Thursday, June 01, 2006

7. Microsoft Windows Vista Editions and Costs

Here is an updated list. Windows Vista will come in 5 different versions; not 7 as was announced before. Edited 12/2/06: added price for full packaged product as well as price for upgrading and also new Windows Vista: Starter


Each version of Windows Vista is designed and focused upon the needs of a specific type of person. The different versions of Vista were aligned with specific types of PC hardware instead of with the different ways that people use their PCs. An example of this is Windows XP Professional Tablet PC Edition is designed for mobile PCs and supports handwriting recognition. Windows XP Media Center Edition serves as a hub for your home entertainment system. And Windows XP Professional x64 Edition enables the use of cutting-edge 64-bit processors. But what if you're looking for a single operating system that can connect to your TV, run on a mobile PC that supports handwriting recognition, serve as the hub of your home entertainment system, and take advantage of 64-bit performance and security? With Windows XP there is no offering that gives you this much flexibility.

The five different editions of Windows Vista are designed to fit the way you intend to use your PC:


Windows Vista Business
Regardless of the size of your organization, Windows Vista Business will help you lower your PC management costs, improve your security, enhance your productivity, and help you stay better connected.

The Windows Vista Business operating system is designed to meet the needs of business organizations of all sizes. For small businesses, Windows Vista Business will help keep PCs running smoothly and more securely so you will be less reliant on dedicated IT support. For larger organizations, Windows Vista Business provides dramatic new infrastructure improvements, enabling your IT staff to spend less time focused on the day-to-day maintenance of PCs and more time adding strategic value to your organization. Windows Vista Business also offers powerful new ways to organize, find, and share information while staying better connected whether you are in the office or on the road. This helps your business to run more efficiently than ever before.

More manageable, reliable, and secure

For small businesses, Windows Vista Business includes new technology and tools to ensure your PCs are always up-to-date, more secure, and running smoothly. For instance, Windows Vista Business will make your PCs safer with built-in protection against malicious software, or malware. You will be warned of impending hardware failures long before you risk losing any important business data. An array of sophisticated new backup technologies helps protect your information even in the event of a catastrophic hardware failure.

For larger organizations, Windows Vista Business has been designed from the ground up to improve the deployment and management of the operating system. For instance, image-based installation is now the default method for installing the Windows Vista operating system, and the images are no longer hardware-dependent. These two key design principles enable your organization to dramatically reduce the number of images you are required to manage and streamline the process of deploying new PCs and updating existing PCs.

For businesses of any size, Windows Vista Business is designed to allow your IT department to configure users' systems so that they can log onto their PCs as standard users instead of as administrators. Windows Vista Business enables the use of standard user accounts without the compatibility and usability issues that could occur in previous versions of Windows. This new capability significantly reduces the likelihood of a malicious attack causing damage to your organization's PCs.

Easier, faster access to information

Windows Vista Business has a new user interface, named Windows Aero™, which is designed to deliver new levels of efficiency for any business user. This new interface makes it easy to navigate through the operating system and from application to application. For instance, Windows Aero helps you juggle multiple tasks at once by providing a three-dimensional, real-time, animated view of all your open applications and documents.

In addition to these navigation improvements, Windows Vista Business makes it easier than ever to manage huge volumes of business documents. By integrating search throughout the operating system and providing new ways to organize files, Windows Vista Business helps you quickly find exactly what you are looking for.

For those who are not full-time IT professionals but have roles that require them to support their organizations' PCs, Windows Vista Business includes Small Business Resources. This built-in how-to guide leads you through everyday tasks and troubleshooting in easy-to-follow, non-technical language.

More mobile and better connected

Windows Vista Business is designed to help you easily and quickly connect with your organization, your customers, and your partners, whether you are in the office or on the road. Windows Vista Business includes all of the essential infrastructure required to more securely connect you to your business information whether you are sitting at your desk, working at home, connected to a WiFi hotspot, or even if you are using your cell phone to connect to the Internet.

To help you be more productive when you are away from your desk, Windows Vista Business includes Tablet PC technology that lets you interact with your Tablet PC-compatible computer using a digital pen or your fingertip instead of a keyboard. The new Tablet PC features in Windows Vista Business include improved handwriting recognition and simpler ways to navigate through documents and applications without a keyboard.

Computers that include Windows Vista Business and an auxiliary Windows SideShow™ display will also allow you to access critical business information even when your computer is turned off. Windows Vista Business also makes it easy for you to share documents and collaborate with colleagues, partners, and customers—even if a network is not available. Additionally, Windows Vista Business helps you get the most out of your portable PC by making it quick and easy to manage key mobility settings.

Regardless of whether your organization is big or small, Windows Vista Business will help you lower your PC management costs, improve your security, enhance your productivity, and stay better connected than ever before.

Suggested retail price for full package product, $299.00 USD. Suggested upgrade retail price, $199.00 USD.


Windows Vista Enterprise
Windows Vista Enterprise is designed to meet the needs of large global organizations with highly complex IT infrastructures. Windows Vista Enterprise can help you lower your IT costs while providing additional layers of protection for your sensitive data.

