Vista Ultimate Extras
One of the major unanswered questions about Windows Vista is what exactly Vista's Ultimate Extras will be.
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7.11.2006 Two Windows Vista Ultimate Extras Released
The most complete edition of Windows Vistawith the power, security, and mobility features that you need for work, and all of the entertainment features that you want for fun
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29.1.2007 Windows Vista Ultimate Extras Come Out of Coma
Believe it or not but the Ultimate Extras for the high-end edition of Windows Vista have come out of a coma.
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24.9.2008 Microsoft evades promise of Vista Ultimate Extras
The Microsoft Corp. in January released Vista Ultimate, the priciest version of the company's new operating system, with the promise of additional downloadable "Extras," available only for the top-of-the-line product.
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2.7.2007 Microsoft Answers Vista Ultimate Extras Critics
Microsoft has finally commented on the much criticized Ultimate Extras. When we launched Windows Vista in January 2007, we identified Windows Ultimate Extras as a unique series of add-ons that would be available to Windows Vista Ultimate customers.
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3.7.2007 Windows Vista Ultimate Extras, Less than 3 days and counting
Microsoft has 2 & 1/2 days left until Summer ends and the first day of fall officially starts. and still no word on what or if anything is happening with Ultimate Extras.
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20.9.2007 Vista SP1 tries to hide the Ultimate Extras shame
While many are waiting on Windows Vista SP1 to come along to knock off some of Vistas rough corners, it seems that some at Microsoft will welcome the release too - specifically Microsofts Windows Ultimate group.
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24.9.2007 Microsoft Launches New Windows Vista Ultimate Extras
Despite no announcement being made on UltimatePC.com, Microsoft have released a new sound scheme and a content pack for Windows DreamScene as part of its Windows Vista Ultimate Extras offerings for customers who purchased the Ultimate edition of Vista.
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22.4.2008 Microsoft to Release Vista Ultimate Extras on Windows 7
Remember Ultimate Extras from Windows Vistas era? Well, it seems like some of those Ultimate Extras are going to make a comeback on Windows 7, but this time in the form of free apps.
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11.11.2009 Windows Vista Ultimate Extras Vanish in Thin Air
Microsoft is mocking users of the Ultimate edition of its Windows Vista operating system with the Windows Ultimate Extras.
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28.8.2007 No Ultimate Extras for Windows 7
Windows Vista Ultimate had an interesting feature touted by Microsoft before it's release, named Extras.
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7.2.2009 Microsoft apologizes for lack of Ultimate Extras
The team responsible for coming up with add-ons for Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Vista Ultimate reacted to critics today by breaking three months of silence to say that it will finalize one already-released program by the end of summer.
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4.7.2007 Download Windows 7 RTM Free Ultimate Extras Games Soon
The Ultimate Extras live to see another day. In all fairness, it will not be the whole of Ultimate Extras that will survive, but just two components, both being games which will be delivered as standalone downloads.
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10.11.2009 Microsoft releases new Ultimate Extras - Microsoft Tinker
Microsoft has silently released 3 updates for Windows Ultimate users today.
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23.9.2008 34 Vista Ultimate MUI Language packs for Ultimate SP2 via HTTP from MS
Here are the complete links direct from the Microsoft Windows Update server
for 34 MUI language packs for Vista Ultimate with or without SP1 or SP2
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3.7.2009 The Problem with Creative and Windows Vista
Don't get me wrong, they make great hardware, but Creative is not known for their efficiency in writing drivers for their hardware. Their Beta 1 drivers are relatively buggy compared to other Beta 1 drivers on the market for Graphics Cards, Network Cards etc, but with a big enough target market and enough technical staff I see no reason why they can't keep up.
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2.7.2006 Want To Upgrade Vista Without Visiting The Store? No Problem
Microsoft testers are getting an early look at new functionality designed to allow users to upgrade to more powerful and, presumably, more expensive versions of Vista.
Microsoft is testing a new Windows upgrade mechanism, known as Windows Anytime Upgrade. A first iteration of the technology is integrated into the February CTP (Community Technology Preview) releases of Vista that went to testers starting the week of Feb. 20.
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7.3.2006 Do you have problem with concentration?
The Problem with Bundling
On Friday I spoke with two product executives from a major OEM about some forthcoming new PCs and notebooks. During the conversation, I asked about their Windows Media Center strategy. The OEM no longer has one, and Vista integration is the reason.
