Red Zune 80GB and New Collection of Artwork Debut on Zune Originals

Responding to consumer excitement for the Zune 80GB, Microsoft Corp. is making the popular wireless digital media player available in red with Zune Originals, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Inspired by the themes of love and sharing, an exclusive collection of 20 new laser-engraved designs will be available to consumers for a limited time at ; in addition, Zune Marketplace will feature Valentine’s Day playlists that can be shared with friends or loved ones Zune to Zune or via the Zune Social online music community.

“Zune gives consumers a dynamic canvas that is brought to life by the music, pictures, videos and podcasts they fill it with,” said Scott Erickson, senior director of product management for Zune at Microsoft. “Zune Originals makes it easy to design a customized player, while wireless sharing and the Zune Social online music community give people new ways to connect.”

Zune Originals gives customers more options to personalize their player with 20 new designs celebrating love and sharing that can be laser-engraved on the back of their Zune. The new Valentine’s Day series features artwork from four new artist collectives — Colorblok, Friends With You, PSYOP and Studio Play Pretend — and is available exclusively at http://www.zuneoriginals.net through Feb. 14. Each new graphic can be paired with up to three lines of text, letting consumers add a personal message; if no graphic is chosen, up to five lines of text are available. For a limited time, Zune Originals also offers a gift-wrap option and shipping at no additional charge.* With the addition of the Valentine’s Day series, customers can now choose from more than 65 designs, to create a custom wireless player in the size and color they want.

The Zune Marketplace online store makes it easy to load the Zune player with favorite love songs that can be shared wirelessly Zune to Zune or with friends via Zune Social. To find their perfect Valentine’s Day soundtrack, consumers can browse playlists such as “Hip Hop Valentine,” “80s Love,” “Broken Love,” and “Talk to Me, Barry,” love jams from the legendary Barry White featuring spoken introductions. Zune software also makes it easy for people to create their own playlists in seconds by simply dragging and dropping songs to the playlist icon.

With a bright 3.2-inch screen and premium in-ear noise-isolating headphones, the red Zune 80GB is the latest addition to the new line of Zune wireless players, which also includes the slim, ultra-portable Zune 4GB and Zune 8GB, available in pink, green, black and red. All three models offer wireless sync and sharing, a built-in FM tuner, and the new Zune Pad, a touch-sensitive navigation button that lets people fly through menus or lists with the flick of the thumb, or click to easily change songs or adjust the volume. The Zune 80GB (estimated retail price $249), Zune 8GB (ERP $199) and Zune 4GB (ERP $149) are available at retailers nationwide and at

More information on great Zune Valentine’s Day offers from Zune Originals and retailers nationwide is available at http://www.zune.net/valentines.

About Zune

Zune is Microsoft’s music and entertainment brand that provides an integrated digital entertainment experience. The Zune platform includes a line of wireless digital media players, the Zune Marketplace online store, and Zune Social online music community. Zune is part of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division and supports the company’s software-based services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press.

About Microsoft

Microsoft and JVC Enter Into Patent Cross-Licensing Agreement to Foster Mutual Innovation and Collaboration

Microsoft Corp. and Victor Company of Japan Ltd. (JVC) have signed a patent cross-licensing agreement to further the development of each company’s current and future product lines, which will expand technological innovation and enhance the overall customer and consumer experience.

The agreement, recently signed by representatives of both companies, expands the relationship between JVC and Microsoft to promote the exchange of valuable information and the incorporation of patented technologies in their respective products. The agreement covers a broad range of consumer products each company manufactures and sells. Although the contents of the agreement, including the specific financial terms, are confidential, the parties indicated that Microsoft is being compensated by JVC.

“When technological industry leaders collaborate through intellectual property licensing, we foster greater innovation that will benefit the customer, the consumer and the overall IT ecosystem,” said Horacio Gutierrez, vice president of intellectual property and licensing at Microsoft. “We are proud of the quality of our broad, global patent portfolio, and we look forward to continuing to work with JVC and other industry leaders to develop new and exciting technologies through our collaborative licensing program.”

Recently, Microsoft’s patent portfolio was given the top quality rating in the IT industry by two of the leading independent patent quality rating systems.

“This agreement strengthens the long-standing collaborative relationship between the two companies,” said Tetsuro Fuse, associate director and general manager of intellectual property at JVC. “We are pleased that both companies recognize and respect the value of their respective patent portfolio and expect that this will further contribute to the development of high-quality and excellent products and services provided by both companies.”

Microsoft’s Commitment to Licensing Technology

The licensing agreement is another example of the important role intellectual property (IP) plays in ensuring a healthy and vibrant IT ecosystem. Since Microsoft launched its IP licensing program in December 2003, the company has entered into more than 200 licensing agreements and continues to develop programs that make it possible for customers, partners and competitors to access its IP portfolio. The program was developed to open up access to Microsoft’s significant research and development investments and its growing, broad patent and IP portfolio. In the past year, Microsoft has entered into similar agreements with Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd., Kenwood Corp., Kyocera Mita Corp., LG Electronics, NEC Corp., Nortel Networks, Novell Inc., Olympus Corp., Samsung and Seiko Epson Corp.

Start Simplifying Your Work: Office 2008 for Mac Hits Shelves Today

Microsoft Corp.’s Macintosh Business Unit (Mac BU) today announced the official availability of Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac at the Macworld Conference & Expo 2008. Office 2008 for Mac is significantly enhanced to provide a simplified user experience that helps beginners and longtime experts alike deliver professional documents that are compatible for co-workers and friends on Macs and PCs. The suite provides the Office tools Mac users rely on, with a Mac-like approach and style. In addition to Office 2008, the Mac BU Web site, Mactopia, features a dramatic transformation to provide an even more resourceful hub for all things Mac BU.

