Still live from the U.S. Vista Launch event here in Manhattan.
Steve Ballmer and Microsoft's industry partners now are answering questions from the press. Not surprisingly, many of them are about security. (The focus seems especially appropriate given that several hundred reporters who are attending today's event are gathered at Cipriani restaurant, in a huge, vaulted stone room that looks as if it used to be a bank.)
To the amusement of the audience, one reporter asked if Microsoft already had a date for the first service pack. Ballmer answered with a hearty "No! The goal is not to need one." He noted that Microsoft will issue the first service pack if and when it is needed.
Another reporter asked how important security was in Vista, to which Ballmer replied "Incredibly!". He then went to talk about the included security feature known as Bitlocker, and how it would benefit both consumers and business users.
Another reporter asked if the robust system requirements to run Vista on a PC would drive up the average selling price of a computer. The question was answered in turns by Todd Bradley from HP, Kevin Rollins from Dell, and then Ballmer. No one came right out and said it, but the answer seemed to be yes. Here are quick summaries of their answers:
Bradley (HP): This is a very competitive industry, and we see Vista as an opportunity to drive higher-end products to consumers. But, the value space will remain. I think you'll continue to see great value for the money. Prices are hard to talk about because we're focused on bringing value to consumers.
Rollins (Dell): Vista has such rich capabilities, and we'll encourage consumers to make sure that their hardware is as rich as they can afford. The PC is the center of the digital experience and consumers will be wise to get as much hardware as they can afford.
Ballmer: Consumers are very keen to buy things they see value in, and it's not all about price point.
That concluded Ballmer's interaction with the press. We're now moving onto the "Vista Lounge" that Microsoft has set up here. I'm going over to take a look at it and I'll be back soon to tell you more.
(Read my earlier blog from PC World's coverage of the Microsoft U.S. Vista launch event.)
