UNTERSCHLEISSHEIM , Germany — Sept. 30 , 2014 — BASF is focused on innovative technology. To enable its 112,000 staff members to collaborate even more efficiently, the company relies on a collaborative communication infrastructure based on a Microsoft solution. By mid-2015, all employee accounts are to be migrated to Microsoft Office 365.

Because BASF decided to implement Office 365, all its staff members will be empowered to access their emails and documents from anywhere. At the same time, the intuitive use of the graphical user interface of Office ensures that they work productively in an integrated environment. The Office 365 cloud solution can be scaled more flexibly than stationary IT and be expanded easily and rapidly as the size of the organization grows.

BASF uses Office 365 for modern knowledge organization

“The goal of the global implementation of Microsoft Office 365 is to establish an efficient and user-friendly IT solution that supports our business processes optimally — and works independent of the devices our staff members use,” said Wiebe van der Horst, senior vice president, Global Process & Enterprise Architecture of the BASF Group Information Services & Supply Chain Operations.

BASF uses the Microsoft cloud as an integrated platform to connect phones, tablets and traditional computers. As a result, staff members benefit from a highly state-of-the-art working environment. In the future, BASF will also rely on Microsoft technology for managing the company’s smartphones. Using Windows Intune, BASF will be able to administer the mobile devices far more efficiently from the cloud.

“Microsoft supports BASF in this comprehensive and complex project by being available as a partner,” said Thomas Schröder, general manager, Enterprise and Partner Group, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH, who is responsible for Microsoft’s key accounts and partners. “The key criterion for BASF was the ability to transition smoothly, with the support of IT tools, so ongoing operations were not impaired.”

Experience in this field and high-quality standards in security as well as the ease of use and scalability of Office 365 were crucial for the decision in favor of the Microsoft solution as compared with competitors.

Microsoft helps companies combine a more flexible style of working with the opportunities of digital technology and security. The company recently published a manifesto for the new workplace aimed at reshaping the understanding of digital collaboration. By establishing the Office 365 Trust Center, Microsoft also created a standard for security in the cloud.

About Microsoft Deutschland GmbH

Microsoft Deutschland GmbH, founded in 1983, is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, U.S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of standard software, services and solutions, generating $77.85 billion in revenue and $26.76 billion in operating income (in fiscal year 2013; as of June 30, 2013). Alongside its headquarters in Unterschleissheim near Munich, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH operates six regional offices in Germany and employs more than 2,700 staff members. In association with 36,500 partners, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH serves companies of all sizes across all industries. The Advanced Technology Labs Europe (ATLE) in Munich is focused on research in IT security, privacy, mobility, mobile applications and Web services.

For more information about BASF:

www.basf.com

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

SAN FRANCISCO — Sept . 30 , 20 14 — Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday unveiled its next Windows operating system, Windows 10, and gave a first look at an early technical preview for the PC available Oct. 1. The announcement highlighted advancements designed for business, including an updated user experience and enhanced security and management capabilities. The company also introduced the Windows Insider Program, kicking off its largest-ever open collaborative development effort to change the way Windows is built and delivered to best meet the needs of customers. Program participants will receive the technical preview of Windows 10 and a steady stream of builds through the development cycle to use and give feedback on.

“Windows 10 represents the first step of a whole new generation of Windows, unlocking new experiences to give customers new ways to work, play and connect,” said Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Operating Systems group at Microsoft. “This will be our most comprehensive operating system and the best release Microsoft has ever done for our business customers, and we look forward to working together with our broader Windows community to bring Windows 10 to life in the months ahead.”

Windows 10 : f amiliarity and c onsistency a cross d evices

Windows 10 adapts to the devices customers are using — from Xbox to PCs and phones to tablets and tiny gadgets — and what they’re doing with a consistent, familiar and compatible experience, enabling even greater productivity. Windows 10 will run across the broadest range of devices ever from the Internet of Things to enterprise datacenters worldwide. Microsoft is also delivering a converged application platform for developers on all devices with a unified app store. Developers will be able to write an application once and deploy it easily across multiple device types, making discovery, purchase and updating easier than ever for customers.

Windows 10 : d esigned for the c hallenges of m odern b usiness

Windows 10 builds nearly everything that businesses need right into the core of the product — including enterprise-grade security, identity and information protection features — in ways that can reduce complexities and provide better experiences than other solutions. One area of advancement is in the work Microsoft has done with user identities to improve resistance to breach, theft or phishing. Windows 10 will also help advance data loss prevention by using containers and data separation at the application and file level, enabling protection that follows the data as it goes from a tablet or PC to a USB drive, email or the cloud.

Management and deployment have been simplified to help lower costs, including in-place upgrades from Windows 7 or Windows 8 that are focused on making device wipe-and-reload scenarios obsolete. Businesses will also have the flexibility to choose how quickly they adopt the latest innovations and influence continued improvements. In addition, organizations will be able to customize an app store specific to their needs and environment. The intent is an app store that will allow for volume app licensing, flexible distribution, and the ability for organizations to reclaim or reuse licenses when necessary.

Technical p review PC p roductivity

The early technical preview of Windows 10 demonstrates new levels of flexibility, navigation and familiarity through the Windows experience. Features include these:

• Expanded Start menu. The familiar Start menu is back, providing quick one-click access to the functions and files that people use most, and it includes a new space to personalize with favorite apps, programs, people and websites.

• Apps that run in a window. Apps from the Windows Store now open in the same format that desktop programs do. They can be resized and moved around, and have title bars at the top allowing users to maximize, minimize and close with a click.

• Snap enhancements. Working in multiple apps at once is easier and more intuitive with snap improvements. A new quadrant layout allows up to four apps to be snapped on the same screen. Windows will also show other apps and programs running for additional snapping, and it will even make smart suggestions on filling available screen space with other open apps.

• New Task view button. The new Task view button on the task bar enables one view for all open apps and files, allowing for quick switching and one-touch access to any desktop created.

• Multiple desktops. Instead of too many apps and files overlapping on a single desktop, it’s easy to create and switch between distinct desktops for different purposes and projects — whether for work or personal use.

Open and c ollaborative d evelopment

The introduction of the Windows Insider Program demonstrates Microsoft’s continued commitment to working closely with customers to help shape the future of Windows. Windows Insiders will be able to give feedback on early builds of the product throughout the development cycle. The program will include various ways for Windows Insiders to engage in a two-way dialogue with Microsoft, including a Windows Feedback app for sharing suggestions and issues and a Windows Technical Preview Forum for interacting with Microsoft engineers and fellow Insiders. More information on the Windows Insider Program and the technical preview can be found at http://preview.windows.com.

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

BOSTON — Sept. 29, 2014 — Monday at the Sibos global banking event in Boston, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq “MSFT”) highlighted leading banking institutions that are modernizing their business operations and choosing Microsoft Dynamics CRM to shift from transaction-based businesses to customer-centric businesses.

Wayne Morris, corporate vice president, marketing for Microsoft Dynamics, has seen this firsthand: “To become customer-centric organizations, banks must first think from their customers’ perspectives. They need solutions that enable them to deliver amazing customer experiences while also safeguarding customer data and meeting complex regulatory requirements.”

Microsoft is also seeing a growing number of global system integrators building out financial-service-specific solutions on top of Microsoft Dynamics CRM to deliver industry-specific solutions tailored to the needs of banking organizations.

“With banks confronted by the realities of the new digital customer, we certainly see a large opportunity for the joint value of Avanade with Microsoft in the CRM space for banking,” said Ashish Kumar, chief growth, Avanade. “With its extensible platform and security model, Microsoft Dynamics CRM is well suited for the banking industry. We’ve been able to help numerous banking organizations drive customer profitability and operational efficiency through our longstanding alliance. We continue to work closely with Microsoft on banking-specific solutions and best practices based on Microsoft Dynamics CRM that will help banks meet the ever-changing needs of customers in the digital era.”

RBS-Nat W est is a great example of a banking organization putting the customer at the center of its business with Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

“Knowledge is powerful — especially when creating a tailored banking experience for business customers,” said David Russell, head of CRM services, RBS-NatWest. “NatWest Business Banking uses Microsoft Dynamics CRM, providing its employees with a unified and highly detailed customer view. With it the team can consistently deliver highly relevant, effective interactions with every customer, which ultimately helps them achieve their business ambitions. Microsoft Dynamics CRM unites teams, saves time and helps NatWest make customers happy. With Microsoft Dynamics CRM, RBS-NatWest has achieved more than 95 percent user adoption, better connected teams and more valued customer service.”

