How much will Windows 7E really cost?
During the past week, Windows 7E pricing got a lot of buzz as sites got hold of Microsoft’s pricing details.
windows -
comments -
5.7.2009 Windows Vista Ultimate Could Cost $450
We have absolutely no way of confirming the information ourselves, but according to iTWire, we can expect to really pay out the nose for the most ultimate version of Windows ever conceived, Windows Vista Ultimate.
windows -
comments -
30.5.2006 Microsoft Warns Games Could Cost More
After Electronic Arts representative Keith Ramsdale warned that a new rating system might lead to delays for game launches in the United Kingdom, it's Microsoft’s turn to rally against the intention of the British government to introduce a reform when it comes to rating videogames.
microsoft -
comments -
1.7.2008 The low-cost laptop that Apple should have built
The buzz around the XO Laptop, aka the One Laptop Per Child group’s “$100 laptop” is growing, with an innovative donation program coming in time for the holidays.
common -
comments -
8.10.2007 Confickers estimated economic cost? $9.1 billion
In a recent blog post, the Cyber Secure Institute claims that based on their previous studies into the average cost of such malware attacks, the economic loss due to the Conficker worm could be as high as $9.1 billion.
common -
comments -
24.4.2009 The low-cost laptop offer Microsoft cant refuse
As the release of low-cost laptops based on Intel's upcoming Atom processor draws near, Microsoft is getting boxed into a corner.
microsoft -
comments -
1.4.2008 Cost of Vista Business License Offset by Savings, Says Microsoft
For a great many large businesses, "the move to the next Windows" has been an ongoing, daily affair for at least well over a decade. And up until recently, the reasons why this migration tends to proceed so slowly have been, to Microsoft, a complete mystery.
windows -
comments -
15.6.2007 Microsoft launches new low-cost PC effort in India
Microsoft has launched another low-cost PC effort in India, this time partnering with chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices in an effort to get more computers into the hands of students.
microsoft -
comments -
28.6.2007 What about Windows 7 OEM pricing?
Microsoft still has yet to go public with its Windows 7 price list. But that hasn’t stopped customers and partners from publicly hoping for the best (cheaper than Vista) and fearing the worst (any kind of increase over the cost of Vista).
windows -
comments -
16.6.2009 Windows Live to Get First OEM Bundle
Microsoft will imminently announce its first PC-bundling deal for Windows Live.
windows -
comments -
14.3.2007 Windows 7 OEM Pricing Emerges
Windows 7 is set to be launched on the market in about three weeks from now, and those people considering choosing it as the platform on their computers are certainly interested in the costs the migration will imply.
windows -
comments -
30.9.2009 Microsoft Windows Vista OEM Preinstallation Kit available
The Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 (RC1) OEM Presinstallation Kit is now available. Microsoft's Worldwide System Builder team would like system builders to experience the updated OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK) tools which will be used to preinstall Windows Vista.
windows -
comments -
16.10.2006 Microsoft: The Windows OEM License Dies with Its Computer
Licenses for Windows come in various flavors from Retail to Volume, but perhaps the most common of all is provided by original equipment manufacturers together with operating systems preloaded on new computers.
windows -
comments -
17.6.2008 Get an Insight into the Windows 7 OEM Pre-installation Kit
Here is your chance to get an insight into the OEM Pre-installation Kit (OPK) that Microsoft will offer for Windows 7.
download -
comments -
24.5.2009 Windows 7 OEM Named Partner RTM Information
Here is the correct current information as available for OEM's. Thansk to our fiend for report.
windows -
comments -
22.7.2009 Want Windows 7 for 50 Percent Off? Order an OEM Copy
Missed out on the early preorder discounts? Popular retailer Newegg.com has listed the OEM prices for Windows 7, which will be offered at less than half what Microsoft will charge for a retail copy.
windows -
comments -
26.9.2009 OEM Logo and Information for Windows Vista - Auto Patch
Thanks to Steve Jobs for this post in forum. You have successfully activate Windows Vista instantly in OEM style by using hardware-level BIOS ACPI-SLIC mod, or one of the two software based OEM BIOS emulator such as softmod SLIC BIOS bootloader and Paradox OEM BIOS Emulation Toolkit.
download -
comments -
20.3.2007 Microsoft Confirms Windows Vista OEM BIOS Crack
Microsoft confirmed the fact that hackers have developed a valid Windows Vista crack designed to exploit the operating system's OEM BIOS activation.
