The Upside of Online: Technology that Connects People, Places and Things

NEW YORK, June 11, 2007 – With more and more people living the digital lifestyle, it’s fair to say that technology has become an integral part of much of our day-to-day lives. But while technology is often viewed as an agent of separation – families isolated in different parts of the house listening to music and surfing the Internet, for example, or friends communicating only via e-mail – Microsoft is creating products that do just the opposite: help people build connections.

How? By making it possible for people to connect with others in a way that’s easy, fun, and fast, whether they live in the same house, across the country or even around the world from one another.



Bringing it to Life: View an interactive walk-through of the many connected experiences that Microsoft products are creating for consumers today.

Bringing it to Life

At an event held this week in New York, Microsoft is bringing to life its vision of connected experiences. This vision – evident in products on the market today – is grounded in helping people connect with the information, entertainment, content and communities most important to them.

The first way of bringing this vision to life is simple: give people the tools to get the most out of their lives by offering technology that revolves around their needs and fits their lifestyle like a glove.

In this realm of the connected lifestyle, people around the world use multiple products for the purposes of learning a new language, sharing photo albums or video clips of a baby’s first steps, a birthday party, an anniversary and much more, collaborating on projects with others regardless of their location, or simply staying on top of the details in managing a household. Products already available that make those experiences possible include PCs running on Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system, Windows Live services, the upcoming Windows Home Server, and the 2007 Microsoft Office system family of products that help people get more done at home.

Another way that Microsoft is delivering on its vision is by providing people easier access to more connections among games, music, movies and television for a more connected overall entertainment experience. Not to mention making it more personal, interactive, social and affordable. People are already experiencing this with offerings such as Xbox Live, IPTV, Windows Mobile phones, and the wireless capabilities in Zune – taking the digital entertainment revolution to the next level. This means that former college roommates or far-flung families can share entertainment experiences regardless of where they happen to be, whether they’re playing games together or sharing their favorite newly discovered music and videos.

With a new level of connection, friends and families can keep in touch on a regular basis and share the ordinary experiences that add up to a meaningful life. And the best part is that these connected experiences are a reality now, here and ready for people to enjoy for themselves — today.

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