Citibank , a worldwide leading financial institution, uses Microsoft Dynamics CRM for its private banking operations across three continents.

“Our technology team considered Microsoft Dynamics CRM and found that it was everything we wanted and more. Most important, it could serve as a global solution and integrate with the platform we were currently using,” said Dena Brumpton, global chief operating officer, Citi Private Bank. “We can deliver solutions to our clients in a much more relevant way because we understand their needs. We know what they’re interested in and what their preferences are, which means we can target them better. As well, Microsoft Dynamics CRM makes it easy to be compliant with regulatory requirements in each jurisdiction.”

The Saudi Investment Bank , a leading banking institution in the Persian Gulf, decided to employ Microsoft Dynamics CRM to drive growth in its recently created retail banking operations.

“The figures speak for themselves. Microsoft Dynamics CRM has helped us drive up our overall bank revenue, dramatically increase our market share in consumer loans, increase our conversion and win rates, and, most important, increase our customer satisfaction,” said Suliman Abduaziz Al-Obaid, general manager-IT and Shared Services, The Saudi Investment Bank. “It is clearly a powerful tool and easier to implement than other CRM solutions. We needed to improve turnaround time and streamline processes, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM helps us do exactly that.”

More than just a customer management solution, Microsoft Dynamics CRM also provides financial service organizations with a flexible development framework, something Maybank experienced firsthand. Maybank, winner of the Asian Banker Risk Management Technology Award, uses Microsoft Dynamics CRM to better manage risk and improve efficiencies.

“We were able to use the flexible platform of Microsoft Dynamics CRM not just for customer management but also for risk management and contract management,” said Herbert Poh Cher Hian, director, Group Finance Strategy and Systems, Maybank. “Most impressive was how quickly we could develop our contract management system, deploy it consistently across all groups, and get our people to use it and dramatically increase their productivity. Because the Microsoft Dynamics CRM user interface is so similar to other Microsoft products like Outlook, our people were able to start using it with little training. And we are already seeing real business benefits with Microsoft Dynamics CRM as noted by the 80 percent reduction in contract processing time.”

Leading technology organizations are capitalizing on the extensible platform of Microsoft Dynamics CRM to better serve the needs of their banking customers. “Microsoft provides a leading CRM solution with an extensible platform, which we’ve used to build a loan origination solution and will apply to additional industry-focused solutions,” said Anthone Withers, director and general manager, Integration Services, HP. “These solutions, combined with a broad portfolio of IT and consulting services and deep industry expertise, allow us to holistically address the business needs of our financial services customers.”

With more than 40,000 customers and 4.25 million users, Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides financial service institutions with a customer-first design philosophy and seamless integration with other productivity applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office 365, SharePoint and Lync. Microsoft Dynamics CRM customers and prospects can learn more about Microsoft Dynamics CRM in the financial services space at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/crm-financial-services.aspx. In addition, they can follow and engage with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM community @MSDynamicsCRM, http://www.twitter.com/msdynamicscrm.

About Microsoft Dynamics

At the heart of every successful business are the people who make things happen. Microsoft Dynamics designs modern business solutions that empower individuals with intuitive tools that allow them to do their best work. Our proactive, easy-to-use business applications adapt to the way people and systems work, enabling businesses to rapidly deploy and be forward-looking in an ever-changing world.

About Microsoft

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

BOSTON — Sept. 29 , 2014 — At the Sibos conference in Boston on Monday, Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of Citi’s CitiDirect BESM Tablet app for Windows 8.1. Citi, a leading provider of global transaction and trade solutions, designed the app for its largest corporate treasury clients. The app, a channel extension of Citi’s corporate banking platform, CitiDirect BE, now operates on three platforms and is made available exclusively to CitiDirect BE customers worldwide, at no cost in 79 countries and nine languages in the Windows Store. The development of CitiDirect BE Tablet for Windows 8.1 significantly broadens the reach of CitiDirect BE with corporate treasurers.

“Technology is improving every part of the customer experience, and being able to provide our treasury clients with real-time information wherever they are working helps them be more productive and make more informed business decisions,” said Hubert Jolly, global head, Channel, Enterprise and Prepaid Services at Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions. “By working closely with Microsoft, we have developed a solution that can be accessed from nearly any Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 tablet or device, which is important to our clients because many operate their businesses on the Windows platform.”

To meet the demands of sophisticated corporate treasury and trade services, the app provides fingertip access to business-critical financial information from a wide choice of enterprise-grade Windows devices. With the additional benefit of seamless access to Microsoft’s enterprise productivity and collaboration solutions, customers can access this app with the enterprise-grade security and manageability demanded by corporate IT departments.

“Now is a critical time for financial institutions to become digital information businesses, drive engaging customer experiences, deliver the products and services demanded by customers, and capitalize on new business models that were previously unattainable,” said Colin Kerr, director of Worldwide Banking, Microsoft. “Citi is a leader in this digital transformation, and we are delighted to see the launch of CitiDirect BE Tablet on Windows 8.1 to support corporate treasury executives and operations staff with deep business insights.”

The CitiDirect BE Tablet app for Windows 8.1 provides treasury executives with visibility into mission-critical financial information in real time, allowing them to quickly execute activities such as authorizing transactions or monitoring account balances across geographies in a map and chart view. With filters, financial data can be customized even more, such as by balance type, currency and total amount, allowing Citi to provide a global view across the treasury.

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, Wash. — Sept . 2 4 , 2014 — Sutherland Global Services, an acknowledged leader in business process and technology management services, continuously focuses on operational innovations and transformations to maintain its leadership position in Customer Experience Management. A major area of this focus is the digital transformation of key internal operations and processes, aimed at further enhancing the company’s track record of service excellence and consistent delivery of measurable results that impact their business.

Sutherland provides business-critical technology and analytics-enabled services to Fortune 1000 clients, which require secure and scalable platforms to enable Sutherland’s more than 30,000 employees across 40 operational facilities around the globe to deliver best-in-class services for efficiency and customer experience. To move the customer experience and quality of interactions to the next level, Sutherland evaluated several CRM platforms, ultimately selecting Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online based on its flexibility, customization capabilities and ease of use. The platform also provides Sutherland consultants with a seamless transition path because of their familiarity with other Microsoft business solutions, such as .NET, SharePoint Online 2013, SQL Server and Microsoft Lync. Sutherland recently and very successfully launched the first phase of the Dynamics deployment.

“The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry and our Fortune 1000 clients are facing radical changes in market dynamics. These changes combined with technology advancements, such as cloud, social, mobility and big data, call for a paradigm shift. We have to fundamentally rethink how industry-specific transactions will be processed in the future and, more important, how information can be used to identify patterns that provide actionable insights for business managers,” said Deepak Batheja, CTO of Sutherland. “To best serve our clients, we need a best-of-class technology platform, fully optimized with lean business processes, that is flexible enough to enable continuous innovation. Microsoft Dynamics perfectly augments our 200-plus Technology Products and Intellectual Properties and forms the foundation of our world-class Customer Interaction Platform.”

To develop the solution, Sutherland partnered with Microsoft Consulting Services and configured the Dynamics platform to fit the nuances of the company’s multivertical BPO environment. Sutherland’s implementation was seamless, with no disruption to the high level of performance and reliability that is its hallmark. The enhanced multitenant capabilities have improved front office consultants’ efficiency by 20 percent and back office processing by 22 percent, resulting in a direct bottom-line benefit to the company.

“A positive customer experience relies on technology that can deliver flexibility and timeliness combined with service excellence. As a pre-eminent provider of business process outsourcing services, Sutherland understands this and is investing in a solution that allows its consultants to really know and understand the customer,” said Dennis Michalis, general manager, Microsoft Dynamics. “With unified agent desktops and real-time service analytics from a single screen across teams and office locations, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online enables Sutherland employees to have access to the relevant information that empowers them to provide their clients’ customers with a consistently exceptional experience across the globe.”

