DailyTech - January 30 Windows Vista Launch Deals

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Internet January 30 Windows Vista Launch Deals
Brandon Hill (Blog) - January 29, 2007 11:20 AM

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31 comment(s) - last by danijelzi.. on Jan 31 at 9:41 AM

Retailers bring out the freebies for Vista's launch

When Microsoft releases a new operating system, there are typically a number of special promotions from retailers to entice consumers to part with their money. The January 30 launch of Windows Vista is no exception and retailers from Best Buy to Staples are looking to provide added value with items that are either free instantly or free after mail-in rebate with the purchase of Vista. Here's a listing of some of the deals that can be had starting tomorrow:

Best Buy : Purchase Windows Vista Home Premium or higher and receive H&R Block TaxCut Premium Federal + State, Kingston 512MB PC3200 or 512MB PC2700 DDR Memory and Microsoft Live OneCare free instantly.

Circuit City : Purchase Windows Vista Home or Premium and receive a D-Link Wireless G Router, Norton Internet Security 2007, TaxCut Premium Federal + State, SpySweeper, Windows Live OneCare and a Lexmark X2480 All-in-One Printer free after mail-in rebate.

Office Depot : Purchase Windows Vista and receive AquaZone, Professor Teaches Office 2007, Hoyle Casino, Norton Antivirus 2007 Professor Teaches Vista and Spyware Doctor free after mail-in rebate.

OfficeMax : Purchase Windows Vista Home Premium or higher and receive a 512MB SanDisk Cruzer or Professor Teaches Windows Vista for 99c each.

Staples : Purchase Windows Vista Home Premium or higher and receive a 1GB PNY USB Flash Drive free instantly. McAfee PC Protection Plus 2007, CA Anti-Virus 2007, My Home and Business Attorney and Norton Confidential 2007 are also available free after mail-in rebate with the purchase of Windows Vista.

In addition, both Best Buy and Circuit City will have the Gateway MT3705 14.1" notebook for $599 with no rebates. The 5.2 pound notebook features a 1.6GHz Intel Pentium Dual-Core T2060 processor, 1GB of RAM, a dual-layer DVD burner, 100GB 4200 RPM hard drive, ATI Radeon Express 200M chipset, 4-in-1 media reader, 3 USB 2.0 ports and built-in 802.11g wireless.

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Some of these look pretty good

By JonMooring on 1/29/2007 11:29:03 AM , Rating: 1

Circuit City's deal looks good to me! I still don't want to cough up over $200 for Home Premium though.

RE: Some of these look pretty good

By MonkeyPaw on 1/29/2007 11:47:36 AM , Rating: 3

I would just take a price discount! ;) I guess that's not possible, so I guess some extra stuff is better than nothing.

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By ProsperoLT on 1/29/2007 11:52:12 AM , Rating: 2

FYI, there will be a surplus of memory, flash drives, software and printers on eBay tomorrow.

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By ObscureCaucasian on 1/29/2007 12:05:03 PM , Rating: 2

Buy OEM, Ultimate is 200 bucks (not the upgrade). Sure some people whine about the licnese, but it's half the price, so buy 2 OEMs for the price of retail.

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By kuyaglen on 1/29/2007 12:36:35 PM , Rating: 2

Yes, OEM is $200 but with retail you get both(afaik) 32bit and 64bit editions,the less strict license and the cool box.

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By Dmitheon on 1/29/2007 1:50:54 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
the less strict license

Good point. I hadn't been aware of the difference but just googled it.

I really wish, though, that MS would realize that multi-PC licenses would nice for home users. The Anti-virus folks have figured this out. I'm not even asking for a significant discount, just make it an option so I don't have some many boxes or keys to keep track of.

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By Hare on 1/29/2007 2:51:51 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
Yes, OEM is $200 but with retail you get both(afaik) 32bit and 64bit editions,the less strict license and the cool box.

Actually, someone I know contacted MS in Europe to get a clarification to the issue and the reply he got from MS was that only the Ultimate package contains both 32 and 64-bit versions. However, IF you want the 64bit version and bought let's say home premium, you can order it afterwards for a nominal charge.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong (or the MS person that is).

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By Etern205 on 1/30/2007 2:38:28 PM , Rating: 2

Yes, only the Ultimate version will have 32bit and 64bit included.