“We developed Office 2008 for Mac as a comprehensive productivity suite that also helps people simplify their work,” said Craig Eisler, general manager of the Mac BU at Microsoft. “To complement the deep set of new and improved features, we redesigned the interface so that it is truly easier to use. Even Office beginners can create great-looking documents very quickly. And, at the core, we focused on delivering reliable compatibility so that users can confidently share documents across platforms.”

“Office 2008 is the latest in a long line of great Office for Mac releases that get better with every version,” said Ron Okamoto, vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations at Apple Computer Inc. “It has many new features that help you work faster and with more ease, and Mac users will also love how seamless it is to share Office 2008 files with PC users.”

Key to Compatibility: Keeping Mac and PC Users Connected

Mac users require the ability to share their documents with confidence; they also need a consistent look to their output on both PCs and Macs. Office 2008 for Mac is the most compatible suite on the market, sharing core technologies with the 2007 Office system such as Open XML File Formats and the graphics engine, OfficeArt, to ensure consistency in graphics rendering when they are shared. Office 2008 for Mac is also compatible with earlier file formats so that users can continue to use the older DOC, XLS and PPT binary formats. The updated suite is Universal and runs natively on Intel- and Power PC-based Macs.

Office 2008 also makes great strides to meet the needs of users in cross-platform organizations. The most complete Exchange client on the Mac, Entourage 2008 in Office 2008 for Mac and Office 2008 for Mac Special Media Edition delivers improved reliability and time management tools with updates for calendar management and Out of Office Assistant to keep users connected and productive. IT managers also will benefit from new tools for customized deployment.

Increased Discoverability: The Tools You Need When You Need Them

Office 2008 for Mac offers a streamlined and intuitive new user interface that lets users immediately jump in and start working. The updated suite keeps the traditional drop-down menus but adds the new Elements Gallery row of tools in Word, Excel and PowerPoint to unlock the power of Office. With the Elements Gallery, key features and functions are more discoverable and accessible so that users can efficiently tackle their work with the tools they need right at their fingertips. An example of the content in the Elements Gallery is Document Elements in Word 2008, which provides a thumbnail catalog of content and functions that simplify some common yet tedious tasks, such as inserting a table of contents or producing a professional-looking cover page.

Throughout the suite, users will find a revamped Toolbox that is now a true one-stop destination to find some of the most useful tools in Office for Mac: the Object Palette, Animation Settings and the new Citations function, which makes it a cinch to create citations and bibliographies. The Toolbox also features the contextual Formatting Palette, which adjusts its content for each application to truly make it more intuitive to create great-looking documents.

In addition, the new stand-alone My Day application allows users to track professional and personal priorities to stay on top of daily activities regardless of which application they are working in. Although My Day is connected to Entourage, users do not have to open the application to get a quick look at the day’s tasks, upcoming meetings and items on their To-Do List. When users do enter Entourage, they will enjoy a new simplified interface where they can customize the Toolbar, color-code their calendar appointments and easily add travel time to meetings.

Grows With You: The Perfect Product for Every User

For a casual or seasoned user, Office 2008 for Mac provides the right tools to complete any project. Excel 2008 is a prime example, with new features for all users, even those with “grid fear.” Ledger Sheets provide beginners with the prebuilt worksheets they need to easily master budgets, invoices and financial portfolios. Formula Builder walks users through the steps needed to confidently create accurate formulas. Advanced users can take on PivotTables and benefit from Formula AutoComplete, a drop-down menu that provides a variety of computation options. For power users, Excel 2008 introduces increased rows and columns that match the Windows-based 2007 Office system to ensure that users on Macs and PCs will have access to up to 16,000 columns and more than 1 million rows.

PowerPoint 2008 and Word 2008 both feature new design elements that give users as much help as they need. In either application, users can choose to start with a blank canvas or select from hundreds of new templates and themes to give their work a jump-start to polished perfection.

Professional Output: Your Ideas Look as Good as They Are

When ideas look good, they get the attention they deserve, and Office 2008 for Mac delivers new tools and functionality to create great-looking charts, graphics and professional documents with ease. A key component is SmartArt Graphics, another suitewide feature providing a wide range of professionally designed graphics that can be added to any document, spreadsheet or slide show with just the click of a button.

Publishing Layout View in Word 2008 is a new specialized work space where users can simply create and edit layout-rich documents. Newsletters, fliers and brochures are a snap to design with layout tools such as Zoom Loupe and color-coded, linked text boxes to flow columns of copy between pages. Updates to Notebook Layout View will help students stay organized with quick note-taking capabilities that let them search and flag relevant information.

PowerPoint 2008 is also packed with tools that produce professional-looking results. The new Thumbnail View provides a side navigation pane that makes it easier to ensure design consistency while improving the flow of slides. The Object Palette offers quick access to shapes, art, symbols and pictures, including iPhoto images, while Dynamic Guides help users quickly align text and graphics for a crisp, clean slide design. The improved Presenter Tools in PowerPoint 2008 become even more useful, now featuring both elapsed and actual time indicators for greater control over timing and pacing. And to help share slides on-the-go, new integration with iPhoto lets users share professional presentations from a Mac to an iPod by saving as a PNG or JPG file.

Even data can impress with new graphic capabilities in Excel. Excel 2008’s Building Charts utilize the new OfficeArt graphics engine, giving users a helpful tool to create polished, modern charts and modify their look and feel with a single mouse-click.