With the rapid adoption of Dynamics CRM Online across the organization, Sutherland is looking at the next level of innovation and leveraging Microsoft products. “Our external environment is changing as young consumers prefer to communicate through social channels, so we will be leveraging Microsoft Dynamics Social Listening to understand our clients’ customers. Our vision is to have our internal collaboration platform seamlessly integrated with the external channels to better serve our customers,” Batheja said.

Those wanting to learn more about the benefits of integrated CRM solutions can engage with the Dynamics CRM Online community at http://www.twitter.com/msdynamicscrm, #MSDYNCRM.

About Sutherland

Established in 1986, Sutherland Global Services is a global provider of business process and technology management services offering an integrated portfolio of analytics-driven back-office and customer facing solutions that support the entire customer lifecycle. It is one of the largest, independent BPO companies in the world serving global leaders in major industry verticals. Headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., Sutherland employs over 30,000 professionals and has locations across the United States, Brazil, Philippines, Malaysia, China, India, UAE, Egypt, Bulgaria, UK, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, and Jamaica. For more information, visit www.sutherlandglobal.com.

About Microsoft Dynamics

At the heart of every successful business are the people who make things happen. Microsoft Dynamics designs modern business solutions that empower individuals with intuitive tools that allow them to do their best work. Our proactive, easy-to-use business applications adapt to the way people and systems work, enabling businesses to rapidly deploy and be forward-looking in an ever-changing world.

About Microsoft

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 16 , 201 4 — Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday announced that Teri List-Stoll, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Kraft Foods Group Inc., and Charles W. Scharf, chief executive officer of Visa Inc., have been appointed to the company’s board of directors and will join the board effective Oct. 1, 2014.

The company also announced that Dave Marquardt and Dina Dublon have decided not to seek reelection to the board of directors and will retire from the board at the expiration of their current term following the annual shareholders meeting in December.

Microsoft also announced its board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.31 per share, reflecting a 3-cent, or 11 percent, increase over the previous quarter’s dividend. The dividend is payable Dec. 11, 2014, to shareholders of record on Nov. 20, 2014. The ex-dividend date will be Nov. 18, 2014.

Charles W. Scharf

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“As we continue to focus on the company’s transformation and the board continues to evaluate capital strategy options, this dividend increase is another step in our ongoing commitment to increase capital returns to shareholders,” said Amy Hood, chief financial officer of Microsoft.

Scharf, 49, has served as CEO of Visa since November 2012. Before joining Visa, Scharf spent nine years at JPMorgan Chase & Co. as the chief executive officer of Retail Financial Services and managing director at One Equity Partners, the firm’s private investment arm. He has also served as the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of Bank One Corp., and chief financial officer of both Salomon Smith Barney and the global corporate and investment bank division of Citigroup Inc. He serves on the board of trustees for Johns Hopkins University and the board of directors for the Financial Services Roundtable.

List-Stoll, 51, is executive vice president and chief financial officer for Kraft Foods Group, Inc. Before joining Kraft, she served as senior vice president and treasurer at Procter & Gamble. Previously, over the course of a nearly 20-year career at Proctor & Gamble, she held finance leadership roles across a diverse range of areas including business unit management, supply chain, sales, accounting, and financial planning and analysis. She serves on the board of Danaher Corp. and as a trustee of the Financial Accounting Foundation.

Teri L. List-Stoll

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“These additions help strengthen our ability to serve our shareholders and work with Satya and the company’s senior leadership team on Microsoft’s ongoing transformation,” said John Thompson, Microsoft chairman.

“I’m excited to have both Teri and Charlie joining our board,” said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. “Teri brings exceptional financial and operational expertise, as well as great insights from her two decades of experience in consumer and retail industries. Charlie, as a sitting CEO of a large global business, brings additional strategic and operational depth to the Microsoft board, as well as a deep understanding of how commerce is changing globally.” 

Marquardt, 65, has served on the Microsoft board since 1981 in a variety of capacities. Dublon, 61, joined the Microsoft board in 2005, and has chaired the compensation committee.

“As one of our earliest board members, Dave has played an indispensable role in Microsoft’s growth and development, providing sage counsel and invaluable industry insights,” said Bill Gates, founder and technology advisor of Microsoft. “Dina has also been a great board member for almost a decade, and we all appreciate her guidance and support.”

Adding List-Stoll and Scharf will increase Microsoft’s board to 12 members effective Oct. 1.

Scharf will be joining the board’s governance and nominating committee. List-Stoll will be joining the audit committee.

In addition to List-Stoll and Scharf, Microsoft’s board of directors consists of John W. Thompson, Microsoft chairman and chief executive officer of Virtual Instruments; Dina Dublon, former chief financial officer of JPMorgan Chase; Bill Gates, Microsoft founder and technology advisor; Maria M. Klawe, president, Harvey Mudd College; David F. Marquardt, general partner at August Capital; G. Mason Morfit, president, ValueAct Capital; Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO; Charles H. Noski, former vice chairman of Bank of America Corp.; Dr. Helmut Panke, former chairman of the board of management at BMW AG; and John W. Stanton, chairman, Trilogy Equity Partners and Trilogy International Partners.

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 16 , 201 4 — JC Jacobsen founded his brewery, Carlsberg, more than 160 years ago to serve the Danish market. Recently the company has experienced tremendous growth, particularly within the past 14 years, expanding from a local production base of just six markets in 2000 to now the fourth-largest brewer of beer in the world with a roster of 500 different brands. This development has brought about the challenge of incorporating globally dispersed businesses into one company while ensuring each beer lives up to Carlsberg’s high standard of excellence. Cutting-edge technology from Microsoft has made it possible to centrally manage Carlsberg’s operations around the world.

The Carlsberg Group introduced a vision for business it calls “GloCal,” which aims for global efficiency while staying true to its local roots. When deciding how technology could be used to play a role in enabling this vision, the company chose Microsoft Office 365 to implement a complete productivity and collaboration solution that employees can use to connect with each other.

“One way we are helping our employees work better together is by deploying Office 365,” said Etienne Dock, vice president of IT architecture and sourcing at Carlsberg. “No matter what device or distance, the cloud is breaking down traditional barriers so we’re better able to focus on brewing the best beer in the world.”

Employees use Microsoft Exchange Online for email and calendaring; they take advantage of Microsoft Lync Online to connect via webconferencing and instant messaging; virtual teams are collaborating on projects using Microsoft SharePoint Online; and employees are adopting the Yammer Enterprise social networking platform for messaging and collaboration.

The Carlsberg Group is also taking advantage of Office 365’s integrated productivity and collaboration services to launch the Carlsberg Supply Chain (CSC) — its most important GloCal initiative — to help streamline its global supply chain. CSC uses the webconferencing, instant messaging and collaborative team sites within Office 365 services to centrally manage the procurement, production, logistics and planning functions that previously occurred in isolation across the world.

“Beer is heavy, so we don’t want to transport it very long distances,” Dock said. “And breweries are capital intensive, so we don’t want to build too many. CSC gets huge business value from using Office 365 as a global collaboration tool to interact with our global markets and exchange the information we need to fine-tune the balance between these variables to optimize our operations and save money.”

With user-friendly tools and a social networking platform that opens up the lines of communication using virtually any device from anywhere, the company is reinventing itself as a true “family of brands in a world of diversity.” Because its global workforce is more connected, the company can satisfy customers at less cost. Today, sales representatives working with pubs and restaurants in 140 markets use mobile devices to share customer insights with colleagues around the world, so the company can continue to deliver the flavors its beer-loving customers enjoy.

“That’s because we gain the efficiencies of business done on a global scale, while staying close to our local markets,” Dock said. “Thanks to Office 365, we’re becoming a true GloCal organization.”

More information about how organizations are turning to Microsoft technology is available on the Microsoft Customer Spotlight newsroom.

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 16 , 2014 — Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq “MSFT”) on Tuesday announced that Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015, as well as updates to its Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online and Microsoft Dynamics Marketing services, will be generally available in the fourth quarter of 2014.

The new updates revolutionize the way sellers and marketers unite and collaborate by bringing outside-in insights to sales and marketing professionals so they can understand the impact of their campaigns to customers, giving them more personalized experiences. Salespeople now have the visibility to impact campaigns and targeting with unprecedented insight into marketing calendars and campaigns. The updates also enable marketers to more effectively plan and execute marketing campaigns and better track their impact, while strengthening synergies with the sales process. Microsoft Dynamics CRM continues to deepen its interoperability with Microsoft’s leading productivity applications, including Microsoft Office 365, Yammer, Lync, Skype, SharePoint and Power BI for Office 365.