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10.12.2007 The Problem With Netbooks
The market for netbooks is an artificial construct, a subset of notebooks that isn't a sustainably distinct category.
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5.3.2009 Microsoft Works on Comcast E-Mail Problem
Microsoft said Friday that some people who use its Hotmail and MSN e-mail services are not receiving e-mail sent from Comcast accounts and other Internet service providers.
Brooke Richardson, a group product manager with Microsoft's MSN online division, said the problem appears to be due to an increase in e-mail volumes, which it is attributed in part to the Sober Internet worm.
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5.12.2005 Microsoft: Bots a Big Problem for Windows
Malicious bots are becoming quite common, with six out of every ten computers scanned by the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool found to be infected, Microsoft said Monday. Altogether, the application has removed malicious bots from about 3.5 million PCs.
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13.6.2006 Windows 7: Problem Steps Recorder overview
Over the next few weeks we will be adding many more focus items on Windows 7 including Touch, Windows 7 networking and media enhancements. Stay tuned for the ultimate Windows 7 focus from Neowin.net. Here is an overview of Problem Steps Recorder.
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11.1.2009 How can Microsoft overcome Vistas lingering image problem?
Mike Nash, Corporate Vice President of Windows Product Management, has a tough problem on his hands.
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2.5.2008 Workaround for HTC Hero Sync Problem in Windows 7
HTC latest masterpieces, HTC Hero, packs with the most coveted features in the modern mobile world, including powered by Googles famous Android operating system.
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23.8.2009 Vista's Biggest Problem Remains Windows XP, Survey Says
Windows Vista biggest worry shouldn't be rival operating systems from Apple Inc. or Red Hat Inc., but competition from Microsoft's own Windows XP.
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15.11.2007 Vistas big problem: 92 percent of developers ignoring it
And to think Microsoft used to be popular with the developer crowd...
Not anymore. A recent report from Evans Data shows fewer than one in 10 software developers writing applications for Windows Vista this year. Eight percent.
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17.6.2008 How [Vista] Ultimate Is This?
Windows Vista Ultimate is Microsoft's operating system with all the whiz and bang for all users. But there is something important missing after all: Extended lifecycle support.
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27.2.2007 Windows Vista Ultimate explained
Windows Vista comes in several different incarnations. But essentially there are two pathways -- the home user and the business user. However, at the very top of the pile is the Windows Vista SCU that gives you everything that is in both the top of the lines business editions and home editions -- Windows Vista Ultimate.
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10.1.2007 The Ultimate Windows Vista laptop
The most visible part of Windows Vista is the Aero interface, and while we can't deny that it looks very swish we find it very hard to get excited by a shiny new GUI. Instead, we're looking forward to new Vista hardware, which includes a new use for the humble USB memory key and much, much more. So what will the ultimate Windows Vista notebook offer?
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25.1.2007No Ultimate Extras for Windows 7
Windows Vista Ultimate had an interesting feature touted by Microsoft before it's release, named Extras. This was intended to be an added extra
for the paying the hefty price of Ultimate, to give some bonuses to those who paid for it. Unfortunately, Microsoft didn't plan it very well, and
included very few with in the release of Vista Ultimate. This led Microsoft to publicy apologizing over the matter, and to this day not a great number
have been released. This led people to wonder about Windows 7 Ultimate. Would it feature Extras, or would Microsoft not worry about them this time
around?
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
07.02.2009Microsoft Launches New Windows Vista Ultimate Extras
Despite no announcement being made on UltimatePC.com, Microsoft have released a new sound scheme and a content pack for Windows DreamScene as part of
its Windows Vista Ultimate Extras offerings for customers who purchased the Ultimate edition of Vista.
After installing the sound pack
customers get Ultimate Extras Pearl and Glass sound schemes and additional Windows DreamScene Content.
For those who have been waiting for
Ultimate Extras perhaps this is a sign that more is to come from the software giant.
neowin.net -
23.04.2008Microsoft set to release Vista Ultimate Extra games - free
Remember Vista Ultimate Extras? Well they are back according to Paul Thurrott, but this time they will be released for free in the form of two games,
Microsoft Tinker and Hold 'Em. Microsoft's failed Vista Ultimate Extras were a big promise from the company of "cutting-edge programs,
innovative services and unique publications." At least they were in Vista RTM, by the time Vista SP1 was rolled out nearly all references to Vista
Ultimate Extras were removed (shown below). Blogger Long Zheng called them the "ultimate con" at the time and in hindsight he was right. Microsoft
made several promises of more extras which resulted in the company launching UltimatePC.com which now redirects to the Vista home-page.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
11.11.2009Microsoft Offers First Vista Ultimate Extras
Shortly before the operating
systems' launch Monday night,
Microsoft posted the first of
what it expects to be many
added extras for consumers
that have purchased its
top-of-the-line version of
Windows Vista, dubbed
"Ultimate."..
betanews.com -
31.01.2007Microsoft says more Vista Ultimate add-ons are in the pipeline
Windows users who shelled out
extra to get the
top-of-the-line Vista Ultimate
SKU, your requests for an
update have been answered.
