SAN FRANCISCO — March 27 , 20 14 — Microsoft Corp. on Thursday announced several new and updated applications and services including Microsoft Office for iPad and free Office Mobile apps for iPhone and Android phones. Microsoft also announced the Enterprise Mobility Suite, a comprehensive set of cloud services to help businesses manage corporate data and services on the devices people use at work and at home. In addition, the company announced the upcoming availability of Microsoft Azure Active Directory Premium and enhancements to Windows Intune.

“Microsoft is focused on delivering the cloud for everyone, on every device. It’s a unique approach that centers on people — enabling the devices you love, work with the services you love, and in a way that works for IT and developers,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer for Microsoft.

Office productivity when and where you need it

Starting Thursday, Office 365 subscribers can simply add an iPad as one of their chosen devices included in their subscription benefits, and can create and edit documents with Word for iPad, PowerPoint for iPad and Excel for iPad. These apps are available as free downloads from the App Store, enabling people to read and present documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Office for iPad brings full file fidelity across Office on PC, Mac, tablet and phone, and along with cloud storage from OneDrive or OneDrive for Business your files are up to date, wherever you need them on whatever device you want to use. Office for iPad apps have a familiar look and feel that are unmistakably Office but are built from the ground up for iPad, factoring in the unique nature of touch and functionality native to iPad along with what people most commonly want to do on a tablet. More detail on today’s announcements can be found in the Office blog.

Office 365 is Microsoft’s fastest-growing commercial product ever, with increasing popularity of the subscription service among consumers because of the ability to move between devices, share subscription benefits with household members with an Office 365 Home subscription, and have constant access to important Office documents online. In addition to Office for iPad announced on Thursday, Microsoft also offers other iPad-optimized productivity applications, including OneNote, Dynamics CRM, Dynamics AX, Bing, Lync, Outlook Web Access, OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, Yammer and Skype.

Comprehensive services to help IT embrace b ring y our o wn d evice and the move to software as a service

Customers continue to use more devices and services, and IT needs an integrated and economical way to manage it all. The new Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS) provides comprehensive device, identity and access management with data protection from the cloud. EMS includes Windows Intune, Azure Active Directory Premium and Azure Rights Management Services, to give IT the tools they need to help protect corporate assets and enable people to work on the devices they love.

The new Azure Active Directory Premium delivers cloud-based identity and access management with single sign-on to over 1,000 popular software as a service (SaaS) applications, self-service tools for users, and machine-learning-driven security reporting and anomaly detection. With Azure Active Directory Premium customers can reduce their IT costs and more easily manage their users, groups and SaaS application access.

Microsoft also announced additional enhancements to Windows Intune, including support for the Samsung KNOX platform, Remote to My PC capability for Android and iOS devices, and support for the next update to Windows Phone, continuing Microsoft’s commitment to cloud-first mobile device management across all devices.

Availability

Microsoft Office for iPad is available Thursday in 29 languages. The apps require an iPad running iOS 7.0 or later. More information about Microsoft Office for iPad can be found on the Office blog. The new Windows Intune features and Azure Active Directory Premium will be available in April, and the Enterprise Mobility Suite will be available via Microsoft Volume Licensing channels on May 1. More information about these new enterprise mobility solutions is available at Microsoft’s In the Cloud blog.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services 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. — Mar ch 26 , 2014 — Microsoft Corp. and Dell announced a patent licensing agreement allowing the companies to share technology and build on each other’s innovations. It is the continuation of a nearly 30-year business relationship between Microsoft and Dell to deliver world-class technologies to consumers.

“Our agreement with Dell shows what can be accomplished when companies share intellectual property,” said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of the Innovation and Intellectual Property Group at Microsoft. “We have been partnering with technology manufacturers and vendors for many years to craft licensing deals, instead of litigation strategies.”

“Today’s announcement builds on our history of collaborating to bring new technologies to market. The relationship between Dell and Microsoft continues to help Dell deliver choice and flexibility to customers looking for the best technology to meet their needs,” said Neil Hand, vice president, End User Computing Products at Dell.

Through this arrangement, Microsoft and Dell have agreed to license each company’s applicable intellectual property related to Android and Chrome OS devices and Xbox gaming consoles. Under the terms of the agreement, they agreed on royalties for Dell’s products running the Android or Chrome platforms and on consideration to Dell for a license for Xbox gaming consoles.

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. — Mar ch 20 , 201 4 — Microsoft Corp. announced Thursday that Stephen J. Luczo, chairman and CEO of Seagate Technology PLC, has stepped down from the company’s board of directors.

“It has been a pleasure serving on the Microsoft board, and helping to guide the company through such a historic period of change and reinvention,” Luczo said. “With the CEO search completed and Satya off to a strong start, this felt like an appropriate time to make this change so I can turn my full attention to leading Seagate. Seagate and Microsoft have a long history of working together, and I look forward to continued collaboration and partnership under Satya’s leadership.”

“Steve has been an excellent board member, and I particularly appreciate all of his hard work as a member of the CEO search committee,” said John W. Thompson, chairman of the Microsoft board. “Steve also played an important role in helping to craft a compensation plan that tightly links CEO pay to shareholder returns, as chair of the compensation committee.”

“Steve brought thoughtful industry insights and perspective to the board,” said Bill Gates, founder and technology advisor of Microsoft. “I want to thank him for his contributions to the board and to Microsoft during his tenure. I appreciate his service.”

Luczo joined Microsoft’s board in May 2012. He served as a member of the CEO search committee established in August 2013 to identify the successor to former CEO Steve Ballmer. Luczo also served on the compensation and audit committees of the board.

Microsoft’s board of directors now consists of 10 members: Steven A. Ballmer, former Microsoft chief executive officer; Dina Dublon, former chief financial officer of JPMorgan Chase; William H. Gates, Microsoft founder and technology advisor; Maria M. Klawe, president of Harvey Mudd College; David F. Marquardt, general partner at August Capital; G. Mason Morfit, president of ValueAct Capital; Satya Nadella, Microsoft chief executive officer; Charles H. Noski, former vice chairman of Bank of America Corp.; Dr. Helmut Panke, former chairman of the board of management at BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke) AG; and John W. Thompson, chief executive officer of Virtual Instruments. Seven of the 10 board members are independent of Microsoft, which is consistent with the requirement in the company’s governance guidelines that a substantial majority be independent.

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

For more information, financial analysts and investors only:

Investor Relations, Microsoft, (425) 706-4400

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 titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. Shareholder and financial information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/investor.

BARCELONA, Spain — March 12, 2014 — Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday opened its annual Microsoft in Education Global Forum by emphasizing the importance of student privacy and reaffirming its commitment to helping ensure that student data is never mined for advertising and marketing purposes. The opening keynote speech, which took place in front of an audience of 1,100, including innovative educators, school leaders and government officials from nearly 100 countries, also saw Microsoft highlight its end-to-end, best-in-class solutions with student success and career and college readiness at the forefront.

Microsoft's global commitment to education March 11, 2014 Microsoft leaders from around the world share their thoughts on the importance of empowering students and educators with technology and training.

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“Privacy concerns are holding educators back from making the most of modern technology and preparing students to succeed in today’s workplace. At the same time, many solutions being used in the classroom are unintentionally putting student data at risk,” said Anthony Salcito, vice president, Worldwide Education, Microsoft. “The private sector has a responsibility to give educators the tools and resources that inspire real learning and have a real impact, while ensuring privacy isn’t a barrier to bringing new and innovative technologies into the classroom. This is why Microsoft is committed to taking every measure it can to ensure student information remains safe around the world. We will not, under any circumstance, mine students’ data.”

Microsoft technology is used in 98 percent of schools worldwide. The company’s end-to-end education solutions take the risk out of deploying the latest technologies and solve educators’ most pressing challenges across the following key areas:

• Productivity and creativity. Microsoft Office 365 Education, an enterprise-quality communication and collaboration tool available in the cloud, is currently used by 110 million students, faculty and staff. This always-on cloud service guarantees that student data will never be mined for advertising. Student Advantage, available for free through qualifying institutions, includes the entire Office suite and more than 4 million students are already getting Office 365 Professional Plus from their schools since it was launched in December 2013. Microsoft Office has also proved valuable to students; a recent IDC study found Microsoft Office proficiency is among the top 20 skills required for high-growth/high-salary occupations.

• Safer, more private search. Bing for Schools ensures students don’t see search ads when using Bing and also enhances their privacy by preventing the use of data to create ad profiles — all with no compromise on the exceptional search experience delivered. No other major search engine can make the same promise.

• Management. Windows Intune is a cloud service that allows school IT administrators to manage Windows, Windows Phone, Android and iOS devices connected to their network over the Web, eliminating the need to own each device or to use onsite servers.