MediaCart, Microsoft and Wakefern Team Up to Deliver Next-Generation Digital Grocery Shopping and Ad Experience

MediaCart Holdings, Microsoft Corp. and Wakefern Food Corporation announced today, at the National Retail Federation’s 97th Annual Convention & Expo, that Wakefern plans to pilot MediaCart’s next-generation computerized shopping carts for potential rollout to all ShopRite stores. The early pilot, conducted with Wakefern in its ShopRite stores, provided insights from both the consumer and retailer perspective that were adopted in the next-generation product. The nine-month pilot with Wakefern began in the spring of 2007. Microsoft’s Atlas Division will provide video ad serving on the MediaCart grocery cart screen, providing advertisers with the opportunity to reach shoppers at the point of purchase, and providing ShopRite customers with a more personalized shopping experience.

“In working with companies like MediaCart, we’re continuing to push the envelope in the digital advertising realm to enable new and innovative ways for advertisers and agencies to create brand loyalty and engage with their target audiences in a highly relevant, measurable and targeted way,” said Scott Ferris, general manager of the Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group at Microsoft. “Digital advertising opportunities are expanding rapidly into new areas, as many of consumers’ daily activities, such as shopping, become increasingly ‘connected,’ and Microsoft is committed to working with advertisers and agencies to take advantage of these opportunities as they unfold.”

By using Microsoft technologies, the MediaCart solution will enable anonymous ad targeting through data obtained through ShopRite’s customer loyalty card program. A shopper would scan his or her card at the MediaCart, and receive ads and promotional offers based on past purchases and/or saved shopping lists that could be uploaded from a home PC. No personally identifiable information will be shared with Microsoft, MediaCart or any advertiser as part of the ad serving process. The technology will also provide advertisers with reporting and analytics capabilities to assess performance of the ads in the stores.

In addition to the advertising shoppers will receive, they will also be able to save time and money with MediaCart-equipped shopping carts by obtaining electronic coupons, locating products in the store, performing comparative price checks, viewing store specials in aisle as they shop, viewing recipes and nutritional information, shopping using an electronic shopping list that is presented in aisle order, totaling the cost of the items in their baskets before checkout, and expediting the checkout using the cart-level checkout feature. This enhanced shopping experience helps differentiate ShopRite in the marketplace and drives brand and customer loyalty.

“Through the powerful combination of Microsoft and MediaCart, we are providing our customers with a cutting-edge shopping experience, unmatched in the industry,” said Joseph Colalillo, chairman and CEO of Wakefern. “This is an exciting step in our ongoing commitment to meet and exceed the needs of our shoppers and stores.”

“With its strong technology leadership and shopper loyalty programs, ShopRite stores are ideal for the MediaCart system, which can further leverage the valuable shopper data to improve shopper communications,” said David Brice, chairman and CEO of MediaCart. “We look forward to fulfilling agreements that utilize Wakefern’s extensive retail experience and Microsoft’s best-in-class advertising technology to take our shopping cart systems to a new level in their stores.”

In addition to Microsoft’s Atlas technologies, the MediaCart solution is also built on Microsoft Windows CE and Microsoft SQL Server. Trials of the MediaCart solution are expected to begin in ShopRite stores in the second half of 2008.

MSN Direct Expands Navigation Offering With Leading Partners

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 7, 2008 — Today at the 2008 International CES, Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of the newest version of the MSN Direct service, an update of its location-based service for personal navigation devices. MSN Direct will now provide increased functionality that enables customers to integrate their device with Live Search Maps, as well as receive enhanced location-specific information.

Microsoft also announced it is expanding its footprint in the navigation market by working for the first time with a host of manufacturers including Alpine Electronics Inc., dmedia System Co. Ltd., Goodyear, Pioneer Electronics Inc. and StreetDeck. Garmin Ltd., MSN Direct’s original navigation partner, also announced that it will expand its MSN Direct-enabled product line in 2008. In addition, Avis Rent a Car System LLC announced that MSN Direct-enabled devices from Garmin will be available to its national fleet of rental cars this spring.

“In this past year we have seen a tremendous response to the MSN Direct service from many top leaders in the navigation industry — ranging from personal navigation device-makers and in-car system manufacturers to the top brands in the rental car field,” said Eric Lang, general manager of the MSN Direct initiative at Microsoft. “This strong interest is indicative of the always-on, timely information that customers are craving while they are on the go. We know the types of information that consumers want, and we are pleased to provide a way for our partners to continue to innovate their existing product lines and bring added value through MSN Direct.”

MSN Direct Equips Consumers With Location-Specific Information on the Go

With this latest version of MSN Direct, a new Send to GPS functionality enables customers to select and save destinations using Live Search Maps and send to personal navigation devices enabled with the latest version of the service. Customers can receive information on stock prices, local events, news headlines and weather. The service also provides enhanced movie details, gas prices and expanded traffic information for the U.S. and Canada. Specifically, MSN Direct has added traffic information for the Canadian cities of Toronto, Vancouver, British Columbia, and Montreal; expanded coverage in Fort Pierce, Fla.; Olympia, Wash.; and Fort Collins, Colo.; and will soon enhance coverage in Kansas City, Mo.; and Boston and Cape Cod, Mass.*

Microsoft Showcases New Products From Alpine, Garmin and StreetDeck

Alpine Electronics’ new, portable PND-K3msn provides fast, accurate and easy-to-use navigation guidance for the U.S. and Canada and will be available in spring 2008 for an estimated retail price of $650 (U.S).** As a device enabled with the latest version of MSN Direct, it is equipped with instant up-to-date information, including current stock prices, information on local events, news headlines, and enhanced movie details and showtimes, in addition to traffic information, gas prices and weather.