Microsoft hasnt abandoned its
promise to get more of the
expected downloadable add-ons
to Ultimate to you, after all.
Microsoft
posted an
update on the whereabouts
to the Vista Team Blog on July
2:
The
(Ultimate Extras) team
recognizes that theyve been
dark for some time on the
topic of Ultimate Extras, but
want to go on record that they
plan to deliver pending
DreamScene and Language Pack
Extras by summers end, and
expect to disclose a schedule
of further Extras releases
after that milestone,
blogged Vista Product Manager
Nick White.
No word
on what the further Extras
might include. So dont bother
asking.
winbeta.org -
02.07.2007RIP Ultimate Extras
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Back in
September of last year I wrote a piece about
how the Windows Ultimate Extras window from the RTM version of Windows Vista differed from the pre-release SP1 code that was floating about at the
time. Is Microsoft going to do right by Windows Vista Ultimate customers and start handing over the goodies or not? Looking at SP1, it seems that
Windows Ultimate Extras as good as dead.
OK, time for a little trip down memory lane. Heres what the Windows Vista Ultimate
screen looks like for Windows Vista Ultimate RTM...
winbeta.org -
08.02.2008More Vista Ultimate Addons Are In The Pipeline
Windows users who shelled out
extra to get the
top-of-the-line Vista Ultimate
SKU, your requests for an
update have been answered.
Microsoft hasn't abandoned
its promise to get more of the
expected downloadable add-ons
to Ultimate to you after all!
Microsoft
posted an update on the
whereabouts to the Vista Team
Blog on July 2:
"The (Ultimate
Extras) team recognizes that
they've been dark for some
time on the topic of Ultimate
Extras, but want to go on
record that they plan to
deliver pending DreamScene and
Language Pack Extras by
summer's end, and expect to
disclose a schedule of further
Extras releases after that
milestone" blogged Vista
Product Manager Nick White.
What
these 'further Extras' may
include is sadly still
unknown...
jcxp.net -
03.07.2007New Windows Ultimate Extras Now Available
Chris Flores: Today we are excited to announce that 3 new Windows Ultimate Extras are now available for installation via Windows Update! This is
the 6th wave of Ultimate Extras released by Microsoft exclusively for Windows Vista Ultimate users. Users will find the following Ultimate Extras
waiting to be installed:
Microsoft ® Tinker (TM): Microsoft Tinker is a casual game that provides players with short
puzzle game play sessions set in a warm, calming environment.
Ultimate Extras Sounds from Microsoft Tinker: Based on the
positive feedback we received from the release of additional Windows Sound Schemes in April, we've integrated the unique audio sounds from Microsoft
Tinker into a new sound scheme.
Windows ® DreamScene (TM) Content Pack #4 Windows DreamScene Content Pack #4 which
adds three additional nature-setting Windows DreamScenes.
Microsoft Tinker was developed for Microsoft as an Ultimate
Extra by our Partner
Fuel Industries.
Windows Ultimate Extras are only for Windows Vista Ultimate users and designed to add to their Windows experience. We will be
shipping new Windows Ultimate Extras in the near future and will post additional information here on the blog when that occurs.
winbeta.org -
24.09.2008The Ultimate con
Long Zheng: Even if the
Windows Ultimate team has fled to the International Date Line,
summer is officially over. Normally I wouldnt care what season it is in the northern hemisphere but today it proves this team is incapable delivering
anything and should never be trusted again.
Two months ago, after weeks of
pressuring for answers, Microsofts Windows
Ultimate group director Barry Goffe
finally
spoke out about the missing Windows Vista Ultimate Extras. As implied throughout most marketing materials including the
official website and even Window
Vistas own control panel, Ultimate Extras were suppose to be frequent and free premium products and services delivered to the customers who wanted it
all. And the truth is, customers are getting near to nothing. Although realistically not everyones equally upset at the lack of extras, some argue it
wasnt part of their choice to buy Vista Ultimate, which is fine but that doesnt help the people who did.
