Keeping an eye on Windows and other things tech!

Windows 7 Pricing and Upgrade Options Revealed

Huge news today from the Microsoft campus in Redmond and probably the most anticipated piece of info everyone has been looking for relating to the upcoming Windows 7 Operating System – the cost of Windows 7.

So right off the bat – what will it cost you off the shelf:

• Upgrade Version Pricing
  • Windows 7 Home Premium – $119.99
  • Windows 7 Professional – $199.99
  • Windows 7 Ultimate – $219.99
• Full Version Pricing
  • Windows 7 Home Premium – $199.99
  • Windows 7 Professional – $299.99
  • Windows 7 Ultimate – $319.99

As Brandon Leblanc states in his post at the Windows Team Blog:

This means that Windows 7 Home Premium full retail product is $40.00 less than Windows Vista Home Premium today. For Windows 7, we are reducing the price on our most popular retail product for customers, the Home Premium Upgrade, by approximately 10% (depending on the market). In the U.S., this means a customer buying Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade will pay only $119.99 instead of the $129.99 being charged today for its predecessor.

Now if that is not enough for you there are a couple of great upgrade deals.  They both start tomorrow, 26 June 2009, and have limited timeframes that they will be available.

The first one is the Windows 7 Upgrade Offer:

Essential details: When you buy Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate either as a packaged product or on a qualifying PC you can get a comparable upgrade version of Windows 7 after it’s generally available on October 22, 2009. Qualifying PCs, offer details, and product delivery methods will vary by manufacturer, so check their sites for specifics. If you buy a packaged copy of Windows Vista you can order your upgrade from Microsoft. The Windows 7 Upgrade Option program runs from June 26, 2009 through January 31, 2010. However, individual PC manufacturers may choose to offer the option for a shorter period. 

You can read the Windows 7 Upgrade Option FAQ for more in depth details.

The second upgrade option is very different and is a time limited Pre-Order program that runs from 26 June while supplies last or until 11 July 2009 – whichever comes first.  This is also restricted to people in the U.S., Canada and Japan – nothing out there for other markets.

Pre-order a Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade for $49** or a Windows 7 Professional Upgrade for $99.** That’s about half off the estimated retail prices. This offer is available through participating retailers. Pick one below and pre-order today. They’ll tell you how to get your copy when Windows 7 is available.

Now those are some terrific deals.  Personally I would not wait long if your wanting to take advantage of the pre-order program. I imagine those supplies will run out very quickly!

Update – it looks like Amazon.com is participating in this pre-order offer!

Related Posts:

• Windows 7 Upgrades Already Top Sellers
• Windows 7 Versions Abound
• Windows 7 Google Alerts for 03 February 2009
• Windows Feedback Program (WFP)
• Windows 7 Google Alerts for 07 April 2009

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Windows Live Movie Maker Beta Expiration Coming Up

If you use Windows Live Movie Maker Beta then you want to be sure to download this update before the 30th of June so you can continue to use it.  Without this update your copy of WLMM Beta will cease to work on the 30th.

Windows Live Movie Maker is part of Microsoft’s Live Essentials and is their entry into the home movie editing and creation software market.  Windows Live Movie Maker was never meant to be a top of the line editing program.  It is intended to be simple to use and allow  home users to be able to create movies with simple transitions, music tracks, etc.

If your expecting a $500 editing suite then you need to go elsewhere – you will certainly be disappointed in WLMM.  However,  if you want to be be able to create something to share with family and friends via the web without having to spend money on the software to do it – well then this program just might fit the bill.

Related Posts:

• Windows Live Essentials Beta Released
• Windows Live Essential Programs Updated
• Windows Live Beta Roll Out Is Here Finally
• More RSS Tidbits for 01 November 2008
• PDC 2008 and Windows 7 Links Extravaganza

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