Microsoft News

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

2008-01-18T14:17:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-18T14:14:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-10T06:15:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-10T06:14:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-10T06:13:00.002-08:00

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

2008-01-10T06:13:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-10T06:12:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-10T06:11:00.001-08:00

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

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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

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

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Bill Gates Looks Ahead at “Next Digital Decade”

2008-01-10T06:06:00.000-08:00

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

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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:

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

2008-01-10T06:04:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-10T06:02:00.000-08:00

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;

Microsoft Ships 2007 Microsoft Office System Service Pack 1 Providing Customers with Enhanced Stability, Performance and Security

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Microsoft today announced shipment of Service Pack 1 for the 2007 Microsoft Office system, which includes both client and server products under the Office umbrella. Today’s release draws on extensive feedback from customers to deliver the stability, performance and security enhancements that they identified as most important.

PressPass spoke with Microsoft Office product manager Reed Shaffner to learn more about what customers can expect from Service Pack 1 and how it will turn Office 2007 into an even more potent productivity tool.

What are you announcing today and what does it mean for customers?

We’re announcing the availability of Service Pack 1 (SP1) for the 2007 Microsoft Office system, which delivers significant stability, performance and security improvements. These enhancements span the software applications and servers that home and office workers use each day and will make the 2007 Office system an even more robust and effective productivity tool. In essence, SP1 targets the issues that customers told us mattered to them most.

What are the main improvements that customers will notice with SP1 for the 2007 Office system?

SP1 provides stability and performance improvements across the 2007 Office system, keying in on customers’ leading productivity concerns, and beefs up security precautions to stay ahead of the latest threats from malicious software and other risks.

Crashes are one of the most frustrating experiences customers have, and the team worked hard with SP1 to make our products more stable. We’ve also included most of the previously-released hotfixes that also help reduce the incidence of crashes in Office applications.

SP1 also provides key fixes and enhancements to make the 2007 Office system more reliable and easier to use. For example, SP1 addresses problems customers have experienced in Outlook 2007 when opening large mail files. It also delivers more accurate presence information in Microsoft Office Communicator to help improve collaboration and communication for customers.

We also did a lot of work to improve the reliability of the 2007 Office system’s server components with SP1. We know that search is really important to our enterprise customers using Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, so we spent a lot of time improving indexing to help make documents and information easier to find. SP1 includes support for AJAX deployments, which should help developers create custom Web Parts for their customers. Finally, SP1 bolsters the robust security standards built into Office 2007 by incorporating the very latest advances in security technology to deliver even greater protection against malware, privacy intrusions and other threats.

SharePoint Server 2007 and other server products are also now compatible with Microsoft Windows Server 2008, giving customers the peace of mind they need to proceed with upgrade plans.

Making Technology Work for China’s Farmers

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To help develop relevant ICT solutions for Pujiang’s farmers, Microsoft is working on an information portal prototype with the Heshan Fruit Product Association. More than 10,000 of the farmers

in the county are members of the association, which provides a vital link to markets and knowledge outside their communities. Like other similar organizations in rural China, the Heshan Fruit Products Association offers its members nationwide sales channels and training courses in the latest agricultural methods and techniques.

In Pujiang, the association’s president, Chen Weijun has been personally delivering these training courses since the association was established in 2001. This involved a laborious schedule of travelling lectures. “Previously, I would visit 109 villages to meet with farmers face-to-face and deliver lectures on practical agricultural techniques,” says Chen. “It would take one quarter just to do one course, which was really exhausting. Now, with the Guantang ISC and Microsoft’s help in developing a training system, I won’t need to travel; most of the fruit farmers will be able to participate in the training long-distance.”

Currently being tested on a pilot group of fifty users, the prototype video training system will offer Chen’s courses to farmers throughout the county via the Internet.

The results of this and other Microsoft ISC projects are shared with the government to help them plan and execute digital inclusion policies for the country of 1.3 billion people. Li Banghua, vice director of the Chengdu office of the MII points out the importance of this geographical area in the government’s plan to bridge the digital divide in China: “Chengdu is a focus point for the national digital inclusion plan.” Li is also confident that the ISC project in Guantang will provide important data for future rural projects – “In Xinjin, where Microsoft opened an ISC in April, sixty percent of the local farmers now have greater access to important agricultural information and new sales channels.”

