Microsoft Repackages Plus!
With Longhorn many moons away, Microsoft is extending the Windows XP customer experience once more. The company has taken the wraps off of a new edition of its Plus! add-on for Windows dubbed Microsoft Plus! SuperPack in time for the holiday season. SuperPack is a re-branded combination of Plus! for Windows XP and Plus! Digital Media Edition.
Microsoft Plus! SuperPack places emphasis on digital media as well as fulfilling its traditional role of providing new customization options and games. Microsoft has included a photo slideshow utility; tools that extend Windows Media with new experiences such as bonus skins, a "party mode", desktop dancers and CD/DVD label creation; 50 new video effects and transitions for Windows Movie Maker 2; as well as various games and puzzles.
When asked for comment a Microsoft spokesperson told BetaNews, "Given the popularity of both Plus! for XP and Plus! Digital Media Edition, Microsoft decided to combine the two into one $29.99 Super Pack in time for the holiday season. It also ties in with Microsoft's Experience More campaign that kicked off last week, which showcased all of the digital entertainment-related things you can do with Windows XP."
Microsoft's Experience More campaign evangelizes the capabilities Windows XP and its brand extensions such as Windows Media Extender.
Senior Jupiter analyst Joe Wilcox took note of Microsoft's renewed efforts to market the XP platform saying, "Until the last 90 days or so, Microsoft hadn't done such a great job marketing Windows XP or showcasing its digital media features. The problem really showed in marketing material for add-ons like the Plus! products. The Plus! Digital Media Edition Web site reads like a list of product features, droning on about big Microsoft Movie 2 improvements, like '50 new video effects and transitions.' By contrast, over at the Website for Apple's competing iLife suite, iMovie product information entices, 'You're the producer. You're the director. You're the editor.'"
More information is available from the Microsoft Plus! Web site.