Windows 7 for pre-order tomorrow from £49.99

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Anyone planning to buy themselves a copy of Windows 7 needs to be on their mark at midnight tonight. From 12:01am on Wednesday 15th July, you can pre-order a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium for £49.99 or Windows 7 Professional £99.99 saving yourself up to £120.

They haven’t said how many cheaper copies there’ll be but have quoted that “stocks are limited”. So, with RRP set at £149.99 and £219.99, the smart move is to get in fast.

If you don’t fancy it, there’s probably still time to download a free copy of the Windows 7 RC and that’ll last you a year before you have to do something about getting a new one. Otherwise, get yourself over to the Windows 7 pre-order site tonight or to any of their UK partners below is stocks run thin.

Windows 7 pre-order sites UK

Amazon
Currys
Dixons
Micro Anvika
PC World
Play.com
Tesco
Microsoft

Windows 7 – release details confirmed

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Microsoft has announced the release dates and prices for its latest operating system – Windows 7.

From 15th July the public can pre-order their copy of Windows 7 Home Premium for a special introductory price of £49.99 – not bad when you consider the RRP of £149.99. From the release date of 22nd October until the end of December, consumers will be able to buy a copy of Home Premium for £79.99.

If you were holding off buying a new PC because you were waiting for Windows 7 there’s no need to wait any longer. From tomorrow until the end of January any new PCs bought with Vista installed will receive free upgrades to Windows 7. Make sure you agree with your PC dealer that the upgrade deal is in place before parting with your cash.

Users should also be aware that, because of Microsoft and the EC’s little spat, the European version of Windows 7 (7E) will not be a simple upgrade – it will require a clean install. Make sure you back up all of your stuff before you do this – a clean install will wipe everything.

This all sounds like good news, until you consider that the Americans can pre-order their copies for $49.99 – not really fair when you look at the latest exchange rates.

Windows 7 Professional will also be available to pre-order for £99.99 and, along with the Home Premium version can be pre-ordered on Amazon or via the DSGi group (Dixons, Currys, PC World) from 15th July to 14th August or until they run out.

PC users will be hoping that Windows 7 is a major improvement on the disappointing Vista and not mereley a Vista Upgrade as was claimed by Apple’s Bertrand Serlet at the WWDC.

(via The Guardian)

Archos 9 Windows 7-based mini PC out in September

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Queston: When does a media tablet become a mini PC?
Answer: When it’s an Archos 9.

Another year, another two inches and a Windows 7 platform for everyone’s favourite PMP. The Archos 9 sounds more like a netbook with its Intel Atom Z515 800/1200Mz CPU, 1GB DDR3 RAM, 120GB HDD and other assorted capped up letters. In fact, it basically is, minus the keyboard.

Word has it the 8.9″ display is multi-touch with a nice new Li-polymer battery for maximum power efficiency. Connectivity-wise it’s got all you could need with 3G, ‘tooth 2.1, Ethernet and Wi-Fi, and the whole thing weighs under 800g; stereo speakers, a VGA out and 1.3-megapixel webcam and that’s about your lot.

It should be available early autumn for 500€. Not cheap but then these things never are.

UPDATE: Just received the official on this and it also has a DVB-T tuner and will be followed by a 12″ version in 2010.

Archos (via UMPC portal)

Archos 7 preview:

No bundled Internet Explorer with Euro Windows 7

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Microsoft has confirmed that the European release of their much anticipated OS, Windows 7, will be shipped without their Internet Explorer web browser.

The reason for this, somewhat strange, exclusion is the ongoing legal wrangle between Microsoft and the European Commission. The basic argument from the EC is that, by including IE bundled with Windows, Microsoft is creating unfair competition in the market.

So, Microsoft has pulled a major strop and have announced that Windows 7 E versions (the E stands for European, see what they did there?) will be devoid of any trace of IE. Although, of course, customers will still be able to install IE if they want to – Bill and the gang aren’t that magnanimous.

The EC is being equally as callow in the argument, however. They’ve reacted to the news by complaining that “rather than more choice, Microsoft seems to have chosen to provide less”.

Come on guys, kiss and make up, life’s too short.

I actually think the news is a good thing – there are plenty of good browsers out there, many of which are far superior to IE. This statement is backed up by the fact that IE’s market share is tumbling, whilst alternatives such as Firefox are gaining ground rapidly. Check out this brilliant Wiki which shows how, in the last five years or so, IE’s market share has fallen by over 25%, whereas Firefox’s has risen by nearly 20%.

I’m a real advocate for Firefox, as you may have noticed, but don’t dismiss Google’s Chrome, Apple’s Safari or, err…Norway’s Opera. Or take our unique test to see what browser you are.

Windows 7 is out on 22nd October.
(via Reuters)

Windows 7 out on 22nd October

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I’d like to sit here all smug saying we told you so after Acer let the cat out of the bag about a month ago but, as it stands, Windows 7 will actually be available one day earlier than we said. Can you ever forgive us?

Microsoft has promised that most retailers and manufactures will run an upgrade scheme for those who recently purchased Vista machines – we already know that Dell is a likely candidate – but it looks like only those with Vista Starter, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate will be included with no joy for those who opted for Basic. That’ll teach you to skate cheap.

Both the Windows 7 beta and release candidate have been well received and you’d think that the this full version will sit far better with the public than Vista ever has, despite being more or less identical. I’d still rather run XP after using the 7 beta for a while now but then perhaps I’m just a stick in the mud. It’s very sticky and muddy down here. Probably best you do your own thing.

(via Windows Blog)