Ahead Software released their latest version of Nero today, Nero 8 Ultra Edition. Despite pre-ordering, however, I haven't received my serial number. Not just that, but after looking all over the site I can't find a simple way to email or open a case with Ahead.
I was able to open a case with the vendor they use for sales, Asknet, but I haven't heard back yet.
This is so typical of many smaller software companies; you look all around their site and feel like you're running in circles ... and yet can't find a way to get support. Because I'm so annoyed (and my friends know it), one of my friends decided to take up the challenge. He's bet me he can find me a working keygen before I get a response from anyone else.
Note that I have already paid for this product (and I have the receipt in an email folder!), and despite the fact that keygens and serial numbers for past versions were all over the Internet, I paid for those as well. But as I said, I'm really irritated, less at not having the serial number than the fact that they make it nearly impossible to get support for this product.
Most likely I won't use the keygen anyway, but I thought this would be an interesting post.
(Interestingly, I found a Technical Support number; it includes free Technical Support through October --- which kinda makes me worried about installing it anyway. But it's Tech Support, not Customer Support. I will also say that from past experience with Nero 7 I should probably wait until version 8.5 comes out before installing any version of 8. 
)
Update: Looks like he won ... he showed me a working install on his hard drive. And I still haven't heard back from Ahead Software or Asknet.
Update 2: Finally got an email from Asknet, about 3 hours after the keygen was found. Efficiency, or lack thereof. And no, I didn't use the keygen.
Update 3: Still stranger, I received my official serial number email (the one in Update 2 came from Tech Support) two days after my friend downloaded the keygen.