• Professional development. Microsoft offers resources to train teachers on new technology, including the Partners in Learning Network that reaches nearly 1 million educators worldwide and includes online professional development, how-to tutorials, and learning activities created by teachers for teachers.

• Technology training. The Microsoft IT Academy provides industry-leading technology skills to more than 8.5 million teachers and students in 130 countries to help bridge the technology skills gap. In addition, Microsoft has helped educators around the world successfully incorporate technology into the classroom to enhance the learning experience for their students through programs such as Teaching With Technology.

• Device choice. Microsoft works with its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners to bring better choice and quality and more affordable devices powered by Microsoft software and services to market for educators and students around the world.

• YouthSpark Initiative. Microsoft’s focus on privacy in education is part of its overall commitment to empowering youth through opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship.

“We’ve chosen Microsoft because the company provides an end-to-end solution that meets all our needs — innovative and secured devices, best-in-class productivity, and collaboration apps and comprehensive management capabilities. In addition, the company provides the training and resources our educators need to ensure that our technology investments are successful,” said Clayton Carnes, school leader, Hermit Park State School in Australia. “Microsoft’s unwavering commitment to student privacy is also extremely important to us because we can rest assured that our students’ data isn’t being mined for advertising and marketing purposes. This commitment really sets Microsoft apart in the market.”

Other news announced today included the following:

• Pearson and Microsoft are joining together to create new applications and advance a digital education model that prepares students to thrive in an increasingly personalized learning environment. One of the first collaborations in the U.S. between the two global companies will combine Pearson’s Common Core system of courses with the groundbreaking capabilities of the Windows 8 touchscreen environment.

• Interactive education technology company Promethean World plc has committed to developing innovative Windows 8 apps and Office 365 integration for its platform ClassFlow, a cloud-based, classroom tool that enables teachers to create lesson plans, connect and deliver interactive content across multiple devices, and assess student understanding.

• BrainPOP has released its third Windows 8 app, BrainPOP ESL. BrainPOP ESL is a comprehensive English language learning program that uses engaging animated movies to model conversational English.

• In support of its long-term goal to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone, Wolfram|Alpha will deliver 22 Windows 8 apps for tablets, including the Wolfram|Alpha App,16 Course Assistant Apps, and 5 Reference Apps.

• Knewton Inc. and Microsoft announced a global alliance to promote adaptive learning and support Microsoft’s partner and publisher ecosystem in personalizing content for students.

• A global partnership with CK-12 Foundation supports the development of innovative Windows 8 apps to provide students and teachers with access to a rich library of K–12 STEM content at no cost.

Now in its 10th year, the Microsoft in Education Global Forum brings together more than 1,100 of the most innovative and committed educators, school leaders and government officials from around the world — including more than 250 Expert Educators and 75 Mentor School leaders. Each year, the Global Forum provides an opportunity for education’s best and brightest to learn from their peers, share classroom triumphs and challenges, and collaborate to help transform education for the 21st century.

Microsoft’s focus on privacy in education is part of the YouthSpark initiative, our global commitment to empowering youth through opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship. In its first year alone, YouthSpark created new opportunities for more than 103 million young people in over 100 countries around the world.

The Microsoft in Education Global Forum is supported by Platinum- and Gold-level sponsors Pearson, Promethean, Dell Inc., Intel Corporation, Acer and the School Improvement Network.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services 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. — Mar ch 1 1 , 201 4 — Microsoft Corp. announced Tuesday that Mason Morfit, president of ValueAct Capital, has been appointed to the company’s board of directors and its audit committee.

“We’ve had the opportunity to work with Mason over the past six months, and we look forward to working with him more closely as a member of the board,” said John Thompson, chairman of the Microsoft board. “Mason brings valuable insights given his financial background, his extensive experience as a public company director and his perspective as a significant Microsoft shareholder.”

“Microsoft is an iconic global company with tremendous long-term potential,” said Morfit. “I am honored to be joining the board, and I look forward to working with Satya Nadella, Chairman John Thompson and the rest of the board of directors to help continue to drive growth and value for all shareholders.”

Microsoft also announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.28 per share. The dividend is payable June 12, 2014, to shareholders of record on May 15, 2014. The ex-dividend date will be May 13, 2014.

Morfit is the president of ValueAct Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm with more than $14 billion in assets under management.

On Aug. 30, 2013, Microsoft and ValueAct Capital announced a cooperation agreement that gave ValueAct Capital the option of having Morfit join the Microsoft board at the first quarterly board meeting after the 2013 annual shareholders meeting.

Before joining ValueAct Capital in January 2001, Morfit worked in equity research for Credit Suisse First Boston. He is also a director of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. and a former director of Advanced Medical Optics Inc., C. R. Bard Inc., Immucor Inc., MSD Performance Inc. and Solexa Inc. He has a B.A. from Princeton University and is a CFA charterholder.

Microsoft’s board of directors now consists of eleven members: Steven A. Ballmer, former Microsoft chief executive officer; Dina Dublon, former chief financial officer of JPMorgan Chase; William H. Gates, Microsoft founder and technology advisor; Maria M. Klawe, president of Harvey Mudd College; Stephen J. Luczo, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Seagate Technology PLC; David F. Marquardt, general partner at August Capital; Mason Morfit, president of ValueAct Capital; Satya Nadella, Microsoft chief executive officer; Charles H. Noski, former vice chairman of Bank of America Corp.; Dr. Helmut Panke, former chairman of the board of management at BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG; and John W. Thompson, chief executive officer of Virtual Instruments. Eight of the 11 board members are independent of Microsoft, which is consistent with the requirement in the company’s governance guidelines that a substantial majority be independent.

Shareholder and financial information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/investor.

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

For more information, financial analysts and investors only:

Investor Relations, Microsoft, (425) 706-4400

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.

ATLANTA — March 4, 2014 — Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq “MSFT”) on Tuesday opened its sold-out Microsoft Dynamics Convergence 2014 conference with a keynote address from Kirill Tatarinov, executive vice president, Microsoft Business Solutions. The event offers attendees hundreds of sessions showcasing new innovations the company will deliver in the coming months that will help businesses succeed in a customer-centric world.

In his keynote featuring Microsoft Dynamics customers Chobani Inc., City Harvest Inc., Delta Air Lines, Lotus F1 Team, New Belgium Brewery Co. and Weight Watchers International Inc., Tatarinov called on businesses to change their approach and adopt a customer-centric view to enable them to deliver meaningful customer interactions. In this era of the customer, he underscored the importance of technology combined with cultural changes in the organization as critical for businesses to gain insight into their customers’ needs and deliver experiences that help build lasting relationships.

To help businesses deliver amazing customer experiences, Microsoft unveiled a comprehensive set of new capabilities across its business solutions portfolio. The additions will allow organizations to take advantage of cloud services, run agile operations that exceed customer needs, and help engage them on their terms across the Web, social, apps and mobile fronts to help fuel growth.

“Technology has changed the social fabric, transforming how we engage, connect and interact with one another,” Tatarinov said. “In this era of the customer, experience is the new currency. Microsoft is best positioned to help businesses deliver amazing experiences for people at work and on the go.”

Business applications through devices and services

At the event, the company showcased Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 (expected to be available May 1, 2014), its ERP solution for enterprises. This update introduces a new end-to-end apps and services framework, allowing businesses to develop and distribute modern apps for specific scenarios and mobile devices that can easily and securely connect with Microsoft Dynamics AX. Adding to the growing number of mobile apps, the company announced a new app for shop floor operators that lets them report on production jobs with touch-enabled Windows devices. Customers and partners can learn about Microsoft Dynamics AX’s apps and mobile capabilities at http://blogs.msdn.com/b/dax/archive/2014/03/03/microsoft-dynamics-ax-2012-r3-devices-and-services-framework.aspx.

To rapidly serve more customers in new segments and emerging markets, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 adds support for deployment on Windows Azure via infrastructure as a service. This capability delivers high availability of data and disaster recovery data, as critical business data is stored in the cloud and can be retrieved by businesses virtually anytime, anywhere. Pre-configured environments are also available on Windows Azure for businesses to speed deployment, and significantly reduce time to value from Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, for demonstration, development, testing and production usage.

Powered by Windows Azure, this release of Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services introduces new solutions for serviceability and support to help organizations improve the predictability of implementations and provides them with the agility required to keep up with ever-changing business environments. Early adoption of this service has demonstrated that customers have been able to significantly reduce time spent to define, develop and operate their business application. For example, in cases where early adopter customers needed incident support, more than 65 percent of them were able to address issues and questions on their own through the use of this service.

