New Windows Home Server Partners

["Mark McCall" <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://tinyurl.com/yogmaj

LOS ANGELES ? May 15, 2007 ? In his keynote address at the Microsoft®
Windows® Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2007, Microsoft
Chairman
Bill Gates today demonstrated Windows Home Server and announced new
hardware partners for the upcoming product, which include Gateway Inc.,
LaCie and Medion International. The company also announced that it will
release a version of the software for system builders, named eight
independent software vendors that will provide applications for Windows
Home Server, and revealed its plans to kick off the Code2Fame Challenge
for developers to create Windows Home Server hardware and software add-in
solutions.

Delivered on hardware from leading partners and slated for release later
this year, Windows Home Server helps families with more than one PC easily
centralize, share and protect their digital pictures, music, documents and
videos.

?Digital devices and digital media are now an essential part of so many
aspects of our lives, and their importance continues to grow,? said Bill
Gates, chairman of Microsoft. ?With Windows Home Server, we?re launching a
new category of consumer products that will make it much easier for people
to connect to their digital content and share experiences with friends and
family no matter where they are.?

New OEM Partners Broaden Customer Choices

Later this year, HP plans to deliver the HP MediaSmart Server, powered by
Windows Home Server software. Announced today, original equipment
manufacturers Gateway, LaCie and Medion will also deliver hardware
products powered by Windows Home Server, extending the range of
easy-to-use solutions that will be available to consumers. LaCie is a
leader in external storage solutions for consumers. Medion will
demonstrate its product, code-named Medion Home Server, at WinHEC this
week. The product will have storage options of 500 GB up to 2 terabytes
and will offer Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA)-compliant universal
plug and play media streaming based on PacketVideo Connect software. It is
scheduled to ship by the end of 2007.

Windows Home Server for System Builders

Microsoft also announced that Windows Home Server will be available to the
system builder channel, further broadening the scope of the home server
product category. Using this version of the software, system builders
worldwide will have the resources and flexibility to provide customized,
targeted Windows Home Server products to meet the needs of a wide array of
customer segments.

Windows Home Server Software Solutions for the Digital Home

As a software platform and an ?always on? device in the home, Windows Home
Server offers independent software vendors tremendous opportunities to
build innovative products for the digital home, such as protection against
viruses and malware, media sharing capabilities, home security, and home
automation. Microsoft today announced several software vendors supporting
Windows Home Server with their applications:
?

Diskeeper Corp.?s Diskeeper 2007 software will support Windows Home Server
to enhance system speed and reliability.
?

Embedded Automation Inc.?s mControl software will integrate with Windows
Home Server to help consumers manage home lighting systems, security
cameras, climate control, and audio and visual components.
?

F-Secure Corp. software will interoperate with Windows Home Server to help
protect consumers against computer viruses and other threats from the
Internet and mobile networks.
?

Iron Mountain will integrate its data protection services with Windows
Home Server.
?

Lagotek Corp.?s Home Intelligence Platform for home automation will
support Windows Home Server.
?

PacketVideo Corp.?s PacketVideo Connect will enable DLNA 1.0-certified,
DLNA 1.5-compliant and universal plug-and-play media streaming from
Windows Home Server to a variety of entertainment devices in the home.
?

Riptopia CD loading service for Windows Home Server will convert and load
a customer?s entire CD collection for storage and protection on Windows
Home Server.
?

SageTV media server software for Windows Home Server provides a complete,
?always on? digital entertainment experience for the enjoyment of personal
media and online content on any TV or PC screen, at home or away, with
SageTV Placeshifter software.

In addition, HP has developed software to run on Windows Home Server
within the HP MediaSmart Server, including an enhanced Windows Home Server
console, Web photo sharing and media sharing.

Code2Fame Challenge to Highlight the Future of Windows Home Server
Solutions

The Windows Home Server Code2Fame Challenge was announced today and will
offer recognition and cash prizes for developers of Windows Home Server
hardware and software add-ins. Using the Windows Server and Windows Home
Server software development kits, contestants will create software
applications and hardware elements that are designed to enhance the
customer experience with Windows Home Server. Code2Fame Challenge winners
will be announced later this year, with cash prizes of $10,000, $5,000 and
$1,000 awarded to the first-, second- and third-place winners respectively
in the hardware and software categories. Additional information and
official rules will be available at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowshomeserver/challenge.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq ?MSFT?) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
their full potential.

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