Windows Vista Ultimate (Product) Red Edition Up for Pre-Order

[btarunr]

Microsoft has partnered with Dell to release the (Product) Red variant for the Windows Vista Ultimate operating system. (Product) Red is a brand license given to affiliated companies that mark their products with the brand mark and/or related themes, in return to voluntarily donating part of the revenue generated by the product to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Up until now, the special edition OS has been shipping with (Product) Red marked PCs and notebooks sold by Dell, but now, Microsoft is releasing a standalone retail package for the OS available to all. The OS comprises of special (RED) themed wallpapers, screensavers and visual styles. The company goes on to say and I quote "One (RED) PC purchased with Windows Vista Ultimate could provide up to six months of life-saving ARV medication for a person living with HIV-AIDS in Africa."

Microsoft will be releasing the standalone product on December 15, with retailers such as Amazon.com listing the OS for pre-order, priced at US $219.95. PCs and notebooks with this OS pre-installed are already sold by Dell. For more information, visit Microsoft here.



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[tkpenalty]

Whats so hard about directly donating to those initiatives instead?

 

[btarunr]

Whats so hard about directly donating to those initiatives instead?

Feel free. The easier way is to buy (RED) products. The companies are donating their profits.

 

[Triprift]

So apart from some red themed stuff theres no difference to regular one. Ofcourse for ppl who dont have it then go for it good os and a great cause.

 

[eidairaman1]

they make enough money that they can donate it to the people who need it here actually. I know i may sound selfish but the US is whats really needing help.

 

[InnocentCriminal]

I know i may sound selfish but the US is whats really needing help.

I'm sorry what? Actually don't answer that, this isn't a political debate, but seriously... jebus man!

On topic, I can't really see this selling very well. A proper kick in the teeth will be when the reports come in of it being pirated.

 

[jurrasstoil]

Spreading one disease to cure another... weird.

 

[caleb]

Spreading one disease to cure another... weird.

lol

Its a nice idea everything should be sold as SPECIAL EDITION with some cheap additions for +10% of the normal price. I think that most ppl would go for the red wallpaper instead of giving their money to a boyscout with a fake id.

 

[Mussels]

... but i dont like the color red?

sorry MS, me not paying for a red theme.

 

[DaMulta]

Whats so hard about directly donating to those initiatives instead?

Bill Gates donates TONS of money. I like the red, it helps a lot I think.

There are tons of red products like this, cell phones you name it.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

So were is the home premium red version then? why just the most expensive version.

 

[PCpraiser100]

Despite this is a donation, I would like to go to Best Buy and ask what is the real point of this OS.

 

[DaMulta]

Product Red is a brand licensed to partner companies such as American Express, Apple Inc., Starbucks, Converse, Motorola, Gap, Emporio Armani, Hallmark, Microsoft,TomCorp and Dell. It is an initiative begun by U2's frontman, Bono, and Bobby Shriver of DATA to raise money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Bobby Shriver has been announced as the CEO of Product Red, whilst Bono is currently an active public spokesperson for the brand.

Each partner company creates a product with the Product Red logo. In return for the opportunity to increase their own revenue through the Product Red products they sell, a percentage of the profit is given to the Global Fund.[1]



Products

Products include:[3]

* American Express Red Card.
* Gap is selling a line of clothing including a T-shirt made in the African country of Lesotho from African-grown cotton. There are also bracelets, necklaces, pins, and candles where 50% of the proceeds go to the fund.
* Converse is selling a shoe made from African mud cloth.
* Giorgio Armani has announced a line of Emporio Armani products that include clothes, jewelry, perfume, and accessories.
* Motorola has announced special editions of their SLVR, KRZR and RAZR mobile phones, with a 50% profit of each purchase going to the Global Fund. The Red RAZR was first launched with service by Sprint in November 2006.
* The Independent newspaper is in partnership with Product Red.
* The Hotel Café tour is presented by MySpace and Product Red.
* Apple Inc. has released three generations of special edition iPod nano and the iPod shuffle with a Product Red theme, as well as a Red $25 iTunes Gift Card.
* NEED magazine is in partnership with Product Red.
* Hallmark has introduced greeting cards that are Product Red.
* Dell has released three computers (M1330, M1530 and XPS One) and one printer (948 ALL-IN-ONE) that are Product Red; the contract will last for 3 years as of Jan 2008.
* Microsoft and Dell have teamed up to offer a new Dell laptop that included a new Windows Vista SKU called Windows Vista Ultimate (Product) Red.

* Windows Vista Ultimate (Product) Red SKU includes; 6 wallpapers, 2 sidebar gadgets, 1 screen saver and 1 DreamScene movie
* Girl Skateboard Company has released a two-part deck series with a (Product) Red graphic. A share of the profit goes to the charity.
* Starbucks is participating during their 2008 holiday promotion. For every holiday beverage ordered, 5 cents will go to Product Red.

