Dell jumps the gun to sell the first Vista PCs today

By Adam Turner
Saturday, 27 January 2007 02:04

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While Microsoft is hoping the faithful will jostle in line on Monday night to buy the first copies of Vista, Dell has jumped the gun in the race to sell the first Windows Vista computers.

Dell Australia and New Zealand started selling PCs running Microsoft's new operating system early Saturday morning their time - three days before Vista's official launch on Tuesday.

Right now the online retail giant is selling computers running Vista Home Basic from $AU799, although orders won't be delivered until after Tuesday's launch. The move makes Dell perhaps the first Original Equipment Manufacturer in the world to sell retail PC running Vista. Dell will expand its Vista offerings on Monday and follow with more after Vista is officially released by Microsoft.

The move by Dell is an effort to steal the thunder of retail giants and other vendors aiming to sell the first copies of Vista. In New Zealand, retail chain Dick Smith is planning two midnight launches in Hamilton and Manukau on Tuesday, with All Black fly-half Dan Carter set to buy a HP Pavilion Notebook running Windows Vista Ultimate.

Two hours later, Australian retail chain Harvey Norman plans to ring up the first Australian sale of Vista. Chairman Gerry Harvey and Microsoft Australia managing director Tracey Fellows plan to sell a boxed copy of Windows Vista Ultimate, personally signed by Bill Gates, at the Harvey Norman Alexandria store in Sydney at 11.59pm on Monday.