Microsoft Works Suite 2003 Makes Home Productivity Easy and Fun

Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) today announced Microsoft Works Suite 2003, the latest version of the best-selling integrated home productivity software that offers a one-stop home productivity solution with six of the latest home software titles from Microsoft and new templates to help users accomplish everyday tasks. Works Suite 2003 includes the latest versions of Microsoft Works, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Standard, Microsoft Money Standard, Microsoft Picture It! Photo and Microsoft Streets & Trips, enabling users to manage their personal finances, plan and organize parties, complete homework assignments and edit photos.

Works Suite 2003 includes 150 new high-quality templates, bringing the total to 400, so users can more quickly and easily accomplish everyday personal tasks or community and school projects. In addition, the product boasts the new Task Launcher Home with a calendar and to-do list designed to track the schedule for the entire family, and My Project Organizer, which integrates all six applications in Works Suite to easily complete a task. The Project Organizer includes step-by-step guides, predesigned templates and a scheduling tool so home users can easily plan a party, help the kids complete homework assignments, manage a sports team or prepare for the holidays.

"Works Suite is a must-have for today's busy households. This one-stop solution helps everyone in the household get things done: schedules, to-do lists, homework, managing finances, editing and sharing photos, and travel planning," said Arlene Huff, senior product manager for Microsoft Home Productivity at Microsoft. "To help users tackle their projects, big and small, we've created a new helpful tool called My Project Organizer to organize and complete family members' common projects -- anything from planning a party to organizing a fund-raiser or getting the kids' big school project done."

In addition, Microsoft products including Microsoft Works Suite and Microsoft Works continue to be important elements when choosing a new PC. According to an independent survey of more than 3,000 households, 70 percent of consumers looking to purchase a computer in the next 12 months would prefer a PC that comes with Microsoft Works, Money and Encarta over that same PC with Corel Word Perfect Office or Sun StarOffice. The survey, conducted by TeleNation, a national market facts research company, concluded that 90 percent of consumers want productivity software to be included in their PC package, and 79 percent specifically prefer Microsoft-branded productivity suite products. Major PC manufacturers preinstall Microsoft Works as a part of their consumer PC solutions.

Availability
An incredible value, Works Suite 2003 is available for an estimated retail price of $109 (U.S.), which is about half what consumers would pay for the applications individually. In addition, there is a $15 (U.S./$25 CAN) mail-in rebate in the Works Suite 2003 or Works 7.0 box. Customers can visit http://www.microsoft.com/works/ for more information on the Works line of products.

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