techo-freaks

Vista

COMPUTER giant Microsoft today raised the curtain on the latest version of its Windows operating system to a significantly more connected generation of Australian personal computer users.

But while today's global consumer launch of Windows Vista was met with the usual Microsoft fanfare, the industry expects home PC users will give this version of the package a slightly cooler reception than previous versions.

Microsoft Australian managing director Tracey Fellows said the PC market has matured since Microsoft launched its first significantly enhanced take on the operating system, Windows 95, a decade ago.

"The PC market is in a very different space than it was in 1995," she said.

"In 1995, people were just buying a PC, now I think there's every reason to believe that this will be the catalyst for people wanting to upgrade the PC they have today.

"I think we will see a spur in consumer demand and with businesses I think we'll see a very different take-up."

Vista's enhancements include a more aesthetically pleasing graphical user interface, improved digital photo and music applications and better internet connection management and safeguards.
Office 2007 - Microsoft's suite of applications for Windows, which includes Word, Excel and Publisher - has been tweaked to help users create better looking blogs and content more easily.

Microsoft Australia Office chief Tony Wilkinson said Office 2007 was about helping users get more out of their applications by making the thousands of features easier to discover.

"How many people today use photo management applications? Not very many," Mr Wilkinson said.

"And so they try to just get by by using the standard Windows folders to manage their folders and it's not that easy once you get hundreds and thousands of those things.

"But by building those capabilities in the core of the operating system it means that everybody can start to take advantage of the photos in a much more efficient way."

Microsoft has billed the launch as the most important Windows development ever.

The product hit stores at one minute past midnight today, with queues outside retailer Harvey Norman in Sydney surprising even Microsoft management.

But despite the hype, technology research house Gartner believes Vista will lag its predecessor, Windows XP, until 2009, when it is expected to gain the lion's share of PC installations.

Gartner expects Vista will run on less that 15 per cent of PCs globally in 2007, compared with XP's share of more than 77 per cent.

Most Vista purchases are expected to come from new PC purchases in 2007 with the software expected to feature on 72.5 per cent of new shipments.

Consumer advocate Choice says while Microsoft's latest offering includes dramatic improvements, the price is still quite steep for the average user and demands significant computer power.

"You'll probably need a new computer in order to experience Vista in all its glory," Choice said.

"And old software may not work with the new Vista operating system."

Vista will be available in five separate versions including Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Home Premium Upgrade Academic, Ultimate and Business.

At the top of the range, Vista Ultimate will cost users $751 and $495 for an upgrade from XP.
The less flashy Home Basic version costs $385 and $199 for an upgrade.

posted by Phoenix @ 12:06 AM