| Microsoft
plans showy consumer intro for Vista, Office software
Microsoft is heading back to New York City to
blow the lid off Windows Vista and Office 2007 again.
The event planned for Jan. 29 marking the broad availability
of these two flagship products looks to be more lavish
than the Nov. 30 launch for business customers.
"The 'Wow' starts Now" reads an invitation
released to the news media late Friday. Microsoft plans
a luncheon at Cipriani, a landmark banquet room on 42nd
street in Manhattan and afterward there'll be a "launch
celebration" at 1515 Broadway in Times Square.
For the business launch, Microsoft rang the opening
bell of the Nasdaq Stock Market and CEO Steve Ballmer
gave a presentation to media at the Nasdaq MarketSite
in Times Square.
The late-January consumer launch date matches what
Microsoft executives have been saying for months --
since the last of several delays in the development
of Vista pushed its release past the holiday shopping
season.
Microsoft appears to be pitching a big tent to thank
those inside and outside the company who had a hand
in Vista and Office 2007.
"Millions of people -- Microsoft employees,developers,
valued customers,bloggers, families, media,the entire
industry -- have come together like never before and
added their own individual imprints to help make Windows
Vista and 2007 Microsoft Office system the most tested
products in Microsoft history," the invitation
said.
Over Chairman Bill Gates' signature another passage
suggests the company's ambitions for these products:
"Because of the immense personal contributions
of so many, we hope you will help us celebrate a new
digital lifestyle and a new era in personal computing."
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