While Chang stresses that the project is still in an early and experimental stage, governments in Henan and Guizhou provinces are already planning to setting up similar ISCs with Microsoft. And, with rural administrators in other parts of China watching events in Guantang with growing interest, the drive to share the digital revolution with everyone might just, from here, go to the world.

ICT Training: A Two-Way Learning Process

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The center also plays an important role in teaching local farmers how to use computers to their advantage. Feedback received from other rural projects sponsored by Microsoft in China indicates a tremendous desire to learn about ICT. In a survey conducted by four of the 11 Microsoft InfoWagons in China, it was found that 40 percent of trainees had never used a PC before. Those that perceived computers as having a real value for their lives jumped from 63 percent to over 80 percent after the training. The initial response to the ISC in Guantang mirrors this feedback. The local InfoStaff member Yin Bo notes that despite their lack of familiarity with computers, the local community is keen to learn: “The (ISC) e-library is the busiest room here. It is opened and free for the local farmers to go online and there are people coming and going all day,” he says.

A key reason for this enthusiasm is the style of training offered. Breaking away from traditional methods of computer training, Microsoft, in consultation with rural communities in China, has developed a three-step program with content that is relevant to the farmers, and lessons that allow them to experience instant results as they learn:

•	In phase one farmers learn the basics of using a PC and how to open links to Web pages with agricultural information;
•	In phase two they learn how to search for information within government and agricultural Web sites, save documents and input Chinese characters; and
•	In phase three they practice using e-mail and instant messaging as well as basic financial and supply-chain management tools.

The trainees can put what they are learning into practice as they are learning it by searching for gainful information, such as crop pricing and other market data, on the PCs at the ISC.

“The only approach to take to ICT training in underdeveloped rural areas is a humble one,” says Rau Chang, General Manager of Public Sector Group for Greater China Region. “Our rural projects in China are an experimental process in which everybody is learning, not least of all Microsoft. If we want to encourage farmers in Sichuan to use ICT we must first learn from them how they can actually benefit from it.”

Microsoft Plants the Seeds of Change in Chinese Village

2007-12-19T12:53:00.000-08:00

“From here, go to the world”: the words written in bold, red Chinese characters on the wall of a classroom in Datang Nine-Year Compulsory Education School, in Pujiang County, remind students about the greater goal of their education. They also succinctly describe a unique phenomenon that is happening in Pujiang – a phenomenon that has implications for people who have never even heard of this small, rural community in Sichuan Province, China.

Located in Chengdu, deep in China’s western interior, Pujiang is a pilot site for Microsoft’s ambitious plan to help share the digital revolution with the billions of people worldwide who do not have access to information and communications technology (ICT).

While most of urban China has successfully entered the information age, there are hundreds of millions of rural citizens who are still divorced from ICT – a situation that is exacerbating the country’s poverty-wealth gap and an urgent priority for the government. It is widely agreed that digital inclusion is a necessary element in any economic development plan, but how to effectively introduce technology into disparate and dispersed rural communities is a complex issue. The Chinese government’s Ministry for Information Industry (MII) sees access to ICT in a relevant and measured way as central to solving this challenge – a vision that aligns with Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential initiative.

Through Unlimited Potential, Microsoft is working to transform education, foster innovation and create jobs and opportunities by removing the barriers that prevent underdeveloped communities entering the digital age. Microsoft’s approach is to work closely with local communities, assessing the best ways to address their specific ICT needs through pilot projects that can then be adapted and applied on a wider basis.

“Understanding the needs unique to the person’s circumstances and locality are paramount before we can really apply technology in a meaningful way,” says Karishma Kiri. “Rural pilots like the programs underway in China are invaluable for honing how we approach digital inclusion to meet the diverse needs of rural areas both in China and around the world.”