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By Etern205 on 1/30/2007 2:36:41 PM , Rating: 2

The retail version of Vista Ultimate does come
with both 32bit and 64bit DVDs, but you can only
use it one.
e.g. If you use 32bit you cannot use the 64bit
version on another machine or on the same system
as the one your using for the 32bit.

In other words you pay $400 just for one license not two.
If you get OEM you can get Vista Ultimate 32bit for $200
and spend another $200 for the 64bit.

Vista Ultimate retail $400 (32bit and 64bit) you can only use one.
Vista Ultimate OEM $400 ($200 for 32bit and $200 for 64bit)

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By Araemo on 1/30/2007 2:46:22 PM , Rating: 2

"Vista Ultimate retail $400 (32bit and 64bit) you can only use one.
Vista Ultimate OEM $400 ($200 for 32bit and $200 for 64bit) "

Let me fix that:
Vista Ultimate retail $400 (32bit and 64bit) you can only use one at a time. (IE, you can only use it on one computer at a time, but you can keep using it when you replace your computer(Motherboard) over and over again.)

Vista Ultimate OEM $400 ($200 for 32bit and $200 for 64bit) but you can only use on two motherboards, total, ever. (Only one if you upgrade your CPU to 64 bit but not your motherboard, and install 64 bit on that motherboard.)

The problem with "OEM" is the non-transferable license, as in, can't transfer it to a different motherboard than the first motherboard it is installed on. Scuttlebut is that MS will use product activation to enforce that, but that could be FUD. (Microsoft itself is spreading the info, but I've never accused MS of being a coherent entity).

Yes, this is a 'new' restriction(If I am correctly informed, MS was much more lax about what computer part it was 'locked' to, and most people used a hard drive or NIC to say it's been tied to that. ;) Just have to afix the License sticker to that part. ;) )

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By Araemo on 1/30/2007 2:49:24 PM , Rating: 2

I'll admit, if you are only likely to use two motherboards total for the next 7 years, that might be a good deal, but if the motherboard restriction IS solid, I'd have to buy vista closer to 4 times over 7 years. I'd rather keep transferring my license, like I've done with XP over my last 5 motherboards. ;)

(If you're curious:
A7V133
K7V Dragon+
A7V8X
NF7-S
ASRock 939Dual-Sata2)

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By BladeVenom on 1/29/2007 1:27:32 PM , Rating: 1

Even better, don't buy any of them because they'll downgrade your system's performance. Wait till you actually need it, and it provides a benefit.

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By tappertrainman on 1/29/2007 3:55:43 PM , Rating: 4

Better not buy any new generation video games, I hear they downgrade your system's performance also...

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By Araemo on 1/30/2007 2:42:10 PM , Rating: 2

He has a valid point, while new games don't make your old games run slower, and most(Copy protection aside) don't slow down your system as a whole when you're not running them, Vista is the operating system, comments about its speed on your CURRENT HARDWARE are very applicable to the discussion.

I'll probably buy it whenever I get the opportunity to score it for cheap, because I know I'll want it eventually. Will I install it on my main desktop? Hell no, not until I hear about the first patch for 'inadvertently formats drives connected via slightly-less-than-mainstream method Z', whether it is caused by MS themselves, or stupid 3rd party(but extremely popular) software(Like EZ CD Creator and Windows XP. ;) ).

Once those little issues are out of the way, I'll be more likely to install it on my main desktop. I've REALLY wanted to install it on my laptop, but most of my laptop's hardware is not supported in Vista - First gen Celeron w/ Intel wireless 2915ABG(This was an upgrade), Mobility Radeon 9200, SD card reader, some onboard realtek audio(I think? I don't recall, vista upgrade advisor doesn't see any drivers for it anyways), and there were a few other devices that vista upgrade advisor choked on, like the cardbus controller, the touchpad I think... just a lot of fun stuff. ;P

I'll wait a few months and run the advisor again, see if the drivers have been released yet....

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By docmilo on 1/29/2007 4:40:06 PM , Rating: 2

I wouldn't buy OEM. As someone said earlier, you only get the 32bit version so far. Also, MS is talking about being able to buy additional licenses for home users for just $50 more, but only for full retail versions.

If I buy Vista I will want to run it on all the computers in my house. I have 3 machines and 2 laptops. I could run on 4 additional machines for only $200 more.

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By Chadder007 on 1/30/2007 1:11:33 PM , Rating: 2

Thats what i'm confused about. I want the 64 bit versions. I haven't seen the 64bit oem of premium yet either. I wished they wouldn't have made so many freaking versions of Vista. Is there such thing as Basic 64bit?