The Garmin^® nüvi^® 780 and Garmin nüvi 880 with MSN Direct will be released in spring 2008, and will be available for $799.99 (U.S.)** and $999.99**. Both devices include the MSN Direct receiver out of the box. Also new to Garmin’s lineup, the Garmin nüvi 5000 is MSN Direct-enabled and the receiver is sold separately. The Garmin nüvi 5000 will be available for $799.99 (U.S.)** in the spring. With the new Send to GPS functionality, customers can select and save destinations using Live Search Maps and then access the information on their MSN Direct-enabled personal navigation devices. These new devices intelligently route drivers based on the latest traffic conditions while conveniently displaying information on the latest news, local events, weather, gas prices, movies and more.

“The enhanced capabilities of the MSN Direct network combined with our navigation devices give power to people on the go,” said Cliff Pemble, president and chief operating officer of Garmin. “Whether users are dodging traffic jams or checking out the stock market, MSN Direct provides valuable, timely information.”

StreetDeck announced plans to integrate a touch-screen interface with MSN Direct in a new Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) as an aftermarket, MSN Direct-enabled navigation unit. Designed to reduce driver distraction and leverage the power and convenience of UMPC, the touch-screen interface allows for simple navigation and access to information through MSN Direct.

Windows Home Server Breaks Ground on New Features, Expands Into More Homes Worldwide

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 7, 2008 — Attendees of this week’s 2008 International CES will be introduced to Windows Home Server Power Pack 1. The new software delivers a range of enhancements for customers who have embraced Windows Home Server since its launch last November, helping them protect, organize and share their digital photos, music, videos and documents.

Microsoft Corp. is committed to continually enhancing the capabilities and benefits of Windows Home Server for partners and consumers. With Power Pack 1, the Windows Home Server Connector software for home computers is compatible with 64-bit editions of Windows Vista. This update release also provides a new way to protect data, in case of a disaster such as a fire or theft, by enabling the backup of a home server to external storage. In addition, Power Pack 1 improves its remote access features by providing a simple way to upload multiple files, presenting photo thumbnail views and enabling more control of remote user access.

With Power Pack 1, power consumption of Windows Home Server is more efficient, complementing the power management capabilities in Windows Home Server-based hardware products such as the Fujitsu Siemens Computers SCALEO Home Server and Tranquil Home Servers. Power Pack 1 also adds support for the Chinese and Japanese languages, and will be available to customers automatically in spring 2008 through Windows Update.

Broadcom and Microsoft Collaborate on Next-Generation IPTV System-on-a-Chip

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. and Broadcom Corporation today announced a collaboration in Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) products. The collaboration includes Microsoft and Broadcom working together to enable the popular Microsoft Mediaroom™ IPTV client software to operate on next-generation set-top boxes (STBs) utilizing the Broadcom^® BCM7405 system on a chip (SOC).This technology will permit service providers and original equipment manufacturers to support a range of features such as whole-home digital video recording (DVR), high-performance user interfaces, and photo and music sharing.

The new alliance with Broadcom exemplifies the continued commitment by Microsoft and its ecosystem partners to deliver market leadership and innovation to Microsoft Mediaroom customers and to make new connected TV services a reality for service providers worldwide. Working together, Microsoft and Broadcom are leveraging the capabilities of the BCM7405 SOC to further enhance the performance of Microsoft’s Mediaroom platform in support of next-generation service provider requirements.

“We’re providing our Microsoft Mediaroom customers with innovative connected TV services that help differentiate them in the marketplace,” said Christine Heckart, general manager of marketing for Microsoft TV. “Broadcom’s high-performing chipsets provide our customers with greater choice while allowing us to deliver new, richer TV applications.”

In support of these new connected TV services, Broadcom and Microsoft are also working to help ensure the highest level of security functionality on this new platform. This is especially important in deployments where multiple conditional access technologies must be supported, such as in Europe.

“BT is very happy to see Broadcom join the Microsoft Mediaroom ecosystem of suppliers,” said Richard Griffiths, director of Technology Strategy and Development at BT Vision, a customer of Microsoft. “The [BCM]7405 SOC will enable us to offer our customers even more powerful applications and services on their TV through the BT Vision V-box.”

“We are very pleased to be working with Microsoft on this important collaboration,” said Richard Nelson, vice president of marketing for Broadcom’s Broadband Communications Group. “Microsoft is driving the movement toward exciting and connected TV experiences, and we see increased synergy between the breadth of Broadcom product offerings and what Microsoft wants to enable within the whole-home DVR environment and beyond.”

BCM74xx series SOCs from Broadcom can also be embedded into other consumer devices to allow users to choose from a variety of IPTV-ready receivers such as HD DVD players and television sets. This creates more opportunities to experience connected TV through other devices and services.

“This relationship demonstrates how Microsoft Mediaroom ecosystem partners continue to drive innovation across the television industry,” said Michelle Abraham, principal analyst at In-Stat. “The combination of the Microsoft and Broadcom SOC will be especially attractive to service providers who want to stay ahead of the competition in delivering highly innovative connected TV services.”

About Broadcom’s BCM7405 System-on-a-Chip Solution

Broadcom’s highly integrated low-power 65 nanometer solution leverages Broadcom’s proven track record and market leadership in set-top box technologies to deliver unprecedented levels of performance, system security and cost savings. It supports the latest in interactive features and a wide range of video compression standards (such as VC-1 and H.264), and includes support for new video compression standards such as China’s AVS. It offers support for multiple conditional access and digital rights management solutions, including Windows Media Digital Rights Management 10 and Mediaroom security requirements. The BCM7405 can decode and display simultaneous high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) video with picture-in-picture and mosaic support. Multiple planes of HD graphics, powerful content security, and support for peripherals including USB 2.0, SATA II, Ethernet and HDMI 1.3 are provided. A 64-bit 400 MHz multimode DDR2 controller is also provided, as is support for NOR and NAND flash.