Reinforcing the value Microsoft Dynamics AX is delivering to businesses, Microsoft released a commissioned Forrester Consulting TEI (Total Economic Impact) study. Based on customer surveys and interviews, Forrester determined that a composite organization using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 had a three-year ROI of 92 percent, a payback period of 21 months and benefits of over $6 million,* highlighting the real benefit and time to value this solution delivers to customers.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 is a significant step for the entire industry toward the future of ERP, with apps, devices and services in the cloud as cornerstones of its new capabilities. The advancements it offers in business logic and data model, cloud and new apps, and services and devices scenarios all set the stage for continued future innovation evolving directly from the functionality being delivered today.

Delta Air Lines, a Customer Excellence Award winner for the Enterprise category at Convergence 2014, is an example of a Microsoft customer that is using devices and services to deliver amazing experiences to their customers. Designed and developed by Avanade on the Microsoft Dynamics for Retail mobile point-of-sale platform and running on Nokia Lumia devices powered by Windows Phone 8, Delta is transforming its passengers’ in-flight experience and bringing flight attendants closer to the company’s 160 million plus customers per year.

“Delta’s mission is to provide safe and efficient transportation and outstanding customer service on over 5,000 flights a day to our customers on six continents,” said Joanne Smith, senior vice president – In-Flight Service, Delta. “Technology innovation is essential to helping us connect with our customers and deliver an experience that exceeds their expectations. Partnering with Microsoft gave Delta an opportunity to equip our more than 19,000 in-flight professionals with a combination of devices and services to offer more personalized service on board every flight.”

Delivering on the promise of rapid innovation to more than 40,000 customers and nearly 4 million Microsoft Dynamics CRM users, the company today reinforced the upcoming capabilities in the latest release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM expected in the second quarter of 2014. This release introduces Microsoft Dynamics Marketing to help businesses drive and manage their marketing campaigns, Microsoft Social Listening to empower more employees with deeper insights, and new capabilities such as the Unified Service Desk to help businesses engage with and care for customers in a personalized manner on virtually any device, anywhere.

Giving customers more value, Microsoft Social Listening will be offered at no additional charge as part of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online professional licenses; on-premises customers will be offered Microsoft Social Listening for an additional $20 per user, per month.** Microsoft is also introducing a new Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Enterprise license, priced at $200 per user, per month.** This offers customers all functionality offered in the professional license and access to Microsoft Dynamics Marketing and the new Unified Service Desk. More information about the new pricing and packaging structure can be found at https://community.dynamics.com/crm/b/crmconnection/default.aspx.

Business m omentum

As part of the event, Microsoft also announced that the next update of Microsoft Dynamics GP, due in the second quarter of 2014, will deliver new identity management and workflow capabilities, together with new self-service companion apps later this year. Demonstrating new capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics NAV, the company previewed new mobile capabilities for Microsoft Dynamics NAV that are expected to be delivered with its next update in the fourth quarter of 2014.

The company highlighted the investments being made by leading global businesses and system integrators (SIs) such as Accenture and Avanade, IBM and Hitachi Ltd., in building global Microsoft Dynamics practices, giving customers high-quality resources to implement their business applications worldwide. Microsoft also continues to expand the number of global independent software vendors (GISVs) building industry solutions based on Microsoft Dynamics, announcing a new GISV partnership with JustEnough for demand planning and an expansion of its existing partnership with Dominion, a company that focused on automotive dealer solutions.

More information

More information about Microsoft’s Dynamic Business vision can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/about.aspx. More information and news from Convergence 2014 is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/dynamics. The opening keynote presentation and general session keynote speeches are available on the new virtual event platform for Convergence 2014 at http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/convergence/atlanta14. Those who want to follow and engage with the Microsoft Dynamics Twitter community can do so at @MSFTDynamics and @MSFTConvergence using #Conv14.

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 and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

* Total Economic Impact Study of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Microsoft, December 2013

** CRM Online list price shown per user, per month in USD; actual pricing might vary by geography. Other fees may apply for add-on services, such as additional storage, testing and production instances. Prices are exclusive of any fees you may incur to procure Internet connectivity.

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.

LAS VEGAS — March 3 , 20 14 — Microsoft Corp. kicked off its SharePoint Conference 2014, highlighting new ways Microsoft Office 365 will enable people to accomplish more with new experiences for users, developers and IT pros. In a keynote speech to approximately 10,000 customers and partners, Microsoft Corporate Vice President Jeff Teper showcased innovation that brings together the power of the cloud, enterprise social, big data, machine learning and mobile capabilities into an experience made personal for every Office 365 user. These new technologies will enable a networked way of working together in teams, in groups and across organizations that can result in better customer responsiveness, collaboration, information sharing, discoverability and more.

“Today, the world has become a giant network where connections make information more relevant and people more productive. Most companies, however, are not working like a network, which we believe is vital for their ability to improve collaboration and respond to customers, competition and market changes,” Teper said. “The new Office 365 experiences powered by cloud, social, mobile and big data technologies enable people and teams to find the right connections and most relevant insights to get more done.”

Delivering on this vision, Microsoft showcased new innovations for end users, developers and IT pros coming to Office 365 in the near future, with an emphasis on the trusted platform fundamentals of security, privacy and industry compliance.

For end users, Microsoft demonstrated new personalized experiences that integrate social capabilities throughout Office 365, to help people spend less time trying to find information or looking for people working on similar projects and more time getting things done. Powering these new user experiences is the Office Graph, a new Office 365 intelligence fabric that remains unseen to the user but is constantly analyzing content, interactions and activity streams and mapping the relationships using machine learning to intelligently connect and surface the most relevant content to each user. These new experiences include the following:

• “Oslo” (code name). A new application powered by the Office Graph and code-named “Oslo” was previewed onstage. It uses personal interactions and machine learning to surface a view of the most relevant, timely information for each individual using Office 365 across SharePoint, Exchange, Lync, Yammer and Office.

• Groups. Groups is a new feature unifying people, conversations, calendars, emails and files across the Office 365 suite, enabling a seamless collaboration experience across applications. Creating a Group anywhere in Office 365 will automatically provision a corresponding Yammer conversation feed, calendar, document library and inbox where members can collaborate and work as a team. Just like in Yammer, Groups are open by default but can be made private if necessary, enhancing discoverability and sharing.

• Inline Social. Microsoft is bringing the power of social collaboration and conversations to everyone by offering Inline Social experiences throughout Office 365. The first experience planned for introduction is the ability to have social conversations inside documents stored in SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business.

• Office 365 Video Portal. Today, Microsoft previewed the new Office 365 Video Portal to support upload, storage and discovery of videos in a secure manner. Businesses will be able to categorize videos into channels for specific business needs and stream them on mobile devices, with all of the video compression, optimization and rendering work done by Office 365.
  

“Many organizations struggle with bringing together their content creation, collaboration and core business applications,” said Alan Lepofsky, vice president and principal analyst, Constellation Research. “Today's Office Graph and ‘Oslo’ announcements describe an integrated future that could greatly improve the way Microsoft Office 365 users will get their work done, with easily discoverable insights about important activity across their organizations that personally affect or may be interesting to them.”

With more than 3.4 million Office and SharePoint developers and counting, Microsoft also announced investments that open more doors for customers and partners to build contextual productivity solutions across browsers, PCs and mobile devices. On the Office 365 platform, developers can build integrated solutions and mobile apps to reach today’s leading businesses.

• Exciting mobile possibilities. Today, the release of Office 365 SDKs for Windows 8 and Android will help developers build mobile productivity solutions powered by Office 365. Windows and Android developers can now connect to Office 365 data and services, including files, calendars, contacts, tasks and email.

• Seamless Office 365 integration. Enhancements to Office 365 APIs for PowerPoint and Outlook give developers the control to build new, sophisticated solutions. PowerPoint presentations can be extended to surface poll or survey data directly within a deck, and Outlook Compose apps offer helpful insight alongside an email as it is written.

• Robust APIs. In a continuation of Office 365 API growth, new APIs for files, people, email, calendar and tasks bring new light to the service with an intuitive, open- standards approach. The APIs also feature popularly requested enhancements, including self-service site provisioning and support for OneDrive for Business file actions.

• Sharing power. Office 365 documents that include app information can now be more seamlessly activated by recipients. PowerPoint apps travel into the PowerPoint Online experience, allowing customers to share their favorite apps in a more viral way. Later this year, Office Online will bring similar capabilities to Excel.
  

For IT pros, Microsoft announced new capabilities that enhance Office 365 security and privacy, giving IT pros the tools they need to help protect their organizations. In addition, with the Office 2013 and SharePoint Server 2013 Service Pack 1 release, it is now easier than ever for organizations to take advantage of Office 365, whether that means making a comprehensive move to the cloud, adopting a hybrid deployment, or making a gradual transition through easy on-ramps such as OneDrive for Business and Yammer.