windows -
comments -
11.4.2007 First OEM Boxes of Windows 7 RTM Build 7600.16385
Last week, just days after Windows 7 was released to manufacturing, Microsoft started handing the gold bits to original equipment manufacturers.
windows -
comments -
27.7.2009 Windows 7 Ultimate cracked and activated with OEM master key
Hackers cracked and permanently activated Windows 7 Ultimate RTM Final Version. Once again hackers wins the cat and mouse battle game from the Redmond giants.
windows -
comments -
29.7.2009 Microsoft blacklists leaked Lenovo OEM Windows 7 Key
According to Neowin, Microsoft has responded to the latest Windows 7 cracking scheme by blacklisting the Lenovo OEM master key on computers that are not manufactured by Lenovo.
windows -
comments -
31.7.2009 Vista to Windows 7 Upgrades Kill Access to OEM Recovery Applications
Users that upgrade Windows Vista OEM computers to Windows 7 might find that the recovery applications set in place by the original equipment manufacturer are no longer accessible.
windows -
comments -
9.10.2009 Dell, HP, and Sony OEM Certificates Used in Windows Vista Activation Crack
The latest trend in Windows Vista cracks is to utilize OEM certificates in order to bypass the activation process of the operating system. Via the OEM crack for Windows Vista, original equipment
manufacturer versions of the operating system are illegally activated through a process that involves patching the BIOS of the motherboard.
windows -
comments -
26.2.2007 Dead Cheap Windows 7 OEM/System Builder, Pricing Details Revealed
How would you like to buy Windows 7, all major editions, at prices half of those for the retail versions of the operating system? Sounds like a pretty sweet deal? Well, that’s because it is, with the exception of a few small downsides.
windows -
comments -
3.9.2009 How to Backup and Restore to Preserve OEM Offline Pre-Activation When Reinstall Windows XP
Most users of new computers with Windows XP pre-installed will notice that no activation is required after they unwrap and start up the new laptop or notebook PC, even though they need to go through the initial set up process, and a product key is found on the Certificate of Authenticity attached to the PC (COA Key). Large PC manufacturers known as Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) have the ability to pre-activate Windows XP operating system installed on new PCs via SLP (System Locked Preinstallation).
windows -
comments -
3.9.2009 Microsoft can't afford to support OEM Vista?
Microsoft might have $7.6 billion in spare cash in the bank, but when it comes to supporting users who purchase Vista on a new machine, the software giant is all too ready to cry poor.
windows -
comments -
15.5.2007 OEM licensing confusion starts at Microsoft.com
Last week, in the wrap-up for a post about WGA, I offered five suggestions I’d like to see incorporated into Vista and especially into Windows 7.
microsoft -
comments -
9.9.2008 OEM versions of Vista Ultimate available for pre-order
hardgiant spotted over at overclockers.co.uk that Windows Vista Ultimate 32/64 OEM discs have been added at just £114.99, which when converted to USD comes to $262.750 plus tax. The full retail version costs £352.49 a whopping $685.235 after tax.
windows -
comments -
4.1.2007 Vista OEM 'Express' upgrades stuck at the gate
Europeans who bought a new PC in time for Christmas and were persuaded that they would get a Vista upgrade soon after the rollout by redeeming a voucher, are learning that demand for the upgrades far outstrips "supply".
windows -
comments -
18.2.2007 Vista Oem Activation Tool Kit 0.5 Beta
Thanks to Steve Jobs for this download. This is Vista Oem Activation Tool Kit 0.5 Beta by Steve Jobs @ Keznews forum
download -
comments -
22.3.2007MS: It's Okay to Buy Vista OEM Software
Microsoft has given the go
ahead for users to buy the
low-cost OEM copies of Windows
Vista now appearing on sites
like Newegg.com; however, they
would be expected to adhere to
the licensing terms just like
any other computer
manufacturer...
