Microsoft and QVC Unite for Nationwide Television Demonstration Of Windows 98
WEST CHESTER, Pa., May 12, 1998 — QVC Inc. will present the first nationally televised full-length demonstration of the Microsoft® Windows® 98 operating system Friday, May 15 (8 to 9 p.m. EDT), to a potential viewing audience of 65 million households. The world’s premier electronic retailer and Microsoft Corp. will collaborate to demonstrate the latest version of the Microsoft operating system, designed to work and play better. Windows 98 is scheduled to be available to the public on June 25.
On the same day of the demonstration, iQVC, the online merchant of QVC at (http://www.iqvc.com/) will accept advance orders of Windows 98. Orders prebooked via QVC and iQVC will be delivered in conjunction with the street release date of
Windows 98.
QVC and Microsoft first joined together for a worldwide televised demonstration of Microsoft Windows 95, which resulted in the QVC record sale of 22,200 software packages within several hours of the product demonstration.
“We are excited to be working again with QVC to showcase Windows 98,”
said Robert Bennett, group product manager in the personal and business systems group at Microsoft.
“QVC viewers will see that we have developed an operating system that is faster and more reliable and opens the door to new computing experiences.”
QVC host Steve Bryant and Microsoft product managers for Windows 98 Dave Pollon and BJ Whalen will demonstrate live the upcoming version of the Microsoft operating system. In particular, Pollon and Whalen will showcase the following key consumer benefits of Windows 98:
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Improved ease of use through Internet integration. Windows 98 makes use of key Internet Explorer technologies to unify and simplify the desktop, making it quick and easy for users to find and navigate to information, whether it resides on their PCs or the Internet. In addition, finding help has been dramatically simplified with the addition of new troubleshooting wizards and Web-based help features.
Enhanced performance and reliability. Windows 98 dramatically improves the key areas that keep users waiting on their PC today, including opening applications, accessing the Internet and shutting down the PC. This enhanced performance along with powerful new self-maintenance and update features empower users to spend more time enjoying their PCs and less time managing their system.
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A new range of PC hardware and entertainment capabilities. Windows 98 ushers in a new range of hardware and entertainment functionality. Now, not only do games run better on Windows 98-based PCs than on traditional game console devices, but Windows 98 includes native support for Universal Serial Bus (USB), which makes adding hardware devices as easy as plugging in a toaster. In addition, Windows 98 provides DVD and television broadcast capabilities, allowing a PC with a television tuner card to seamlessly receive and display television and other data distributed over broadcast networks.
In addition, the QVC specials will feature Microsoft software and accessories as well as companion hardware for Windows 98:
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Greetings Workshop Deluxe
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Encarta® 98 Deluxe Multimedia Encyclopedia
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Microsoft Plus! Companion for Windows 98
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PictureIt!® personal imaging software
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Natural® Keyboard Elite (USB)
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Flight Simulator
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Golf 1998
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Money 98 Financial Suite
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SideWinder® joystick
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SideWinder gamepad
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Outwars
™
Pionex Technologies Inc., Scanport Inc., Vivitar Corp., Ricoh Company Ltd., Belkin Components and Connectix Corp. computer hardware will also be featured. Additional live demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday, May 16 (1 a.m. and 6 p.m., EDT).
QVC Inc. is the world’s pre-eminent electronic retailer marketing a wide variety of brand-name products in such categories as home furnishings, licensed products, fashion and beauty, electronics and fine jewelry. In addition to its core channel, which reaches over 65 million homes across the United States, the company’s other divisions and subsidiaries include Q2, Q Direct, QVC Local, onQ Music, QVC International and iQVC.
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, Windows, Encarta, PictureIt!, Natural and SideWinder are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Outwars is a trademark of Singletrac Studio, a GT Interactive company.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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.