On April 19, 2007, speaking at the Government Leaders Forum in Beijing, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced an expansion of Microsoft Unlimited Potential, renewing the company’s long-term commitment to use technology, training and partnerships to sustain a continuous cycle of social and economic growth for everyone. As part of that expansion, Microsoft is collaborating with the MII and local government organizations on rural projects that will incubate ideas for how to realize the goals of Unlimited Potential, not only in China but around the world. For MII, which is responsible for formulating China's information industry policies and strategic development, such innovative approaches to improve the welfare of the population in remote areas such as Chengdu were in line with their ICT goals.

Microsoft is supporting the MII to run pilot projects in Sichuan, Henan, Guizhou, Guangdong and Shandong provinces that test how to deliver the benefits of ICT to rural communities. In cooperation with the government, Microsoft has started running several rural projects such as InfoWagons -- mobile ICT training labs – and Information Service Centers (ISC). The latter are village-level centers that provide e-government and information services, ICT access and training and agricultural training. In the ISC pilot in Chengdu, an ISC consists of 10 PCs with Internet connections and one full-time employee, called InfoStaff, to manage them. As the guardian of the ISC, the InfoStaff is a government employee that is a university graduate selected by the Ministry of Organization as part of the “One college student per village” program for his interest in the promotion of digital literacy to villagers.

On October 29, 2007, the first Microsoft ISC in Pujiang, and the second in Chengdu, opened to the public. This latest ISC is housed in the Residents Association of Guantang, a village of 2000 people, most of whom are orange farmers.

The Chinese government aims to bridge the digital divide between the country’s rich and poor by setting up projects, such as ISCs, in rural areas nationwide – village by village. First, however, they need to collect data on how these projects can be as effective as possible. In Pujiang, Microsoft is starting to provide this information.

Microsoft Simplifies Data-Centric Development in Heterogeneous IT Environments

2007-12-18T13:50:00.001-08:00

Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of Beta 3 of the ADO.NET Entity Framework. Designed to make it even easier for developers to build data-centric applications and services regardless of the underlying data source, the ADO.NET Entity Framework is already gaining significant support from multiple database vendors and third-party providers, including Core Lab, DataDirect Technologies, Firebird Foundation Inc., IBM Corp., MySQL AB, Npgsql , OpenLink Software Inc., Phoenix Software International, Sybase Inc. and VistaDB Software Inc. Further enhancing the toolset for Web developers, Microsoft also announced the upcoming availability of a preview of ASP.NET 3.5 Extensions, which draws on many of the capabilities of the Entity Framework and provides an exciting sneak peek at additional functionality planned for ASP.NET next year.

“The ADO.NET Entity Framework is a giant leap forward to help developers increase productivity,” said D. Britton Johnston, product unit manager for Data Programmability at Microsoft. “As part of our efforts, we’ve reached out to all the leading database vendors and third-party solution providers to encourage them to enable the ADO.NET Entity Framework to connect to their solutions. The response has been overwhelmingly favorable. Together we are meeting developers’ needs for a comprehensive data platform that supports all data through a provider-enabled approach that results in writing less code to build rich applications and services.”

The ADO.NET Entity Framework extends the capabilities of Microsoft’s popular Language-Integrated Query (LINQ) technology by enabling developers to use LINQ against many back-end databases. Developers can work at a conceptual level and focus on business logic rather than data access, which makes it significantly easier for them to work with data-centric applications and services. The ADO.NET Entity Framework and SQL Server are key to Microsoft’s strategy to bridge the gap between developers and data. This is a core component of the company’s Application Platform, a set of technologies and capabilities that make it easier for developers and IT professionals to develop, deliver and manage dynamic applications and services.

microsoft_OneCare

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microsoft_sidewinder_gamer_precision_mouse

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Microsoft CA9

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Microsoft S82

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Microsoft Zune

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Ms3000

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Reverse-Mortgage Firm Sets Direction for Growth by Choosing Microsoft Dynamics CRM

2007-12-18T13:31:00.001-08:00

A new firm established specifically to help seniors learn about and access Federal Housing Administration (FHA) reverse mortgages has chosen Microsoft Dynamics CRM to manage its nationwide customer base and support the company’s growth, Microsoft Corp. announced today.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM, with modules for sales, marketing and customer service, offers customer relationship management capabilities that enable companies to maintain a comprehensive view of their customer and prospect base from initial contact through the sale and subsequent communications. Stay In-Home Reverse Mortgage Inc., headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., will rely on Microsoft Dynamics CRM to provide an integrated view of customer and prospect data, sales reports and marketing information to reach qualified borrowers and help ensure high-quality leads.