betanews.com -
30.01.2007Windows 7 Ultimate cracked and activated with OEM master key
Windows 7 has yet to even be released officially to the general public, and already the dodgy folk on the Internet have fully cracked and activated
the Ultimate version, with help from a leaked Lenovo OEM DVD .ISO file. The news comes from website My Digital Life who state that you can already
pass Windows Genuine Advantage validation offline, OEM style. The leaked .ISO was originally posted on a Chinese forum, which was then downloaded in
order for people to get hold of the boot.wim, and in turn retrieving the OEM-SLP key, plus the OEM activation certificate. Microsoft uses the same
digitally signed OEM certificate, which has an .xrm-ms extension, as that in Windows Vista.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
29.07.2009Windows XP's final day still June 30, but low-cost PCs get two more years
Microsoft today announced that the previously-established June 30, 2008 cutoff date for OEM and retail Windows XP sales was final, except for the new
class of what the company has termed ULCPCs: Ultra Low-Cost PCs...
betanews.com -
04.04.2008OEM Microsoft Office and OEM Microsoft Windows licensing
OEM Microsoft Office and OEM
Microsoft Windows licensing is
a topic that seems to again be
generating questions and there
are plenty of people out there
who are illegally taking
advantage of others to trying
to make a quick profit by
selling counterfeit or
unlicensed software.
Here are the facts
and answers to many of the
points of confusion around OEM
Microsoft Office and OEM
Microsoft Windows licensing so
you are informed and can
protect yourself from the
scammers out there...
winbeta.org -
02.08.2007Windows 7 OEM prices unveiled, 50% off list price
ComputerWorld is reporting that online retailer Newegg.com has unveiled Windows 7 OEM pricing. Newegg.com has priced the OEM version of Windows 7
Home Premium at $99.99 which is a price reduction of 50% down from the recommended retail price of $199.99. Other savings are available for
Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate at $134.99 and $174.99, respectively. This is a saving of approximately 50% on each version from
the list price. OEM editions are priced lower as you typically do not get retail packaging, little official support and you're not able to
transfer the operating system license from one PC to another.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
29.09.2009Microsoft blacklists leaked Windows 7 OEM key
Microsoft has responded to pirates by blacklisting the Lenovo OEM key that leaked earlier this week. On Tuesday Neowin reported that pirates were
able to modify their BIOS and activate copies of Windows 7 Ultimate with a Lenovo OEM master key. Microsoft have worked with Lenovo to blacklist the
master key before Windows 7 starts shipping with new PCs in October. According to Alex Kochis, Director of Genuine Windows at Microsoft: "we've
worked with that manufacturer so that customers who purchase genuine copies of Windows 7 from this manufacturer will experience no issues validating
their copy of Windows 7.
Read full
story.....
neowin.net -
31.07.2009Microsoft block Windows 7 OEM key hack
Microsoft’s Windows Genuine Advantage team
have responded to this week's news that a Windows 7 Ultimate
licensing hack had been identified.
After a Lenovo OEM Windows 7 image leaked and was used to extract a license key, Microsoft have worked with the manufacturer to blacklist the rogue
key and replace it - on genuine Lenovo PCs bought with the new OS - with a working version.
winbeta.org -
31.07.2009Microsoft to make Windows Home Server available as OEM product
Up until now, one of
the main drawbacks to the
upcoming Windows Home Server
was that the product was only
going to be available on
select, prebuilt systems from
Integrated System Vendors
(ISVs). Microsoft has
apparently changed its mind on
this score—one of the major
announcements in Gates'
keynote address at WINHEC
today is the news that WHS
will be directly available as
an OEM product.
"Digital devices and
digital media are now an
essential part of so many
aspects of our lives, and
their importance continues to
grow," said Microsoft
chairman Bill Gates at WINHEC.
"With Windows Home Server,
we're launching a new
category of consumer products
that will make it much easier
for people to connect to their
digital content and share
experiences with friends and
family no matter where they
are."
This is a move
that makes a lot of sense for
Microsoft's target market, as
it's much more cost-effective
to reposition an older or
secondary system as a home
server than it is to justify
purchasing an entirely new
system specifically for that
purpose—especially when you
have to justify the additional
cost to a spouse. Buyers
looking for a
specifically-purposed home
server system, however, will
still have a range of options
including HP's MediaSmart
Server or the upcoming Medion
Home Server, with the latter
available in 500GB to 2TB
storage flavors...