To better address the needs of large, global organizations and those with highly complex IT infrastructures, Microsoft will introduce a new version of Windows—Windows Vista Enterprise—designed to significantly lower IT costs and risk. In addition to all of the features available in Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise is designed to provide higher levels of data protection using hardware-based encryption technology. It also includes tools to improve application compatibility and enables organizations to standardize by using a single worldwide deployment image. Windows Vista Enterprise will only be available to customers who have PCs covered by Microsoft Software Assurance or a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement.

Data protection

Windows Vista Enterprise includes Windows BitLocker™ Drive Encryption, a new technology which helps prevent sensitive data and intellectual property from falling into the wrong hands if a computer is lost or stolen. Windows BitLocker uses hardware-based data encryption technology that gives you greater peace of mind knowing that your corporate intellectual property is safer and will remain your strategic asset. Also, since the entire hard drive is encrypted, Windows BitLocker reduces the cost associated with decommissioning old PCs.

Application compatibility

Windows Vista Enterprise includes built-in tools to improve application compatibility with previous versions of Microsoft operating systems, as well as with UNIX operating systems. A feature of Windows Vista Enterprise, Virtual PC Express enables you to run—unchanged—a legacy application on a legacy Windows operating system in a virtual environment on top of Windows Vista Enterprise. This feature saves you time and money if you are unable to easily migrate a legacy application directly to Windows Vista.

Additionally, Windows Vista Enterprise includes Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications (SUA), which enables you to run UNIX applications unchanged on a Windows Vista Enterprise-based PC. Whereas today a UNIX database administrator or system administrator needs to have a UNIX workstation in addition to a Windows-based PC, Windows Vista Enterprise enables you to consolidate both functions into a single Windows Vista-based PC.

Multi-language support

An interface language controls which language a user sees in the Windows Start menu, in the help system, in built-in management tools, and in Windows dialog boxes. Windows Vista Enterprise includes all available interface languages in one offering. Access to all worldwide Windows interface languages enables organizations to build a single deployment image that can be used worldwide and to deploy individual PCs that simultaneously offer different interface languages for different users.

Windows Vista Enterprise is designed to meet the needs of large global organizations and those with highly complex IT infrastructures. If your organization has these requirements, Windows Vista Enterprise will help you lower your IT costs and will provide additional layers of protection for your sensitive data.

The Windows Vista Enterprise edition is only available to Microsoft Volume License customers, it is not available for retail purchase.


Windows Vista Home Premium
Whether you choose to use your PC to write e-mail and surf the Internet, for home entertainment, or to track your household expenses, Windows Vista Home Premium delivers a more complete and satisfying computing experience.

Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system for homes with advanced computer needs. It will help you use your laptop or desktop PC more effectively as well as enable you to enjoy new, exciting digital entertainment experiences—all with the benefit of added security and reliability.

New user interface

Windows Vista Home Premium has a new user interface named Windows Aero™, which is both efficient and beautiful. This new interface makes it easier than ever before to find your way around the operating system. It even makes it easier to accomplish multiple tasks at once by providing a three-dimensional, real-time, animated view of all of your open applications and documents. Additionally, Windows Vista Home Premium helps you quickly find and organize large collections of documents, pictures, movies, videos, and music. By integrating search throughout the operating system, Windows Vista Home Premium helps you quickly find exactly what you are looking for.

Improved mobility

Windows Vista Home Premium makes it easy to take your home computing experience with you wherever you go. For example, Windows Vista Home Premium includes Tablet PC technology that enables you to interact with your Tablet PC-compatible computer with a digital pen or with your fingertip instead of having to use a keyboard. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow™ display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect to your favorite WiFi hotspot.

More entertaining

Windows Vista Home Premium will improve every aspect of your digital entertainment experiences including viewing and sharing photos, video, TV, movies, music, games, and more. For example, Windows Vista Home Premium enables you to create your own DVDs and edit your own high-definition movies. Most significantly, Windows Vista Home Premium includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. Windows Media Center in Windows Vista provides new ways for you to enjoy your music, photos, and DVD movies. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. You will also be able to connect Windows Vista Home Premium to your Microsoft Xbox 360 to extend your Media Center experience to multiple rooms in your home.

Whatever you choose to do with your home PC, Windows Vista Home Premium will deliver a more complete and satisfying computing experience.

Suggested retail price for full package product, $239.00 USD. Suggested upgrade retail price, $159.00 USD.


Windows Vista Home Basic
Windows Vista Home Basic is designed to deliver improved reliability, security, and usability to home PC users who just want to do the basics with their PCs.

Windows Vista Home Basic is the operating system for homes with basic computing needs. It is easy to set up, it helps you use your PC more securely and reliably, and like all of the editions of Windows Vista, it is compatible with the widest range of software, devices, and services that you use and trust. If you simply want to use your PC for tasks such as surfing the Internet, corresponding with friends and family using e-mail, or performing basic document creation and editing tasks, then Windows Vista Home Basic will deliver a safer, more reliable, and more productive computing environment.

