Microsoft Boosts Its Invitation to Steal Office 2007 Ultimate

Sending out invitations to steal the Ultimate SKU of the Office 2007 System is, by all means, not enough for Microsoft. This is why the Redmond company has boosted its initial offer, sweetening the deal with the introduction of student avatar playgrounds. Students that will access TheUltimateSteal will not only be able to get their hands on a virtually free copy of Office 2007 Ultimate, but also build their own online personae in the Ultimate College All-Nighter and the Ultimate College Idol "playgrounds". According to Microsoft, both initiatives are designed to permit students to gop virtually wild by expressing themselves through their online alter egos.

"These competitions not only are designed to be fun; they offer students a way to engage technology at a very personal level. We are committed to helping students access the products they need to be successful while in school and on into their post-graduate career, while giving them an opportunity to experience cutting-edge technology in a fun and exciting way", revealed Alan Yates, general manager of Worldwide Public Sector Education at Microsoft.

Microsoft will keep the Ultimate Steal promotion live until April 30th, 2007, offering Office 2007 Ultimate for as little as $59.99. The sole caveat is the fact that the program is accessible exclusively to students from Canada, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Ultimate College All-Nighter and the Ultimate College Idol "playgrounds" have been made possible via the integration of the Voki technology from Oddcast, designed as an advanced platform for avatars.

"We have seen that college students have a tremendous affinity for avatar-based content and applications, and Voki avatar technology enables Microsoft to engage them in a way that is meaningful and relevant", said Adi Sideman, CEO of Oddcast.