Microsoft may be glad to finally get Windows Vista out the door, but consider the PC industry the second happiest bunch.
After years of waiting, PC companies presented the new operating system to their customers this week. Some, such as HP, designed new systems specifically for the operating system, while others, such as Dell, simply rolled the new software onto its existing line-up of products.
It wasn't much of a stretch for the PC community to get behind Vista. Many companies had been making plans to unveil Vista systems in the fourth quarter of last year — until Microsoft delayed the operating system once again last March.
With the new operating system making its way to consumers this week, the PC community is ready to unveil those products. But its immediate impact on the PC market could be muted. Business customers aren't expected to purchase Vista systems en masse just yet, as they evaluate its effect on their networks. AMD chief executive Hector Ruiz told financial analysts last week that Vista's short-term effect probably wouldn't provide a huge boost to the PC industry this quarter.
HP unveiled several Vista systems at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month, including its TouchSmart PC, but Monday announced plans to carry Vista across its Pavilion and Presario consumer PCs. Dell started taking preorders for the new operating system over the weekend through its website, where it's also offering a free upgrade to Vista Home Premium on several systems.
Gateway and Acer also plan to ship Vista systems this week. Gateway is introducing new desktops and notebooks with the operating system, which it also plans to bring to the eMachines lineup of products. Lenovo plans to ship Vista first on a ThinkCentreM desktop, it said. Its ThinkPad lineup, however, remains Vista-free at the moment.