When it launched its business, which is designed to help people over age 62 consider FHA reverse mortgages as a way to eliminate house payments and improve their quality of life, Stay In-Home Reverse Mortgage considered both Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Salesforce technologies. The company ultimately chose the Microsoft solution because of its high degree of integration with applications that its loan officers used every day, such as Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel, and because it could host its own copy of the software for customization, rather than be tied to Web-hosted software that it cannot shape to its needs.

“The key aspects of our decision were the ability of Microsoft Dynamics CRM to be implemented quickly and efficiently, as well as its strong integration with Microsoft Outlook,” said Tim Borquez, section manager for Stay In-Home Reverse Mortgage. “We liked the fact that our technical and business power users could customize the software, instilling confidence in its ability to grow as our business grows,”

Seattle-based Madrona Solutions Group, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, implemented the Microsoft Dynamics CRM system, incorporating sales and marketing components, by instituting a rapid-deployment methodology to get Stay In-Home Reverse Mortgage up and running quickly. Madrona also built a business-intelligence dashboard that furnished the company with consolidated forecast reporting to enable a consistent, up-to-date view of business performance. The system was integrated with c360 Word Mail Merge for further customization, along with a specially built de-duplication program from Madrona.

Microsoft Announces Winners of Ingenuity Point Competition

2007-12-18T13:30:00.000-08:00

The passion and innovation of Microsoft Corp. partners took center stage today as the company announced the first round of winners in the Ingenuity Point contest. Independent software vendors (ISVs) from around the world are taking part in the competition, which focuses on recognizing software solutions that are making a meaningful difference in the areas of education, healthcare and environmental sustainability.

The winning ISVs are TR Control Solutions Ltd. of Surrey, United Kingdom, Tobii Technology AB of Stockholm, Sweden, and OSIsoft Inc. of San Leandro, Calif.

Rob Bernard, Microsoft’s chief environmental strategist and former general manager of the company’s Worldwide ISV group, says the skills partners have gained in specific technology disciplines, coupled with their desire to impact lives, have proved to be an amazing force for change in the lives of individuals, communities and the world.

“Microsoft is inspired by the passion and innovation we’ve seen from ISVs around the world. ISVs want to be successful and be good global citizens at the same time,” Bernard said. “We’re excited to hold a competition that focuses on how companies are using Microsoft technologies to make an impact in the world. Ingenuity Point is part of our efforts to put the spotlight on some of the incredible work that we’ve seen from ISVs, and help those companies use their expertise to make a bigger impact.”

Enlarging the Partner’s Impact

TR Control Solutions, Tobii Technology and OSIsoft will be joined by a second round of three grand prize winners that will be announced after the second contest period ends on Feb. 28, 2008. Microsoft will provide each of these companies with a variety of marketing tools and resources to help them increase the awareness of their respective solutions and the work they are doing in their particular areas of expertise:

•	Education. TR Control Solutions applies its skills in process control technology to develop ecoDriver Schools, a solution that helps students, teachers and school administrators monitor their consumption of power, water, paper and other resources, and to work together to minimize the environmental impact of their respective schools. In addition, schools that use ecoDriver can collaborate, compete and share best practices using a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server-based collaboration tool. To develop this solution, TR Control also uses the features and capabilities in the Microsoft .NET Framework, Visual Basic .NET, Microsoft ASP .NET, Visual Studio .NET, Microsoft Office Visio, Microsoft SQL Server, ActiveX, Microsoft Office Project, and the core applications in the Microsoft Office system.
•	Healthcare. Tobii Technology specializes in eye-tracking hardware and software for both scientific and commercial applications. Using this same expertise, Tobii has developed an eye-tracking solution that helps people with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and spinal injuries communicate, navigate the Internet and write e-mail, using only the movement of their eyes. MyTobii is built using Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, Windows XP, the .NET Framework, DirectX, ActiveX, Microsoft Component Object Model (COM) technologies, Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer browser extensions, Windows Installer, Microsoft Internet Information Services, Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server and the Microsoft Foundation Class library. Tobii will soon to be moving to Visual Studio 2008, Windows Vista and the Windows Presentation Foundation.
•	Environmental sustainability. OSIsoft’s PI System helps companies in manufacturing, energy, utilities and other process industries monitor, manage and track performance indicators in real time. Several water utilities have used the PI System to more closely manage their water supplies and reduce the cost and energy associated with treating water and wastewater. The PI system uses Windows XP, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server and the .NET Framework.

