News from Microsoft Ireland

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The National Concert Hall has implemented Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Hyper-V achieving better IT performance for lower cost, easier management and creating a faster, more secure, booking service for National Concert Hall patrons.  The National Concert Hall’s ticketing system relies heavily on IT and allows concert-goers to make bookings by phone and online.  “Our Audience View web server, which hosts our ticketing website, and our credit card processing server, are both virtual. This means they cannot go down. This is a testament to the stability of the Hyper-V system,” commented Philip Deacon, IT manager for the National Concert Hall.  Pictured:  Maestro Philip Deacon (IT manager, National Concert Hall), Renowned Violinist Declan Faller (infrastructure product manager, Microsoft Ireland).

Note:  Bespoke Violin designed and crafted by artist Philip Kennedy.

The National Concert Hall has implemented Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Hyper-V achieving better IT performance for lower cost, easier management and creating a faster, more secure, booking service for National Concert Hall patrons. The National Concert Hall’s ticketing system relies heavily on IT and allows concert-goers to make bookings by phone and online. “Our Audience View web server, which hosts our ticketing website, and our credit card processing server, are both virtual. This means they cannot go down. This is a testament to the stability of the Hyper-V system,” commented Philip Deacon, IT manager for the National Concert Hall.

The call centre runs with 22 thin clients running on Terminal Server 2008. Access control is carried out using wireless mobile scanning devices reporting back to a Microsoft SQLServer 2005 which is at the core of the National Concert Hall’s ticketing system. In addition to the implementation of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and virtualisation, The National Concert Hall have further strengthened their already finely tuned technological Orchestra by implementing a host of Microsoft services and solutions which include;

· System Center Essentials and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 which manages and monitors both the physical and virtual infrastructure of servers and desktops, all from a single set of tools.

· Exchange 2007 SP1 Enterprise Edition running as a virtual machine exchange cluster.

· Office Communications Server 2007providing instant messaging and presence features.

“All of these solutions are working in perfect harmony to orchestrate a perfect performance for a world class venue such as The National Concert Hall,” summarised Declan Faller, infrastructure product manager with Microsoft Ireland.

Virtualisation had played a significant part in helping The National Concert Hall to streamline its IT. Previously it had been running VMware infrastructure which ran 19 virtual servers on three physical machines. Last year the organisation’s VMware licence was up for renewal at the same time as it had upgrade rights to Windows Server 2008. Microsoft’s virtualisation tool Hyper-V is built in to Windows Server 2008 meaning organisations can take advantage of Virtualisation without needing to purchase third-party software.

“With Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V is part of the product, as opposed to companies having to go out and buy a virtualisation solution. It’s another role on the server if the company is using the latest Windows technology,” says Declan Faller.

By replacing the pre-existing VMWare ESX infrastructure with Windows Server 2008 running Hyper-V, IT administrators can virtualize multiple operating systems such as Windows or Linux on a single server. In this case, the new virtualisation system runs on a cluster of three machines. No additional modifications were required and the organisation was able to use its existing server and storage hardware.

Larry Doyle, managing director of IT services company Netforce, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, who worked with the National Concert Hall to upgrade their IT infrastructure said, “From a performance point of view, there’s been a significant improvement in the system. I would tend to feel that Windows operating systems perform better in Hyper-V than in VMware – and it’s on the same hardware that the VMware installation had been on. I was blown away at how fast it is. The true test of this is, we went from VMware to Hyper-V on the same kit and it runs faster on Hyper-V.”

The main benefit to The National Concert Hall is a reduction in costs, Deacon confirms. “Through our Microsoft Licensing agreement, we had the rights to Hyper-V and Server 2008. Therefore we did not have to renew our VMware subscription.” The result, he says, was a “considerable” cost saving in itself as well as reduced expenditure on hardware and power, by using virtual machines running on fewer physical servers. He added that, “I suppose one of the major benefits for me, with our slim IT resources, is that Hyper-V is simple and straightforward to use. The learning curve, particularly having used other virtualization systems, was negligible.”

Installation of Windows Server 2008 was seamless, taking no more than a weekend to install. Declan Faller added, “The beauty of this is, the IT administrators don’t have to go out and acquire a new skill set. Valuable IT staff time isn’t taken up by attending virtualisation training and there is a further cost saving by not having to take additional third-party training. IT managers can run a virtualisation environment using the skills they already have.”

 ~ Industry experts advise partners, companies, and developers to preview Microsoft’s next operating system

Dublin:  April 30, 2009:  Microsoft has reached a significant milestone with the Release Candidate (RC) of the highly anticipated Windows 7 operating system, now available for download to MSDN and TechNet subscribers. Broader, public availability will begin May 5, and will be accessible from www.microsoft.com/windows7 site.   Based on feedback from millions of customers and partners around the world, the Windows 7 RC is on track to provide customers the quality and value they want and need.