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By Araemo on 1/30/2007 2:52:02 PM , Rating: 2

Basic 64bit-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82...

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RE: Some of these look pretty good

By slacker57 on 1/29/2007 2:22:04 PM , Rating: 2

Would look even better if they weren't mail-ins. It actually piqued my interest until I realized they were mail-ins. If they had been instant rebates, it would made me at least consider picking up a copy, even though I don't plan on getting vista anytime even in the next year, but a lot of companies are so flakey with mail-ins and screw you over.

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Where

By MooseMuffin on 1/29/2007 11:55:48 AM , Rating: 2

I clicked the best buy link and it brought me to their weekly flyer. Where in there is the vista + goodies info, I didn't see it.

RE: Where

By Brandon Hill

(blog) on 1/29/2007 11:59:52 AM , Rating: 3

Page 20 and 21

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RE: Where

By MooseMuffin on 1/29/2007 12:37:16 PM , Rating: 2

Ah, thank you. I checked front and back cover, and the page with Vista on it. Didn't look at the page next to the page with Vista on it.

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Dual Core Pentium 2060?

By ADDAvenger on 1/29/2007 2:16:42 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
The 5.2 pound notebook features a 1.6GHz Intel Pentium Dual-Core T2060 processor

Huh?

RE: Dual Core Pentium 2060?

By Brandon Hill

(blog) on 1/29/2007 3:00:19 PM , Rating: 2

http://tinyurl.com/yofvgp
http://tinyurl.com/26vztq
http://tinyurl.com/22hmgl

From here:

http://www.fatwallet.com/t/18/698158/

quote:
The T2050 is from the Intel Core Duo Family and has the following Specs: 1.60Ghz/2MB L2/533FSB. The T2060 is a new Processor midway between a Celeron and a Core Duo. It is called the Pentium Dual Core T2060, it is lower spec'd than the Core Duo and it runs hotter. It is almost akin to having a turbocharged Celeron. The Specs for the T2060 are: 1.60Ghz/1MB L2/533Mhz. Not all Extensions and functionality are present on this CPU, full specs will only show up when a machine is released with this CPU.

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RE: Dual Core Pentium 2060?

By ADDAvenger on 1/29/2007 7:55:00 PM , Rating: 2

I see, seems like they should've named it the t2040 though.

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There are also more Vista Deals

By danijelzi on 1/31/2007 9:38:09 AM , Rating: 2

At NewEgg you can get the Vista Ultimate OEM for $200 (half of retail price).

There are also Vista-related deals and discounts at Amazon, Wal-Mart, Buy.com and CompUSA.

http://laptoping.com/windows-vista-deals-discounts...

RE: There are also more Vista Deals

By danijelzi on 1/31/2007 9:41:40 AM , Rating: 2

But, keep in mind the Ultimate for $200 at NewEgg is 32-bit only.

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xp deals

By srp49ers on 1/29/2007 1:11:51 PM , Rating: 2

actually the deals for Windows XP were better. I got ram, a router, mp3 player and some other stuff for buying xp home

Israel gets it First.

By crystal clear on 1/30/2007 1:02:46 AM , Rating: 2

MS launched the Vista OS along with Office 2007 yesterday(29-Monday morning) in Israel at their local headquaters there, this even before the official launch in N.Y.

Today (30-Tuesday morning)its already in shops for sale.
Note-This is the FULL, HEBREW VERSION of Vista (Retail).
Thus making it the first country to get the Vista.

MS certainly attaches a lot of importance to its Israeli
market.
Hebrew is not a major language compared to other
languages .

Webcast-Vista

By crystal clear on 1/30/2007 1:42:32 AM , Rating: 2

Bill Gates Celebrates Worldwide General Availability of Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office System

January 29, 2007

From Times Square in New York City, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates hosted the worldwide launch of Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office System. The celebration paid tribute to the millions of Microsoft customers, partners and product testers around the world who provided input and feedback on these products -- helping Microsoft transform the way people communicate, create and share content, and access information and entertainment in the new digital age.

On-Demand Webcast:• 500K
• 220K
• 100K
http://www.microsoft.com/events/executives/billgat...

Plethora of freebies

By AMDfreak on 1/29/2007 12:53:00 PM , Rating: 2

Sure seems like a lot of freebies being offered just to try get people to buy Vista. I could be wrong, but I don't think such marketing was necessary for previous Windows releases.