Microsoft and Intel are hitting the road to jointly promote Microsoft's Windows Vista and Office 2007 and Intel's Core 2 Duo processor to system builders.

The vendors on Oct. 12 announced Ready2Rock, a 23-city series of daylong, hands-on events designed to prepare the system builder channel for the new capabilities and opportunities presented by Microsoft's coming platforms and Intel's already available chip set.

Resource Library:

Both vendors expect the road show to excite the channels about the new and unique features of the product set, including business benefits of Vista delivered with Intel's vPro technology.

"The innovative new technologies that Intel and Microsoft are bringing to market provide a unique opportunity for our mutual system builder partners to create compelling solutions that deliver unprecedented value to their customers," said Shirley Turner, Intel's director of North America Channel Partner Marketing, in a prepared statement.

Allchin to partners and customers: Prep for Windows Vista now. Click here to read more.

At each show partners can find technical readiness training on Windows Vista, Intel's Core 2 Duo processors, Intel vPro technology, the 2007 Microsoft Office system, and Intel and Microsoft server products.

The program will explain the variations between each edition of Windows Vista as well as how to advise business customers on which edition to choose. It will also show how to build a Windows Vista system on a Verified by Intel mobile platform.

Both channels will promote marketing and sales tools supporting the Vista rollout.

Ready2Rock is part of Microsoft's effort to prep 80,000 system builders nationwide for the rollout of Vista. More resources can be found at Microsoft's "Get Ready Your Way" Web site.