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23.09.2007MISSING: Vista Ultimate Language Packs
If you thought the Ultimate Extras situation couldnt get any worse, then you have much to learn young Jedi, because rock bottom is only an illusion.
It appears that what was left of the Ultimate Extras - 16 language packs (I know, they are counted as extras) - have now been sucked into the void of
unknown.
Whether this is a widespread technical glitch or intentional symptom as a result of upgrades to the backend in
preparations for more and better Ultimate Extras remains to be speculated. Even if all my moneys on a technical glitch, there is still a quantum
chance the Ultimate Extras team will deliver on their latest promise to ship the final version of DreamScenes and the remaining 20 Language Packs
before the end of summer (September).
However for those of you who are in need of their language fix, a Channel9 member has
kindly posted the language pack
download links directly
from the Windows Update servers.
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28.08.2007Rumor mill: Wave of Ultimate Extras to come in 2008
Neowin reader nX07 claims that a "friend of a friend who works for Microsoft" has first hand knowledge that a batch of Ultimate Extras will be
released in late Q2 or early Q3 of 2008. Below is his post from the forums.
I brought up Vista Ultimate and its "extras", and he told me
that because of the ''unexpected" flood of Vista issues Microsoft had to divert it's resources elsewhere and have SP1 cover more than
internally-planned. Also, believe it or not, supposedly the Driver and Application Compatibility issues (Which technically was not Microsofts'
fault and thus didn't need to do anything) made Microsoft very unhappy since it gave many software/hardware developers more than enough time to
prepare, and basically forced Microsoft basically play hound-dog to all those companies.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
21.12.2007Microsoft Launches UltimatePC.com - Ultimate Extras?
Microsoft has provided an update for its Vista Ultimate plans.
UltimatePC.com is a new
website where Microsoft is hosting "blueprints" of the best PCs available and exactly what you can achieve with them. Although the domain name was
transferred
last October, Microsoft has only decided to make use of it now.
A small section of the site is "ultimate exclusives".
According to Microsoft these are not replacing Ultimate Extras. The reason given for the poor amount of extras is the high amount of testing and
quality required for them to ship. I would love to see Microsoft simply release powertoys like they did with XP. In Vista you are not even able to
right click a picture and resize it quickly without using 3rd party software. Extras like the XP powertoys are similar to what people expect.
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05.03.2008Microsoft Responds to 'Ultimate Extras' Complaints
With a rather lackluster list
of the so-called "Ultimate
Extras," Microsoft took
the step of assuring its user
base that it still remained
committed to the idea on
Monday...
betanews.com -
03.07.2007Windows Vista Ultimate explained
Windows Vista comes in several
different incarnations. But
essentially there are two
pathways -- the home user and
the business user. However,
at the very top of the pile is
the Windows Vista SCU that
gives you everything that is
in both the top of the lines
business editions and home
editions -- Windows Vista
Ultimate.
The main
attraction of Windows Vista
Ultimate is that users get all
the professional features of
Windows Vista Business like
domain logon, full backup,
full Remote Desktop support,
and so forth as well as the
full feature set of Windows
Vista Home Premium such as
Media Center, XBox 360
integration, etc.
But Microsoft sweetens the
deal for Windows Vista
Ultimate users in the form of
Windows Vista Ultimate Extras.
Ultimate Extras is an on-going
series of downloadable content
that allows Microsoft to
deliver some outstanding new
features to Ultimate users
even after release.
This week at CES, Microsoft
unveiled the first set of
Ultimate Extras including
Windows
DreamScene, a game, bit
locker support, a photo
manipulation application, and
multi-language on a single PC
support.
Microsoft
watcher Mary Jo Foley has more
details on this below.
neowin.net -
10.01.2007Why Microsoft must abandon Vista to save itself
While Vista was originally touted by Microsoft as the operating system savior we've all been waiting for, it has turned out to be one of the biggest
blunders in technology. With a host of issues that are inexcusable and features that are taken from the Mac OS X and Linux playbook, Microsoft has
once again lost sight of what we really want.
As we're more than aware, Vista Ultimate comes at a premium. For an additional
$160 over the Premium SKU price, Ultimate gives you a complete backup and restore option, BitLocker Drive encryption, the ever so popular Windows Fax
& Scan, and the "Ultimate Extras." But what started with a promise of "Extras" by summer, quickly turned into an apology from Microsoft and the
eventual release of DreamScene and Windows Hold 'Em (among others) today. And while each of the "Extras" runs just fine, Microsoft's "Extras"
blunder is just another reason why the company must abandon Vista before it's too late.
