Australian IT: Vista pricing leaked

[housegroover]

Vista pricing leaked

Chris Jenkins

AUGUST 29, 2006

PRICING details for Microsoft's forthcoming Vista Windows release are starting to leak out, with both Microsoft's Canadian operation and online retailer Amazon publishing prices online.

Amazon.com is listing pre-order copies of Windows Vista Ultimate for $US399 ($524), saying the product would be released on January 30, 2007.

Meanwhile, Microsoft's Canadian operation has inadvertently leaked prices for the forthcoming Windows Vista release.

According to posts on tech forum site Neowin.net, the Canadian website listed Windows Vista Ultimate for $C499 ($590). The Home Platinum edition was priced at $C299 and the Home Premium Upgrade version at $C199.

The Canadian website currently lists Windows XP Professional for a retail price of $C499. Microsoft Australia lists the same product for $479.

Based on differences in current Windows XP pricing between Australia and Canada, it's estimated Vista Ultimate could cost $479 locally, while the Home Platinum would be priced at approximately $287 and the Home Premium Upgrade version at $190.

Microsoft said it had yet to finalise pricing

"There is no new pricing information to share currently but we plan to announce Windows Vista US pricing when we ship Windows Vista RC1, during this quarter," a Microsoft Australia spokeswoman said.

"A number of pricing models are undergoing consideration internally, however nothing has been finalised. We will have more to share at a later date."

The Canadian Vista price list was quickly taken down once news of the leak spread.

While the apparent Canadian price was the equivalent to $US100 more than the US price listed by Amazon, forum poster "The Griffin", who linked to the Canadian Microsoft website, said Microsoft's Canadian prices were routinely higher than US equivalent by approximately this amount.

Announced by Microsoft as part of a Vista product roadmap in February, Windows Vista Ultimate combines the features of other home and enterprise releases in a single package.

An update issued in March set a November release for the business editions of Windows, which would be followed by consumer editions in January.

Despite several prior delays to the long-running Vista development program, Microsoft executives have stuck by the release schedule since it was announced.

Artical: http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0...from=public_rss

[PL_ Veteran]

(Y)

What's Home Platinum???

[Nigriv_LV1]

Once that carrot avy dude finds out...he's gonna be like "i'm on da news, b*atch!"