With Windows 7′s launch just around the corner, Microsoft seems to be trying its best to come up with new – creative – ideas to increase the public awareness of Windows 7. The software giant has gone from TV commercials to as far as letting people interested host their own Launch Parties. And now we hear about a new “Windows Café” opening up at 47 Boulevard de Sébastopol in Paris.

Images from: TechCrunch

Yesterday, several photographs of the cafe, which is still being constructed, appeared on TechCrunch. The cafe is intended to show off the latest Microsoft products, including its Xbox 360, Windows mobiles and obviously Windows 7. Visitors will be allowed to play around with the devices. Nonetheless, they can’t buy anything apart from the snacks and drinks provided by the cafe shop. What’s interesting is that the cafe will start operating on 22^nd of October, the same day Windows 7 will be released - coincidence? – and will be open only for a few weeks to promote Windows 7. In the meantime, residents and people along the sidewalk can enjoy free wireless internet as the text on the poster says in French:

The Windows Café will open its doors on October 22. Don’t hesitate to browse the web on the sidewalk in the meantime.

So if you’re living in France and would like to try out Windows 7 and other Microsoft products, get ready to pay a visit to the Windows Café.

Sources: Neowin and TechCrunch

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In 2007, Microsoft launched Windows Vista and Office 2007 in a big ceremony that was held in New York on January 30th. With Windows 7 a couple of weeks away from its general availability (where it’ll hit store shelves on 22nd of October), some people are wondering whether or not Microsoft is going to have another big launch event for Windows 7. However, Microsoft has its lips sealed about any launch details. Luckily, Mary-Jo Foley has mentioned today in a blog post that Microsoft has sent invitations to several media members and bloggers to attend the launching of its latest OS in New York City:

We also wanted to let you know that you will be receiving an invitation to a Microsoft event in NYC on October 22nd to celebrate the availability and launch of Windows 7. With Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer speaking and exciting new hardware from our partners, we’re looking forward to sharing Windows 7 with the world.

It’s also worth mentioning again that Microsoft will also sponsor a business tour in the USA that runs from September 28th and November 4th where it will discuss: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Exchange Server 2010. What’s interesting is that many will attend just to get ahold of a free copy of Windows 7 Professional that Microsoft will give out!
Windows Vista’s launch event featured aerial dancers forming the Windows Vista and Office 2007 logos. What do you expect in Windows 7′s launch event and are you going to attend it?

Sources: Neowin and Mary Jo Foley: “All About Microsoft”

Microsoft Going to Celebrate Windows 7’s Launch in New York was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.

Windows 7 isn’t out the door yet, but Microsoft seem to be making good progress with Windows 8.  A roadmap slide from Microsoft’s Italian subsidiary has Windows 8 penciled in for a 2012 release:

Note though that Windows 8 is down as approximately 2012.  Even still, it looks like Microsoft are sticking to their 2.5-3 year release cycle, with Windows Vista launching Jan 2007 (it was late), Windows 7 in October 2009 and Windows 8 in 2012.

Windows 8 is also denoted as ‘codemane Windows 8′ – does this mean that ‘Windows 8‘ will not be called Windows 8?

I’m expecting big things from Windows 8.  Although Windows 7 is a great release and adds several much needed improvements to Windows Vista, it’s still too familiar for me and doesn’t feel ‘new’ enough and I’m looking forward to getting a new OS to get my teeth into!

Windows 8 To Launch In 2012? was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.

Russian Twitter user Deeper2k recently tweeted a picture of an official mailing from Microsoft to Russian reseller partners, saying that business users with Software Assurance contracts before 31 August will be able to:

“have the rights to upgrade to Windows 7 on PCs they purchased starting on August 1, 2008”, with 15 per cent off”.

This is a significant change of strategy for Microsoft, as unlike the launch of Vista where business users were able to buy Windows Vista 2 months earlier than consumers, the original plan for the business and consumer launches of Windows 7 were for them to occur at the same time.

Microsoft are clearly desperate to cash in on the success and popularity of Windows 7 as quickly as possible.  All the signs are pointing to the fact that Windows 7 will be a major success for Microsoft, and well thought out features like Windows 7 XP mode will surely convince many businesses who decided not to upgrade to Vista, to make the leap to Windows 7.

I certainly hope my firm does, as it’s getting to the point were I’m struggling to use Windows XP as it’s so unfamiliar!

Windows 7 Launched Early For Business Users End Of July was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.

Microsoft have stated publicly that Windows 7 will launch 3 years after Windows Vista, which places the launch date for Windows 7 at January 2010. However, the beta trials of Windows 7 are going so well that speculation has started that Microsoft will launch Windows 7 earlier.

In a poll run on this site asking ‘When Will Windows 7 Launch?‘, over 30,000 readers voted and 48% of users voted for 2009, and 16% of readers voted for Q1 2010.

Personally, I don’t think the launch will be brought forward significantly. Bringing forward such a major launch such as Windows 7 would be a massive undertaking. There are so many moving parts involved in bringing Windows to market Everything from agreeing the box design, to printing CDs, to getting promotional materials in the hands of retailers etc takes time, and I doubt Microsoft will be able to shift the date forward by more than a month to say December 2009. This of course though will allow Microsoft to capitalise on the vital Christmas market.

The progress that Microsoft are showing during the beta program and the positive feedback that testers are giving the product will feed through to a very strong release, whenever it happens. I still have many friends who are nervous about upgrading to Vista because of the nightmare stories they have heard. I don’t think these friends will be as nervous about upgrading to Windows 7, because most early adopters are giving it a good write up.

Whatever happens, hopefully Windows 7 will give a much needed economic boost to the PC market!

Will Windows 7 Launch Before January 2010? was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.

We are running our first poll on the site. The poll asks ‘When Will Windows 7 Launch?’. Not the most imaginative of titles, but it’s the question that most readers on this site are asking.

If you haven’t voted yet then cast your vote now below. You can vote below or in the sidebar until the poll is replaced with a new one.

[poll id="2"]

Poll: When Will Windows 7 Launch? was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.

Bill Gates isn’t involved in the day-2-day running of Microsoft anymore. Giving away a LOT of money isn’t as easy as it sounds, and Bill and his wife Melinda are beavering away to make the world a better place.

That probably would explain why Bill said this week that Windows 7, would come “sometime in the next year or so”. According to a Microsoft spokesperson who was quick to correct Bill, the correct date is more like January 2010.

Personally, I think it will be more like Q4 2010 as Microsoft are notorious at missing product launch dates. Maybe, we should start a sweepstake as to Windows 7 actual launch date where the nearest guess wins!

What would you put your money on for a Windows 7 launch date?

Was Bill Gates Right? Is Windows 7 Coming In 2009? was posted on Everything Microsoft - Latest Microsoft News, Guides, Reviews & Themes. If you are not reading this content in an email newsletter, it is being used without permission.