Travel and Mapping Software includes GPS Locator.

location based services

Updated trip-planning software and more powerful GPS receiver team up to resolve the battle for the driver's seat. REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 11 / - Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of Microsoft® Streets & Trips 2007 with GPS Locator, which includes the latest version of the best-selling(1) travel and mapping software for the U.S. and Canada. Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007 with GPS Locator delivers the helpful tools that consumers have come to expect, along with several new and enhanced features. The updated version of the product includes a sleek new and compact cordless Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver manufactured by Pharos, and a new full-screen navigation mode, making it easier than ever to plan personalized road trips and travel with complete confidence.Despite skyrocketing fuel prices, Americans are still hitting the roads. Whether they are heading across town or around the country, men and women have very different travel styles. A recent survey conducted by global digital map content provider Tele Atlas NV confirmed the common belief that men tend to rely on their own sense of direction to avoid getting lost when on the road, while women prefer to stop and ask for directions.(2) These fundamental differences often result in travel tension, which can cause fun to take a back seat. Add children to the mix, and a bumpy ride is sure to ensue."Couples and families routinely spend time together in the car, especially during the holidays," said Helen Chiang, product manager for Streets & Trips at Microsoft. "Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007 with GPS Locator helps to relieve common travel stress by making road trips fun and more affordable."Knowing Where You're GoingPlanning the trip ahead of time and building in stops for meals, bathroom breaks, gas, and fun points of interest such as landmarks or museums is a surefire way to decrease in-car tension and give the entire family things to look forward to along the way. Microsoft Streets & Trips is an easy way to get customized, highly detailed driving directions. It includes more than 1.2 million points of interest that can turn any trip into a journey to remember. Need a snack, gas or a place to sleep? Streets & Trips has the answer with easy-to-locate points of interest such as gas stations, ATMs, hotels, restaurants and national parks, helping to enhance the entire road- trip experience. Integration with Windows Live Search also allows consumers to find current business listings online that can easily be saved to their Streets & Trips maps, ensuring that they have the latest and greatest information.Sharing the Responsibility, Doubling the FunMicrosoft Streets & Trips 2007 with GPS Locator helps ease the tension between travelers by making the role of driver and passenger equally important. Everyone in the family can be involved in planning the perfect route with fun and convenient pit stops or navigating along the way so the driver always knows what to expect. With Voice-Prompted Directions, a personalized Route Planner, highly detailed and customizable maps, timely updates on road construction, and more than 6.1 million miles of routable maps, Streets & Trips is the perfect tool for keeping the peace -- and peace of mind.Keeping Travel Costs DownThe rising price of gas is affecting everyone, but Streets & Trips 2007 with GPS Locator helps travelers find the most efficient route and stay within a specific budget. The program's fuel consumption manager provides a cost estimate for the trip based on the car's tank size and mileage per gallon, along with the current price for fuel, and will alert travelers when it's time to refuel. The Reroute from Here feature keeps wrong turns from turning into huge delays by alerting travelers and quickly recalculating directions if they get off course. Getting back on track with one simple click helps travelers make the most of every tank of gas.Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007 with GPS Locator includes the following new and enhanced features:o New! SiRF star III GPS locator is 10 times more sensitive than theprevious GPS locator and provides a strong signal whether the user isin the city or mountains. Consumers can simply plug in the sleek andcompact GPS receiver to a notebook PC's USB port to view maps andtravel routes in real time, so they always know where they are, nomatter where their travels take them.o New! USB adapter for the GPS device gives consumers the flexibility totravel cable-free. They can just plug it in and go.o New! Full-screen navigation mode has been streamlined to highlight thefour most commonly used buttons at consumers' fingertips. With the newand improved display, travelers can access the options they needquickly and easily while in the car, without having to spend time searching.o New! Integration with Live Search helps consumers find current businesslistings online that can easily be saved to their Streets & Trips maps.Keyword searching helps consumers quickly find listings near theirlocation by entering words such as "coffee" or "restaurant"; searchresults automatically refresh as users move around the map, so theyalways have the most relevant information.o Enhanced! Driving Guidance Pane displays textual turn-by-turndirections, with enlarged arrows indicating where to turn and distancemeasured by miles, then in yards, as drivers get closer to theirdestination. With the new Estimated Drive Time feature, travelers willalways know how far they are from their destination.AvailabilityMicrosoft Streets & Trips 2007 with GPS Locator is available for an estimated retail price of $129 (U.S.).(3) Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007 (standard) is also available for an estimated retail price of $39.95 (U.S.). For those planning European vacations, AutoRoute(TM) 2007 will be available for an estimated retail price of $129 (U.S.) for the GPS version and $39.95 (U.S.) for the standard version.Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.(1) Source: The NPD Group/NPD Techworld®, March 1999-May 2006. Based on total U.S. retail sales.(2) Source: Tele Atlas, "Tele Atlas Survey Finds U.S. Drivers Embrace Advanced Information on Points of Interest Encountered While Navigating Today's Roads." Aug. 14, 2006(3) Actual retail price may vary.For more information on Streets & Trips 2007: http://www.microsoft.com/streetsFirst Call Analyst: FCMN Contact: Source: Microsoft Corp.Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/