• Data-loss prevention. Microsoft demonstrated new data-loss prevention capabilities for Office content, enabling organizations to manage, track and audit content, while not getting in the way of user productivity.

• OneDrive for Business. In April, businesses can purchase OneDrive for Business (formerly SkyDrive Pro) as a stand-alone SKU providing secured file, sync and share in the cloud with all the benefits of integration with Office. Also, with SharePoint Server 2013 Service Pack 1, Microsoft introduced new admin controls to “turn on” OneDrive for Business in the cloud directly from the SharePoint Server 2013 admin console. This enables customers to keep their on-premises infrastructure intact, while still getting the benefit of cloud-based file storage and sharing.

• Easy SharePoint social transition to Yammer. In Service Pack 1 Microsoft is making it easy for IT pros to replace the out-of-the-box SharePoint Server 2013 social experience with Yammer. Through simple controls in SharePoint Server 2013 central administration, IT can choose to activate Yammer, redirecting users to the organization’s Yammer network.
  

More information about today’s news can be found on the Microsoft Office blog.

The SharePoint Conference 2014 is the largest Microsoft SharePoint event in the world, offering developers, IT professionals and executives a range of presentations, workshops, Q&A sessions and networking events. More information on the news at the event can be found at the Microsoft Office virtual pressroom.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services 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.

NAIROBI, Kenya — March 3, 2014 — Microsoft Corp., in association with Intel Corporation East Africa and the Kenya Private Schools Association (KPSA), on Monday announced the launch of the 4Afrika Youth Device Program to provide a bundle of affordable devices, educational applications, online services, affordable data plans and smart financing to Kenyan learning institutions. This will deliver an immersive learning experience to institutions of primary, secondary and higher education at an affordable rate.

The 4Afrika Youth Device initiative is part of the Microsoft 4Afrika Youth Program, which was unveiled earlier this year to provide scholarships, fellowships and internship opportunities to thousands of African youth. The device program will be piloted in Kenya with plans to expand to the rest of Africa including South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria. It aims to promote digital inclusion among Africa’s youth and educators across the continent, providing them with affordable access to the latest devices and services on the Microsoft platform coupled with popular learning applications.

“Through the program’s pilot in Kenya, we want to equip youth with critical 21st century ICT skills that will contribute to the growth of Kenya’s knowledge economy and facilitate the use of e-government services,” said Patrick Onwumere, director of youth enablement for Microsoft 4Afrika. The devices on offer include Windows-powered smartphones, tablets, laptops and PCs. “The biggest value the Microsoft platform brings is our ability to offer a wide range of devices that deliver a connected experience across platforms and the services we provide,” said Onwumere.

Microsoft under the 4Afrika initiative is currently piloting three TV white spaces projects on the continent to deliver low-cost, high-speed, broadband Internet access to schools in Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

Microsoft has also partnered with Intel to offer training for teachers on information and communications technology (ICT) integration via the Intel Teach curriculum and Microsoft’s Teaching With Technology course, which leads to the Microsoft Certified Educator certification. “Our goal is not only to offer a range of affordable devices with educational applications and online services, but to deliver experiences that students and educators love through strategic cost of ownership and training and support for the education partner ecosystem,” said Onwumere.

“At Intel, we believe the right technology can be transformative, driving student achievement and lifelong learning. That’s why we are focused on designing tools that bring learning to life, helping to make students more engaged. The devices under the program are part of the flexible, holistic Intel Education Solutions that includes a range of devices from tablets to laptops to two-in-ones, software, content services and professional development for teachers. We are committed to working closely with the Kenya Private Schools Association to promote digital education for the 21st century,” said Alex Twinomugisha, business manager, Intel Corporation East Africa.

“These devices based on Intel Architecture are purpose-built for education, are student-friendly rugged designs that can withstand dropping off a desk (from 70 cm), and provide water resistance and dust resistance to promote anytime, anywhere learning. The devices all come with Intel Education Software, a suite of eLearning tools including the newly launched Intel Explore and Learn, designed to promote deeper engagement with content, plus apps that enable science exploration, data analysis and promote creativity. These devices are available from a number of manufacturers and will be distributed locally by Mitsumi Distribution, one of Africa’s largest ICT distributors,” added Twinomugisha.

The 4Afrika Youth Device bundle also includes tailored data offerings from Safaricom, consisting of 5 gigabyte and 10 gigabyte packages for PCs and laptops. Financing will be available through Kenyan institutions in a variety of formats, including bank loans from Equity Bank and contributions through M-Changa, a mobile money-based way to contribute toward the purchase of the devices.

“We would like to thank our partners Microsoft, Intel, M-Changa, Equity and Safaricom, who have come together to help us supplement the government’s efforts in providing quality and affordable devices for use in e-learning,” said Peter Ndoro, CEO of KPSA. “The choice of Microsoft applications, including the latest and most security-enhanced versions of Windows 8.1 and Office 365, and content from Intel and other parties, will go a long way in providing a wholesome, quality education to our students. Kenya Private Schools Association is committed to integrate ICT in our schools with an aim of providing quality, holistic basic education.”

Devices on offer

Devices on offer include the following:

• iSurf Windows Tablet and Detachable Tablet

• iSurf Windows Educator Laptop

• iSurf Windows Portable

• Acer Iconia W511

• ASUS Transformer Book

• Samsung ATIV Tab 3

• Windows 8-powered Nokia smartphones

• Intel Classmate PC

Educational applications

Educational applications include the following:

• Intel Explore & Learn

• Intel Classmate

• Khan Academy suite, a personalized learning solution providing more than 100,000 exercise problems and over 4,000 micro-lectures via video tutorials, digital books and educational games

• Microsoft Office 365 including PowerPoint, Excel and Word delivered via cloud-based services

• Skype in the classroom

• Digital books

• Educational games

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services 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.

From: Satya Nadella
To: Microsoft - All Employees
Subject: Leadership Update

In the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with many of you – in person, on Yammer, and in groups in Redmond as well as in our Boston and Northern California offices. (Thank you for all the questions and please keep the input coming!) I’ve also been able to get on the road meeting with customers and investors, which has been really helpful as well.

One of my consistent themes has been a point I made in my original mail – we all need to do our best work, have broad impact and find real meaning in the work we do. Coming together as teams fuels this on a day-to-day basis. And having the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) set both pace and example means a lot to me.

I have discussed this point in various forms with the SLT and have asked for their “all in” commitment as we embark on the next chapter for the company. We need to drive clarity, alignment and intensity across all our work. With that as a backdrop, I want to share a set of changes to the leadership team:

Tony Bates has decided this is the right time for him to look for his next opportunity. Tony came to the company via the Skype acquisition, where he was CEO of Skype, and did a great job of successfully landing that team and continuing to build the service in a high impact way. He also stepped up to the new opportunity of leading the Business Development and Evangelism team over the past eight months. I’ve appreciated Tony’s insights and perspective, and wish him well in his journey. I know he is just a Skype call or message away. Eric Rudder will serve as interim leader responsible for Business Development and Evangelism, while continuing in his current role.

I have decided we need a single leader running marketing for the company, and have asked Chris Capossela to take on this role as EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, reporting to me. I have talked about the premium we need to place on getting very, very focused on things that we can uniquely do. How we articulate our value, how we market our message, how we deliver that value to customers through our advertising and other channels, all have to tie into an overarching strategy. Chris brings a wealth of experience to this need, serving in senior leadership roles across the marketing function for many years. He is a strong organizational leader, and the work he has done with retailers, operators and OEMs on a global basis gives him real visibility and insight into how consumers are buying and using our products. He has been at the center of our devices and services transformation in SMSG as the worldwide leader of the Consumer Channels Group (CCG), starting with the formation and building of CCG, to overseeing the launch of numerous consumer products from Windows 8/8.1, Surface and Xbox One. Chris will be promoted to EVP and join the SLT as a part of his new role and will remain as acting lead for CCG until his replacement is named.

This change in marketing structure provides an opportunity for Mark Penn to play a new leadership role at the company as EVP, Chief Strategy Officer. Mark brings a blend of data analysis and creativity that has led to new ways of working and strong market outcomes such as the “Honestly” campaign and the Super Bowl ad, both of which were widely cited as examples of high impact advertising across the industry. His focus on using data to quickly evaluate and evolve our campaigns has driven new insights and understanding. Mark and his team also will continue to provide input in the area of competitive research and analysis. I am looking forward to applying Mark’s unique skill set across a broader set of challenges facing the company, from new product ideas to helping shape the overall areas of strategic investment. He will be a member of and an advisor to the SLT and will continue to report to me.