Microsoft Mediaroom Brings Connected TV to Life

AS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — Today at 2008 International CES, Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of DVR Anywhere on the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia platform, giving digital video recording (DVR) consumers the flexibility to watch their recorded TV programs on any TV in their home, further enhancing the platform’s powerful connected TV capabilities. In addition, Microsoft also announced it is working with leading programmers, including Showtime Networks Inc. and Turner Broadcasting System Inc.’s TNT and CNN networks, to showcase new connected TV applications and scenarios that are enabled by the extensible Microsoft Mediaroom platform.

With DVR Anywhere, viewers could begin watching a movie in the living room, resume viewing it on the kitchen TV during dinner, and finish watching the same movie from the comfort of their bedroom. In addition, members of a household will never have to fight over the remote control again, due to the capability to watch the same or different recorded programs from multiple TVs in the home simultaneously while recording other shows to be viewed at their convenience.

Microsoft Mediaroom’s DVR Anywhere is software-based, so no TV tuners are needed. It also requires that only one set-top box in the home have a hard drive, thus lowering the expense for service providers and consumers. The DVR Anywhere feature, which will support standard and high-definition TV, is the first whole-home DVR offering currently available to IPTV service providers.

Microsoft is also partnering with Showtime Networks and Turner Broadcasting to demonstrate applications Microsoft jointly built with ES3 that showcase the potential of Microsoft Mediaroom to bring consumers new, personalized connected TV experiences. These next-generation scenarios, not yet available to consumers, will be on display in the Microsoft booth at the 2008 International CES show, and include the following:

•	NASCAR on TNT. The real-time excitement and features of NASCAR.com will be brought to the TV viewer. While watching NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races broadcast by TNT, fans can enhance their viewing experience by choosing between several different live in-car driver cameras and driver audio, while simultaneously watching the main race.
•	Showtime Interactive Boxing. This application brings the ringside experience to the viewer’s living room. Using some of the many features available, viewers can choose from between several live audio feeds while watching the boxing match.
•	CNN election coverage. This demonstration highlights the potential advantages of Microsoft Mediaroom in delivering real-time information such as news and commentary on current events. For instance, viewers may be able to access the richness of CNN.com’s 2008 election coverage while watching CNN’s television broadcast, and possibly even participate in interactive straw votes for candidates.

In addition, Microsoft will show an application called My Pad, designed and built by emuse technologies, that connects viewers to their social networks through the TV via Windows Live services and also enables them to share personal pages that exist online and on the TV. Finally, Microsoft and ChoiceStream Inc. will demonstrate a personalized TV and video-on-demand recommendations application tailored to each viewer’s unique tastes and preferences.

“With DVR Anywhere and the promise of new applications that can further extend Microsoft Mediaroom’s potential in the future, Microsoft is delivering on its promise to make the television experience truly social, personal and connected,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Connected Television Division at Microsoft. “Consumer demand for connected TV is here, and Microsoft Mediaroom continues to offer new ways for viewers to experience TV as part of their connected, digital lifestyle while also enabling the very best digital TV service available anywhere.”

“Consumers are coming to expect connected TV services from their TV provider,” said Pete Dailey, senior research analyst with Stratecast Research. “With Microsoft Mediaroom, consumers are promised new ways to extend their TV experience beyond the living room, making the TV a major hub of the connected entertainment lifestyle. This innovation enables carriers to differentiate video offerings based on very compelling connected functionality rather than simply competing on price.”

More than 20 of the world’s leading service providers across four continents have selected the Microsoft Mediaroom platform for their digital TV offerings. The Microsoft Mediaroom platform will be on display at the International CES 2008 show at booth No. 7144 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Microsoft Mediaroom Delivers Connected TV to More Than 1 Million Set-Top Boxes

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — Today at 2008 International CES, Microsoft Corp. announced that its Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia platform is delivering video entertainment experiences to more than 1 million set-top boxes worldwide and its service provider customers are adding two new IPTV subscriber households every minute. The Mediaroom platform is on pace to reach 1 million subscriber homes in the first quarter of 2008. These milestones demonstrate the growing consumer demand for IPTV and connected television experiences that go beyond traditional pay-TV offerings. Helping to lead this connected TV revolution, Microsoft Mediaroom is transforming the way viewers experience television, movies, music, photos and games in their own homes.

Deployed or being trialed by more than 20 service providers worldwide on four continents and in 18 countries, Microsoft Mediaroom enables unique features and experiences, such as simultaneous recording of multiple high-definition and standard-definition TV channels, personal media sharing, whole-home and remote digital video recording (DVR), and multiple picture-in-picture scenarios. The platform also integrates with the Xbox 360 gaming device, bringing together next-generation television and gaming offerings into an integrated entertainment experience. In addition, Microsoft Mediaroom allows third parties to create exciting new TV applications and services that enrich the TV viewing experience through the multimedia application environment in the platform.

“We’ve received a tremendous response for BT Vision from our customers,” said Dan Marks, CEO of the BT Vision service from BT, one of the leading service providers that has deployed television services based on Microsoft Mediaroom. “We expect to sign up many new BT Vision subscribers in 2008 and beyond and look forward to bringing them new and connected TV services built on the Microsoft Mediaroom platform.”

