero user interface, offers improved document managing and Windows Tablet PC functionality. * Windows Vista Ultimate, $399/$259 Vista Ultimate combines the functionality of Vista Home Premium and Vista Business. Likewise, there are five editions of Microsoft Office 2007 available to general consumers: * Microsoft Office Home and Student, $149/NA (full/upgrade) Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Word 2007, OneNote 2007 * Microsoft Office Standard 2007, $399/$239 Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Word 2007, Outlook 2007 * Microsoft Office Small Business 2007, $449/$279 Excel 2007, Accounting Express 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Publisher 2007, Word 2007, Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager * Microsoft Office Professional 2007, $499/$329 Excel 2007, Access 2007, Accounting Express 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Publisher 2007, Word 2007, Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager * Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007, $679/$539 Excel 2007, Access 2007, Accounting Express 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Publisher 2007, Word 2007, Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager, InfoPath 2007, Groove 2007, OneNote 2007.