Tami Reller agrees with the go-forward approach of a single marketing leader and will support Chris through his transition into his new role. She will then take time off and pursue other interests outside the company. Tami’s contributions to Microsoft are significant; she’s held multiple CFO jobs across the company, for Microsoft Dynamics, the Product and Services Division and Windows. She led marketing, finance and business strategy for Windows including Surface and partner devices. Over the past eight months, she’s led the Marketing Group, bringing many distinct teams together to form a cohesive organization. I have had the good fortune of working with Tami ever since she joined Microsoft and have valued her contributions and look forward to seeing what she does next.

Lastly, I wanted to share a final thought from a book I recently finished about the University of Washington rowing team that won the Olympics in 1936 that was written by Daniel James Brown, who worked at Microsoft for over a decade. It’s a great story of how commitment, determination, and optimism among groups can create history. There is a very evocative description in the book about a team of rowers working together at the highest level – he calls it “the swing of the boat”:

“There is a thing that sometimes happens in rowing that is hard to achieve and hard to define. Many crews, even winning crews, never really find it. Others find it but can’t sustain it. It’s called ‘swing.’ It only happens when all eight oarsmen are rowing in such perfect unison that no single action by any one is out of synch with those of all the others….Poetry, that’s what a good swing looks like.”

As a company, as a leadership team, as individuals, that is our goal – to find our swing. As an SLT and across the company we are on our way.

Satya

REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 27, 2014 — Convergence 2014, Microsoft Corp.’s (Nasdaq “MSFT”) premier event for its business community, kicks off in Atlanta next week with an opening keynote by Kirill Tatarinov, executive vice president, Microsoft Business Solutions Division.

Tatarinov’s keynote will highlight how businesses can deliver amazing experiences to their customers through business solutions. A broad range of customers will be featured in his keynote presentation, including Delta Air Lines, Lotus F1 Team, New Belgium Brewing Co., City Harvest Inc., Weight Watchers International Inc. and Chobani Inc. The keynote will also include new product demonstrations and discussions of how businesses can be successful in today’s fast-paced business environment where people are more connected and better informed than ever.

What: Microsoft Dynamics Convergence 2014 keynote

Who: Kirill Tatarinov , executive vice president , Microsoft Business Solutions Division

When: Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 9–10:30 a.m. EST

Where: Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) , Atlanta

Live Webcast

Information: The live webcast of the keynote address will begin at 9 a.m. EST. Viewers may access the webcast at http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/convergence/atlanta14.

Transcript

Information: A transcript will be available within 24 hours on the Convergence 2014 virtual pressroom.

Live broadcasts of general sessions of Microsoft Dynamics ERP and Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions will also be available for viewing. A complete list of sessions and schedules is available at http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/convergence/atlanta14.

More about Microsoft Dynamics customers Lotus F1 Team and Weight Watchers as prime examples of growing successful businesses that are transforming their organizations and benefiting from Microsoft’s business solutions can be found in a feature story titled “Customers win with continued Microsoft Dynamics collaboration.”

More information and news from Convergence 2014 is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/dynamics. Those who want to follow and engage with the Microsoft Dynamics Twitter community can do so at @MSFTDynamics and @MSFTConvergence using #CONV14.

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. — Feb. 27, 2014 — The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second-largest school district in the U.S., has selected Microsoft Office 365 as its faculty and staff email solution through implementation provided by SADA Systems, a Microsoft National Systems Integrator with Gold Competency. LAUSD chose Office 365 over competitors’ offerings due to the reliability, flexibility and security features of the service, as well as the opportunity to reduce the amount of time the district’s IT team spends on maintaining its infrastructure.

“With Office 365, we are supported by an integrated communication and collaboration platform that helps us work more efficiently and deliver better outcomes for teachers, administrators and students,” said Ron Chandler, chief information officer, LAUSD. “It also aligns with our vision for the district to move away from relying solely on our datacenter; the cloud enables us to free up resources and devote them to other mission-critical activities.”

Office 365 delivers the power of cloud productivity to educational institutions, helping save time and money while helping increase faculty productivity through a rich set of privacy, security and protection capabilities. It also allows users to collaborate, interact and share documents online, communicate easily via videoconferencing and instant messaging, and access email from many types of devices in virtually any location.

“Microsoft’s unique focus on data security and privacy was key to our decision to partner with them on this deployment,” said Hovig Safoian, chief technology officer, SADA Systems. “We believe cloud technology can transform education, empowering faculty and students to achieve more. LAUSD is incredibly important to us because they are leading technical modernization within school districts by moving to the cloud.”

In addition to providing the trusted and familiar experience of Office, the district also realized Office 365 would offer added benefits should a disaster ever strike Los Angeles, which is prone to earthquakes, fires and other natural calamities. Through the new technology, the district could connect remotely with teachers and staff to keep them apprised of breaking news and other districtwide communications, all while ensuring robust security and privacy for potentially confidential and sensitive information.

“An innovative and forward-thinking district is one that supports the modernization of its schools for the benefit of its faculty, staff and ultimately its students,” said Margo Day, vice president of U.S. Education, Microsoft. “There is no doubt that the Los Angeles Unified School District is leading the way in advancing educational processes through cloud technology.”

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 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. — Feb. 2 5 , 2014 — Community Healthcare Network (CHN), a group of nonprofit community health centers providing medical, dental and social services in neighborhoods throughout New York, has selected Microsoft Office 365 and email in the cloud to keep its business and healthcare teams running smoothly and to help enable seamless communication in crisis situations.

“Prior to selecting Office 365, in emergency situations, our health teams were more at risk of losing communication with each other and not being able to help those most in need,” said Catherine Abate, CHN’s president and CEO. “With Office 365, if a weather emergency hits, we’re able to use the power of the cloud to help maintain email and server connectivity, keep our operations moving forward, and stay in contact with our staff members and other organizations so we can focus on helping patients.”

When Hurricane Sandy hit, CHN lost its on-premises email communications, which wreaked havoc on an organization that relies heavily on email to coordinate with health teams and manage healthcare operations. Once the storm was over and email was restored, CHN decided to look at moving the entire organization to the cloud permanently to help avoid similar adverse situations in the future. Office 365 not only provided virtually anytime, anywhere access to an increasingly mobile workforce, it also helped ensure HIPAA compliance and a commitment to maintaining the highest security and privacy standards. In addition, Office 365 has helped improve the efficiencies of CHN’s electronic medical records (EMRs).

“Even since the beginning of 2014, we’ve experienced some significant winter weather here in New York, but despite the weather, we’ve been able to keep everything up and running thanks to the cloud,” said Jason Pomaski, CHN’s assistant vice president of Technology. “Office 365 has really transformed how our organization is able to provide care and respond to emergencies by keeping us connected in a highly secure, user-friendly way.”

CHN provides confidential care to men, women and children, regardless of citizenship status or ability to pay. The nonprofit has a mobile workforce that serves four boroughs with 11 health centers, along with a mobile medical van, and it helps more than 75,000 people per year. CHN is also called upon by state and local governments as a responder to natural disasters and potential health emergencies, which makes reliable communications imperative.

Microsoft and CHN made the announcement as part of the annual HIMSS Conference, the nation’s largest health IT event of the year. From empowering easier collaboration among healthcare teams to securing virtually anytime, anywhere access to vital health information, Microsoft Office 365 capabilities are better equipping healthcare organizations to deliver care for patients.

More information about how organizations are turning to Microsoft technology is available on the Microsoft Customer Spotlight newsroom. For more information on Microsoft’s presence at HIMSS 2014, visit the Microsoft in Health newsroom.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services 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.

BARCELONA, Spain — Feb. 23, 2014 — Microsoft Corp. on Sunday announced nine new hardware partners for Windows Phone and direct access to tools that will broaden the portfolio of devices for consumers and introduce new price points to accelerate growth in key markets. In addition to existing partners — Nokia, Samsung, HTC and Huawei — Microsoft has announced it is now working with Foxconn, Gionee, Lava (Xolo), Lenovo, LG, Longcheer, JSR, Karbonn and ZTE to develop on the Windows Phone platform.

With this latest news, Microsoft is now working with seven of the top 10 smartphone manufacturers in the world in addition to leading brands in China, India and Taiwan, representing more than 56 percent of the addressable market globally (IDC Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker, 2013). Customers can expect to see an even broader array of devices, from iconic to lower-cost options, coming to market.

“We are pleased to add these new partners to our expanding Windows Phone ecosystem. They will be key contributors to continued growth across price points and geographies for Windows Phone,” said Nick Parker, corporate vice president of the OEM Division at Microsoft.

Windows Phone is the fastest-growing smartphone operating system, according to IDC, and posted the largest increase for 2013 (90.9 percent), more than doubling the growth of the overall market during the year.

