As it rolled out its latest operating system, Windows 7, in a regional launch in Singapore on Thursday, software behemoth Microsoft expressed optimism that the new product will address the “need for new efficiency” in computing and help pull the IT industry out of the current economic slump.

Top officials, led by Microsoft Asia Pacific president Emilio Umeoka, said Windows 7 underwent rigorous evaluation from about 8 million beta testers who installed the software in more than 100,000 devices.

“It’s a great time to be a PC and I’m proud to be a PC,” said Umeoka, apparently making a reference to the Apple ad that mocked the Windows software.

Research firm Ovum, in a separate comment, cited Microsoft for its collaboration effort, saying the new version of the Windows platform has had far more engagement with stakeholders than previous versions.

"Overall, the messaging of simplicity, choice and value seems to resonate, and it has the potential for Microsoft to rebuild some of the trust lost through Vista," Ovum principal analyst Jens Butler said.

Considering the large role that Microsoft software plays in the IT ecosystem, Umeoka said Windows 7 can serve as a stimulus to the sluggish global economy, particularly in the Asia Pacific region where there is an installed base of 83 million PCs.

While the cost may vary in each country, Microsoft said the estimated retail price of the Windows 7 variants are as follows: Starter edition, below $120; Home Basic $123; Home Premium $145; and Ultimate $250.

Richard Francis, general manager for the Windows client group at Microsoft Asia Pacific, said consumers can avail an upgrade from Vista and XP at the same price.

“In the case of XP, this is the first time in our company history that we are allowing our clients to upgrade from ‘end minus two,’ which means that version being replaced is not the immediate precursor of the new product,” he said.

Francis, a former country manager of Microsoft Philippines, said just like in the case of Windows Vista, technical support for Vista will end two years after the launch of Windows 7.

He said one reason Linux has not taken off in the market is because of the lack of support and compatibility with other devices and software. “You have to be a techie to have Linux in you desktop of laptop,” Francis said.

Unlike Vista which required huge amount of resources, the minimum system requirements for Windows 7 are 1GH processor, 1 GB RAM, and 16 GB disk space.

Windows Vista’s frequent updates, which annoyed many users, will also no longer be that recurrent with the new OS, a Microsoft executive said. “We can expect that Windows 7 will be more responsive but not intrusive,” he said.

Andrew Pickup, business and marketing officer of Microsoft Asia Pacific, said Windows 7 is the company’s response at a time when “business realities are tougher while the pressures we all share have intensified.”

He said cost-cutting is only half of the question. “The new efficiency we’re talking about is when savings and productivity get together,” Pickup said. 

While Windows 7 is more known as a consumer product, the official said businesses can exploit its new features such as DirectAccess, which eliminates the need for VPN (virtual private network) and BranchCache, which decreases the time branch office users spend waiting to download files across the network.

The introduction of Windows 7 was held in conjunction with the launch of Windows Server 2008 R2, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Microsoft Forefront, and Microsoft System Center.

The company also announced the availability in the Philippines of Windows Mobile 6.5, its latest mobile operating that has a content management service called “My Phone” and an app store dubbed “Marketplace.”

Prior to the official release, the US-based software giant has also worked with hardware manufacturers to customize Windows 7 in PCs and laptops. Lenovo, for instance, collaborated with Microsoft to tweak the software to optimize the hardware features of Lenovo products.

Thus, Lenovo has come up with its unique “Enhanced Experience for Windows 7” feature. The enhancement, which significantly improves the system performance of a Lenovo PC or laptop, comes bundled with every purchase of a new Lenovo product.