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11.09 .06
Vista Vouchers To Entice Holiday PC Buyers
 By
Mike Zazaian
Microsoft recently announced an Express Upgrade Voucher that will allow consumers who buy Windows XP PCs a less costly upgrade to Windows Vista when it's released at the end of January.
Microsoft will issue vouchers to anyone who buys a Windows
XP PC this holiday season under the Express Upgrade to
Windows Vista and Microsoft Office Technology Guarantee
program. The Express Uprade Vouchers, which will be available
between October 26th, 2006 and March 15th of next year,
will allow those who buy Windows Vista Capable PCs to
upgrade to a comparable version of Windows Vista when
the it becomes available early next year. From the Vista
Express Upgrade homepage:
Don't
wait to enjoy the benefits of owning a new PC. Buying
a Premium Ready Windows Vista Capable PC means you can
buy a great Windows XP computer today, with the confidence
that it will easily upgrade to the Windows Vista edition
of your choice. Express Upgrade to Windows Vista offers
from participating PC manufacturers will ensure you can
easily enjoy Windows XP today and Windows Vista when it's
available.
However, in true Microsoft fashion the whole Express Upgrade
process seems to have been made much more complicated
than necessary. Because Microsoft has produced so many
versions of Windows Vista, the upgrade process will differ
based on which version of Windows XP a user has. The following
chart illustrates which edition of Vista a user will qualify
for based on their version of Windows XP, and the relative
cost of the upgrade:
• Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 -> Windows
Vista Home Premium (nominal fee)
• Windows XP Professional -> Windows Vista Business
(nominal fee)
• Windows XP Tablet PC Edition -> Windows Vista Business
(nominal fee)
• Windows XP Professional x64 Edition -> Windows
Vista Business 64 (nominal fee)
• Windows XP Home Edition -> Windows Vista Home Basic
(50% discount from the boxed product upgrade price, plus
shipping and handling)
• Windows XP Home Edition -> Windows Vista Home Premium
(50% discount from the boxed product upgrade price, plus
shipping and handling)
Unfortunately, as the discounts will differ from manufacturer
to manufacturer the term nominal fee could mean a number
of things. It's unclear whether that figure means no charge,
some charge, or whether it includes shipping and handling
costs. According to the Windows Vista Team blog, Windows
Vista upgrades may be offered for free or at a discounted
price (shipping and handling charges may also apply),
so it pays to check with the particular PC manufacturer
for details specific to their offer. Indeed, there's no
set price for any of the upgrades, and it's basically
down to a free-for-all between the manufacturers as to
what the Vista upgrades will cost consumers. Those who
buy a PC with Windows XP Home won't be subjected to the
vagueness of the nominal fee rule, but they'll still have
to fork out between $50 and $80 to cover half the cost
of a Home Basic or Home Premium upgrade.
The subjective labels of Windows Vista Capable
and
Premium Ready that Microsoft has applied to upcoming PCs
further complicates the process. Apparently not all PCs
bearing these names will be eligible for the Express Upgrade
Voucher, mostly depending upon which version of XP a consumer
has. Again, this matter will come down to the discretion
of the PC manufacturer, as alighted on the Vista Team
Blog:
Consider looking for Windows Vista Capable PCs designated as Premium Ready, as these PCs are designed to deliver the core Windows Vista experience. PCs carrying only the Windows Vista Capable logo may be eligible for the program, but the offer may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Don't worry if this article has confused the hell out
of you, as it's very confusing to us as well. At this
point all that's known for certain is that Microsoft will
be offering a somewhat discounted upgrade to Vista for
those who buy XP PCs in the next few months, but that
the terms of the upgrade are dependent almost entirely
upon PC manufacturers. Also, the PC manufacturer won't
be responsible for upgrading or installing the new Vista
OS at all. Instead, Microsoft is leaving this up to the
consumer.
What at first seemed like a useful program for consumers, manufacturers alike has been bogged down and bastardized by the indecisiveness of the Microsoft machine. With several versions of Vista to choose from, and a virtually unlimited array of costs for the Express Upgrade from PC manufacturers, our advice is to wait until Vista-loaded PCs are available at the end of January.
Read the Windows Vista Team Blog
Read the Register
Check out Microsoft's Express Upgrade homepage
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Comments
*Originally published at TechFreep
About the Author:
Mike Zazaian is the Editor-in-Chief and Webmaster of TechFreep.com, an online publication dedicated to daily technology and science news. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he majored in Film and Video studies with a sub-concentration in screenwriting. While only a minority of Mike's formal education encompassed the technology field, he has worked as a web developer, a freelance web designer, and has been a tech enthusiast for the better part of his life.
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