The new release is designed to address ongoing needs for businesses to collaborate among different divisions and groups to better take advantage of opportunities and to meet the evolving needs of their customers.

According to Ray Wang, principal analyst, founder and chairman at Constellation Research Inc., “Closing the gap between marketing and sales is required for a successful customer experience. Organizations need tools to track the customer interactions from marketing to sales and back, collaborate on leads and opportunities, and measure the metrics that matter to both sales and marketing.”

“Unlike vendors that want to separate businesses by selling them countless different clouds and solutions, we have designed Microsoft Dynamics CRM to facilitate the kind of collaboration that businesses need to thrive and grow,” said Bob Stutz, corporate vice president, Microsoft Dynamics CRM. “This means that marketers and sellers can work more closely together to engage customers, bridging the chasm between marketing, sales and service to truly deliver end-to-end experiences that customers will love.”

Uniting m arketing and s ales

To break down the silos between sales and marketing, Microsoft Dynamics Marketing introduces the new Sales Collaboration Panel, which allows sellers to provide input into campaigns and targeting. The release also gives marketers the ability to streamline campaign creation and improve segmentation with graphical email editing, A/B testing, integrated offers and approval workflows. Marketers can more effectively collaborate with the click-to-call feature in Lync and easily schedule and execute webinars as part of their marketing initiatives. The new Interactive Marketing Calendar allows marketers to visualize and manage their end-to-end marketing plans. Microsoft Dynamics Marketing will also be available in Japanese and Russian.

In addition to providing salespeople with the ability to more effectively collaborate with marketing, the new release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides the ability to recommend products to up-sell and cross-sell across product families, improving their selling effectiveness. The new release enhances the Guided Sales Processes to help steer sellers toward desired outcomes and ensure the enforcement of business rules across all devices. New mobile sales capabilities across mobile platforms increase productivity with flexible RoleTailored dashboards and analytics, as well as personalized home pages.

Continuing to enhance capabilities to Microsoft Social Listening, the company added Italian as a sixth native language for sentiment tracking and analysis and expanded listening capabilities to include news sources. These capabilities give people access to real-time insights so they can see what is happening and make the right decisions to take advantage of opportunities the moment they arise.

Expanding into new markets, Microsoft announced that Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is available for purchase in 17 new markets in Latin America on Tuesday, making the service globally available in more than 65 markets worldwide. The company confirmed that the global expansion of Microsoft CRM Online will continue and is expected to reach over 130 markets and in 44 languages by the end of calendar year 2014. The company, which recently announced the opening of a Brazil datacenter to service the Latin American region, also noted that in calendar year 2015, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online would expand into additional Microsoft regional datacenters. More capabilities and features of the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 and Microsoft Dynamics Marketing, such as productivity improvements, automated business processes and real-time forecasting data, are detailed in the Release Preview Guide. A blog post series by Bob Stutz is available on CRM Connection. In addition, all can follow and engage with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM community @MSDynamicsCRM at http://www.twitter.com/msdynamicscrm, #MSDYNCRM.

About Microsoft Dynamics

At the heart of every successful business are the people who make things happen. Microsoft Dynamics designs modern business solutions that empower individuals with intuitive tools that allow them to do their best work. Our proactive, easy-to-use business applications adapt to the way people and systems work, enabling businesses to rapidly deploy and be forward-looking in an ever-changing world.

About Microsoft

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, W ash. — Sept . 15 , 2014 — Microsoft Corp. today announced it has reached an agreement to acquire Mojang, the celebrated Stockholm-based game developer, and the company’s iconic “Minecraft” franchise.

The Mojang team will join Microsoft Studios, which includes the studios behind global blockbuster franchises “Halo,” “Forza,” “Fable” and more. Microsoft’s investments in cloud and mobile technologies will enable “Minecraft” players to benefit from richer and faster worlds, more powerful development tools, and more opportunities to connect across the “Minecraft” community.

Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will acquire Mojang for $2.5 billion. Microsoft expects the acquisition to be break-even in FY15 on a GAAP basis. Subject to customary closing conditions and any regulatory review, the acquisition is expected to close in late 2014.

Available across multiple platforms, “Minecraft” is one of the most popular video games in history, with more than 100 million downloads, on PC alone, by players since its launch in 2009. “Minecraft” is one of the top PC games of all time, the most popular online game on Xbox, and the top paid app for iOS and Android in the US. The “Minecraft” community is among the most active and passionate in the industry, with more than 2 billion hours played on Xbox 360 alone in the past two years. Minecraft fans are loyal, with nearly 90 percent of paid customers on the PC having signed in within the past 12 months.

“Gaming is a top activity spanning devices, from PCs and consoles to tablets and mobile, with billions of hours spent each year,” said Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft. “Minecraft is more than a great game franchise – it is an open world platform, driven by a vibrant community we care deeply about, and rich with new opportunities for that community and for Microsoft.”

“The ‘Minecraft’ players have taken the game and turned it into something that surpassed all of our expectations. The acquisition by Microsoft brings a new chapter to the incredible story of ‘Minecraft,’” said Carl Manneh, CEO, Mojang. “As the founders move on to start new projects, we believe the high level of creativity from the community will continue the game’s success far into the future.”

Microsoft plans to continue to make “Minecraft” available across all the platforms on which it is available today: PC, iOS, Android, Xbox and PlayStation.

“‘Minecraft’ is one of the most popular franchises of all time,” said Phil Spencer, head of Xbox. “We are going to maintain ‘Minecraft’ and its community in all the ways people love today, with a commitment to nurture and grow it long into the future.”

More details will be available upon the acquisition closing.

About Microsoft

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND , Wash. — Sept . 10, 2014 — Wednesday, before the opening day of the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC), Microsoft Corp. announced new cloud-first media services, including HD-quality live streaming that supports today’s most popular devices and platforms, end-to-end content protection capabilities, and a new service that simplifies the indexing of audio and video content and makes it easier to search. These new capabilities are part of Microsoft Azure Media Services, a comprehensive platform built on a market-proven public cloud that media companies can use to build scalable, cost-effective and end-to-end media solutions.

“Broadcasters and premium content owners spend significant amounts of money and resources each year to host, manage, support and distribute their media,” said Sudheer Sirivara, partner director of Engineering, Azure Media Services, Microsoft. “Now with Azure Media Services, customers can move that infrastructure to the cloud — with support for live and on-demand content — and focus on what really matters to their business and customers: creating, monetizing and distributing content to more customers on more devices.”

New partner solutions

Since Azure Media Services was initially released in 2012, a broad ecosystem of industry partners have built integrated solutions that offer customers flexibility and choice for their media workflows. Microsoft is now adding four new partners to that ecosystem:

• Telestream’s Wirecast offers customers a built-in destination that makes it quick and easy to send content from Wirecast’s live streaming production software to Microsoft Azure.
  

• NewTek TriCaster offers customers a total media publishing solution for live productions of any scale and includes the ability to ingest mezzanine stream over Real-Time Messaging Protocol.
  

• Cires21 offers customers a simple and easy-to-use service to help monitor the health of live channels.
  

• JW Player offers customers the ability to customize and distribute premium adaptive content to a wide array of devices.
  

Additional information

More information on the new cloud services and partnerships announced today is available at the Microsoft Azure blog and the Microsoft booths at the IBC in Hall 13, booths MS1 and MS2.

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

BERLIN — Sept. 4, 2014 — Microsoft Corp. announced on Thursday the Nokia Lumia 830, Lumia 735 and Lumia 730 Dual SIM smartphones running the latest Windows Phone 8.1 operating system, bringing industry-leading imaging technology to more affordable price levels. Microsoft also announced two new accessories that provide innovative ways for people to interact with their phones, plus the Lumia Denim update, which brings extra features and enhancements to existing Lumia smartphones.

• With a slim design, the Lumia 830 is an affordable flagship that delivers high-end innovations such as optical image stabilization and PureView imaging to more people.
  