“The Microsoft Mediaroom platform is a key component in our vision to allow consumers to experience entertainment content on any device, anytime, anywhere,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Connected Television Division at Microsoft. “It is very rewarding to see this vision materialize with the support of our partners and customers. It is even more gratifying that the opportunity ahead for consumers to experience connected TV is even bigger than we had envisioned.”

Further showcasing Microsoft’s commitment to delivering unique connected TV services to consumers around the world, Microsoft announced several other Microsoft Mediaroom developments at the 2008 International CES:

•	DVR Anywhere. This gives consumers the flexibility to watch their recorded programs on any TV in their home, further enhancing the platform’s powerful connected TV capabilities. With DVR Anywhere, viewers could begin watching a movie in the living room, resume viewing it on the kitchen TV during dinner, and finish watching the same movie from the comfort of their bedroom. In addition, members of a household will never have to fight over the remote control again, due to the capability to watch the same or different recorded programs from multiple TVs in the home simultaneously while recording other shows to be viewed at their convenience.
•	Futuristic connected TV applications for Microsoft Mediaroom. Microsoft is partnering with ChoiceStream Inc., emuse technologies, ES3, Showtime Networks Inc. and Turner Broadcasting System Inc. to demonstrate applications that showcase new connected TV applications and scenarios that are enabled by the extensible Microsoft Mediaroom platform. These next-generation scenarios will be on display in the Microsoft booth at the 2008 International CES show.
•	Ecosystem partnership with Broadcom. Microsoft and Broadcom Corporation announced a collaboration in IPTV products. The collaboration includes Microsoft and Broadcom working together to enable the Microsoft Mediaroom client software to operate on next-generation set-top boxes utilizing the Broadcom BCM7405 system on a chip.

“Demand for connected TV services is increasing exponentially on a global scale,” said Vince Vittore, senior analyst at Yankee Group Research Inc. “Microsoft Mediaroom’s reaching 1 million set-top boxes is an important milestone. Microsoft Mediaroom is giving service providers new ways to differentiate themselves from the competition and further add subscribers with the many next-generation connected TV offerings the platform enables.”

The Microsoft Mediaroom platform will be on display at 2008 International CES at booth No. 7144.

BT and Microsoft Announce Partnership to Deliver Powerful, First-of-its-Kind Entertainment Experience to Consumers Through Xbox 360

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. and telecommunications leader BT announced they are bringing together the next-generation TV service BT Vision with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 games and entertainment system. All BT broadband customers will have the unique opportunity to receive the best in high-definition gaming, television and movies through an Xbox 360 console, in a powerful, all-in-one entertainment experience. BT Vision, which is powered by the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) platform, plans to make this first-of-its-kind device and service offering available to customers in the middle of 2008. The announcement was made during the keynote address by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Microsoft President Robbie Bach of the Entertainment & Devices Division at 2008 International CES on Jan. 6.

The groundbreaking partnership will enable any BT Broadband customer to use an Xbox 360 console to access the BT Vision service and its extensive library of on-demand content, giving instant access to hundreds of movies and thousands of hours of sporting events, television programming, music videos and other digital content, such as BT Vision Sport’s 242 “near-live” FA Premier League football matches.

BT Vision customers with an Xbox 360 console will gain the option of accessing BT Vision from either the Xbox 360 console or a set-top-box. The service will be available to existing and future Xbox 360 console owners.

BT Vision on Xbox will combine the richness of the Microsoft Mediaroom-enabled TV service with the benefits of next-generation gaming, as well as unique new capabilities that the integrated solution brings. Xbox LIVE, the largest online social network in the living room, will be seamlessly integrated into the experience, providing consumers with a wide range of community-based features, such as voice chat, sending and receiving text and voice messages, and accessing Xbox LIVE Marketplace, all while watching TV. For example, while a TV viewer is enjoying his favorite football game, he can receive a message from a friend inviting him to join a voice chat, or they could play a game of their own with EA SPORTS™ “FIFA Soccer.”

“We are pleased to partner with Microsoft to deliver a truly compelling connected entertainment experience to our customers,” said Dan Marks, CEO of BT Vision. “For the first time consumers in the U.K. will be able to experience the advantages of an advanced TV service together with the benefits of next-generation gaming. Our aim is to provide BT Vision on multiple platforms — giving customers greater convenience, control and flexibility over what they watch, when they watch and how they watch TV. It also means that we are able to potentially expand our BT Vision customer base by tapping into the popularity of Xbox 360.”

“This is an exciting moment in home entertainment,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Connected Television Division at Microsoft. “Last year at CES, we announced Xbox 360 on Microsoft Mediaroom as a powerful platform capable of enabling new entertainment experiences for consumers, and we are pleased to team with BT to bring this service to market. Together we are enabling BT Vision customers to be the first in the world to enjoy this next-generation TV and gaming entertainment experience.”

About BT

BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include networked IT services; local, national and international telecommunications services; higher-value broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale. In the year ended 31 March 2007, BT Group plc’s revenue was £20,223 million with profit before taxation of £2,484 million.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

Hollywood Heavyweights Disney-ABC Television Group and MGM Offer High-Definition Entertainment Content on Xbox LIVE

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — Xbox LIVE Marketplace, the leading high-definition video-on-demand service, is expanding once again, adding content from two major entertainment partners. Microsoft Corp. today announced at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that Disney-ABC Television Group and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) will be joining the more than 35 networks and studios offering U.S. Xbox LIVE members premium entertainment content via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace Video Store.