“We’ve been listening to what our Partners and Customers have been saying,” says Ronald Dockery, Business Manager, Client, Microsoft Ireland.  “With Windows 7 we focused on what customers told us they liked, and we made improvements to what they didn’t like. “

More than 32,000 participants from approximately 10,000 companies have signed up to have access to a breadth of helpful tools and resources needed to prepare for Windows 7. Irish Partners such as Novosco, Brandon Consulting Ltd, Maxima Ireland and Nitec Solutions have already invested significant time and resources to preparing for Windows 7, demonstrating their support and excitement. 

The RC milestone is an important step on the path to final delivery for Windows 7 as it indicates the operating system is entering the final phases of development and is ready for thousands of partners to test, evaluate, and develop new applications, device drivers, and services. As a result of this work, customers will have access to the broadest array of software and hardware options the industry has to offer. The milestone also indicates now is the time for IT pros to evaluate Windows 7, put it through its paces, and examine how it will operate in their environment.

Novosco is a leading provider of virtual infrastructure services in Ireland. The Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner specializes in helping its customers solve business challenges with emerging technologies and offers services across a broad range of areas: infrastructure optimization, disaster recovery, compliance and security, productivity and performance, managed services. With Windows 7 Novosco users have experienced improved system performance. “Everything is faster,” explains Colin Rainey, Technical Manager at Novosco. “From the boot-up sequence to finding files on the corporate network to connecting to the domain, our employees have noticed phenomenal improvements in performance.”

“What’s even better is that by eliminating performance-related calls to the help desk, which also supports external customers, those support employees are free to help our customers and keep their systems running efficiently.,” says Rainey.

Gary Melvin, Sales Director of Brandon Consulting Ltd said, “Having deployed Windows 7 internally and with selected customers we have noticed sizeable performance gains on the same hardware running previous versions of windows , in particular boot times , extended battery life and ease of use around mobility.”

According to an independent report by Forrester Research: “…The beta of Windows 7 shows significant promise, and most IT operations professionals are looking forward to its availability and eventual enterprise deployment.”

In the same report, Ben Gray notes “start preparing for it now, and the best way to prepare for Windows 7 is by deploying Windows Vista. Short of that, begin testing your applications and hardware for compatibility against Windows Vista; It will pay off with greater compatibility with Windows 7.” (“Get Ready for Windows 7”, Forrester Research, Inc., April 2009).

Designed to improve workforce effectiveness and productivity, Windows 7 delivers advanced capabilities driving maximum value from IT investments. IT professionals and small and medium businesses will find that Microsoft is committed to delivering tools and support that enhance software compatibility as well as ease deployment and migration concerns. For IT professionals in enterprise environments, Windows 7 along with the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack, an add-on subscription, helps enterprise customers make people productive anywhere, enhance security and control, streamline IT management, and reduce costs. Some key features for IT professionals include:

· Direct Access: This feature enables IT Managers to provide the mobile user with reliable and secure access to the corporate network resources when user is on the Internet, without having to initiate a VPN connection.  It also allows servicing and updating of remote PCs, even when they are on the road. This helps to ensure that all mobile PCs are always up to date and Powershell means IT Pros can automate many standard tasks, to help reduce helpdesk costs, minimize user disruption and ease PC management. Direct Access is delivered by Windows 7 with Windows Server 2008R2.

· BranchCache: Delivered jointly by Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008R2, this feature enables IT pros to decrease time branch office users spend waiting to download files from remote servers by caching the previously accessed content locally in a branch’s network.

· BitLocker™ and Bitlocker To Go Drive Encryption: This helps ensure that sensitive data is protected across PCs and removable storage devices.

Windows 7 RC builds upon the beta version with a focus on simplifying everyday tasks, working the way customers want and making new things possible. The latest version of Windows was designed to ensure the highest level of device and application compatibility with software and devices that worked with Windows Vista. New to the RC are advancements, such as Remote Media Streaming, Windows XP Mode (beta) and Windows Virtual PC:

· Remote Media Streaming: Enables secure, remote Internet access to home-based digital media libraries from another Windows 7 PC outside the home. 

· Windows XP Mode: Utilizing Windows Virtual PC, Windows XP Mode allows small and medium business users of Windows 7 users to run many Windows XP productivity applications, launched right from the Windows 7 desktop.   Windows XP Mode will be available to Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate customers via download or, for the best experience, preinstalled directly on new PCs.  As part of today’s announcement, Microsoft is releasing the beta of Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC. For larger businesses where management is important to reduce the total cost of ownership, Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) within the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) adds management to Windows Virtual PC including centralized policy, administration experience and deployment.

