If you purchase Microsoft's flagship Vista version, Vista Ultimate, from time to time Microsoft will enable free content to be downloaded for free and installed on an Ultimate install.

Tonight at the CES 2007 keynote, some of these extra features were announced. These are:


  • Hold 'Em Poker Game






    The Hold 'Em poker game brings the game of Texas Hold'Em directly to your desktop. Unfortunately, it does not appear to have multiplayer support.

  • Two new file encryption extras were announced. They are Windows BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool and Secure Online Key Backup. The preparation tool will help you get your drive ready to be encrypted and the online backup allows you to save your BitLocker key to the a Microsoft server in the case you lose or forget it.

  • The biggest extra announcement is a new feature called DreamScene. DreamScene allows you to show video directly on your desktop as the background wallpaper. No longer do you have to show static images...now you can have video showing on your desktop instead. When this was announced it was greeted with great excitement by the crowd at CES. Though it is a really interesting feature, I personally feel it will be distracting.



    • Link: Windows Vista Ultimate Extras