Microsoft Releases Next Generation CRM Solution for On-Premise and On-Demand Deployments

2007-12-18T13:28:00.000-08:00

The new version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, formerly code-named “Titan,” has been completed and released to manufacturing, Microsoft Corp. announced today. The new version is offered under two product names: Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 for on-premise and partner-hosted deployments and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live for Microsoft-hosted deployment. Designed with a single unified-code base for both on-premise and on-demand deployments, Microsoft Dynamics CRM enables customers to choose the right deployment model for their specific business and IT needs, with the flexibility to change deployment models over time if their needs or preferences change.

“Microsoft Dynamics CRM is making the power of choice a reality for businesses around the world,” said Brad Wilson, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics CRM at Microsoft. “This new release further enables us to deliver on Microsoft’s software plus services strategy and provide our CRM solutions with a great user experience and exceptional business value.”

Some of the significant new benefits and capabilities of this new release include these:

•	An advanced multitenant architecture that supports multiple customers per server
•	Extended global capabilities including user choice of more than 25 languages and pervasive support for multiple currencies
•	New business intelligence capabilities including cross-entity views and an end-user ad hoc reporting wizard
•	Advanced business process automation based on Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation
•	New collaboration capabilities with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 including real-time presence indicators within the CRM application

The new release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM has been in extensive use over the past year by more than 600 partners around the world and more than 100 early access customers representing a broad range of on-premise, partner-hosted and Microsoft-hosted deployments.

“Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 meets our needs for an enterprise-ready CRM solution,” said Dirk Karl, general manager and chief procurement officer at ING Group, a financial institution that offers banking, insurance and asset management services to clients in 50 countries. “It will allow us to easily automate innovative workflows, quickly share knowledge across our global enterprise, and develop a more productive worldwide purchasing and vendor relationship management environmen

Microsoft Launches Online Student Avatar Playgrounds at TheUltimateSteal.com

2007-12-16T07:51:00.000-08:00

Starting today, as part of Microsoft Corp.’s promotion the Ultimate Steal, university students from around the world will be able to create and customize their own digital alter egos, or avatars, in the Ultimate College All-Nighter and the Ultimate College Idol “playgrounds” at TheUltimateSteal.com/Sweepstakes.

“These competitions not only are designed to be fun; they offer students a way to engage technology at a very personal level,” said Alan Yates, general manager of Worldwide Public Sector Education at Microsoft. “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.”

With the help of Voki technology, Oddcast Inc.’s next-generation speaking avatar platform for online communities, social networks and media properties, students are able to create their characters on TheUltimateSteal.com/Sweepstakes, use their voice to create a speaking avatar story and then share their stories or songs in the online “playgrounds” on the site, publish them to other social networking sites such as Facebook, or e-mail them to their friends.

“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.

Through Jan. 31, 2008, students can participate in two online avatar playgrounds:

•	The Ultimate College Idol competition gets students to take center stage, exhibiting their best — and possibly worst — talent. More important, students have a chance to flaunt their school spirit and use that as their inspiration.
•	In the Ultimate College All-Nighter competition, students can use their avatar to tell the world about their favorite all-nighter — whether they skipped sleep to cram, stayed out partying until dawn, or rode an adrenaline rush through a nonstop gaming session.

