REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 21, 2001 — Microsoft Corp. today commemorated its 10th year of helping consumers manage their money and make smarter financial decisions. The company celebrates several significant advancements this year, which demonstrate its continued commitment to meeting the personal finance needs of all consumers, including three milestones announced today:
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CNBC on MSN Money Web service. The service, an alliance between Microsoft and CNBC, today unveiled the next generation of online money management tools. Based on aggregation services from Yodlee, CNBC on MSN® Money has built the Budget Tracker and Spending Analysis tools, which are designed to bring the convenience of automated account aggregation and analysis, along with the customization benefits of software, to the Web.
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Microsoft Money 2002. In a separate announcement today, Microsoft shipped the 10th version of the popular financial management software, Microsoft® Money, which now offers unparalleled Web integration for a more automated, personal and comprehensive consumer experience.
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International expansion. This year, the award-winning MSN Money online service has extended its global Internet presence to offer 14 localized versions worldwide, including recently launched versions in Canada, Italy and South Africa. In addition, Microsoft today launched international versions of the Money 2002 software in Canada, France, Japan and the United Kingdom.
Ten years ago, Microsoft entered the personal finance software market with the launch of Money 1.0, and for the past decade the company has focused on building sophisticated software and Internet tools to make every financial activity — from investing and paying bills to planning for retirement — easier than ever.
“Microsoft has utilized its 10 years of experience and research to build the best solutions for financial management, and we’re excited about our online partnership,”
said Pamela Thomas-Graham, president and CEO of CNBC.
“Together, with our media expertise and Microsoft’s technology know-how, we’re taking personal finance to a new level with an unparalleled combination of news, tools and information.”
CNBC on MSN Money Brings Power of Finance Software to the Web
Beginning today, consumers can more easily manage day-to-day financial activities with CNBC on MSN Money. The site introduces the next generation of online financial tools, based on the account aggregation service provided through the site’s alliance with Yodlee, the leader in aggregation technology. By building personal analysis tools on top of Yodlee’s unique Aggregation Platform, CNBC on MSN Money helps consumers take charge of their daily finances with little effort. Bringing the power of finance software to the Web, the Spending Analysis and Budget Tracker features automatically enable consumers to analyze their spending habits with detailed charts and reports, and create and monitor a realistic budget with just a few clicks of the mouse.
“With these new services and international expansion, we’re drawing from 10 years of experience in bringing the power of technology to the world of financial management, and in turn, delivering an unprecedented personal finance experience to consumers worldwide,”
said Erik Jorgensen, general manager of the Financial Products Group at Microsoft.
“No matter where consumers want to manage their money — online, offline or even internationally — Microsoft is committed to simplifying and enriching their financial lives.”
Microsoft Money 2002 Delivers Unparalleled Automation and Web Integration
Microsoft also today announced the release of Money 2002 in the Deluxe, Standard and Suite versions. With more than 100 new and enhanced features, including the groundbreaking MoneySide and Background Banking tools, Money 2002 combines powerful software automation with unprecedented Web integration, making it easier than ever for consumers to access their financial data any time, any place.
Microsoft Empowers Consumers Worldwide With Personal Finance Solutions
Separately, Microsoft today announced the global expansion and availability of its online personal finance service and Money software, helping consumers worldwide more easily manage their finances through technology.
Localized versions of the MSN Money Web service now are available in 14 countries, reaching 76 percent of the world’s online population, and the Money 2002 software is available in five languages. This international growth is an example of Microsoft’s dedication to providing consumers worldwide with the technology to simplify their financial lives.
About CNBC
CNBC is the recognized global leader in business news, providing real-time financial market coverage and business information to more than 198 million homes worldwide, including more than 82 million households in the United States and Canada. The network’s Business Day programming (weekdays from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC’s headquarters in Fort Lee, N.J., and also includes reports from CNBC news bureaus worldwide. In addition, CNBC viewers can manage their individual investment portfolios and gain additional in-depth information from on-air reports by accessing http://www.cnbc.com/ . CNBC Europe and CNBC Asia Pacific are services of NBC and Dow Jones & Company. Members of the media can
receive more information about CNBC and its programming on the NBC Media Village Web site at http://www.nbcmv.com/cnbc/ .
About MSN
MSN is the world’s most popular destination on the Web, attracting more than
250 million visitors per month. Available in 33 markets and 17 languages, MSN provides consumers with their home on the Web — where they can get everything they need from the Web and make the most of their time online. MSN is a world leader in delivering Web services to consumers and digital marketing solutions to businesses worldwide. MSN is located on the Web at http://www.msn.com/ .
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 MSN 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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