Microsoft Apologizes for Lack of Vista Ultimate Extras

Windows Ultimate LogoMicrosoft showed off several Windows features that are available exclusively to those who pony up the extra bucks for Vista Ultimate. Unfortunately, things have been slow and all Vista Ultimate users have seen so far are language packs (not much good unless you’re multilingual), Windows Hold’Em poker and a couple of utilities.

Microsoft’s director of Windows Vista Ultimate says the company is hard at work finalizing DreamScene (an extra that makes it possible to have a video as your desktop background instead of a photo) and 20 more language packs.

It’s great that Microsoft’s keeping everyone up to date, but it’s disappointing there won’t be any further Ultimate Extras until these ones are launched.

When we launched Windows Vista in January 2007, we identified Windows Ultimate Extras as a unique series of add-ons that would be available to Windows Vista Ultimate customers. To date, we have released four sets of Extras â€âہ Windows Holdâ€â„¢Em, 16 Language Packs for the Windows multi-language user interface, Secure Online Key Backup, and Windows BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool. We want to let our Windows Vista Ultimate customers know that we are actively working to deliver the remaining Extras that we identified in January. Our goal is to provide the highest-quality, most secure and reliable offerings, and as a result we are continuing our work on these offerings. We apologize for taking so long to provide a status update to customers.

We intend to ship Windows DreamScene and the remaining 20 Language Packs by the end of the summer. We will not ship the last two Extras showcased in January (Windows DreamScene and the remaining 20 Language Packs) until they meet the high quality bar required by our enthusiastic customersâ€â€Âand we believe that we can achieve that bar by the end of this summer.

We also intend to deliver additional Extras in the future. In addition to Windows DreamScene and the remaining Language Packs, we plan to ship a collection of additional Windows Ultimate Extras over the next couple years that we are confident will delight our passionate Windows Vista Ultimate customers. We cannot identify dates or provide details at this timeâ€â€Âbut once we ship Windows DreamScene and the remaining Language Packs, we will provide more information about the next Extras.

Barry Goffe

Director, Windows Vista Ultimate

Microsoft Corporation

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