As the general release date of Windows 7 draw near—that would be October 22, 2009, for anyone keeping track—speculation had begun mounting about Microsoft’s pricing strategy for Windows 7, with some industry watchers wondering whether Microsoft would use the generally-positive response to Windows 7 pre-releases (and dissatisfaction with Vista) as an excuse to introduce premium pricing. Today, Microsoft revealed retail and upgrade pricing for Windows 7, and the numbers find Microsoft largely holding prices in line with Windows Vista—but a special limited time upgrade program will offer Windows 7 Home Premium for just $49.99 in selected markets, and says folks who buy new PCs with Windows Vista pre-installed before Windows 7 goes on sale will be eligible for free upgrades.
Tag Archive: Premium
CinemaNow to Offer Sundance Channel
Users will be able to rent each title on a pay-per-view basis or watch it as part of CinemaNow’s Premium Pass subscription.
As part of the agreement, Sundance Channel Home Entertainment titles will be available on a download or streaming basis. Each title can be rented as a pay-per-view, giving the user unlimited access for 48 hours, or can be viewed under CinemaNow’s Premium Pass subscription service. The CinemaNow Premium Pass gives users access to hundreds of movies, TV shows, news stories and music concerts for only $9.95 per month.
Check out www.cinemanow.com for more information.
Microsoft launches MSN Premium beta program
MSN Premium, which is targeted at broadband-connected households, includes advanced communication options allowing customers to access their e-mail, calendar and contact information when, where andhow they want it. Rich digital information-sharing features allow customers to get the most out of their digital photo collections; and extensive safety and security features, such as the Pop-UpGuard, help customers have a safe and more enjoyable experience while online. MSN Premium is slated for availability this winter, and MSN will begin beta testing next week with thousands ofconsumers.
“MSN Premium is the first premium service offering for broadband from MSN designed specifically to let customers get the most out of their connected experience through a powerful combination of communications, sharing and online safety features,” said Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president for MSN at Microsoft. “With over 350 million visitors to MSN monthly, many who are broadband-connected, we wanted to create the optimal premium offering enabling them to take advantage of the ‘always-on’ and high-speed capabilities broadband delivers — MSN Premium will deliver significant value to broadband enthusiasts.”