winbeta.org -
16.05.2007Microsoft add cheaper server platform to range
According to a press release, Microsoft has announced a version of Windows designed for small businesses, named Windows Server 2008 Foundation. The
low-cost server option is based on Windows Server 2008, but with reduced functionality. One example of this is the maximum number of licensed users,
which has been reduced to a considerably smaller 15. However, for new or small businesses, the entry-level alternative to expensive server options may
prove popular. According to the Windows Server 2008 Foundation website, the operating system will not be available through a retail edition, rather,
only available as an OEM option, for servers with it preinstalled, which are likely to be low cost ones.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
02.04.2009Dell to Sell Windows XP Professional with PCs Through 2009
In a letter to some of Dells customers, they said that " XP Professional is available for OEM installation on your Dell PC purchases through at
least 2009 and likely longer." The "official" OEM and retail end date from Microsoft is June 30, 2008, just a few weeks away. There has been
much talk of whether Microsoft would bow to the demand of the consumers to keep XP alive, and with this it is still hard to tell if Dell bought a
years stock of licenses ahead of time, or if this is the precursor to an announcement from Microsoft.
Dell's plan for users is to have
Windows XP Professional installed on their machines, but include the Vista install disk for when they are ready to upgrade. "With XP installed,
we will send media for both Vista and XP with each PC so that when you are ready to migrate to Vista you may at no addition upgrade cost." The
demand seems high, so let's hope others follow suit to allow companies the time and resources to fully upgrade.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
10.06.2008Microsoft recruits Altech for OEM distribution in Australia
Microsoft has struck an OEM distribution agreement with Altech Computers for its Windows Vista, Microsoft Office and Microsoft Server products lines.
The OEM partnership is the vendor's first in nearly 10 years.
Microsoft SME and partner director, Pip Marlow, said the two
companies had partnered closely over recent years.
The new relationship would expand its scope and enable Microsoft to deliver
more support to the local system builder market, she said.
"Altech is the destination for small system builders - they do a
phenomenal job supporting that part of the channel," Marlow said. Altech now shares OEM distribution rights with Ingram Micro and Synnex.
winbeta.org -
12.11.2007Microsoft entering the low-cost PC sales biz; first stop India
Microsoft as OEM? The Redmond
giant has announced its plans
to sell low-cost Windows PCs
in parts of India as part of
its "Unlimited Potential"
program, with the first model
using AMD CPUs and being
priced just above $500.
Dubbed the IQ PC, the
machines will cost RS21,000
(about $525), are manufactured
in partnership with Zenith,
and will sport AMD Athlon
CPUs.
Aimed primarily
at students, the desktop PCs
will initially be made
available in a limited number
of retail outlets in Pune and
Bangalore. After a three-month
trial, the program will be
expanded if sales are strong
enough to warrant it.
"We don't see any gain
in the short term. Our
perspective is long term,"
Microsoft India chairman Ravi
Venkatesan said in a
statement. "The IQ PC
offerings are supported by a
host of partners, both
hardware and software, who
have extensive experiences,
understanding and are leaders
in their area of operations."
..
winbeta.org -
27.06.2007Microsoft sends harsh reality check to OEMs
Last week, Microsoft sent
certified letters to its OEM
partners regarding Vista's
anti-piracy technology -- or,
more accurately, what happens
if they dare ship a system
with a "non-genuine" copy of
Vista.
The answer:
The system is crippled for 30
days, then hosed entirely
until you pony up for a
license. This is apparently
what Microsoft means when it
http://oem.microsoft.com/downl
oads/public/US/wgavista/genuin
e.pdf>warns of a "diminished
user experience."
This would be fine if
Microsoft were a reasonably
competent organization and
Windows Genuine Advantage
worked flawlessly. True
pirates deserve to be
punished. But Microsoft isn't
and WGA doesn't “ at least,
judging by the many letters I
got from Cringesters who
bought legit OEM copies of XP
from major manufacturers, only
to have WGA label them as
pirates. ..
winbeta.org -
04.06.2007Staggered Windows 7 RTM schedule puts pressure on OEM production
Despite having recently been handed the RTM version of Windows 7, Taiwan-based OEM PC makers have said they will not be able to start rolling out PCs
with Windows 7 off their production lines until September, instead of mid-August as projected previously, since they are still waiting on tools from
Microsoft as well as final validation tests from independent software and hardware vendors.
winbeta.org -
03.08.2009Microsoft Responds to Reported OEM BIOS Hacks
The WGA team have finally
provided a written response to
the reported OEM BIOS Hacks
regarding Vista:
I
know many of you are aware of
reports of hacks that attempt
to exploit our OEM BIOS based
activation. We're aware of
this type of hack and I wanted
to take a minute to describe
how these work and how we plan
to respond.