“Disney-ABC Television Group and MGM are two of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, and this announcement helps continue to evolve and diversify the content offering on Xbox LIVE,” said Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. “The ability to offer such great content in high definition further expands Microsoft’s commitment to connected entertainment with Xbox 360.”

Later this month, all U.S. Xbox LIVE members will begin to have access to select TV shows and movies from the ABC Television Network, ABC Family, ABC News, Disney Channel and Toon Disney as part of an agreement with Disney-ABC Television Group. More than 500 hours of content, in both standard definition and high definition when available, will be offered including hit ABC Television shows “Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Ugly Betty” and “Desperate Housewives.” Past and current ABC shows will be available on demand, with new episodes arriving on the service the day after they air on television. A variety of award-winning ABC News broadcasts and specials from its unparalleled archive dating back to 1963 and containing priceless interviews, stories and historical moments will be available for download as well.

Viewers will also be able to enjoy shows from ABC Family, such as “Kyle XY” and “Greek, ” as well as popular Disney Channel series including “Hannah Montana” and “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” and select Disney Channel Original Movies such as “High School Musical” and “High School Musical 2.”

“As a company dedicated to providing consumers with a variety of high-quality entertainment and news content that they can view at their convenience, regardless of time, place or platform, we are very excited to bring our programming to Xbox LIVE members,” said Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney-ABC Television Group. “This new agreement will not only provide incremental viewing opportunities, but also provides a wealth of promotional opportunities to further awareness of our shows and brands.”

MGM will be bringing its legendary movie library to the service, with classic films ranging from the “Rocky” series to “Dances with Wolves.” Action-thrillers such as “Terminator,” “Silence of the Lambs” and “The Amityville Horror,” comedies and broad-appeal titles such as “Legally Blonde,” “Barbershop” and “Agent Cody Banks,” and award-winning films such as “Platoon,” “Rain Man” and “The Usual Suspects” highlight the diverse launch lineup. United Artists, an MGM sister company, will be making films available as well. Many titles offered by MGM will be available in high definition.

“The Video Store on Xbox LIVE Marketplace has proven to be very successful, and we are excited that MGM will be a partner in 2008,” said Jim Packer, co-president of Worldwide Television at MGM. “At MGM we are always looking for new ways to reach our broad audience, and partnering with Microsoft allows us to make our legendary library available to the millions of Xbox LIVE members here in the U.S.”

The Video Store in Xbox LIVE Marketplace is the leading provider of high-definition video on demand, offering movies for video on demand and TV shows and music videos for electronic sell-through. With more than 3,500 hours of premium entertainment content from more than 35 studios and networks, Xbox LIVE Marketplace helps make Xbox 360 the center of connected entertainment in the living room.

Robbie Bach, Microsoft President, Entertainment and Devices Division, speaks during the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nev. Jan. 6, 2008

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates delivers his keynote address to the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nev. Jan. 6, 2008.

Bill Gates Looks Ahead at “Next Digital Decade”

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — At the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates and Microsoft President of the Entertainment & Devices Division Robbie Bach today unveiled several new entertainment services and partnerships, including new deals with Disney-ABC Television Group, NBC Universal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), that demonstrate how software is improving people’s ability to connect with their favorite content and communities through new and expanded forms of entertainment experiences.

In his 11th CES opening keynote address, Gates looked at the sweeping changes since 2001 that have created the first true Digital Decade, including the continued expansion of the popularity of Windows-based PCs, the growing prevalence of broadband networks, the spread of mobile phones and the advent of portable digital media devices.

“Since I first started talking about the Digital Decade in 2001, the speed with which digital technology has become central to the way we work, learn and play has been amazing,” Gates said. “But in many ways, we are at the very beginning of the transformation that software will enable. During the next Digital Decade, technology will make our lives richer, more connected, more productive and more fulfilling in profound and exciting ways.”

Gates went on to outline his vision for the next Digital Decade — an era in which dramatic advances in hardware and software will make the power of computing a ubiquitous part of day-to-day life. Gates referenced how natural user interfaces will more closely reflect the way people interact with each other. High-definition experiences will be nearly everywhere. Services-connected devices running on the Web and huge amounts of storage accessible via the Internet will mean that information and capabilities people want will be available instantly and seamlessly, no matter where they are.

Partnership With NBC Universal for the First “Long-Tail” Olympics

A joint Microsoft-NBC Universal announcement provides just one indication of the power of software to change the way people experience online entertainment. NBC Universal and Microsoft will raise the bar for live and on-demand Internet broadcasting through an exclusive agreement where Microsoft and NBC will deliver NBCOlympics.com on MSN, the official U.S. online home of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. In the first “long-tail” Olympics, online viewers will have access to more than 3,000 hours of live and on-demand content so they can watch their favorite athlete or sport, regardless of whether the sport has seven fans or 7 million. NBCOlympics.com on MSN will be available free and powered by Microsoft Silverlight technology, a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering high-quality video experiences on the Web.

“With Microsoft’s cutting-edge technology and MSN’s enormous reach, we will be positioned on NBCOlympics.com to enable Olympic fans to tailor their Olympic online viewing experience — they can watch Olympic sports content when and where they want,” said Gary Zenkel, president of NBC Olympics. “An on-demand Olympics means online viewers will be able to return to their favorite Olympic moments over and over or watch a performance they may have missed for the first time.”

Hit ABC and Disney Channel Programs Join Xbox Live Video Lineup; MGM Brings Legendary Library of Films to Xbox LIVE

Bach announced that hit TV programs from ABC Television and Disney Channel will join the Xbox Live programming available for download directly to the Xbox 360 console. In addition, MGM will bring its library of hit movies.