• Offering wide-angle, front-facing cameras; an attractive price tag; and slim, compact style, the Lumia 730 Dual SIM and Lumia 735 are built for Skype calls and selfies.
  

• Existing Lumia smartphones continue to get even better with the Lumia Denim update, which combines great new features from the latest Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 with exclusive enhancements such as Lumia Camera, which brings high-quality images at the fastest speeds.
  

“Our strategy is to help people do more with stunning products that unite and showcase the best of Microsoft’s digital work and life experiences,” said Chris Weber, corporate vice president of Mobile Devices Sales at Microsoft. “The Lumia 830, Lumia 735 and Lumia 730 Dual SIM combine popular Microsoft services such as Skype, Microsoft Office and OneDrive with amazing Lumia innovations in design and imaging to bring experiences that people value, at prices they can afford.”

Lumia 830: T he affordable flagship

The Lumia 830 offers the best of Lumia and the latest from Microsoft in a pocket-friendly design and price.

• The Lumia 830 captures high-quality images and videos, day or night, with a 10-megapixel PureView camera with ZEISS optics, Rich Recording and the thinnest optical image stabilization system to date on a Lumia.
  

• It delivers the best of Microsoft with pre-loaded Microsoft Office Mobile; the latest version of Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim; and OneDrive with 15 GB of free storage, allowing content to be synced and shared easily.
  

• It comes with flagship Lumia innovations such as integrated wireless charging in a sleek and light aluminum and polycarbonate design.
  

Lumia 830 will begin rolling out globally this month, priced around 330 euros before taxes and subsidies.

Lumia 730 Dual SIM and Lumia 735 : B uilt for Skype and selfies

With wide-angle, front-facing cameras and a slim, pocketable style, the Lumia 730 Dual SIM and Lumia 735 let people easily capture and share more.

• The front-facing, wide-angle, 5-megapixel camera is great for Skype video calls, letting people share more of the world around them or bring more family and friends into a call.
  

• With an offer for a free, three-month Skype Unlimited World1 subscription, it’s easier than ever to have an international voice call with friends and family on their mobile and landline phones, right from the Lumia 730 or Lumia 735.
  

• Plus, with the integration of one-tap Skype video call access during voice calls,[1] people have even more ways to share their stories, no matter where they are.
  

Lumia 730 Dual SIM and Lumia 735 will also begin rolling out globally this month, featuring a 2220 mAh battery, 8 GB of internal storage and 15 GB of free OneDrive storage. The Lumia 730 Dual SIM will be priced around 199 euros before taxes and subsidies, while the Lumia 735 with LTE/4G and wireless charging support will be priced around 219 euros before taxes and subsidies.

New accessories to complement Lumia smartphones

Microsoft Devices Group on Thursday also announced two new additions to the innovative Lumia accessories line:

• The second-generation smart Wireless Charging Plate DT-903 makes the most convenient way to charge even better by intelligently alerting people when to charge and highlighting notifications with a subtle glow.
  

• The Microsoft Screen-Sharing for Lumia Phones HD-10 lets people beam any content from their smartphone to an HDMI-enabled screen, easily and without content restrictions. It is good for reliving memories with friends and family or sharing presentations at work.
  

Lumia continues to get even better with the Lumia Denim update

Lumia Denim combines the latest Windows Phone 8.1 update with exclusive experiences for Lumia smartphones. Lumia Denim also cements Microsoft’s leadership in imaging with the introduction of unique innovations in Lumia Camera that make the camera work faster and more intuitively. Coming as part of the Lumia Denim update to Lumia 930, Lumia Icon and Lumia 1520, Lumia Camera offers the following:

• Speed. Never miss a moment with Lumia Camera and its fast camera startup and capture speeds. Take numerous photos with just milliseconds between shots.
  

• High definition. Using Moment Capture, a long press of the camera button within the app automatically starts 4K-quality video recording at 24 frames per second. Each frame is of high image quality at 8.3 megapixels, allowing every single video frame to be selected and saved as a still image.
  

• Intuitiveness. Get the best shot every time with Rich Capture, which simplifies picture-taking with auto HDR and Dynamic Flash. With Rich Capture, people can avoid the hassle of adjusting camera settings; they can shoot first and edit and select the perfect shot later.
  

• Quality. Capture high-quality smartphone images in low light with the latest-generation imaging algorithms.
  

Lumia Camera will initially roll out as an update with Lumia Denim for Lumia 930, Lumia Icon and Lumia 1520 and as an over-the-air update for Lumia 830 in Q4 2014. Lumia Denim will roll out as an over-the-air update to all the other Lumia Windows Phone 8 smartphones, following partner testing and approvals.

About Microsoft Devices

The Microsoft Devices Group includes award-winning hardware used by over a billion people around the world, including Lumia smartphones and tablets, Nokia mobile phones, Xbox hardware, Surface, Perceptive Pixel products, and accessories.

About Microsoft

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

[1] Offer available in select markets

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, Wash. — Aug. 25, 2014 — Royal Caribbean Cruises International is providing its 40,000 crew members with Windows 8.1 tablets. Crew members of Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, will be the first to receive the 8-inch Windows-based tablets built by HEXA for the cruise line. The tablets will feature services such as Bing, Skype, Office 365 and OneDrive. Rollout will begin in October and is expected to be completed by the end of December with every shipboard employee in the Royal Caribbean fleet receiving a tablet.

Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, made the announcement Monday in Papenburg, Germany, at a technology reveal of the Quantum of the Seas, a new ship reimagined with technology to take the vacation experience to a whole new level. Fain said, “The Royal Caribbean men and women who provide such great vacations are the real heroes of our fleet, and these gifts demonstrate our appreciation in a tangible way. This technology isn’t only about giving our guests a better vacation — it’s about giving our crew and their families a closer connection than we’ve ever been able to.”

The Windows tablets will enable crew members to keep in closer contact with family members and friends while away from home. With a personal tablet, crew members will be able to keep family members up to date by talking face-to-face via Skype, sharing photos on OneDrive and getting things done with Office 365. With Windows 8.1, the device provides a modern, touch-friendly experience that will easily accommodate the active and mobile lifestyle of crew members.

“Royal Caribbean is using technology to transform experiences for guests and crew members, and we’re thrilled to partner with them on their journey. Microsoft cloud and mobile technologies are going to help Royal Caribbean crew members who represent so many countries around the world stay in touch with their family and friends,” said Jane Boulware, vice president of U.S. Windows Devices. “With a tablet in hand, a father can attend a parent-teacher conference, a mother can review her son’s book report and friends can check each other’s Facebook posts.”

The Quantum of the Seas will include Microsoft technology onboard as well. Guests aboard the Quantum will be able to take advantage of Xbox One consoles on board to play games with friends around the world or enjoy entertainment at sea — all available for the first time through Xbox Live and via the ship’s unprecedented connectivity. The new ship also will leverage a mobile point-of-sale system that is powered by sleek Dell Venue 8 Pro tablets featuring the VeriFone payment sleeve, which includes card swipe, bar code reader and RFID reader.

Read more about the Royal Caribbean news on the Windows for Business Blog. More information about how organizations are turning to Microsoft technology is available on the Microsoft Customer Spotlight newsroom.

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, Wash. — Aug. 21 , 201 4 — Microsoft Corp. and TracFone Wireless on Thursday announced a collaboration that will bring the benefits of smartphone technology and services to underserved and high-risk populations through a new mobile health management solution offered through providers and insurers. This approach expands on Microsoft’s commitment to healthcare and TracFone’s telecommunications expertise as the largest Lifeline provider and prepaid wireless leader. Microsoft and TracFone will work with Health Choice Network (HCN), a Miami-based company that manages and connects a network of community health centers with more than 760,000 patients in 17 states, to conduct a pilot project where HCN will provide smartphones to diabetes patients to help them better manage their care.

Building on the success of TracFone’s short message service, text and phone programs, the new solution will be offered on a Windows Phone and feature Microsoft’s familiar suite of services and solutions, such as Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft HealthVault, Microsoft Dynamics CRM and a variety of smartphone applications. It will combine enterprise-grade security and privacy features to allow security-enhanced, HIPAA-enabled email and messaging communications to patients regarding their health and regimens. In addition, it will provide appointment reminders with calendar functionality and remote device management that is standard with a Windows Phone.