Microsoft Unwraps Virtualization Surprise

2007-12-16T07:50:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Corp. this morning delivered a holiday surprise for customers and partners, unveiling a public beta for its hypervisor-based server virtualization technology called Hyper-V, a feature with some versions of Windows Server 2008. Customers and partners today can download Windows Server 2008 RC1 Enterprise with the beta version of Hyper-V to evaluate the new technology, test applications and plan future consolidation, business continuity and high-availability projects. The beta was previously expected to be ready in the first quarter of 2008 with the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows Server 2008.

“Delivering the high-quality Hyper-V beta earlier than expected allows our customers and partners to begin evaluating this feature of Windows Server 2008 and provide us with valuable feedback as we march toward final release,” said Bill Laing, general manager of the Windows Server Division at Microsoft. “Along with Hyper-V, Windows Server 2008 offers cost-effective and flexible licensing for virtualization so that customers and partners can extend the savings realized through server consolidation and deliver on the vision of Dynamic IT.”

Currently, the beta for Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V is available for the x64 Enterprise Edition in English. This beta release provides customers and partners with expanded features and capabilities not previously available in the September 2007 Community Technology Preview of Hyper-V, such as Quick Migration, high availability, Server Core role and Server Manager integration. The final version of Hyper-V remains on target for release within 180 days of the RTM of Windows Server 2008. As a feature of Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V is designed to provide a broad range of customers with familiar and cost-effective virtualization infrastructure software that can help reduce operating costs, increase hardware utilization, optimize infrastructure and improve server availability.

To provide integrated management of physical and virtual environments, Microsoft is also developing the next version of System Center Virtual Machine Manager. Customers will be able to use this integrated management tool to rapidly provision and configure new virtual machines, and centrally manage their virtual infrastructure, running on Hyper-V, Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2, VMware ESX Server and Virtual Infrastructure 3 (V13).

Microsoft Releases Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator to Help Speed Content Production and Lower Development Costs

2007-12-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator, enabling film studios and disc authoring companies to model the behavior of HD DVD disc content, including encoded video and HDi interactivity, in a virtual environment before committing to burning a single HD DVD disc. This comprehensive tool is among the first commercially available, software-based solutions of its kind, eliminating the need for expensive hardware or time-consuming and costly trial-and-error processes for testing HD DVD titles, helping to ensure that titles ship error-free.

The enhanced content and rich interactive capabilities of HD DVD increase the need for an efficient way to troubleshoot coding to maintain the highest-quality consumer experiences. The emulator uses a combination of available hardware (the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player) and specialized emulation software to ultimately enable playback of near-final assets from a network storage share, portable hard drive or optical disc. This allows focused testing of the layout, the menus, and the behavior of the interactivity functionality of a title. Detailed log reports from the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator deliver valuable tracing information to help quickly and easily pinpoint problems with advanced interactivity code that otherwise could take hours of manual debugging.

“We are committed to supporting and advancing the HD DVD ecosystem, and the new Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator reflects these efforts by providing developers with the software-based tools they need to efficiently deliver the highest-quality content,” said Jordi Ribas, general manager of HD DVD at Microsoft. “Microsoft developed the Emulator to help save studios and postproduction houses time, resources and costs involved with the creation of HD DVD content, and let them focus on what really matters — pushing the envelope with the format.”

Sessions using the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator are designed to complement existing workflows so that tests can be run at various stages. The tool offers several choices for how to run a session: directly from a network storage share, from a USB drive connected directly to the Xbox 360 console, or from an optical disc in the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player. While the tool enables the testing of content playback on the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player specifically, it effectively eliminates layers in the testing process for other HD DVD players as well.

Validated by the Industry’s Leading HD DVD Production Houses

As part of the development process, Microsoft implemented a beta program from July through November of this year, involving more than 40 participants, including Deluxe Digital Studios, Enteractive GmbH, Imagion AG, Memory-Tech Corporation and NetBlender Inc. Participants found that the tool significantly decreased the number of hours and reduced the costs associated with the production process, freeing up time to refine and improve content.

Microsoft Imagine Cup 2008 Encourages Students to Think Green

2007-12-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

Imagine a world where technology solves a country’s water shortage, provides a cleaner source of fuel or reduces the demand for energy. Imagine coming up with a concept that could help solve some of the world’s biggest environmental issues and winning big for coming up with the idea. Students interested in saving the environment while earning cash and traveling to great places can get involved by entering the Imagine Cup 2008. Microsoft Corp. has opened registration for the competition, inviting students from the United States and around the world to use their talent, imagination and know-how to address those and other sustainability issues.