Microsoft also unveiled expanded hardware support that provides more flexibility so Windows Phone partners can build devices to meet the unique needs of their region or customer segments. Microsoft is adding support for Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 200 and 400 processors by Qualcomm Technologies Inc. with options that support various major cellular technologies, including LTE (TDD/FDD), HSPA+, EVDO and TD-SCMA. Windows Phone will also support soft keys and dual SIM, critical requirements particularly in Asian markets. These changes allow for manufacturing partners to easily leverage existing design investments to diversify their portfolio to include Windows Phone devices, including larger screen phablets.

On Sunday, Microsoft launched the Windows Hardware Partner Portal, which is designed to speed up device commercialization while minimizing development costs. Speed and economies are especially important for manufacturers needing to compete and win in the dynamic high-volume smartphone segment. The Windows Hardware Partner Portal is now open to all smartphone device manufacturers to learn about and begin the process to develop on the Windows Phone platform. Windows Phone device manufacturers will also be able to leverage the great services Microsoft has to offer in that market, which could include Office Mobile, Skype, Xbox and Bing; a growing app catalog; and features like Live Tiles and People Hub, which make Windows Phone so uniquely personal.

To further help enable smartphone device manufacturers to quickly and easily broaden their portfolio to include Windows Phone devices, Microsoft and Qualcomm Technologies are collaborating to give OEMs and ODMs that are working with the various Qualcomm Reference Designs for Snapdragon 200 and 400 processors direct access to Microsoft tools, content and adaptation kits to build devices on the Windows Phone platform. With Microsoft and Qualcomm Technologies, through its Qualcomm Reference Design program, delivering the building blocks to help design and build Windows Phones, Microsoft hardware partners will be able to focus on differentiating their offering based on apps and services. Device manufacturers will now be able to choose from hundreds of ways to customize their Windows Phone devices while keeping the consistently high-quality experience that the Windows Phone platform provides.

“We are making it easier, faster and more affordable for partners to develop a Windows Phone,” Parker said.

The well-established Qualcomm Reference Design program offers Qualcomm Technologies’ leading technical innovation, differentiated hardware and software, easy customization options that save engineering costs, access to an ecosystem of hardware providers, and testing and acceptance readiness for regional and leading operator requirements.

The expanded Windows Phone ecosystem will also provide mobile operators and retail partners with additional opportunities to offer white-label Windows Phone devices under their own brands. Mobile operators will also have more options to build custom apps and services for their Windows Phone devices that increase customer satisfaction, retention rates and revenue streams.

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

The information contained in this press release relates to a pre-release software product that may be substantially modified before its first commercial release. Accordingly, the information may not accurately describe or reflect the software product when first commercially released. The press release is provided for informational purposes only, and Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the press release or the information contained in it.

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.

ORLANDO , Fla. — Feb. 24 , 201 4 — The ability for clinicians to seamlessly collaborate and have mobile, instant and fully functional access to everything from electronic medical records (EMRs) to EKGs is critical in today’s changing world of healthcare. Monday, at the HIMSS14 Annual Conference and Exhibition, Microsoft Corp. showcased how a wide range of health organizations, including prominent partners like Epic and AirStrip, have improved care team collaboration and productivity, expanded mobility, and enhanced patient care through new Windows 8.1 devices and apps and Windows Embedded solutions. With the Windows 8.1 platform of clinical-grade devices, apps and services, including Microsoft Surface, mobile care teams can easily communicate with each other via a variety of methods, gain access to full-function EMRs from anywhere at any time, and use FDA-cleared clinician apps to deliver mobile-based care and guidance.

“The healthcare industry is in a major period of transformation. Finding mobile solutions that can improve clinician productivity, empower patients to improve their health, and address the need to complement existing EMR systems is critical,” said Michael Robinson, vice president, U.S. Health and Life Sciences, Microsoft. “The solutions and developments being announced today underscore how Microsoft technology can be used across various health settings to help clinicians practice patient-centered, team-based medicine and deliver higher-quality care to more people.”

Microsoft’s partners and customers unveiled an array of new enterprise solutions, apps and platforms to better integrate EMRs, improve productivity and engage patients in new ways by using a single mobile device or platform that runs all the programs and apps they need while on the move.

EMRs a pps and p latforms

• Epic’s Hyperspace 2014 app is now compatible for mobile Windows 8 tablets and ultrabooks on Internet Explorer 10 for EpicCare 2014 IU1 (Interim Update). This new compatibility allows clinicians to run Hyperspace directly on a Windows 8 tablet so they can use the full-functionality version of the application to support physicians in inpatient and outpatient settings to manage clinical and revenue cycle workflows.
  

• At HIMSS, Allscripts will be demonstrating its Allscripts Wand for TouchWorks EHR, powered by Windows 8.1, which is currently in use at Resurgens Orthopaedics in Atlanta. Allscripts Wand uses all of the navigation, voice and camera capabilities of the Windows 8.1 tablet to place orders, complete clinical documentation, take clinical photos and update all aspects of the patient’s chart. Because of the app’s ability to run simultaneously on a desktop and a mobile device, clinicians are able to experience the best of all worlds on Windows 8.1 mobile solutions.
  

• UPMC and Caradigm announced the development of a mobile Windows 8.1 tablet-based platform using Surface Pro 2 devices that enables physicians to maintain patient and clinical workflow context while switching between different clinical apps at the point of care.
  

Patient e ngagement c linician p roductivity a pps and s olutions

• AirStrip’s AirStrip ONE Cardiology app is a Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 mobile device cardiac care solution that recently became the first FDA-cleared clinician app for the Windows 8 platform. It allows doctors to evaluate EKGs quickly to determine if a patient suffered a heart attack and needs surgery. For the first time, the Windows 8.1 version of AirStrip ONE Cardiology makes an AirStrip app accessible on any form factor, including desktops, laptops, and wall-mounted or mobile workstations, not just mobile devices. Now, clinicians can access AirStrip ONE Cardiology for Windows from workstations in hospitals and outpatient clinics as well as from tablets and phones while outside the hospital.
  

• Seattle Children’s Hospital specializes in meeting the unique physical, emotional and developmental needs of children from infancy through young adulthood. The hospital has purchased more than 250 Surface Pro devices and has standardized its executive team on Surface. Microsoft Surface Pro enables Seattle Children’s Hospital to provide clinicians with a modern user interface while also allowing adherence to HIPAA and other strict security regulations in healthcare. Microsoft leveraged the Microsoft Application Acceleration Program (MAAP) and partnered with a business partner, VitalHub, on the development of a modern touch application. The VitalHub application, combined with Microsoft Surface Pro, allows Seattle Children’s staff to view and have basic levels of simple order entry through a touch-enabled interface — improving the experience of both physician and patient.
  

• Aegis Living has equipped staff across its 30 senior living communities with Surface tablets to provide the highest level of resident care and the most productive medication administration to their residents. By using Surface devices, Aegis staff have eliminated paper-based medication records and manual prescription auditing, with an expected savings of more than 11,000 hours each year previously spent auditing prescription records. In addition, staff have easier access to residents’ medical records and prescriptions through a Web-based app, have increased resident safety by eliminating manual data entry, and have more secure, mobile access to resident data whether they are at a resident’s bedside or moving from one resident’s room to another.
  

• Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP) is the nation’s oldest community-based accrediting body, with more than 5,000 providers and 10,000 sites currently accredited and 85 field auditors continuously working to hold agencies accountable for patient care. CHAP is now using Surface Pro devices to support its new CHAP LinQ accreditation software and provide an important tool for site visitors to observe, interview and document information seamlessly. Unique Surface Pro features, such as the kickstand and digitized pen, work in conjunction with the CHAP LinQ software to enable CHAP’s field auditors to capture more accurate and systematic documentation and ultimately provide the highest quality of home- and community-based care.
  

• Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society has implemented a Windows 8-based application on Surface devices dedicated to helping its visiting nurses provide better home-health patient care experiences for new mothers associated with the Navy-Marine Corps. The application — developed by Microsoft Consulting Services — enables visiting nurses and other mobile caregivers to meet with new mothers and their babies to assess the care they are receiving and serve as their resource and emotional support system. NMCRS’s 55 visiting nurses scattered around the globe are each provided with a Surface tablet so they can use the application to access patient EMRs in near-real time, facilitate faster communication with other clinicians and physicians, and easily answer health-related questions during visits.
  

• Billings Clinic, a 285-bed hospital in Billings, Mont., is the first hospital to partner with Omnicell Inc. to implement remote cabinet functionality. By integrating Omnicell’s automated dispensing cabinets with Windows Embedded technology and a leading EMR system, Billings Clinic can streamline medication administration processes and ensure that pharmacists deliver the right medications to patients more safely and efficiently.
  