“Putting existing technologies to use for today’s patients will help improve healthcare, coordination and outcomes, as well as better manage costs,” said Lee Stevens, director of Health Information Exchange Policy and Interoperability, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Combining the power of a smartphone with a personal health record platform that brings disparate data together in a secure environment is an important step toward the goal of providing better patient engagement and more mobile healthcare in the U.S.”

Windows Phone already has built-in enterprise-grade safety and security features, as well as the ability to offer security-enhanced, HIPAA-enabled communications through Office 365. These features help patients, health providers and insurers retain control over important personal health information.

“With over 500,000 subscribers through SafeLink Health Solutions, we have seen firsthand the benefits of technology and the association between great health and a better quality of life,” said F.J. Pollak, president and CEO, TracFone. “We are excited to begin this program with Microsoft and HCN by bringing this innovative solution to market and helping our customers achieve their healthcare goals.”

Patients participating in the HCN pilot will receive a Windows Phone with TracFone’s prepaid services that will help them improve their engagement and manage their disease. The pilot’s goal is to demonstrate how access to mobile technology can help improve patient compliance, education and ultimately disease-related outcomes. HCN will develop a customer application to help participants provide consent, deliver and receive reminders, ensure treatment plan understanding, and aid in disease self-tracking for blood sugar levels and other vital health information. Patients will also have access to a variety of apps, including several that are specific to diabetes care, and other mobile devices connected to HealthVault to ensure the personal health records are pulling information from any devices they regularly use to help monitor important health information.

Because the solution will also be running on the Windows Phone 8.1 operating system, the mobile health solution will benefit from emerging Microsoft technologies such as Cortana personal assistant, which can help set reminders based on time, location, individual habits and preferences. For example, Cortana can remind patients to fill a prescription the next time it senses that they are near the pharmacy, or it can remind them to talk to a doctor about a specific concern the next time a doctor’s call or email is received.

“For several years, our patients with chronic health conditions like diabetes have benefited from access to their personal health record in HealthVault,” said Kevin Kearns, president and CEO, HCN. “We are excited to include a mobile smartphone to extend the platform for patient engagement and enhance our ability to provide, connect and utilize the tools to drive better outcomes. This is particularly timely as we focus on the tremendous growth in the Medicaid and individual market, whose enrollees traditionally are at higher risk for chronic disease and benefit most from patient engagement.”

“This solution brings together the strength of Microsoft's comprehensive platform and productivity tools in an evolving mobile-first, cloud-first world,” said Michael Robinson, vice president, U.S. Health and Life Sciences, Microsoft. “Combined with TracFone’s strong presence in the Lifeline mobile marketplace, we have a unique opportunity to provide our joint insurer, provider and Medicaid agency customers with the platform and tools to enhance patient engagement and meet the requirements necessary to succeed in today’s healthcare marketplace.”

More information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/healthplans, http://www.microsoft.com/hhs, this Mobile Health Management Solution data sheet and the Microsoft in Health Newsroom.

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

Dear Satya,

As I approach the six month mark of my retirement and your appointment as CEO, I have been reflecting on my life, my ongoing ownership of Microsoft stock, and my involvement with the company. I have reached some conclusions and wanted to share them with you. I know August is the key month during which the company starts to prepare the proxy statement for the next shareholders’ meeting, and so these thoughts are probably timely for that too.

First, Microsoft has been my life’s work and I am proud of that and excited by what I see in front of the company and this leadership team. There are challenges ahead but the opportunities are even larger. No company in the world has the mix of software skills, cloud skills, and hardware skills we have assembled. We draw talent as well as any company in the world. We have the profitability to invest in long-term opportunities and still deliver superior shorter term performance. You’re off to a bold and exciting start.

Microsoft will need to be bold and make big bets to succeed in this new environment. Writing great software is a tremendous accomplishment and selling software has been a fabulous business. In the mobile-first, cloud-first world, software development is a key skill, but success requires moving to monetization through enterprise subscriptions, hardware gross margins, and advertising revenues. Making that change while also managing the existing software business well requires a boldness and fearlessness that I believe the management team has. Our board must also support and encourage that fearlessness for shareholders to get the best performance from Microsoft. You must drive that.

I had not spent any time really contemplating my post-Microsoft life until my last day with the company. In the six months since leaving, I have become very busy. I see a combination of the Clippers, civic contribution, teaching and study taking a lot of time. I have confidence in our approach of mobile-first, cloud-first, and in our primary innovation emphasis on platforms and productivity and the building of capability in devices and services as core business drivers. I hold more Microsoft shares than anyone other than index funds and love the mix of profits, investments and dividends returned in our stock. I expect to continue holding that position for the foreseeable future.

Given my confidence and the multitude of new commitments I am taking on now, I think it would be impractical for me to continue to serve on the board, and it is best for me to move off. The fall will be hectic between teaching a new class and the start of the NBA season so my departure from the board is effective immediately.

I bleed Microsoft — have for 34 years and I always will. I continue to love discussing the company’s future. I love trying new products and sending feedback. I love reading about what is going on at the company. Count on me to keep ideas and inputs flowing. The company will move to higher heights. I will be proud, and I will benefit through my share ownership. I promise to support and encourage boldness by management in my role as a shareholder in any way I can.

All the best,

Steve

Satya Nadella response to Steve Ballmer

Steve,

First, thank you for all of your support during my transition this year and for the past 34 years. It’s been a great privilege to have worked with you and learned from you. Under your leadership, we created an incredible foundation that we continue to build on — and Microsoft will thrive in the mobile-first, cloud-first world.

While your insights and leadership will be greatly missed as part of the board, I understand and support your decision.

As you embark on your new journey, I am sure that you will bring the same boldness, passion and impact to your new endeavors that you brought to Microsoft, and we wish you incredible success. I also look forward to partnering with you as a shareholder.

On behalf of all of Microsoft and the Board of Directors, thank you.

Satya

REDMOND , Wash. — Aug . 18, 2014 — Addressing the unique document management and collaboration requirements of today’s legal professionals, Microsoft Corp. on Monday announced a preview version of Matter Center for Office 365 at the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) annual conference in Nashville, Tenn. Matter Center, an intuitive document management and collaboration solution catered toward law firms and law departments, works seamlessly with Office 365 and offers legal professionals a way to easily find, organize and collaborate on files without leaving the familiar Microsoft productivity tools they use the most.

“Microsoft has built a security-enhanced, cloud-based document management application that allows our professionals to quickly locate and collaborate on documents with our counsel from virtually anywhere,” said John Frank, vice president and deputy general counsel at Microsoft. “We’ve decided to make this solution more broadly available at the request of our outside counsel, who want to utilize it in their own environments.”

Matter Center for Office 365 offers benefits to both legal professionals and IT.

Valuable b enefits for l egal p rofessionals

Matter Center gives legal professionals security-enhanced access to the information they need — virtually anywhere, anytime, and from virtually any device.

• Your briefcase in the cloud. Matter Center works with OneDrive for Business, providing 1 TB of individual storage and a personal briefcase, which automatically synchronizes your documents so you can access them online and offline from virtually any device.
  

• Get more work done together. Share your files with others, both within and outside your firm. Work simultaneously on your documents with other attorneys, and easily track changes with automatic version control.
  

• Robust matter and document search. Easily search and find matters and related documents directly within Outlook or Word. Track or pin frequently used or recent matters and documents.
  

• Integrated and automated document management. Drag, drop and save emails and attachments from Outlook into the right matter. Tagging and sharing each document separately is no longer necessary, as the matter documents are automatically saved with the right metadata, permissions and version control.
  

• Security-enhanced access and permission controls. Users can be granted or excluded access to a matter. All subsequent documents associated with the matter will inherit the same permissions, thereby reducing the worry about ethical walls and data leakage.
  

• Reduce overhead and maximize time with clients. Matter Center helps you to reduce the amount of administrative resources needed to support a document management system, enabling you to spend more time working with clients.
  

Maximizing ROI for IT p rofessionals

Matter Center offers a way to begin your journey to the cloud, enabling you to maximize the ROI on your existing infrastructure with enterprise-grade security, management and administrative controls.

• Deploy based on your terms. Matter Center can be deployed in the cloud, in a hybrid scenario, or as part of an on-premises SharePoint environment based upon a firm’s needs and existing infrastructure.
  

