Toshiba Chooses Microsoft Pocket PC Platform

REDMOND, Wash., July 16, 2001 — Microsoft Corp. and Toshiba Corp. today announced that Toshiba has chosen the Microsoft® Pocket PC platform to power its upcoming line of next-generation personal digital assistants (PDAs). Toshiba, a leader in mobile computing for corporate customers, plans to expand and extend the use of its highly successful line of laptops and other mobile devices by building Pocket PCs, the first of which will launch today in Japan.

As do all Pocket PC devices, Pocket PCs from Toshiba will offer unmatched functionality, including a rich user interface, secure corporate and Web access, access to e-mail, an enhanced personal information manager and multimedia capabilities. In addition, the Toshiba Genio will be the first Pocket PC on the market to have built-in, dual-expansion capabilities utilizing both Compact Flash II and Secure Digital (SD) expansion slots. This increased integrated expandability will enable Pocket PC users to run additional industry-standard memory and input-output options, including wireless expansion, simultaneously on their devices.

“We looked at many options to power our future Toshiba PDAs and found Microsoft’s Pocket PC software to be the best choice to help us build the enterprise-class devices we’re known for, combined with software functionality that can’t be matched,”
said Steve Andler, vice president of marketing, Toshiba Computer Systems Group.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Microsoft in this space — its Pocket PC platform has redefined the PDA market by offering customers the widest range of functionality on a mobile device and raising the bar for what a mobile device should do. Together we plan to raise that bar even higher.”

“Microsoft is delighted to welcome Toshiba as the latest Pocket PC OEM and to celebrate our relationship with the launch of Toshiba’s innovative Pocket PC,”
said Ben Waldman,

vice president of the Mobile Devices Division at Microsoft.
“Toshiba is demonstrating its expertise in mobile computing by combining an eye-catching industrial design with a unique and innovative approach to expansion. Toshiba’s Pocket PC is not only a beauty to behold, but is also the first PDA to combine a compact flash slot and an SD slot, meaning that users have access to both wireless connectivity and external storage at the same time. Customers have clearly indicated that they need and expect more than just a simple organizer, and this combination of Microsoft software and Toshiba hardware has been designed specifically to meet and exceed customer needs.”

About Toshiba Genio

With a sleek, compact design that complements Toshiba’s notebook lines, Toshiba’s Genio will deliver wireless capabilities (with optional modules) and an abundance of multimedia and productivity tools to the palm of the user’s hand. The Toshiba PDA will feature a Secure Digital expansion slot for an optional Bluetooth wireless module or additional memory. A second expansion slot, Compact Flash II, will allow users to increase productivity with a wide range of commercially available add-on devices such as GPS, Wi-Fi or a V.90 56k modem. Additional features will include a vibrant 64K color display, 32 MB of memory, MP3 and MPEG4 support, and more than eight hours of battery life — all in a package weighing less than half a pound.

About Microsoft Pocket PC

Microsoft Windows® Powered Pocket PCs, the next-generation PDAs from Microsoft and industry partners, offer customers the best way to connect to their most essential information while away from their desk, yet are versatile enough to satisfy the personal needs of today’s busy mobile consumer. Pocket PCs already include a broad range of native business, personal productivity and entertainment applications, yet can easily be expanded to adapt to each customer’s changing needs through a continually growing number of industry-standard hardware and software options.

Pocket PCs are or will be available from many manufacturers, including Toshiba, Casio Computer Company Ltd., Cesscom, Compal, Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., HTC, HTW, Intermec Technologies Corp., Legend, SAGEM, Siemens, Symbol Technologies Inc. and Trium. The devices can be purchased at most major retail outlets; prices range from $249 to $649 (U.S.).

About Toshiba

Toshiba Corp.’s wide-ranging capabilities ensures its position as a leading company in LCDs, CRTs, batteries, semiconductors and other electronic devices, and allows it to support its customers around the world with a complete portfolio of electronic devices. Toshiba has 191,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of over $50 billion (U.S.). Visit Toshiba’s Web site at http://www.toshiba.co.jp/worldwide/ .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.

Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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