Vista Lauch Fun
Well, it's not exactly the XBOX or anything, but Microsoft is throwing itself a little launch event this evening. As you well know, Vista will be available starting at 12:01 tonight (also known as Tuesday morning), so get your best Harry Potter/World of Warcraft/Star Wars/Whatever you wear to weird midnight launch events pressed and ready, it's retail time. From USA Today:
- • Most CompUSA stores will be open from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. (New Jersey stores will not be open because of state retailing laws.)
Consumers can snap up "door-buster" specials on Vista PC accessories, including a $50 Wi-Fi router for $2. Some deals will continue through the week. CompUSA staffers will also evaluate any PC brought into the store to see if it can run Vista. The service is free.
• Best Buy will open 14 stores from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., including those in Detroit, Cleveland and San Diego. NFL players from each city will be on hand to sign autographs.
On Tuesday morning, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will make an appearance in the Midtown Manhattan store. All Best Buys will have demonstrations showing how Vista PCs can work with other electronics, such as digital cameras.
•Circuit City is opening 10 stores from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., including in Miami and Nashville. NFL players will be at the stores, and prizes will be handed out.
Some retailers plan to open doors after hours to sell Windows Vista [USA Today]
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Comments:
Somehow I don't think there are going to be the same sort of crowds as there were for the midnight sale of World of Warcraft expansion a fortnight ago.
Am I the only one who is scratching my head about the NFL players as a promotional tie-in? Does this indicate the crowd that Vista is going for? Or are they simply trying to lure some prospective Vista consumers to the big-screen TV department before the Superbowl and it just enough time to raise January sales figures?
(And I know this is nitpicky -- but you might want to correct the spelling error in the title.)
I don't understand these "available at 12:01!" gleeful launches. They need to make them at reasonable hours, like 9AM.
Oh! Oh! can you please install my software for only $50....or I can go home and do it for free. Hmmm decisions, decisions.
I feel sorry for employees of the Florida stores -- this is going to be the coldest night of the year and I bet they'll be absolutely bored keeping themselves amused. For some reason, I don't think we'll see hordes of people storming the stores like Black Friday for this one.
As far as Vista marketing goes, I've not seen anything on it yet. Maybe MS knows they've got a dog of a product already.
synergy, that's heresy!! The only reason I'm out of bed at 9:00am is if my bed's on fire. However, I don't think I've been asleep before midnight in years.
Too bad I missed the Vista tour that came through town the other day. It was mostly a techie oriented event with plenty of hoopla to be sure. Breakfast and lunch plus free copies of MS Office 2007 and Microsoft Office Groove 2007. Great way to blow off a day of work, but nooooo, I had to be dedicated, blah, blah, blah...
These guys sure are trying to create some hype.
I too missed out on the local vista launch breakfast in my area but still managed to get my copy of office from powertogether.com
You think they'll have HDCP-compliant video cards with DVI available? Oh, right, there aren't any. Ah well, a laptop screen is the only thing anyone will ever want to watch a DVD on, anyways, right? And who would want to hear music on their home stereo when they've got speakers built right into the laptop!
Don't forget Staples is installing Vista or Office 07 for Free with purchase.
This is at least the deal in NW Ohio, though the signing made it look to be a nationwide deal.