• Maximize ROI on existing IT investments. Adding Matter Center to existing on-premises solutions such as SharePoint and Exchange will help you realize greater value from a unified productivity platform.
  

• Built on an industrial strength platform. Matter Center includes enterprise-grade security, management and administrative controls, and is compliant with multiple industry standards. Permission control and taxonomy are centrally managed and applied automatically; legal professionals don’t need to manage with the back-end settings.
  

• Always up to date. By deploying in the cloud, you can reduce the cost and time of upgrades and migrations as Office 365 is always up to date. No patches or software upgrades are necessary, and Microsoft frequently adds new value and capabilities.
  

• Higher adoption rates. Matter Center has an intuitive interface, simplifies processes, and can be accessed directly from Microsoft Office products that are used every day. This tool satisfies the most important needs of users, while reducing training and support efforts.
  

“Matter Center for Office 365 is the product of months of collaboration between Microsoft’s Legal and Corporate Affairs (LCA) division, outside law firms, and our Office 365 product engineering teams,” said Tejas Mehta, group product manager for Matter Center at Microsoft. “We are very excited to bring Matter Center to market in the near future.”

Matter Center for Office 365 is available in a limited preview. Interested customers can learn more about participating in a beta program at http://www.microsoft.com/mattercenter. More information about Matter Center and other solutions for customers in the legal vertical can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/legalproductivity.

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, Wash. — August 14 , 2014 — Saudi Airlines , among the largest airlines in the Middle East, has implemented a business intelligence (BI) solution with Microsoft Corp. that includes Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Power BI for Office 365, Windows Server 2012 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 to analyze, visualize and share data in a unified way, which allows the company to have better business visibility, more engaged employees, and projected savings of millions of dollars per year in the process. This deployment is helping the company gain insight to better manage different aspects of the global aviation operations, and once totally completed, it will also provide management with the necessary consolidated insights into subsidiaries such as Saudi Cargo, Saudi Catering and Saudi Ground Services, and is uniting business information spanning across multiple systems at the airline.

“Before we worked with Microsoft, we had scattered information everywhere. We had many different business intelligence and incentive solutions, separate training and no standard platform to run all the environments,” said Muhammad Albakri, executive vice president of Finance, Saudi Airlines. “The new BI solution from Microsoft maximizes the value of information coming from multiple systems. We’ve started to run analyses and provide results to executives to help them track trends and react quickly and proactively.”

Beginning in 2007, Saudi Airlines spent five years on a major overhaul of its IT infrastructure to automate and integrate the airline’s core planning, scheduling, marketing and sales — including e-commerce, operations and back-office functions. It needed a business intelligence solution that could provide an integrated view of its data across its growing and expanding operations. By working with Microsoft Consulting Services, Saudi Airlines was able to implement the foundation of its business intelligence solution in just 90 days, which provided fast payback time to recoup the investment. The solution is able to pull disparate data together for multiple sources for analysis, and provides dynamic dashboards, enterprise reports and customer reports that allow executives to view any subset of information and any level of detail they require. In addition, the airline is using a Windows 8.1 app to give a consolidated view of the data for its highly mobile workforce.

Since the implementation, the airline is seeing improved operational functions, such as passengers sales, revenue accounting, customer service, marketing and fraud prevention, which has increased Saudi Airline’s overall efficiencies globally and saved millions of dollars annually.

With highly flexible, rich information now readily available through its business intelligence solution, Saudi Airlines has clear visibility into everything going on within its business, with its customers and in the marketplace, giving the airline a strong advantage over competitors.

“For us, the new BI solution is like turning on the headlights of a car on a curvy, dark road,” Albakri said. “Without it, it really would be a sort of guessing game for how to tone our marketing or determine our pricing strategy or our service offering. So for Saudi Airlines it is a competitive advantage; it is a valuable tool.”

More information about how organizations are turning to Microsoft technology is available on the Microsoft Customer Spotlight newsroom.

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, Wash. — Aug. 11 , 2014 — Recognizing the rapid growth of ultra-affordable mobile phones, Microsoft Devices Group on Monday unveiled the Nokia 130, a mobile phone designed to introduce millions of people to new digital experiences. At just 19 euros,* the Nokia 130 combines the everyday essentials that first-time mobile phone buyers expect with the beautiful design, reliability and mobile entertainment they want. Featuring a built-in video player, music player with up to 46 hours continuous playback on a single charge, and everyday essentials such as a flashlight, FM radio and USB charging, the Nokia 130 is the perfect introduction to a “mobile first” world.

The Nokia 130 is an ideal handset for first-time mobile phone buyers, or for people seeking a reliable backup phone to complement their existing smartphones. It’s built to last, with a 1.8-inch color display and outstanding battery life of up to 36 days’ standby for the single-SIM variant and 26 days’ standby for the dual-SIM device. In design and quality, the Nokia 130 stands out among devices priced below $35.* Every year, people buy 300 million phones from this category alone.**

As one of the most affordable mobile phones with video playback, the Nokia 130 makes new digital experiences accessible to more people. It delivers hours of entertainment with the built-in video player that offers up to 16 hours of playback for video stored on a microSD card, MP3 player and FM radio. With support for expandable microSD storage up to 32GB, alongside the Bluetooth-enabled SLAM application and USB connectivity, it also makes sharing digital content easy without the need for an Internet connection.

“As demand in the affordable mobile segment continues to grow, Microsoft remains committed to delivering market-leading mobile innovation at each and every price point,” said Jo Harlow, corporate vice president for Phones, Microsoft Corp. “It is estimated that at least 1 billion people in the world still do not have a mobile phone, while at the same time there is increasing demand for reliable backup phones in both mature and high-growth markets.”

She continued, “With handsets like the Nokia 130, we see tremendous potential to deliver the experience of a ‘mobile-first’ world to people seeking their first device, and we continue to invest in ultra-affordable devices that will introduce people to a ‘cloud-first’ world through Microsoft services such as Bing, Outlook.com and OneDrive.”

Pricing and availability

The estimated retail price before taxes and subsidies for the Nokia 130 and Nokia 130 Dual SIM is 19 euros. It is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of this year. The Nokia 130 will be available in select markets, including China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Tech specs summary: 

About Microsoft Devices

Microsoft Devices Group is responsible for the company’s devices strategy, including Lumia smartphones and tablets, Nokia mobile phones, Xbox hardware, Surface, Perceptive Pixel products, and accessories.

About Microsoft

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

* Suggested retail price before local taxes and subsidies.

** Strategy Analytics

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, Wash. — Aug . 5 , 201 4 — Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday announced that Margaret L. (Peggy) Johnson has been named executive vice president of Business Development reporting to Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella.

Johnson joins Microsoft from Qualcomm where she most recently served as executive vice president of Qualcomm Technologies and president of global market development. In that role she was responsible for commercializing new business opportunities and developing strategic relationships.

“Peggy shares our worldview and knows what it takes to drive new growth in mobility and the cloud,” Nadella said. “Her experience uniquely positions her to lead Microsoft’s business development efforts, and she will be a great addition to our senior leadership team.”

Johnson will be responsible for driving strategic business deals and partnerships across various industries with key customers, strategic innovation partners, OEMs, key accounts, third-party publishers and industry influencers.

During her time at Qualcomm, Johnson held various leadership positions across engineering, sales, marketing and business development, and played an instrumental role in launching the world’s first large-scale mobile app store.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Microsoft at such a pivotal time for the company and the industry,” Johnson said. “The opportunity to build new and surprising partnerships to help Microsoft succeed in a mobile-first, cloud-first world is truly exciting, and I look forward to leading these efforts.”

Johnson has a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from San Diego State University.

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

July 31, 2014

SEATTLE — Aug. 1 , 201 4 — Microsoft Corp. on Friday announced the winners of the Microsoft Imagine Cup, the company’s premier competition for student technologists, developers and aspiring entrepreneurs from across the globe and a cornerstone of the Microsoft YouthSpark initiative. Over the past 12 years the Imagine Cup has empowered more than 1.7 million students worldwide to do more and achieve more through technology. A first place team was chosen in each of the three competition categories: Games, Innovation and World Citizenship. One of those three winning teams was then named World Champion, taking home the Imagine Cup and receiving a private meeting with Bill Gates, Microsoft founder and technology advisor.

