On Oct 29, Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said that since its release last Friday, Windows 8 has been selling at a higher rate than Windows 7, the best-selling version of Windows to date.
Despite confusion over alleged magic touch screen-imbuing capabilities, Windows 8 seems to be doing well in Japan as well — so well, in fact, that limited-quantity DSP editions of the operating system, which feature two unofficial Windows 8-themed “moe” mascots, are already beginning to sell out, proving once again that the Japanese will buy anything with a cute anime girl on it (not that there was a lack evidence).
Rather than adding new features to the operating system, DSP, short for Japanese Delivery Service Partner, edition is a Japan-exclusive Windows 8 Pro 64bit launch bundle that comes in two different character versions: Yuu Madobe and Ai Madobe.
The last name Madobe means “by the window,” and the names Yuu and Ai are a play on the English “you” and “I.” The girls are sisters, with Ai (on the left) the eldest and Yuu (on the right) the youngest.
Both versions include custom theme pack wallpaper, sounds using the respective character’s “voice,” and a Microsoft Wedge touch mouse.
The bundles are being sold in limited quantities at select electronics stores in major cities across Japan and cost 18,000 yen.
Special regional editions, exclusive to Tokyo’s Akihabara district and Osaka’s Nihonbashi district, are also being sold in even more limited quantities and come with special gold (for Akihabara) or leopard print (for Nihonbashi) packaging, as well as a few bonus goodies featuring Yu and Ai.
ITmedia reports that the Akihabara edition sold out by the end of the weekend but the Nihonbashi edition can still be found at some stores. The not-so-limited limited edition should be much easier to find, though a meager stock and marked-up prices on Amazon Japan suggest they won’t be around for much longer.
Source: ITmedia, Akiba PC Hotline!
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25 Comments
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Michael Craig
Cuteness sells!
BertieWooster
Marcelito-san,
You took the words out of my mouth.
Ballmer says that it's selling faster than Windows 7, but doesn't issue exact sales figures.
Gosh, indeed.
Thomas Weisbach
The area of Osaka is pronounced "Nipponbashi", not "Nihonbashi". Nihonbashi is the place in Tokyo. They are written with the same kanji though. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipponbashi (This error is from the original article.)
Robert Dykes
At thomas I belive that is semantics, and will differ depending on who you ask. Same as Nihon and Nippon Universty. Same uni. Some people say it one way some say it the other way. 3 gai. 3 Kai. Fukui and hukui. It really depends on the person. Their age. Where they are from, and how they feel like saying it.
NeoJamal
Or someone who doesn't know Japanese geography, like you and the author.
WilliB
Don´t cute anime girls drive the sale of just about anything in Japan?
Wakarimasen
When in doubt, use a cute anime girl to sell ANYTHING in Japan.
megosaa
i need a Wii Madobe one, since i will be sharing with my husband.
basroil
For the uninitiated, Microsoft has had "mascot" "girls" for a long time, but Windows 7, Silverlight, and Windows 8 took it one step further to make them "official" mascots. They aren't recognized by Microsoft corporate office, but they are official enough to get their localized packaging.
Unlike other companies that push their ideal and hope people are stupid enough to gobble it up, Microsoft actually tries to cater to groups individuality. OS-Tan is one of the best ideas to piggyback on, and actually a brilliant marketing move on the part of Microsoft.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OS-tan
Akira Senpai
that’s a good strategy knowing the popularity of animes can attract customers, nice!
http://www.isatphonedirect.com.au/products/Satellite-Phone/IsatPhone-Pro
sighclops
They're going to need all the help they can get when Windows RT goes on sale...
Macpaul Emeka Ekwueme
Didn't know windows RT has to go on sale again after the October 26 launch.
Fadamor
Windows RT isn't going on sale to the public. From Wiki:
JTDanMan
Here in America, Windows 8 just kind of, well. released. Not much excitement.
LostinNagoya
Here in Brazil, Windows has started with the left foot: they announced a price and when buyers ordered it, the price had a hidden 25% hike on it on their credit card bills. Microsoft in-house malware, can you believe it? Justice had to intervene and now MS is being forced to return the money with penalties added. This speaks volumes on how crap this is.
sighclops
@ Fadamor
Yes, I'm aware of that. What I was referring to is, the Surface will ship in two form factors. One being with an ARM chipset (Windows RT), and the other with an Intel chipset (Windows 8 Pro). RT runs Windows Store apps ONLY, meaning it cannot run legacy apps. However, it can run Office. Windows 8 Pro will have a Desktop layer and will have legacy support.
The best bit? On the surface (see what I did there?), both look identical!
It's going to be interesting to see how the salespeople explain this one!
lwsydney
First on rice packaging, now on win8 packs. This country kills me.
basroil
LostinNagoyaNov. 02, 2012 - 01:24AM JST
Haven't heard of this on any place even with a fairly thorough search. Post newspaper articles or it didn't happen.
If there are such fees, they are required by law. (price includes tax only in some places)
Still haven't heard about this, but I have heard about this one: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Cybercriminals-Hijack-4-5-Million-ADLS-Modems-in-Brazil-to-Serve-Malware-295845.shtml?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it
Now, unless you can support your claims with some evidence of them, these claims are flat out libel.
Korlacan Khanthavilay
Poor Nanami Madobe. Pushed to the side.
Konsta
Good that in Japan people can still get what do they like and remain adults at the same time. If Microsoft would pull something like that (even as innocent as it is) in the US or EU, it would be already under a hurricane of accusations of everything starting from bad taste and ending with the child abuse. On a brighter note, to increase sales even higher they might want to incorporate "marriage ceremony" elements. Something to think about in Windows 9. :)
Korlacan Khanthavilay
Microsoft should hook up with Yamaha to make the next Vocaloid character a Windows mascot too. Then she can be whatever Windows 9's mascot name will be. Also you'd get the funny new windows sounds. They could also use her voice as the Windows narrator.
They'd make a killing.