Windows 7 launch has a warm and fuzzy touch

NEW YORK — After incurring the wrath of unhappy Windows Vista users, Microsoft has embarked on a strategy for Windows 7 that amounts to a public hug.

During Thursday's high-profile launch of the new operating system, the Windows Web site was turned over to a never-ending Twitter and Facebook stream of breathless updates about Windows 7.

A new ad campaign features customers and developers saying, "I'm a PC and Windows 7 was my idea." — a reference to customer feedback Microsoft used to design the new software.

Kylie, the 5 ½-year-old who gave new meaning to "early adopter" in Microsoft's TV commercials, introduced Chief Executive Steve Ballmer at the event. He gave her a pink laptop and she gave him a hug. The only thing missing was a furry Windows mascot posing for photos with its arm slung around reviewers who trashed Vista, the previous operating system.

"We're trying to make everyday usage better in the way our customers wanted it," Ballmer said in his speech. "Simpler, faster, more responsive for the billion people who use Windows."

Vista rolled out almost three years ago with the theme of "the wow starts now," and the launch reflected those ambitions, with acrobats performing in Times Square here and commercials featuring NBA star LeBron James.

The operating system's grand entrance made the early incompatibility with some devices and slow performance harder to swallow among customers. Microsoft's image sank further when Apple began running its "I'm a Mac" ads dressing Microsoft up as a pasty middle manager in a bad suit.

Microsoft is intent on closing that chapter, and the refrain heard around the company is that Windows 7 is "what Vista should have been."

Before the keynote address Thursday, the company organized morning media briefings that played out like group counseling sessions with partners and customers trying to forget a bad breakup and begin anew.

"Vista felt clunky; it seemed slow," said Stephen Kramarksy, an attorney who continued to buy laptops for his firm with the older operating system, XP, after trying out Vista. He's feeling different about Windows 7.

"It's clear somebody has carefully thought how people use their machine," he said. "For the first time I think Microsoft has reached parity with Mac."

Kramarsky, other partners, the media, analysts and partners were invited to the launch event at Skylight Studios in Soho, where the company had set up a few cafe and bar tables in front of a stage that had several flat-screens to show of Windows 7's video and touch-screen features.

Brad Brooks, corporate vice president for Windows consumer marketing, demonstrated the wireless home-networking features and video capabilities on stage, at one point using one PC to stream different videos to seven different computers.

He announced that Amazon.com had built a Kindle application so users can read books in their Kindle library on their computers.

Afterward, attendees were invited to wander around the demo area to try out a range of new devices and talk to executives from Sony, Acer and Dell.

"We want to let the product speak for itself," said Tami Reller, corporate vice president of marketing for the Windows group. "We want to let the customer tell the story."

Microsoft also launched an online video-ad campaign featuring users doing seven-second demos of features they like.

Earlier this month, consumers were encouraged to throw Tupperwarelike parties for Windows 7 for friends and family.

Launch day saw a cascade of events around the globe, with the staged ringing of the Nasdaq bell at the Redmond campus, the opening of a temporary Windows cafe in Paris and the opening of Microsoft's first retail store in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Rob Enderle, analyst at research firm The Enderle Group, said putting the customer out front was a good move.

"Connecting the product to real people, giving people credit for their contributions is really important," said Enderle.

Even though he quickly tired of the nonstop updates on the Windows home page, he said, "It's wise when you have a product that touches as many people as it does."

"It's a nice contrast with Apple, (where) it's almost like Steve Jobs created it all," Enderle said.

Sharon Pian Chan: 206-464-2958 or schan@seattletimes.com