First, what is OEM BIOS
based activation?
Here's a little more
information on how OEM BIOS
based activation works. This
form of product activation is
also known as OEM Activation
or just OA, which is how
Microsoft refers to it and how
I will refer to it in this
post. Back at the launch of
Windows XP when Microsoft
introduced Windows Product
Activation, we recognized that
as easy as end-user activation
is, it still represented an
extra step.
neowin.net -
12.04.2007July 1: No more Office 2003 for OEMs
Its only been six months since
Microsoft launched Office 2007
at retail. But as of July 1,
2007, Microsoft wont be
making the OEM version of
Office 2003 to its PC
partners, aka "OEMs."
Eric Ligman, Senior
Manager of Small Business
Community Engagement with
Microsoft, reminded OEMs and
customers of the pending
cut-off date in a blog posting
dated June 18:
"After June 30, 2007 ,
OEM
Microsoft Office 2003 will no
longer be availble from
Microsoft. Some authorized
OEM Microsoft distributors may
have some remaining inventory
left for a short time after
June 30th; however, Microsoft
will no longer be shipping OEM
Microsoft Office to
them." ..
winbeta.org -
18.06.2007Microsoft can't afford to support OEM Vista?
Microsoft might have
$7.6 billion in spare cash in
the bank, but when it comes to
supporting users who purchase
Vista on a new machine, the
software giant is all too
ready to cry poor.
Conventional wisdom
holds that if you feel the
urge to upgrade to Windows
Vista, buying it pre-installed
on a new machine is the best
way to go. The advantages are
allegedly twofold: there
should be fresh and functional
drivers for all the built-in
hardware, and you get OEM
pricing (much lower than the
retail $400-$700 price range)
for your new OS.
That
discount pricing comes with a
nasty twist, however. Because
you've purchased an OEM copy,
Microsoft won't extend to you
the courtesy of a 90-day
support period for Vista,
which it does offer to
customers who struggle through
the upgrade process on their
existing machines. Instead, it
will direct you straight back
to your hardware manufacturer...
winbeta.org -
15.05.2007Windows Vista SP1 Update Available via Microsoft OEM site
It looks like Microsoft has posted the final Vista SP1 bits to their
OEM site which is accessible to anyone that registers. The file is a 1.13GB .img which combines the 32-bit and 64-bit update
executables into one image:
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is now available for download. Windows Vista SP1 will deliver
improvements and enhancements to existing features that significantly impact customers, but it does not deliver substantial new operating system
features.
Download Windows Vista SP1 here. The download contains Window Vista SP1 for five languages: English, French, German,
Japanese, and Spanish. Note Additional languages will be available soon.
Once you download the Windows Vista SP1 package, you
will need to extract the appropriate .exe file for the language you wish to install.
winbeta.org -
12.02.2008Numbers Behind Windows 95, Vista
Here is a rundown of some
quick statistics comparing
Windows 95 and Windows Vista.
All prices are in USD. All
figures for Windows 95 seem to
be verified and although there
are sources for the Windows
Vista figures, Microsoft has
not officially confirmed them.
Windows 95 contained 11.2
million lines of code while
Vista is believed to be at 50
million. Windows 95 had
approximately 200 programmers
while Vista supposedly had
2,000, according one Microsoft
developer's blog.
The common retail price of
Windows 95 was $89.95. The
lowest amount you can pay for
Vista (Home Basic Edition) is
$99, and that's an
upgrade - the full retail
version is more than double
Windows 95's price, $199.
At the other extremity there
is Windows Vista Ultimate
Edition, ranging from $259
for the upgrade and $399
for the full. This of course,
doesn't consider OEM prices,
but I decided to do a little
hunting. At mwave.com, Home
Basic is priced at $89.90
while an OEM copy of Windows
95 is currently going for
$19.95, but that isn't
exactly a fair comparison.
Anyone remember the OEM price
for Windows 95 when it was
released?
neowin.net -
24.01.2007Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Timelines Shared at Computex
Steve Guggenheimers anniversary keynote address at leading OEM conference also highlights partner opportunities with upcoming Microsoft innovations...
microsoft.com/presspass -
03.06.2009