\
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_RED

if anyone didn't know.

 

[newtekie1]

So it is $149.99 for the regular version and $219.99 for the Product Red edition...This price increase is true of most Product Red products. Now, the interesting thing is that the companies rarely actually tell us how much they are donating, but I bet the markup is more than what they donate...

So it is about $70 more to get the Product Red edition. It would be better to go buy the standard version, then donate the $70 to the charity of my choice. Then I will get the $70 tax write off, not Microsoft, and I can guarantee my money is being put to good use.

I can see why the companies do this though, and they certainly don't give a damn about helping people. It allows them to pad their profits, and get huge tax write offs for donating all this money.

 

[insider]

Bill Gates is donating all of his own wealth to charities when he dies, not Microsoft Corp, also just donating "part of the revenue" for this Vista eidtion could mean anything like 1% of the profit, people are better off sending a cheque to the Bill Gates charity foundation.

 

[DaMulta]

Bill Gates is donating all of his own wealth to charities when he dies, not Microsoft Corp, also just donating "part of the revenue" for this Vista eidtion could mean anything like 1% of the profit, people are better off sending a cheque to the Bill Gates charity foundation.

Yes, all his kids are only getting 10 million a piece. He said that his money could cause big problems in the wrong hands. It might be his kids kids kids and so on to do it.

 

[KBD]

is this 32 or 64 bit or does it come in both flavors? just curious

 

[Bjorn_Of_Iceland]

Bill Gates is donating all of his own wealth to charities when he dies, not Microsoft Corp, also just donating "part of the revenue" for this Vista eidtion could mean anything like 1% of the profit, people are better off sending a cheque to the Bill Gates charity foundation.

Tax was getting more of his salary. Donating to charity will lessen his deduction big time. I guess theyre aiming for the same scheme as their former big guy.

 

[insider]

Gates didn't pay himself much of a salary (low six figure sum per year), his entire wealth comes from the M$ shares.

 

[Haytch]

Someone say AIDS ? Did our man made disease not do its job properly ? The time is upon us to reinvent the wheel ?

Bill Gates is not dead yet, and untill he is, and we see where he put his money, i refuse to believe he would forward his money to a fund that actually required it for he greater good f mankind.

Sorry Bill Gates but Vista sucks big time. Atleast your not charging $700Au anymore for a failed o.s. You can shove your red theme where it belongs. Using people with Aids as an excuse for anything is another low point for M$. The main thing to keep inmind here is that your a theif Bill Gates, and a crook. To someone whom isnt as dumb as dog shit, your just another corporate troll thats about to use charity to wash your money.

 

[Polarman]

They actually "PAY" somebody for this kind of marketing stunt ?

 

[caleb]

Wtf is wrong with you guys. Its a charity thing for sick ppl not some secret marketing plot to sell more vista's.
If you wont buy it theres no need to flame they made a version like that. I personally doubt that a company like that would need to steal some lazy dollars from a "charity" marketing. Besides they reduce their taxes this way so they win both ways.

 

[TurdFergasun]

ya lets stop the flow of truth here please, so as not to disturb the above's leave-it-to-beaver view of reality.

 

[newtekie1]

Someone say AIDS ? Did our man made disease not do its job properly ? The time is upon us to reinvent the wheel ?

Bill Gates is not dead yet, and untill he is, and we see where he put his money, i refuse to believe he would forward his money to a fund that actually required it for he greater good f mankind.

Sorry Bill Gates but Vista sucks big time. Atleast your not charging $700Au anymore for a failed o.s. You can shove your red theme where it belongs. Using people with Aids as an excuse for anything is another low point for M$. The main thing to keep inmind here is that your a theif Bill Gates, and a crook. To someone whom isnt as dumb as dog shit, your just another corporate troll thats about to use charity to wash your money.

Wow, I don't think I have ever seen a more obvious attempt to troll.

Your wrong, on every point. Now stop trolling.

Wtf is wrong with you guys. Its a charity thing for sick ppl not some secret marketing plot to sell more vista's.
If you wont buy it theres no need to flame they made a version like that. I personally doubt that a company like that would need to steal some lazy dollars from a "charity" marketing. Besides they reduce their taxes this way so they win both ways.

No one said anything about it being a plot to sell more vista's. I said it was a plot to make the companies more money, and it is. Product Red products usually carry a markup over the same regular product. That market pads the company's pockets, as only a small percentage of the market is actually donated to charity.

I say, when you are thinking of buying a Product Red product, look at the markup. Then buy the regular product and donate difference to a charity of your choice. Then you get the tax write-off, not the company, and you can make sure the money is going to the charity you want.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I see the anti vista trolls have found this thread. *sigh*

If you dont like vista fair enough,but why even bother commenting in this thread if its just the usual vista is crap,rubbish,a hog blah blah blah.You choose to not use it so just stick to xp and keep out of vista threads.