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Windows 7 upgrade coupons coming, could be monkey's paw for XP netbooks
With the drop date quickly approaching, the big OEMs are gearing up for Windows 7. Acer, Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, and Shuttle have all announced their plans to begin shipping upgrade coupons with systems that are preloaded with Windows Vista. Coupons will be valid from June 26th until January 31, 2010. The conversation with your local shopkeeper will go something like this:
"The Windows Vista laptop is cursed"
"That's bad."
"But it comes with a free upgrade coupon for Windows 7."
"That's good!"
"The coupon is also cursed."
"Can I go now?"
While it's certainly good news for consumers, it could be a punch in the face for netbook sales. We've been told that WIndows 7 runs great on netbooks - heck, my MSI Wind was running the version that published Downloadsquad's first hands-on with the new OS.
What's the big deal? No upgrade coupon for Windows XP to 7, of course. And not many netbook makers have been
Since we've also been told that Windows 7 netbooks are right around the corner, this could definitely cause sales to slow significantly.
[via PC World]
Comments
25
Subscribe to commentsadam1driftJun 12th 2009 7:28PM
with the exception of Vista... doesnt this always happen when a new OS is released?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOhRI61PKow
chrisJun 12th 2009 7:32PM
loving the Simpsons reference
kojo87Jun 12th 2009 11:17PM
My ASUS EeePC 1008HA runs Windows 7 build 7100 smooth as silk. im more of an AMD guy but the Intel Atom N280 is wonderful for Windows 7. with next-gen Atom processors coming soon why wouldn't the offer Windows 7? you can't offer new hardware with a 10 year old OS!
1337Jun 12th 2009 11:39PM
Buy the hardware you like, pirate the operating system you want. Pretty easy.
mkoJun 13th 2009 10:12AM
How about downgrade to XP coupon
meh I would pirate it anyway
Tired_Jun 13th 2009 12:13PM
Couldn't a manufacturer ship Vista on a netbook, and package it with both a coupon and instructions on how to obtain and install the Windows 7 RC? Sure, it wouldn't be for the average user, but the techies wouldn't have any trouble.
wndsr3k02Jun 13th 2009 1:03PM
If the Windows 7 release candidate is so good (and from what I've read, it seems to be), why not put THAT on the netbooks, and include coupons allowing them to install the OEM once it's out?
JitarooJun 14th 2009 3:38AM
Because that would make you ineligable for the coupon, you would have to have a licence key for vista, and it would be kinda stupid to include the key without actually giving you vista. Also remember that its a release candidate, and that it is NOT final software, making it really unsuitable to be sold.
noneofmyconcernJun 13th 2009 1:34PM
"We've been told that WIndows 7 runs great on netbooks"
c'mon, Lee, this is 'some say' Faux news style.
you must be completely decoupled from reality if you think that Vista or Windows 7 runs 'great' on some under-powered in-order processor with 1024 MB RAM (the artificial limit for netbooks).
as for the processing power in netbooks (or rather the lack thereof), it's only getting worse, the new generation now sports z5xx Silverthorne processors, which were originally designed for MIDs (just to prevent netbooks cutting even deeper into their precious notebook sales).
but not to worry, people will jump for it, this CPU is clocked higher than the z2xx Diamondville after all :)
Lee MathewsJun 13th 2009 1:37PM
Unless you've tried it on a netbook, don't tell me I'm "decoupled from reality" = full of shit.
Because I'm not. Windows 7 does run great on a netbook. Hell, I even got Vista to run nicely on it after some heavy tweaking.
And FYI, my Wind (and most other models) took 2GB ram without fuss.
ArmaniJun 14th 2009 12:09AM
Um, what?
Windows 7 has been tested on tons of Netbooks and it runs quite good; 7 has much superior memory management.
BrianJun 14th 2009 12:50PM
God forbid anyone wants a cheap, disposable laptop that runs virtual desktops, plays music, surfs the web, and runs any application with the exception of games and higher than 720p video. NoMC will be standing at the door, spitting on them for buying such a device. Ignore this troll (NoMC). It sounds like he doesn't know the purpose a netbook serves.
Windows 7 runs very well on my Acer Aspire One (Mechanical HDD, 1GB ram) and I encourage anyone with the ability to perform a clean install to take Windows 7 for a spin.
AntonyJun 13th 2009 5:28PM
I have just bought a new 4GB laptop. No one said anything about a cupon for upgrade to windows 7. will people who bought new laptops recently be given one?
Antony
MollyJun 14th 2009 9:05AM
no need to be rude, my friend..
and i never said, netbooks wouldn't "take 2 GB RAM without fuss". i said 1 GB is the artificial limit for netbooks (imposed by Microsoft), no manufacturer offers netbooks with 2 GB RAM (or an optional upgrade) and the vast majority of buyers couldn't be bothered to upgrade themselves.
and while 1 GB of RAM is plenty in 'XP Land', with Vista or Se7en it certainly is next to nothing.
RollinsJun 14th 2009 12:12PM
Have you ever run Windows 7 on a netbook with 1GB of RAM? It actually runs quite well. The speed is comparable to XP on my HP Mini 1000, even with Aero on. Hell, if I didn't know better, I'd say it was smoother.
rcarmJun 14th 2009 12:19PM
That limit only applies if the netbook has xp installed.
Lee MathewsJun 14th 2009 2:46PM
No manufacturer?
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=39021&vpn=LU.S9206.271&manufacture=Acer
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=33880&vpn=90N-SS6A2131111EQL0Y&manufacture=ASUS
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=38815&vpn=X320&manufacture=MSI%2FMicroStar
Lots of atom-based netbooks ship with 2GB ram. :)
MollyJun 14th 2009 3:14PM
yes i did install windows 7 on several occasions on a variety of netbooks and other computers.
and 'quite well' is different from 'great' (at least in my books it is).
now i won't argue the pros and cons of windows 7 with you devoted beta testers, i'm talking real world computing. if you grab some off the shelf netbook, as i recently did with a DELL Mini 10 featuring a z520 (a pathetic excuse of a processor, if you're asking me) and 1024 MB RAM, then Windows 7 is no fun at all. the word molasses comes to mind.
MollyJun 14th 2009 3:30PM
thus the general statement 'Windows 7 runs great on netbooks' is rather irresponsible (just like the infamous 'Vista capable' stickers). not every processor used in netbooks today is suitable for Windows 7 and 1 GB RAM doesn't really cut it either.
MollyJun 14th 2009 3:37PM
you'll have to do better :)
NCIX is a vendor, not a manufacturer.. big difference.