Modern Tech News

Microsoft will likely announce that Windows 7 has reached release to manufacturing (RTM) status on Wednesday.  An analyst with directions on Microsoft Michael Cherry said that RTM almost seems like a non-event and also stressed that he had no special knowledge of when Microsoft would declare Windows 7 finished. But it’s got to be any day now.

The company earlier pledge that it would move the new operating system into its final pre-sale phase, sometime in the second half of July 2009. The importance of RTM has ebbed since Windows Vista.

Microsoft’s hardware and software partners will receive copies of Windows 7 RTM starting Aug 16 or Aug 23 2009, depending on which partner program they’re assigned. OEMs or original equipment manufacturers in other words, computer makers will have Windows 7 in hand approximately two days after Microsoft’s announcement.

Consumers and other customers will have their first shot at Windows 7 on its official launch day Oct. 22 2009.

LeBlanc also confirmed that Microsoft will sell a three-license “family pack” upgrade from earlier editions of the OS to Windows 7 Home Premium, but did not flesh out that notice with pricing or timing information. Reports have circulated for two weeks that Microsoft would reprise the multi-license upgrade pack it offered for Windows Vista; at least one reseller has posted the suggested list price as $149.99 on its Web site.

Volume licensing customers, normally large organizations and companies will be able to grab Windows 7 RTM starting Aug 7 if they have an existing Software Assurance plan or if they do not have they will have it on Sept 1 2009.

Google’s announcement Chrome OS comes at an interesting time where Microsoft is poised to launch its new operating system Windows 7. Google said netbooks with Chrome OS could be on sale by the middle of 2010. The key aspects of Google Chrome OS will be Speed, simplicity and security.

The operating system, which will run on an open source license, was a natural extension of its Chrome browser. Google already has an operating system for mobile phones called Android which can also be used to run on netbooks.

Last year Google launched the Chrome browser, which it said was designed for people who live on the web – searching for information, checking e-mail, catching up on the news, shopping or just staying in touch with friends.

Google won’t charge for the Chrome operating system, Schmidt said it could easily pay off by driving down the cost of computers so people can afford to buy more machines and surf the Web more often. Google Chrome OS will be aimed not just at laptops but also at desktops for those who spend a lot of time on the web.