Find out more about these and other Microsoft solutions by visiting the Microsoft in Health Blog and the Microsoft in Health Newsroom.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services 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. — Feb . 19, 2014 — Microsoft Corp. announced Wednesday the global availability of OneDrive, its free, personal cloud storage service. Formerly known as SkyDrive, OneDrive gives people one place to store important photos, videos and documents that is accessible on the devices they use every day. The new OneDrive offers a host of new features, including improved video sharing and newly updated apps for Windows Phone, iOS, Android and Xbox. To celebrate the launch of OneDrive, Microsoft is giving the first 100,000 customers who access their OneDrive account after the launch an additional 100 GB of complimentary storage for one year (customers will receive a notice if they are among the lucky 100,000). Customers can monitor https://twitter.com/OneDrive for the announcement of the start time for this promotion.

According to a recent Microsoft-commissioned online study,** at least 77 percent of cloud-familiar consumers have content stored on a device that is not backed up elsewhere, and 69 percent would rather lose the device itself than the content that’s stored on it. With OneDrive, people don’t have to make that choice. OneDrive offers 7 GB of free storage — the equivalent of more than 7,000 photos — so it’s easy to make sure photos, videos and documents are always accessible.

“When someone picks up their phone, tablet or any other device, they just want all of their favorite photos and the documents they need at their fingertips — they don’t want to have to hunt for them,” said Chris Jones, corporate vice president, OS Services, Microsoft. “That’s the lens we are taking with OneDrive. We’re building it right into all of the latest Microsoft devices and services — from Xbox to Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 to Office — but we’re also making sure it’s available on the Web and across all other platforms including iOS and Android, so your photos, videos and files are all available anytime you need them.”

New features that accompany the availability of OneDrive include automatic camera backup for Android — making it easier than ever for customers to get their photos from their Android phone to their other devices — and video transcoding — making videos as easy to store, view and share as photos.

OneDrive is free for customers up to the first 7 GB of storage; customers also have the option to purchase storage in 50GB, 100GB and 200GB increments. Current customers will be able to use their existing SkyDrive credentials to access their files in OneDrive. In addition, current customers who refer friends can receive up to 5 GB of free storage (in 500MB increments) for each friend who accepts an invitation to OneDrive. Customers can also receive 3 GB of free storage by utilizing the camera backup feature. More information on OneDrive can be found at http://www.onedrive.com.

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

* Source: Online survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Microsoft, Jan. 29–31, 2014, among 1,151 U.S. adults age 18 or older.

** Source: Online survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Microsoft, Dec. 19–31, 2013, among 801 adults age 18 and older who have previously heard of cloud storage.

The information contained in this press release relates to a pre-release software product that may be substantially modified before its first commercial release. Accordingly, the information may not accurately describe or reflect the software product when it is first commercially released. The press release is provided for informational purposes only, and Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the press release or the information contained in it.

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.

ABIDJAN , Ivory Coast — Feb . 18 , 2014 — On Tuesday, Microsoft Corp. introduced the first four youth members to the 4Afrika Advisory Council to ensure the critical voices of Africa’s large youth demographic are heard. The Microsoft 4Afrika Advisory Council, announced last October, is an external board of advisers tasked with guiding strategic investments undertaken by the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative. Microsoft 4Afrika was launched one year ago to facilitate Microsoft’s active engagement in Africa’s economic development. The four youth ambassadors will represent the issues facing Africa’s rural and urban youth, including unemployment, education and access to technology.

“The information and communications technology (ICT) field is not only redefining how we conduct our major businesses on the continent, it is increasingly improving the efficiency of critical support services, such as education, health, and disaster mitigation and management. The young demographic is playing a big role in integrating new solutions to these services, and this has helped create new industries and employment opportunities,” said H.E. Benjamin Mkapa, chairman, Microsoft 4Afrika Advisory Council. “The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative will be critical in defining a framework that other global and indigenous organizations in the ICT space can adopt to leverage this emerging space and promote economic development in Africa. We are excited about the induction of the new 4Afrika Advisory Council youth members because it helps the initiative stay true to the spirit of youth, enterprise and innovation.”

These are the 4Afrika Advisory Council youth members:

• Akaliza Keza Gara (Rwanda). An entrepreneur and founder of multimedia company Shaking Sun, Gara is a mentor at open technology hub kLab in Kigali and a member of Girls in ICT Rwanda. Gara is currently setting up an animation studio to create cartoons and films for African children.
  

• Chude Jideonwo (Nigeria). An award-winning journalist, media entrepreneur and youth development expert, Jideonwo is co-founder and managing partner of RED, an innovative media company that owns the Future Awards Africa, the continent’s premier youth event. Jideonwo also founded Enough Is Enough Nigeria, one of Nigeria’s foremost civic groups, and has been awarded several accolades, including being selected by the World Economic Forum as a Global Shaper.
  

• Tayeb Sbihi (Morocco). A Moroccan entrepreneur, Sbihi has a bachelor of science, a master of science and an MBA, and he has 10 years of professional experience in multinational companies specializing in new technologies. With a wide knowledge of the telecoms market, he founded his first company, B2N Consulting, offering a wide range of telecom services and solutions to Morocco and Africa.
  

• Olivia Mukam (Cameroon). A social activist and entrepreneur, Mukam was a student when she helped solve the problem of waterborne diseases in West Cameroon by giving 5,000 villagers access to clean water. She then founded the NGO Harambe to engage Cameroonian youth to be national problem solvers. Thousands of youth were trained with business skills, and the for-profit business that Mukam co-founded, Solutioneurs SARL (LLC), taps into the Harambe database of skills to deliver affordable solutions to small businesses in Cameroon, Nigeria, the U.K and the U.S.
  

“I’m very excited to be joining the council as a youth leader,” Sbihi said. “I look forward to meeting the rest of the members and exchanging ideas. We all come from different fields and countries, which helps create richness. Our skills complement each other, and we bring different insights, be it technological, political, environmental or social. We represent a good mix, and we’ll work together to do something good.”

The youth members were selected from a pool of notable candidates from existing African youth leadership groups, including U.S. President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative, the African Leadership Network, the African Leadership Initiative, the Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellowship Program and the World Economic Forum’s Forum of Young Global Leaders. The council will meet in person twice annually and will also hold regionally focused meetings throughout the year.

“Africa has a relatively young population. This can be either a curse or a blessing. The aim of our 4Afrika Initiative is to unleash the potential of Africa’s youth. Our ambassadors will guide us as we strive to achieve this goal,” said Mteto Nyati, vice chair, Microsoft 4Afrika Advisory Council.

The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative is designed to help Africa improve its global competitiveness and, in just under a year, has successfully launched programs across the continent. Those programs will help the initiative reach its 2016 goal of placing tens of millions of smart devices in the hands of African youth, bring 1 million African small and medium-sized enterprises online, upskill 100,000 members of Africa’s workforce, and help 100,000 recent graduates develop skills for employability. As well, Microsoft will help place 75 percent of those graduates in jobs.

Microsoft is also committed to empowering youth across Africa through the 4Afrika Youth Program. Its promise is to provide millions of educated and empowered African youth with relevant skills, jobs, devices and services so they can obtain internships, scholarships and more. More information on 4Afrika’s work with Africa’s youth can be found at http://www.youth4afrika.com.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services 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. — Feb. 18, 2014 — Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq “MSFT”) on Tuesday unveiled a comprehensive set of new Microsoft Dynamics CRM capabilities to help organizations match their customers to the right products and services, engage with them in the right way at the right time, and nurture their relationships. The new release is expected in the second quarter of 2014.

Delivering on its promise of rapid innovation, the release adds new functionality to help marketers be smarter, enabling them to efficiently drive and manage their marketing campaigns; help businesses engage with and care for customers in a personalized manner on virtually any device, anywhere; and enhance capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 to help businesses sell more effectively. Breaking from typical industry practice, the update also brings social listening capabilities to every sales, service and marketing professional within an organization to empower more employees with deeper insights.

“Businesses want solutions that give them market insights and the ability to deliver amazing customer experiences,” said Bob Stutz, corporate vice president, Microsoft Dynamics CRM. “The new Microsoft Dynamics CRM update democratizes social listening, adds new marketing capabilities for more impact and enables businesses to deliver outstanding customer service. With this new release, we are essentially changing the CRM game.”

Smarter marketing

Chief marketing officers (CMOs) want a marketing solution that helps them plan and execute great marketing campaigns, gives them insights into the impact of their marketing activities, and provides them with the ability to optimize marketing mix to deliver the most impact to their business.