The winners were announced at the Imagine Cup World Championship ceremony during Microsoft’s TechReady conference at the Washington State Convention Center, in front of an audience of 5,000 students, judges, partners and Microsoft employees. The ceremony was the culmination of a weeklong event and celebrates the power of student innovation.

“There is not a business, vertical industry or person on the planet untouched by technology,” Nadella said. “Imagine Cup empowers students to hack tough problems, while learning and building off the work of others. Student developers play a huge role in bringing new technologies to life in a mobile-first, cloud-first world. Congratulations to all the competitors for their hard work and creativity.”

Also announced was the expansion of the Imagine Cup program to make it available for even younger students worldwide who have the desire to create and code using Microsoft technology. Through the Imagine Cup program, students are empowered to dream big, build creatively, learn through competition and boldly bring their ideas to life as they gain lifelong career skills throughout their journey.

“Imagine Cup is about fostering new ideas and encouraging students to push the boundaries and imagine what’s possible now and in the future. Student developers play a huge role in helping to bring new technology innovations to life in ways that shape the way we work, live and play,” said Steve Guggenheimer, corporate vice president and chief evangelist, Microsoft. “Going forward, Microsoft’s Imagine Cup program aims to empower even more students, at younger ages, with the technologies, skills and resources to build a lifelong passion for technology, helping to grow the next generation of innovators. We’re very proud of the Imagine Cup program and even more proud of our student competitors from all around the globe.”

Imagine Cup World Finals W inners

The winners of the 12th annual Imagine Cup competitions are the following:

WORLD CHAMPION

Imagine Cup World Champion:

• Imagine Cup trophy and private meeting with Bill Gates: Team Eyenaemia, Australia, Project: Eyenaemia; Winner of the World Citizenship Category

CATEGORY WINNERS

Games Category :

• First Place, $50,000 prize and PAX Boot Camp: Team Brainy Studio, Russia, Project: TurnOn

• Second Place, $10,000 prize: Team Bomon, Korea, Project: Under Bed

• Third Place, $5,000 prize: Team Illogic, Egypt, Project: Puppy in Bubble

Innovation Category :

• First Place, $50,000 prize and Microsoft Ventures Boot Camp: Team Estimeet, New Zealand, Project: Estimeet

• Second Place, $10,000 prize: Team Tep, Hungary, Project: Tep

• Third Place, $5,000 prize: Team Butterfly, Bahrain, Project: Nail Polish Mixer

World Citizenship Category :

• First Place, $50,000 prize and Microsoft YouthSpark Boot Camp: Team Eyenaemia, Australia, Project: Eyenaemia

• Second Place, $10,000 prize: Team SMART crew, Taiwan, Project: Versatility of Usens: From Lab to Life

• Third Place, $5,000 prize: Team Access Earth, Ireland, Project: Access Earth

Thirty-four student teams representing 34 countries competed in the World Finals after winning national and online competitions around the globe. Microsoft awarded cash and other prizes to the winning teams, valued at more than $1 million across the yearlong Imagine Cup program. Other prizes include boot camps focused on career skills and project support, plus airfare and accommodation packages, and awards for the winning teams at the World Finals event this week.

About Microsoft Imagine Cup

In its 12th year, Microsoft Imagine Cup is the company’s premier technology program and competition providing opportunities for student technologists, developers and aspiring entrepreneurs from all academic backgrounds to collaborate, develop a technology application, create a business plan and gain a keen understanding of what is needed to bring a concept to market. Students can learn more about Imagine Cup by visiting http://www.imaginecup.com. A full list of competition categories is available at https://www.imaginecup.com/Custom/Index/Competitions.

Imagine Cup is focused on providing students with the opportunities, resources and experience to become the brightest young minds worldwide. In addition to skills and training that launch incredible careers, students receive unparalleled hands-on experience, guidance and mentorship from industry luminaries, opening doors to a future as an entrepreneur, innovator and technologist. Each of the first place winners in the competition’s three categories — Games, Innovation and World Citizenship — will receive a “boot camp” experience from Microsoft Ventures, Microsoft YouthSpark or PAX during which they will receive hands-on mentorship and project development support from Microsoft and industry experts.

“New technologies are being created every day and at a rapid pace — many of them by student developers, which is why we’ve invested long term in the Imagine Cup program,” Guggenheimer said. “The World Finalists who came to Seattle this year represent the best of student tech minds, and we are incredibly proud and inspired by all they have accomplished — we look forward to bringing them back to Seattle next year.”

About Microsoft YouthSpark

Microsoft YouthSpark is a global initiative that aims to create opportunities for 300 million youth in more than 100 countries by 2015. This companywide initiative includes Citizenship and other company programs that empower youth to imagine and realize their full potential by connecting them with greater opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship. Learn more at www.microsoft.com/youthspark.

About Microsoft

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

TEL AVIV, Israel — July 29 , 2014 — Microsoft Corp. and Akamai Technologies, a leading provider of cloud services for delivering, optimizing and securing online content and business applications, have announced that, together with leading venture capital (VC) firm Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), they are working on a unique accelerator in the field of cybersecurity. The program is located at the Microsoft Ventures Accelerator in Tel Aviv, and interested entrepreneurs and startups can apply now at http://www.microsoftventures.com/accelerators/telaviv. Startups accepted into the program will be announced Aug. 24, 2014, and the class will run through January 2015.

“Tech startups have the potential to shape the future of cybersecurity,” said Zack Weisfeld, head of Microsoft Ventures Europe. “Akamai is the perfect partner to join Microsoft in delivering unparalleled access and value to startups joining the accelerator. Like us, Akamai is a big proponent of secure computing with a massive reach. We are eager to partner with Akamai to spur the success of cybersecurity innovation based on our respective insights and learnings gained over the years.”

This collaboration strengthens Microsoft’s already solid partnership announced a leading VC, JVP. Participants will gain professional sessions and active mentoring from JVP, which will be an active participant in the startups selection process and will offer a $1 million investment in one of the cybersecurity startups at the end of program.

The participants will also receive free tools, top-quality mentorship, and other resources designed to help them successfully grow their business. In addition to making available its respected Web-security expertise, Akamai is offering to invest up to $25,000 with each cybersecurity startup accepted into the program through the purchase of convertible notes. Mentoring and introductions to relevant partners and customers will also be offered.

“Akamai’s globally distributed computing platform was designed from day one to be as safe and secure as possible, and we have continued to make investments in this area,” said Stuart Scholly, senior vice president and general manager, Security Business Unit, Akamai. “And yet, the computer security landscape continues to evolve with new threats emerging every day. We believe that supporting security innovation, not only at Akamai, but also through promising entrepreneurs, is of true benefit to our customers and any company doing business on the Internet.”

Microsoft’s collaboration with Akamai and JVP is intended to provide startups with mentorship and market expertise that can help them accelerate their business and create breakthroughs in cybersecurity.

About Akam a i

Akamai® (Nasdaq: AKAM) is the leading provider of cloud services for delivering, optimizing and securing online content and business applications. At the core of the Company's solutions is the Akamai Intelligent Platform™ providing extensive reach, coupled with first class reliability, security, visibility and expertise. Akamai removes the complexities of connecting the increasingly mobile world, supporting 24/7 consumer demand, and enabling enterprises to securely leverage the cloud. To learn more about how Akamai is accelerating the pace of innovation in a hyperconnected world, please visit www.akamai.com or blogs.akamai.com, and follow @Akamai on Twitter.

About Jerusalem Venture Partners

Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) is a leading Israeli venture capital firm dedicated to building world class companies. With a 20 year track record spanning over a hundred investments, JVP is also viewed as Israel’s largest early stage cyber security investor having built up such companies as CyberArk Software, Navajo Systems (acquired by SalesForce), Magnifire (acquired by F5 Networks), as well as numerous originating from the firms JVP Cyber Labs, the first cyber security incubator in Israel.

About Microsoft Ventures

Microsoft Ventures is a global initiative to help entrepreneurs build great companies. Working with startups at every stage of maturity, the initiative provides tools, resources and expertise to help startups succeed. Visit Microsoft Ventures at http://www.microsoftventures.com to learn more about how Microsoft is helping the next generation of smart companies take flight.

About Microsoft

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.