Entries Tagged 'Windows Vista' ↓

Paul Thurrott says the Windows Vista build scheduled to be handed out at PDC next week includes Media Center functionality. It would be ironic if this beta version arrived before the Update Rollup 2 for Media Center Edition 2005.

Uh, eHome team and Wagg-Ed, you are reading this, right? I won’t be at PDC, but you know where to send that DVD…

I’m hearing a small amount of chatter that Microsoft is planning to dramatically reduce the price of Windows Vista next year to $99. I’ve done my best to track this story down, and as far as I can tell it’s not, shall we say, reality-based. One Web site (which I will not name or link to, because they have zero credibility in my opinion) wrote a speculative piece arguing that the price of Windows Vista should by $99, because anything else would be too much. Over the weekend, a relatively new blog focusing on Windows Vista wrote a similar story, which appears to be just a rewrite of the original, minus any proper sourcing. (I’m not linking to this source, either, until they establish some credibility.)

The original story shows up on Google News and a few other people pick it up. They link to one another, and a few of them embellish the story with details that appear to come out of thin air. Pretty soon you have a half-dozen sites all repeating a rumor that’s based on nothing. Seinfeld would be proud.

And really, is this news? Currently, an OEM copy of Windows XP Home Edition costs around $90. An upgrade version costs $99. If the rumor-mongers are true, the news here is that Microsoft doesn’t plan to increase prices for the most popular version of its operating system.

This rumor also ignores the biggest question of all: How many versions of Windows Vista will Microsoft sell? Currently, you and I can choose from at least four: Home Edition, Professional, Media Center (OEM only), and Tablet PC (with tablet hardware only). A few months back, eWeek reported on a speech by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at an analysts’ meeting. According to this story, Microsoft plans to introduce a number of new versions for Windows and Office next year, including an enterprise version of Windows Vista. Will all those versions cost $99? I don’t think so.

If anyone has heard this “Vista for $99″ rumor from a credible source, with a plausible story behind it, please leave a comment.