The first indication that Microsoft
should abandon Vista is...
winbeta.org -
27.09.2007Ultimate Extras, Where are you?
It has been over three months
since we last saw anything
from the Ultimate Extra team.
Intially this was offered by
Microsoft as one of the big
value adds to the Ultimate
version of Windows Vista, but
to date I can't say they have
delivered that much value.
DreamScene was sweet but
lasted only a few hours,
Holdem was fun again only a
half usable thing since it
wasn't network capable, the
Bitlocker tool was useful for
some....
So what is
up guys, have you gone on an
extended vacation? Are we not
going to see any more Extras?
Is Microsoft out of ideas for
what to offer? Anyone else
disappointed in this so far?
winbeta.org -
14.06.2007Windows Vista Ultimate and WSUS
Just a quick one this time
<"We've heard that one
before" I hear you cry!>
about Windows Vista Ultimate
and WSUS. What is WSUS I hear
you ask? Well, it stands for
Windows
Server Update Services and
essentially, allows
administrators to deploy
updates across a network, so
instead of all the users on
your network navigating to
Windows Update and downloading
the updates separately, just
download them once, and
distribute using WSUS.
The reason for the
post is that WSUS currently
does not allow Windows Vista
Ultimate Extras to be
distributed via WSUS. Not
good. A view which is backed
up by Erik Neuenschwander, who
works in the Ultimate Extras
team here at Microsoft
"That's not a good situation
for customers, so we plan to
improve it. The Ultimate team
is working with Windows Update
to revise the Extras to be
offered to WSUS"
Erik goes on to say "We cut
support for WSUS at launch to
reduce the test burden, and
because we didn't think many
WSUS environments would deploy
Ultimate. We're hearing that
we were wrong, so all the Wave
Zero Extras will be offered to
WSUS later this year."
neowin.net -
19.04.2007Stardock to announce DeskScapes 2.0 Vista Ultimate Extras going the Way of the Dodo
Long Zheng:
Windows Ultimate Extras is losing value faster than
the US dollar as one of the few extras is soon to be superseded by a free third-party application that works not only on Vista Ultimate, but Home
Premium and Business versions as well. That extra would be
DreamScene, that third party would
be
Stardock and that application would be
DeskScapes 2.0. Those grumpy looking people in the corner would be
Ultimate Extra advocates.
Tomorrow, Stardock will announce
DeskScapes 2.0 the second version of its desktop background visualiser tool for Windows Vista. Formerly DeskScapes was an
extension to the DreamScene extra, allowing for dynamic generated Dreams on top of just the motion videos allowed by DreamScene itself. Now, both
formats will be supported by DeskScapes 2.0 without the requirements for DreamScene or Vista Ultimate.
winbeta.org -
13.11.2007Microsoft releases new Ultimate Extras - Microsoft Tinker
Microsoft has silently released 3 updates for Windows Ultimate users today.
Microsoft Tinker, Ultimate Extra sounds from Microsoft Tinker
and Windows DreamScene Content Pack #4 are all available on Windows Update now.
Microsoft Tinker is a puzzle based game where players get a
set amount of moves to move a robot around a puzzle and solve the level. The DreamScene content pack adds some new high definition videos for use on
the desktop and the sound pack allows you to set your sound scheme to that of Microsoft Tinker.
Previously, Microsoft
released a set of extras back in April and promised more offerings in the future. Like the update in April there has been no official announcement
that these extras have been released on UltimatePC.com or Microsoft's main site.
neowin.net -
24.09.2008Ultimate Extras, Two Weeks and Counting
We are in the final two weeks of summer and still no word on what or if anything is happening with Ultimate Extras.
The Ultimate
Extra blog still hasn't been updated since July 2nd when it said it intended to deliver DreamScene and the Language Packs by the end of
summer.
We intend to ship Windows DreamScene and the remaining 20 Language Packs by the end of the summer. We will not ship the last two Extras
showcased in January (Windows DreamScene and the remaining 20 Language Packs) until they meet the high quality bar required by our enthusiastic
customersand we believe that we can achieve that bar by the end of this summer.
I don't know about you, but I am beginning to think they
won't make it.
winbeta.org -
08.09.2007