Microsoft Dynamics Marketing (formerly MarketingPilot) delivers these capabilities by adding marketing automation functionality to Microsoft Dynamics CRM, delivering insights that will help marketers be smarter and more effectively engage with their customers. The new release builds on its marketing planning core and adds new features that include a visual campaign designer that allows marketers to design powerful marketing campaigns more intuitively and easier than ever. This enables CMOs to reach their customers more effectively across multiple channels. It also gives them new lead management and scoring capabilities, scalable email marketing that can deliver millions of messages per day, and deep marketing analytics so they can measure and improve the return on their marketing investments. These new capabilities will be offered in 35 markets in 10 languages.

Personalized customer care

Customer care, an organization’s ability to support, engage and respond to the needs of customers, is an increasingly strategic part of any business. Successful organizations understand and have insight into customer needs across every channel, including the Web, social and mobile, to deliver the best customer care possible.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM enhances core case management capabilities and introduces a new Unified Service Desk, a powerful application designed for call centers that allows agents to handle multiple interactions simultaneously, increasing efficiency by automating repetitive tasks and displaying scripts to help agents provide a more personalized and effective service.

Alongside the capabilities gained in the recent acquisition of Parature, which closed Jan. 31, Microsoft Dynamics CRM now offers customers choice in deploying customer service capabilities ranging from self-service via support portals, Facebook and Twitter to Web chat and video capabilities, all leveraging a shared knowledge base to ensure the right answer can be delivered consistently on the right channel at the right time.

This new customer care solution ensures that all organizations can effectively handle interactions in the way each customer prefers and quickly respond to that person’s needs, resulting in a smooth and more personalized experience for the customer each and every time.

Social for everyone

The secret to any great relationship starts with the ability to listen. To help sales, marketing and customer care professionals listen, gain insights and more effectively engage with customers across social channels, Microsoft has unveiled Microsoft Social Listening. This new service adds the capabilities for people to analyze and act on market intelligence from social conversations, including measuring sentiment across a wide array of social channels. It also allows users to track product, brand, competitor and campaigns globally and in real time to gain true understanding of their customers and their business across the social Web.

Breaking from industry norms, Microsoft believes that social capabilities are core to customer relationship management, so they should not be limited to an elite few at high costs. Enabling every employee within an organization, Microsoft Social Listening will be offered as part of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online professional licenses at no additional charge; on-premises customers can get Microsoft Social Listening for an incremental cost.

More information about this upcoming release is detailed in a blog post by Bob Stutz, at https://community.dynamics.com/crm/b/crmconnection/default.aspx. Microsoft Dynamics CRM customers and prospects can learn more about Microsoft Dynamics CRM at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/crm-vision.aspx. In addition, they can follow and engage with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM community @MSDynamicsCRM at 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 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., and SAN FRANCISCO — Feb. 17 , 201 4   — Microsoft Corp. and DocuSign on Monday announced a long-term strategic partnership to make DocuSign’s industry-leading eSignature apps widely available from within Microsoft Office 365. DocuSign’s eSignature apps for Office 365, available in the Office Store in early March, will provide customers with the ability to submit and sign documents without leaving Microsoft applications, allowing them to quickly, seamlessly and confidently transact their business.

“Leading partners like DocuSign are building apps on the Office platform to help our customers get more value directly from their most highly used applications,” said John Case, vice president of Marketing, Microsoft Office. “This partnership with DocuSign helps our customers keep transactions digital and manage eSignatures seamlessly from within Office 365, where they already communicate, collaborate and create.”

DocuSign’s new solutions, built on the Office 365 platform, will include integration within Outlook, Word, SharePoint Online and SharePoint Server 2013. Customers can expect the following:

• Easy administration and use. Office 365 and SharePoint administrators will be able to add DocuSign Apps for all users directly from their administration consoles.
  

• Single sign-on. DocuSign has adopted Windows Azure Active Directory to provide single sign-on capabilities with Office 365 credentials, providing a seamless path to manage accounts.
  

• Secured storage. DocuSigned documents are automatically stored in Microsoft OneDrive for Business for full control.
  

• Office Store availability. Individuals can use self-service to access the apps and Word templates directly from the Office Store.
  

• Continued innovation. DocuSign and Microsoft will continue to collaborate to bring new innovations to customers on the Office 365 platform.
  

“We’re excited about the momentum behind Office 365 and customers making the transition from their traditional Office applications to all-new scenarios enabled by cloud services,” said Keith Krach, chairman and CEO, DocuSign. “We believe Office 365 customers of all sizes will appreciate the seamless availability of DocuSign integrated into the applications they use every day. The combination of Microsoft and DocuSign further helps organizations keep business digital, and leverages the power of the cloud to help them focus on business results.”

“MetLife has already made the move to the cloud with both Office 365 and DocuSign,” said Marty Lippert, executive vice president of Global Technology and Operations, MetLife. “This deeper partnership between Microsoft and DocuSign will bring the best of the cloud together as a single solution to help our company be more productive with improved security and control as we drive to become a more digital enterprise. This partnership will help us deliver better service for our customers and make us more productive.”

DocuSign will demonstrate the new DocuSign Apps at Microsoft’s SharePoint 2014 Conference, March 3–6, in Las Vegas, and at DocuSign MOMENTUM, March 4–6, in San Francisco. Microsoft is a longtime DocuSign customer, using DocuSign in over 100 use cases around the world.

Companies interested in learning more about DocuSign’s Digital Transaction Management apps for Microsoft Office 365 may visit http://www.docusign.com/microsoftapps or http://www.office.com/store.

About DocuSign Inc.

DocuSign ®, The Global Standard for eSignature®, is the leader in eSignature transaction management. Global enterprises, business departments, individual professionals, and consumers are standardizing on DocuSign, with more than 60,000 new users joining the DocuSign Global Network every day. Today, that network includes users in 188 countries. DocuSign is used to accelerate transaction times to increase speed to results, reduce costs, and delight customers across nearly every industry — from financial services, insurance, technology, healthcare, manufacturing, communications, property management and consumer goods, to higher education and others. For more information, visit www.docusign.com or call 877.720.2040. Visit the DocuSign blog at www.docusign.com/blog and follow DocuSign on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About Microsoft

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

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. — Feb.  14, 2014 — Microsoft Corp. and Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) on Friday announced an agreement to work together on video ad experiences across Microsoft’s portfolio of digital advertising assets. The agreement provides SMG and its clients unprecedented access across the video opportunities afforded by Microsoft properties such as Xbox, Skype and Ads in Apps on Windows 8, as well as MSN and the Microsoft Video Ad Network, to deliver seamless innovative experiences that marketers can execute, buy and measure as they do with linear TV media. When combined, Microsoft’s video portfolio network reaches more than 78 percent of the U.S. Internet audience.

According to executives of both companies, the agreement aligns with Microsoft’s “one video” vision and SMG’s vision for delivering integrated video ad experiences across multiple screens. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Through our suite of devices and services, we can deliver a true cross-screen, premium video advertising experience at-scale that will unlock new opportunities to truly enhance brand connections with consumers,” said Stephen Kim, vice president for Global Agencies for Microsoft Advertising. ”We see this agreement as being the proverbial ‘key’ that will unlock opportunities for SMG’s clients who want to extend and complement their broadcast ads with unique experiences across more of our screens than ever before. It is also validation of the power Microsoft’s digital screen assets can bring to marketers.”

“People consume video across all kinds of screens all times of the day, so it’s essential we create solutions for advertisers to help find people wherever they may be and determine how to scale creative ads across devices,” said Ritu Trivedi, managing director, Digital Marketplace at MediaVest. “This agreement will help us deliver on this need by leveraging the scale and breadth Microsoft can offer.”

SMG represents 20 of the top 100 advertisers in the United States. SMG clients will have access to premium video inventory across all Microsoft platforms, and they will be given an early look at unique video capabilities on Microsoft platforms.

Microsoft and SMG will work with established third-party measurement companies to help drive future measurement across video experiences in multiple screen environments. In addition, the agreement will allow SMG access to exclusive consumer insights through Microsoft’s Research and Insights team.

About Starcom MediaVest Group
Starcom MediaVest Group is the Human Experience Company. We believe experiences matter. They enhance lives and build brands. We bring brand experiences to life through SMG's three global award winning agency brands: MediaVest, Starcom and Spark. Ranked the number one global media network in billings in the world by RECMA, SMG (www.smvgroup.com) encompasses an integrated network of human experience strategists, investment specialists, content creators and digital & technology experts. With over 7,800 employees in 110 offices worldwide, SMG partners with the world's leading companies including The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Foods, P&G, Samsung, Walmart, among others. In 2013, SMG was named Festival of Media Global Network of the Year. SMG is part of Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40], one of the world’s leading communications groups.

About Microsoft

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

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.