REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 11, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. is offering travelers a variety of great offers, including cash-back rebates, free Internet access* and substantial hotel discounts, to celebrate the launch of Microsoft® Automap® Trip Planner, now available. Trip Planner helps travelers plan the best route – and find fascinating points of interest along the way – for any family vacation, weekend getaway or business trip in North America.
Trip Planner users get two free months of unlimited Internet access via MSN
™
, The Microsoft Network*, making it easy to connect to Automap Online for current weather, traffic, travel and tourist information for more than 500 destinations. Users also get a free membership that allows them to save up to 50 percent off the regular published room rates at more than 3,000 hotels and resorts in North America. In addition, Trip Planner includes a $15 U.S. mail-in rebate coupon for current users of any mapping software product – handy additional spending money for a coming trip.
“Automap Trip Planner is about planning and taking the best family vacation, weekend getaway or business trip possible,”
said Ian Mercer, geography product unit manager at Microsoft.
“This promotion gives customers everything they need, including precise maps, in-depth travel articles, free Internet access to look up additional live online information, and discounts on hotels, which, taken together, could pay back the purchase price in a single trip.”
Trip Planner is one of three new Automap products now available from Microsoft. The company released Microsoft Automap Streets Plus and Microsoft Automap Streets Plus, Deluxe Edition last month. The 1997 Automap products include new maps, content and functionality.
Plan the Best Trips
With Trip Planner, travelers have access to more than 1 million miles of road. From national parks to amusement parks, users can customize their travel plans to include virtually anything they want to do and see.
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The improved Route Wizard
helps even a novice plan a trip. Travelers can design a trip tailored to individual driving preferences using a simple step-by-step process. They tell the Route Wizard where to stop along the way and then tell it to choose the quickest, shortest or most scenic route. The Route Wizard provides a customized trip map and a complete travel itinerary including all selected points of interest. -
Trip Planner is great for families. It includes more than 5,000 Kid Picks – activities and places recommended especially for children. Using Kid Picks, parents can easily find fun and educational activities such as the Ostrich Festival in Arizona, the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia or the New Jersey State Aquarium.
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Engaging travel articles and information maximize travel enjoyment. Automap editors worked closely with Moon Publications, one of the country’s leading travel publishers, to provide additional travel and destination information. Using Moon’s extensive network of local travel writers, Microsoft has created engaging articles about the people, customs, cultures and history of the places users will visit.
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Ninety Classic Drives help steer travelers looking for suggestions. Classic Drives are prepackaged guided tours that users can incorporate into their own travel plans. Each includes background information about the trip, detailed maps, a driving itinerary and points of interest. Users can explore California’s redwood coast or the Anasazi pueblos of the Southwest, or even take an outlet shopping tour of northern New England.
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Consumers can browse 2,500 scenic photos. Trip Planner features amazing 360-degree Panoramic Views and regional music clips that give an added sense of the places to visit in North America.
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Get information on more than 18,000 hotels and bed-and-breakfast listings. Trip Planner includes 14,000 points of interest, including national parks, amusement parks, natural wonders, aquariums, festivals, factory tours, outlet malls and museums. Internet users can book hotels online through the new Microsoft Expedia
™
travel services. -
Automap Online offers even more up-to-date information such as weather, traffic and tourism information for 500 cities and other destinations throughout North America. In addition, these destinations can be accessed on the Internet with Automap Online directly from the Trip Planner CD-ROM.
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Global positioning system (GPS) functionality puts the user on the map, never to get lost again.
Pricing, Availability and System Requirements
Microsoft Automap Trip Planner is available now for approximately $39.95. All licensed users of Microsoft Automap Road Atlas and licensed users of any mapping product qualify for a $15 (U.S.) or $20 (Canadian) mail-in rebate offered in the box. Trip Planner buyers also get two months of free, unlimited Internet access via MSN* and a free membership to save up to 50 percent off the regular published rates at more than 3,000 hotels and resorts in North America. See the Trip Planner product package for complete details.
Trip Planner requires the following components:
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A multimedia PC with a 486DX/33 or higher processor
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The Microsoft Windows® 95 or Windows NT® Workstation 4.0 or later operating system
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8 MB of RAM for Windows 95; 16 MB of RAM for Windows NT
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15 MB of hard disk space
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Super VGA, 256-color video display
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Double-speed or faster CD-ROM drive
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Sound card and speakers or headphones (for audio)
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Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
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Internet access and modem to use Automap Online; may require payment of a separate fee to an Internet service provider
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GPS receiver for GPS functionality
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, Automap, MSN, Expedia, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The Microsoft Network is operated by Microsoft Corp. on behalf of Microsoft Network LLC.
* Available to users of Windows 95 only. Special offer available to new MSN members in the United States and Canada only, provided they select MSN as their Internet access provider. As a new member, you’ll receive one unlimited month free at outset. Get second free unlimited month after two paid months of service (either $6.95 U.S. per month, which includes five hours usage each month; each additional hour is $2.50 U.S., or other monthly plans). A credit card is required. MSN Premium charges, long-distance or toll charges may apply. Offer expires Dec. 31, 1997.
For online product information:
Microsoft Automap Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/automap/
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