Now in its sixth year, the Imagine Cup challenges students around the globe to imagine a world made better by technology and created by their talent and innovation. More than 100,000 students from 100 countries competed in last year’s Imagine Cup. This year, Microsoft hopes to top that, calling on students to go green, dream big and rise to the challenge to “imagine a world where technology enables a sustainable environment.” After advancing through online, local and regional competitions, finalists will be chosen to compete on the global stage at the Imagine Cup Worldwide Finals in Paris next summer. There, students will have a shot at winning more than $180,000 (U.S.) across nine categories.

But the Imagine Cup doesn’t just give students the chance to win money; it also can help kick-start their career. A number of Imagine Cup competitors have gone on to turn their software designs into real-world business realities, including Imagine Cup winner Tu Nguyen of Omaha, Nebraska, who is now the vice president of technology at DocCenter Inc., a Software as a Service (SaaS) content and document management solution provider.

“After the Imagine Cup, things started to click for me because people see the potential in the student,” Nguyen said. “It’s not about the grades anymore. It’s about what the student can imagine and deliver.”

Putting Creative Ideas to the Test

The nine categories of competition for Imagine Cup 2008 range from software design and video game development to challenges involving algorithms and programming. But the Imagine Cup is not just for high-tech enthusiasts. It also features digital arts categories such as filmmaking and photography for the artsy types. Students who enter get the opportunity to compete for generous cash prizes and career-boosting opportunities such as having their very own booth at the PAX Penny Arcade Expo, the nation’s largest gaming expo; showing their winning film at the Seattle International Film Festival; or getting a two-page spread in American Photo Magazine, to name just a few.

New XNA Game Studio 2.0 From Microsoft Enables Creation of Online Multiplayer Games Using LIVE

2007-12-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Corp. today marked the next step in its initiative to democratize game development and unleash the creativity of the community with the release of the XNA Game Studio 2.0, the next generation of the popular game development platform for Xbox 360 and Windows. The new version builds upon XNA Game Studio Express, released one year ago, and includes the ability to create online, cross-platform multiplayer games for Xbox 360 and Windows using Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows — LIVE, respectively. XNA Game Studio 2.0 adds more than 15 new features and is available for download from

“When building XNA Game Studio 2.0, we wanted to offer everyone the opportunity to utilize the rich gaming environment of LIVE used by AAA developers for titles such as ‘Halo 3’ and ‘Gears of War,’” said Chris Satchell, general manager of the XNA organization at Microsoft. “We accomplished our goal with this new toolset, and, best of all, it remains highly accessible to students, hobbyists and pros alike.”

Many of LIVE’s best features are supported by XNA Game Studio 2.0 with minimal to no coding necessary to activate them — features such as matchmaking, which uses LIVE to find the best games for gamers to play based on their location and Internet connection. In addition, XNA Game Studio 2.0 fully supports game development with all versions of the Microsoft Visual Studio product line.

XNA Creators Club Academic Trial Memberships Now Free to Qualified Students and Faculty

Since its release last December, XNA Game Studio has been an incredible success, with 750,000 downloads, adoption by more than 300 universities worldwide and at least nine textbooks on the tools in development. In subjects from computer science to fine arts, introductory courses to graduate and research projects, XNA Game Studio is helping faculty members and students explore the boundaries of applied gaming technology in education. Along with XNA Game Studio 2.0, Microsoft will also provide a free academic trial membership in the XNA Creators Club beginning in January, allowing faculty members and students to use XNA Game Studio 2.0 and Xbox 360 for instructional purposes.

Time to Dream-Build-Play Again

From more than 4,500 entrants from around the world, four community games were awarded Xbox LIVE Arcade publishing contracts in this year’s Dream-Build-Play game development competition. Microsoft will once again challenge aspiring game developers to create their dream games for a chance to win more coveted publishing contracts. This week Microsoft kicks off registration for Dream-Build-Play 2008 with the Silicon Minds Warm-Up Challenge. Registration begins on Dec. 14 and winners will be announced at the Game Developers Conference, where details of the main challenge will be announced. Run in partnership with Microsoft Research’s Machine Learning Group in Cambridge, England; Rare Ltd.; and Lionhead Studios, prizes for the Warm-Up Challenge will include the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interview for an internship with one of those organizations.

