REDMOND, Washington, September 8 /PRNewswire/ --

- Leading global brand turns to Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 to quickly 
bring customers smart, connected, service-oriented portable  navigation 
devices.

Microsoft Corp. today announced that Mio Technology Corp., a leading
producer of portable navigation devices (PNDs) with integrated Global
Positioning Systems (GPSs), expanded its support of the Windows Embedded
offerings and will be shipping its next-generation PNDs on the Windows
Embedded NavReady 2009 platform.

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"Our adoption of Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 is a significant step in
our ongoing mission to create superior customer experiences on PND to
consumer devices," said Samuel Wang, president of Mio Technology. "Having a
category-specific platform like Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 dramatically
simplifies the process of building a connected GPS navigation device, helping
us achieve our goal of delivering an outstanding customer experience to
drivers and other consumers."

For Mio Technology, using NavReady 2009 delivers multiple business and
technical benefits:

-- Improved time to market and reduced risk. Windows Embedded NavReady
2009 provides a common development environment with familiar Windows Embedded
tools such as Platform Builder, lowering development costs and reducing time
to market. The platform also delivers production-quality code tailored for
the PND, so building a fully integrated Windows Embedded NavReady2009
solution is fast, easy and low-risk.

-- Seamless connectivity. Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 utilizes broader
Microsoft content and services assets, enabling Mio Technology PNDs to easily
connect and enable online services such as Internet-based Microsoft Live
Search on devices to find up-to-date points of interest similar to those
provided by Live Search Maps (http://maps.live.com), Bluetooth-capable mobile
phones, Windows-based PCs and the Internet.

-- Richer customer experiences. Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 helps
enable MSN Direct technologies that make it easy for users to subscribe and
access real-time traffic conditions, fuel prices, weather data, local points
of interest and more.

"We are delighted to announce that Mio will bring the first portable
navigation devices to market built on Windows Embedded NavReady 2009," said
Kevin Dallas, general manager of the Windows Embedded Business at Microsoft.
"With Microsoft's platform, Mio Technology is well-positioned to drive growth
in the personal navigation industry."

Mio Technology's next-generation PNDs built on Windows Embedded NavReady
2009 are scheduled to ship in 2009.

Mio Technology and Microsoft at Canalys 2008 in Budapest

Those attending the Canalys Navigation Forum 2008, being held in
Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 8-10, will gain insight into the future of smart,
connected service-oriented PNDs and learn how companies such as Mio
Technology are using Windows Embedded solutions to adapt to market changes,
evolve their businesses and achieve competitive advantage. At Canalys, Mio
Technology will be presenting with Windows Embedded Senior Director Ilya
Bukshteyn about its implementation of Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 for
PNDs, on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 10 a.m. CEST, in the Corinthia Grand Hotel
Royal.

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.

Web site: http://www.microsoft.com