Exclusive content tailored for Windows Vista Ultimate (RED) edition, including wallpapers, screensavers and sidebar gadgets, is not that exclusive any more. Back in January 2008, ahead of the first year anniversary of Vista, Microsoft introduced a brand new edition of the operating system. Windows Vista Ultimate (RED) is essentially a RTM edition of Vista but branded in accordance with (RED). An initiative of Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA, (RED) is aimed to collect financial resources for The Global Fund via (PRODUCT) RED branded products. At the start of the year, Microsoft, together with Dell, announced that they were teaming up with (RED) in order to deliver PCs pre-loaded with Windows Vista Ultimate (RED).

Dell offered XPS One (PRODUCT) RED, XPS M1330 (PRODUCT) RED and XPS M1530 (PRODUCT) RED: all of them featuring Vista Ultimate (RED). Via each purchased computer, Dell and Microsoft would donate six months worth of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment to an AIDS patient in Africa. Both the Dell machines and the copy of Vista Ultimate were adapted in order to reflect the (RED) brand.

As such, the new edition of Vista featured six new Wallpapers, a couple of Windows Sidebar Gadgets, one fresh Screensaver and even a DreamScene movie. At That time Microsoft revealed that the new content was tailored specifically for the Ultimate (RED) SKU of Vista and that it will not be made available to the general public. The Redmond company has not yet diverged from this position.

Outside of the added material mentioned above, there is no difference between the (RED) branded copies of Vista Ultimate, and the (RED)-less versions of the high end SKU of the operating system. However, the (RED) level of personalization is now available to all users via Tip and Trick.