Under the agreement with Disney-ABC Television Group, later this month, all U.S. Xbox LIVE members will begin to have access to select TV shows and movies from the ABC Television Network, ABC Family, ABC News, Disney Channel and Toon Disney as part of an agreement with Disney-ABC Television Group. More than 500 hours of content, in both standard definition and high definition when available, will be offered including hit ABC Television shows “Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Ugly Betty” and “Desperate Housewives.” Past and current ABC shows will be available on demand, with new episodes arriving on the service the day after they air on television.

Under the agreement with MGM, Xbox 360 will offer MGM’s legendary movie library on demand for Xbox 360 including such titles as “Rocky,” “Terminator,” “Legally Blonde,” “Silence of the Lambs” and “Barbershop.” United Artists, an MGM sister company, will also make select films available on demand.

With more than 10 million Xbox LIVE members and more than 3,500 hours of premium content, Xbox 360 has established itself as a premier platform for on-demand TV shows and movies, including impressive high definition experiences, for TV.

“Xbox LIVE Marketplace is the destination for high-definition movies, TV shows and music videos,” Bach said. “And, with the new Disney-ABC and MGM partnerships, we are bringing even more compelling high-definition content to people through their Xbox 360.”

Media Alert: Microsoft Participates in the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show

Microsoft Keynote Address

Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, and Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment and Devices Division, will deliver the pre-show 2008 International CES keynote address at 6:30 p.m. PST Sunday, Jan. 6, in the Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas.

Admission to the keynote address will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis to accredited members of the media and analysts with their official CES badges and badge holders. Credentials can be picked up in the CES press room at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), Room S229, between the Central and South halls. Attendees may pick up only their own badge. The doors to the ballroom will open at 5 p.m. The media waiting room will open at 3 p.m. Members of the media and analysts are encouraged to arrive at the theater well in advance of the opening to help ensure admission.

Following are some important notes regarding security at the Microsoft keynote event:

•	Members of the media and analysts carrying bags into the keynote event will be asked to present their badge; bags will be subject to search.
•	Still cameras will be allowed for credentialed photographers, but camera bags are subject to search and will be checked before photographers enter the keynote auditorium; flash photography will be permitted for the first minute only.
•	Broadcast crews will not be allowed to set up video cameras at the keynote event; only recording decks are permitted. An audio-video mult box will be provided. Broadcasters planning to plug into the mult box must contact mediarelations@wctv.com to make arrangements before the event.
•	No live broadcasting or webcasting of the keynote address, or rebroadcasting of the keynote address in its entirety, will be allowed.
•	For broadcasters who cannot attend, satellite feeds will be available through the following coordinates: • U.S. feed: Jan. 6, 9:15–9:30 p.m. PST AMC 16 Transponder 21 (KU-Band, Analog) Downlink Frequency: 12120 Vertical Galaxy 26 Transponder 01 (C-Band, Analog) Downlink Frequency: 3720 Vertical • Re-feed: Jan. 7, 5:30–5:45 a.m. PST AMC 16 Transponder 21 (KU-Band, Analog) Downlink Frequency: 12120 Vertical Galaxy 26 Transponder 01 (C-Band, Analog) Downlink Frequency: 3720 Vertical • International feed: Jan.7, 6:05–6:15 a.m. GMT Available via the Reuters World News Service (WNS): Distribution to WNS all paths

Media Alert: New Year, New Computer Security Threats: Microsoft Experts Warn Consumers of Anticipated Online Threats for 2008

Why:

Microsoft Corp. experts predict that in 2008 criminals will continue to use social engineering tactics in fresh and devious ways to trick the everyday computer user. Social engineering refers to the tactics criminals use to manipulate people into taking action online that enables criminals to steal their money or personal information.

What:

Through research and the analysis of trends in online criminal activity, Microsoft has identified three fraudulent tactics that people should be most aware of in 2008. As a part of Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to help people stay safe online, the company can also provide tips and insider information on ways to have a safer and more private computing experience. Microsoft experts on consumer security will be prepared to discuss these issues:

•	The three threats people are most likely to encounter online in 2008
•	How people can better secure their PCs and personal information in the new year
•	Social engineering and factors that make it a growing threat for computer users
•	Resources available to help consumers evaluate potential threats and seek protective technology

Who:

•	Adrienne Hall, senior director of Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft. Hall is an expert in the field of Internet security for consumers and is director of the Trustworthy Computing Group at Microsoft. Trustworthy Computing is a tenet focused on secure, private and reliable computing experiences for everyone.
•	Tim McDowd, group product manager, Microsoft. McDowd is group product manager for the Trustworthy Computing group at Microsoft and is responsible for driving the company’s consumer security and safety guidance.

Media Alert: Microsoft Announces Quarterly Earnings Release Date and Upcoming Event for the Financial Community

The company will also host the following event for the financial community:

•	Investor Relations Financial Analyst Briefing at the 2008 International CES Conference
•	Monday, January 7, 2008
•	2:00 p.m. PST
•	Robbie Bach, president, Entertainment and Devices Division

MSN and NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” Team Up to Launch “The Biggest Loser” Million Pound Match-Up

About MSN and Windows Live

MSN attracts more than 465 million unique users worldwide per month. With localized versions available globally in 42 markets and 21 languages, MSN is a world leader in delivering compelling programmed content experiences to consumers and online advertising opportunities to businesses worldwide. Windows Live, a set of personal Internet services and software, is designed to bring together in one place all the relationships, information and interests people care about most, with enhanced safety and security features across their PC, devices and the Web. MSN and Windows Live are offered alongside each other as complementary services. Some Windows Live services entered an early beta phase on Nov. 1, 2005;