Microsoft launches Windows Vista, Microsoft Office 2007 to consumers worldwide

Today, the most significant product launch in Microsoft's history culminates in the general availability of the Windows Vista operating system and Microsoft Office 2007.

These two flagship products are now available in South Africa and more than 70 countries worldwide, in 18 languages (with 99 languages anticipated by the end of the year), and at more than 39 000 retail stores and online.

Microsoft South Africa Managing Director, Pfungwa Serima, says: "The launch marks the achievement of an unprecedented collaboration between Microsoft, its customers and partners, and ushers in an era in which personal computing is easier, safer and more enjoyable than ever before. Local customers and partners had a hand in helping us design, and test these products, making these the most tested versions of Microsoft Windows and Office to date."

Serima continues: "In South Africa specifically, the general availability of these two products will be incorporated into our comprehensive and ongoing corporate citizenship programme. These initiatives have been developed to facilitate access to technology and to tap into the unlimited potential of our country's youth."

Windows Vista and the latest release of Microsoft Office feature dramatic graphic enhancements to the interface that make the desktop more visually exciting and significantly easier to use. With simple and intuitive tools, consumers can easily create and share digital documents, photos, music and videos, participate in digital communities, and play online and offline games.

According to Jonathan Hatchuel, Windows Client Business Group Executive of Microsoft South Africa: "With Windows Vista, South African consumers will be able to experience all kinds of entertainment - from television to video games to music and movies - how and when they want. Keeping in touch with family, friends and colleagues using e-mail, voice recording or video will be richer and more convenient. Redesigned user interfaces will increase productivity and ease of use, helping consumers and small businesses produce professional documents in less time."

Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 will continue to improve access to information with new tools that make it easy to find the right piece of information - be it an e-mail message, image, note or media clip - no matter where it is stored.

The new versions of these products also deliver advances in family safety by empowering parents to better manage and monitor their children's PC and Internet activities. With a few simple clicks in the new Windows Vista Parental Controls centre, parents can manage and monitor PC and Internet access, and decide what kinds of TV, music and games are appropriate for their children. Security is also more robust in the new releases. Features such as Windows Defender help protect consumers against attacks from spyware and malicious Web sites, while other enhancements help safeguard personal information. The Office 2007 Document Inspector helps clean personal information, comments and hidden text from documents, so families can share their documents with confidence.

Cyril Belikoff, Microsoft SA's Information Worker Business Group Executive, says: "In Office 2007, the new Microsoft Office Fluent Interface will be easier to learn and use, and allows users to achieve better results faster."

The visual effects of both products are dramatically improved; the navigation is streamlined and intuitive, making it easier for consumers to protect their PCs, their businesses and children online.

The general availability of Windows Vista is expected to unleash a flood of new next-generation hardware, software and entertainment devices and services. Currently, more than 1.5 million devices and peripherals are on the market that work with Windows Vista, including more than 2 000 that are certified for Windows Vista. In addition, thousands of PC manufacturers and system builders around the world will deliver the Windows Vista operating system and Microsoft Office 2007 on new PCs.