“Artificial intelligence is so important to the games we make at Lionhead Studios, and we are very excited to see what the community can come up with in this Warm-Up Challenge to Dream-Build-Play 2008,” said Peter Molyneux, managing director at Lionhead Studios. “We are always on the lookout for the best talent and believe that XNA Game Studio 2.0 will be a great platform for contestants to showcase their skills on.” More information about Dream-Build-Play 2008 is available at

Microsoft Acquires One of Europe’s Top Online Map Services

2007-12-16T07:40:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Corp. has acquired Multimap, one of the United Kingdom’s top 100 technology companies and one of the leading online mapping services in the world. The acquisition gives Microsoft a powerful new location and mapping technology to complement existing offerings such as Virtual Earth, Live Search, Windows Live services, MSN and the aQuantive advertising platform, with future integration potential for a range of other Microsoft products and platforms. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“The addition of Multimap enhances Microsoft’s position as a leading provider of mapping and location platform services,” said Sharon Baylay, general manager of the Online Services Group at Microsoft. “This acquisition will play a significant role in the future growth of our search business and presents a huge opportunity to expand our platform business beyond the U.K. and globally. We are thrilled to welcome Multimap onboard.”

One of the best-known online mapping companies worldwide, Multimap provides a publicly available personal mapping service at as well as a range of integrated business services.

“Partnering with Microsoft gives us a world of new opportunities to build our mapping services into new technologies and applications,” said Jeff Kelisky, CEO of Multimap. “As one of the world’s foremost technology brands, Microsoft is in a position to bring even more value to the Multimap service and give people everywhere new, exciting and fun ways to get from point A to point B.”

Multimap will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft, as part of the Virtual Earth and Search teams in the Online Services Group. The acquisition is the latest in a series of moves as Microsoft seeks to expand its online services to deliver software, services, and premium content and applications to consumers and businesses.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Samsung Licenses Microsoft Technology for Wireless Digital Photo Frame

2007-12-16T07:23:00.000-08:00

New consumer product, available in time for the holidays, is one of the few networked offerings on the market and is result of ongoing licensing and technology collaboration between the two companies.

Samsung Electronics America Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Corporation, today announced the release of its new 8” Digital Photo Frame SPF-83V, based on technology developed by Microsoft Research, in time for the holiday season. With this innovative addition to their photo frame lineup, customers can enjoy photos wirelessly in their home and display photos from sharing sites such as Windows Live Spaces or from personal collections on their PC.

The frame works with the Windows Live Photo Gallery, which makes sharing photos with friends and family easy. Users can organize and upload individual photos or albums from their PC to Windows Live Spaces and the photos are ready for display on the frame.

Along with the technology licensed from Microsoft Research, the Samsung frame communicates with Windows Media Player and open standards such as RSS. The product is a result of a long-standing collaboration between Microsoft Corp. and Samsung Electronics, including a patent cross-licensing agreement signed by the two companies in April 2007.

“Offering our customers next-generation products that bring them closer to family and friends is important to us,” said Christopher Franey, vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing at Samsung Electronics America, Information Technology Division. “Our latest digital photo frames, based on cutting-edge technology from the Microsoft Research labs, are easy to use and are one of the few offerings in the marketplace that offer a ‘network’ approach to digital photo sharing. This is a great example of our ongoing collaboration with Microsoft, and we are confident that the resulting product will be received extremely well.”

“Working with industry leaders such as Samsung to allow them to deploy Microsoft’s innovative technologies and bring great products and services to customers more rapidly is what our intellectual property licensing efforts are all about,” said Louis Carbonneau, general manager of Intellectual Property Licensing at Microsoft. “This is just one example of how our dedication to open innovation can lead to greater collaboration between two technology industry leaders and to great products — right in time for the holidays.”