REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 8, 1998 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that MSN
™
MoneyCentral
™
, the complete one-stop personal finance online service on MSN, has been named the No. 1 Web site for financial information and investing by Barron’s magazine. Since its introduction in October, MSN MoneyCentral ( http://moneycentral.MSN.com/ ) has grown to more than 3 million unique users, an increase of more than 300,000 new visitors since September’s closing figures.
Barron’s first rated Microsoft® Investor, the MSN MoneyCentral flagship investment service, the No. 1 investment Web site in 1997. The 1998 review praises Microsoft for
“adding muscle to its already strong site … . The discriminating design should serve as a model for rivals still trying to snag eyeballs by shoveling as much stuff as possible onto their sites, hoping people will wade through it to find what they want … . We still recommend this unique and carefully crafted assembly of features and usability.”
Barron’s 1998 review also applauds MSN Investor’s award-winning Portfolio Manager, writing that MSN MoneyCentral
“does the portfolio thing better than anyone we’ve seen on the Web.”
Earlier this year, Business Week selected MSN Investor’s Portfolio Manager as the best on the Web, stating that
“among the leaders … one is clearly superior in richness of detail and design: Microsoft Investor’s Portfolio Manager.”
Last month, the MSN MoneyCentral MSN Investor was awarded the highest honor, a Gold Invision Award for Best Financial Web site, at the NewMedia INVISION Awards Gala in San Francisco. MSN Investor won top honors for technical innovation, creative excellence, overall aesthetics, interface design and effectiveness of communication for the intended audience or user.
“We’re thrilled by the early successes of MoneyCentral and the recognition it has received in the industry and the press,”
said Lewis Levin, vice president, Microsoft desktop finance division.
“Consumers today need the financial tools at their fingertips that will help them make smarter financial decisions, and MoneyCentral is focused on helping consumers do just that.”
The online companion to Microsoft Money 99 Financial Suite, MSN MoneyCentral features seamless integration with the MSN network of Internet services, making it easier for consumers to keep in touch, stay informed and get more done online.
About MSN MoneyCentral, the One-Stop Personal Finance Resource
In October, Microsoft introduced MSN MoneyCentral, the complete personal finance service on MSN.com. The place to go to manage your money, MSN MoneyCentral features MSN Investor as well as seven other personal finance areas: Real Estate, Money & Banking, Family Finance, Retirement & Wills, Insurance, Smart Buying and Taxes. Part of the MSN network of services that help consumers get things done on the Internet, MoneyCentral goes
beyond providing consumers with tools and information to help users assess their financial situation and get started achieving their financial goals.
About MSN and Microsoft
MSN is the network of Internet services from Microsoft that helps people better organize the Web around what’s important to them. The network of MSN services, located on the Web at MSN.com ( http://MSN.com/ ), helps people easily stay in touch with friends and colleagues, make smart and secure purchasing decisions, and get more done. MSN offers award-winning
e-mail functionality; personal communications services; customizable access to news; popular sites for travel, investing, automotive services, shopping and more; an online community; a Web search engine and directories; and top-rated Internet access.
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.
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*The editorial goal of MoneyCentral is to provide a forum for investment ideas. Investor’s articles and columns of MSN MoneyCentral should not be construed as investment advice, nor does their appearance imply an endorsement by Microsoft Corp. of any specific security or trading strategy. An investor’s best course of action must be based on individual circumstances.
Microsoft, MSN and MoneyCentral are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
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.
