Microsoft Online Store Goes Live Today [Microsoft to Sell Hardware and Software from Online Store]

Microsoft has been quietly setting up its online store and starting today you will be able to purchase hardware and software solutions straight from Redmond’s online store. I think it was about time that Microsoft to stood up from the crowd and started selling stuff from its own online store. After all, Apple has been doing it for a while and the concept works very well in their favor.

If you’re living anywhere near Scottsdale, Arizona, then you can visit Microsoft’s first store starting today too. The rest of us mortals will have to deal with the online store instead. So what does the store have to offer? Unfortunately Microsoft doesn’t make its own computers and unlike Apple it will sell third party hardware. Besides computers you’ll be able to purchase Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and the Zune players and a bunch of homemade software made especially for your PC and other devices. Third party software games and accessories are also available, so go get your credit card and go wild!

As you expect, Windows 7 is available for purchase today with prices starting at $119.99 for the Home Premium edition and going all the way to $219.99 for the Ultimate version. Microsoft also has a bunch of computers running Windows 7 and the inventory is probably going to get even bigger. Here’s what computers you can purchase right now from the online store:

• Laptops:

• • Lenovo G550
  • Acer Aspire Timeline AS4810
  • HP Pavilion DM3
  • Sony VGN-NW250F
  • Dell Studio 15.6
  • Sony VGN-FW520F/B
  • Dell Studio XPS 13
  • Dell Adamo
  • Lenovo ThinkPad T400s

• Desktops:

• • Lenovo A600

• Netbooks:

• • Lenovo S10-2
  • Acer AOD250
  • Sony W

As you can see the desktop and netbook inventory is pretty limited so far but at least Microsoft has an online store to brag about.

If computers are rather scarce at this point, I can’t say the same thing about accessories. Microsoft offers a vast collection of accessories for computers and phones while music and/or gaming fans are also going to find quite a lot of products to choose from.

Last but not least, Microsoft’s vast software collection is also present so now you’ll be able to purchase all the software you or your company needs from the comfort of your own home. What do you say folks? Anyone excited about the Microsoft Online venture yet?