Safer and more reliable

Windows Vista is designed to be the safest operating system that Microsoft has ever delivered. Every edition of Windows Vista, including Windows Vista Home Basic, provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. Additionally, all Windows Vista editions will include new parental control features that will allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities on your PC that might concern you as a parent. Windows Vista Home Basic is designed so that you and your family can focus on what's most important to you and spend less time worrying about your safety.

Easier to set up and use

As with all of other editions of Windows Vista, Windows Vista Home Basic makes your PC significantly easier to use. Windows Vista Home Basic has new tools to help you painlessly move your personal files and settings from your old PC to your new Windows Vista-based PC. Additionally, Windows Vista Home Basic integrates new search tools throughout the operating system to help you quickly find the precise file or program you need.

Windows Vista Home Basic contains all of the basic features to make your computing experience easier, safer, and more reliable. Even if your existing PC seems to be adequate for basic tasks such as reading e-mail and browsing the web, by upgrading your PC to Windows Vista Home Basic or by purchasing a new PC installed with Windows Vista Home Basic, you will benefit from a better computing experience and more peace of mind.

Windows Vista Home Basic is the edition of Windows for users with the most basic computing needs. The features in Windows Vista Home Basic also form the foundation of all of the other editions of Windows Vista, including Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate.

Suggested retail price for full package product, $199.00 USD. Suggested upgrade retail price, $99.95 USD.


Windows Vista Ultimate
If you want all of the best business features, all of the best mobility features, and all of the best home entertainment features that Windows Vista has to offer, Windows Vista Ultimate is the solution for you. With Windows Vista Ultimate you don't have to compromise.

Windows Vista Ultimate is the most comprehensive edition of Windows Vista. It is the first operating system that combines all of the advanced infrastructure features of a business-focused operating system, all of the management and efficiency features of a mobility-focused operating system, and all of the digital entertainment features of a consumer-focused operating system. For the person who wants one operating system that is great for working from home, working on the road, and for entertainment, Windows Vista Ultimate is the operating system that lets you have it all.

Work from home

Windows Vista Ultimate includes all of the features that make it easy to remotely connect to business networks. So when you're working from home, you'll have advanced networking capabilities, such as the ability to join a domain, support for Group Policy, and features such as Remote Desktop. Windows Vista Ultimate also includes Windows BitLocker™ Drive Encryption that provides new levels of protection against theft for your important business data whether you are at home, on the road, or in the office.

The latest in entertainment

Windows Vista Ultimate delivers all of the entertainment features available in Windows Vista Home Premium. It includes everything you need to enjoy the latest in digital photography, music, movies, analog TV, or even HDTV. Windows Vista Ultimate has great tools such as Windows Photo Gallery and Windows Movie Maker to ensure that you have everything you need to collect, manage, and edit your digital content. It also includes Windows Media Center for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center.

No compromises

Windows Vista Ultimate delivers all of the features available to both business users and home users. It is the ideal solution for a small-business owner who wants a single PC that he or she can use at the office, on the road, and at home. It is also the ideal solution for someone who wants a home PC that will be used primarily for entertainment purposes but that can also be used for business purposes such as connecting to a corporate network.

If you want all of the best business features, all of the best mobility features, and all of the best home entertainment features, Windows Vista Ultimate is the solution for you. With Windows Vista Ultimate, you don't have to compromise.

Suggested retail price for full package product, $399.00 USD. Suggested upgrade retail price, $259.00 USD.


Windows Vista Starter
Available in 119 emerging markets, Windows Vista Starter provides individuals and families with the basic benefits of Windows Vista at an affordable price. Designed for first-time PC users, Windows Vista Starter is easy to learn and includes help features tailored to beginner users.

Basic computing at an affordable price

Maintaining the goal of making technology accessible to customers in emerging markets, Windows Vista Starter offers a basic set of features targeted to beginner users at a price that fits their budget. Windows Vista Starter will be available* at an affordable price from OEM and system builder partners, and through government-sponsored programs.

Intuitive and easy to use

Windows Vista Starter includes more help features for first-time PC users. With localized and customized support, step-by-step guidance, and interactive video demonstrations to help perform the most popular tasks, Windows Vista Starter makes it easy to use a PC—in any language.

Reliable and secure

Windows Vista Starter includes even more security and reliability than previous versions. And like all editions of Windows Vista, Windows Vista Starter is compatible with the widest range of software, devices, and services.

*Note: Windows Vista Starter is not currently scheduled to be available in the United States, Canada, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, or other high income markets as defined by the World Bank.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

so... when it is will be fully released?

fckin beta series freakin me out!
beta this, beta that... i am tired.

Mohit C said...

they said sometime in 2007. think early 2007. they said it was going to be later this year, but they had to work out some "issues" before they could proceed.

Anonymous said...

Do you have assumtions/estimations on prices? I think i'll get ultimate. Along with my 15k PC once i get the raise.

Mohit C said...

finally got the prices for the vista editions. they are in the post now.