New PC Manufacturers and Notebook Form Factors Expand Windows XP Media Center Edition PC Choices

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2003 — Microsoft Corp. today announced new consumer solutions for Windows®
XP Media Center Edition, including laptop configurations from Toshiba’s Computer Systems Group and Alienware Corp. and the innovative Digital Media Center PCs from ViewSonic Corp. Windows XP Media Center Edition’s latest developments were demonstrated last night during Bill Gates’ keynote address at the 2003 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), with an emphasis on the industry innovations and strong consumer acceptance that have followed since the product’s launch two months ago.

“Windows XP Media Center Edition is the evolution of the home PC. In Microsoft’s vision for the Digital Decade, personal computing will not be limited to productivity or sitting at a desktop PC,”
said Rick Thompson, newly appointed vice president for the Windows eHome Division at Microsoft.
“By offering Media Center PCs in multiple form factors, including a laptop solution, together with industry partners we expand the possibilities to enable people to access their favorite entertainment experiences wherever and whenever they want.”

Windows XP Media Center Edition on the Go: New Notebook Form Factors

In the coffeehouse, on the family vacation or during the next business trip’s long flight, new notebook Media Center PCs offer consumers more flexibility and freedom to enjoy the fully integrated digital entertainment experience offered by Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Toshiba’s Computer Systems Group, one of the world’s leading portable PC manufacturers, plans to introduce a new notebook PC with Windows XP Media Center Edition as part of its award-winning Satellite 5200 family of digital convergence notebooks. Toshiba’s notebook Media Center PC will be available to consumers later this year through retailers including CompUSA Inc., BestBuy Company Inc. and Circuit City Stores Inc., and online at shoptoshiba.com.

“Toshiba is embracing Windows XP Media Center Edition and working attentively to bring this to a mobile platform,”
said Oscar Koenders, vice president of worldwide product planning and product marketing at Toshiba CSG.
“Specifically, Toshiba will begin integrating Windows XP Media Center Edition with its Satellite Series notebook PCs. This combination simply shows how technology can easily bring information, entertainment and communication into the home, all in one device.”

Alienware, the leader in high-performance computer gaming systems, also introduced a new Media Center laptop PC as part of its Area-51m line of mobile gaming systems. The Area-51m, which comes in an array of extreme colors, will be available at http://www.alienware.com/ by the end of January.

To make these portable Media Center PC solutions possible, Emuzed Inc., a participant in the Designed for Windows XP logo program, worked with Microsoft to develop a new external television tuner/hardware MPEG 2 encoder designed for Windows XP Media Center Edition. Microsoft has been working with notebook PC manufacturers and Emuzed to incorporate the USB tuner/encoder into notebook designs as a removable bay or docking station.

New Media Center PCs for the Home

ViewSonic, a leading global provider of visual technology, has worked with Microsoft to introduce the company’s first Media Center PCs. ViewSonic extends its expertise in computer displays to offer the ViewSonic NextVision M2000 and M1000 Digital Media Centers, both designed to give consumers the choice of placing them horizontally as an audiovisual component or vertically as a tower. The M2000 will be available in mid-February 2003, and the M1000 will be available in March at CompUSA and Fry’s Electronics Inc.

“As we move toward a display-centric world, products that centralize and disseminate information and entertainment become increasingly important,”
said Marc McConnaughey, senior vice president of the Advanced Technology Group at ViewSonic.
“With the NextVision M2000 and M1000, ViewSonic delivers a convenient and powerful way to create and manage a home visual entertainment network.”

Joining ViewSonic as new OEMs for Windows XP Media Center Edition are iBUYPOWER Computer and Tagar Systems. iBUYPOWER’s Media Pro is designed to look at home in an audiovisual rack and features an aluminum case with a pneumatic glass door covering the bays. The iBUYPOWER Media Pro is available now at http://www.ibuypower.com/. Tagar Systems will offer three Media Center configurations: the DeZinor Media Center PC, a high-end PC in a consumer-electronics-style black aluminum case with a brushed aluminum front panel, and the midrange LoKator and entry-level KonTrol, both in tower cases. The systems will be available at retail to Canadian consumers by the end of January 2003 from RadioShack Canada and The Brick stores nationwide.

These new OEMs join previously announced Media Center PC manufacturers HP, Gateway Computer Corp., Alienware, CyberPower Inc., ABS Computer Technologies Inc. and Northgate Innovations Inc. in offering a variety of PC form factors that target the living room, media room, bedroom and any other room where consumers might enjoy digital entertainment.

About Windows XP Media Center Edition

Windows XP Media Center Edition turns a PC into a media center that integrates digital entertainment experiences with the freedom of remote-control access. Consumers can enjoy live television, personal video recording, music, photos, videos and DVDs from a new remote-controlled PC experience called Media Center. The sleek Media Center interface serves as a unified destination for entertainment on the Media Center PC and is designed to be viewed from anywhere in the room. Windows XP Media Center Edition, which builds on the rich media platform launched one year ago with Windows XP, is ideal for digital media enthusiasts and consumers in small, space-constrained environments, such as teenagers, college students, young adults and families who want to use their PC for entertainment and digital media.

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.

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