In addition, some innovative features were enhanced for Windows 7 RC based on feedback received during the beta period:

· Refined navigation: Several minor enhancements to the Windows Taskbar, Jumplists, and search make navigation and finding exactly what you want much easier

· Internet Explorer 8: InPrivate Browsing in Internet Explorer 8 prevents browsing history, temporary Internet files, form data, cookies and usernames/passwords from being retained by the browser.  With Windows 7, you can start an InPrivate session straight from the Jump List.  You can also open a new tab from the Jump List.

· Windows Touch: Controlling the computer by touching the screen is a core Windows 7 user experience. Improvements in the RC includes several Windows Touch updates, including the ability to drag, drop and select items with touch, even inside Web sites that scroll both horizontally and vertically.

For those interested in previewing Windows 7 and experiencing the new features first-hand, the Windows 7 RC will be publicly available in the coming week on the Microsoft Download Center (http://microsoft.com/downloads). For customers who want to take advantage of Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC, there will also be a download available on the site.

New online Software plus Services model makes “Big IT” affordable to Irish businesses

Microsoft Ireland has launched the latest wave of their Online Services - the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite is a set of messaging and collaboration solutions hosted by Microsoft and designed to give businesses streamlined communication with high availability, comprehensive security and simplified IT management. Irish businesses of all sizes, particularly SMEs benefit from always up-to-date technologies that can be rolled out rapidly, maximising valuable IT resources and reducing the need for infrastructure investments. Delivered as a subscription service BPOS is now available from just €12.73 per user per month.

“In the current economic climate, BPOSwill provide crucial business solutions which provide cost-effective technology that helps improve team working and communication, reduces travel costs, IT overheads, and increases productivity,” commented Richard Moore, Business Manager, Information Worker, Microsoft Ireland.

One of the first customers to see the benefits of Microsoft’s Online Services is Adi Roche’s Chernobyl Children’s Project International (CPPI). They were thrilled to be able to get Microsoft enterprise-caliber communications and collaboration solutions for a low monthly subscription fee, without the need to purchase, deploy, and manage servers. ”As a charity, we just don’t have the resources to invest in needed technology, so we were very excited to learn about Microsoft Online Services,” says Miriam Forde, Fundraising and Communications Manager for Chernobyl Children’s Project International.

Microsoft’s Online Services were recommended to The Chernobyl Children’s Project International by Microsoft Certified Partner, Inspired Software and Services, as a way for them to keep costs low, while at the same time making leading technologies available to them.

“Microsoft Online Services is the obvious choice for the Chernobyl Children’s Project. It is easy to implement so users are up and running quickly. The monthly subscription model means customers can spread the cost of their solution eliminating the upfront hardware and software licensing costs that can make IT projects prohibitive. And it improves customer productivity saving them time and money” commented Eamon Breen, director of Inspire Software & Services.

out Microsoft Ireland'Microsoft'tner explains, reland will give you Director of Product Management for M“With the launch of Microsoft’s Online Services we can deliver our business productivity solutions based on SharePoint to our customers more quickly and easier, saving them money and time. We estimate that initial capital expenditure on deployment costs (including hardware, software and services) will be reduced by 80%,” added Breen.

Cost per User:

These services will open up new possibilities for businesses to control costs while continuing to enhance the productivity of their employees. The Business Productivity Online Suite is currently listed at 12.78 Euros per month per user.

Speaking at the launch, Richard Moore, Business Manager, Information Worker, Microsoft Ireland said, “Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite delivers enterprise class solutions for an affordable price and through a monthly subscription making it the ideal solution for today’s challenging times. It makes key technologies accessible to small and start-up businesses so they are better able to compete and enables larger businesses to better utilise existing resources by focusing on more strategic aspects of IT while delivering savings in time and money”

Software plus Services holds great opportunity for Microsoft’s Partners. “It’s a great opportunity to expand your services and create new revenue opportunities for their business while enabling their customers to get the most out of their IT expenditures during these difficult times. The fact that the service is provided by Microsoft’s gives security and reliability in service delivery to partners and their customers” added Moore.

Products and Features

The Microsoft Online Services family includes:

· Microsoft Exchange Online (with Exchange Hosted Filtering) is a hosted enterprise messaging and calendaring solution based on Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. Customer benefits include improved e-mail security, remote and mobile access to e-mail and enhanced operational efficiency for IT staff.

· Microsoft SharePoint Online provides businesses with a protected, central location where employees can collaborate, find organizational resources, monitor content, manage workflow and quickly access information. Employees can create project-focused intranet sites to facilitate teamwork and document sharing.

· Microsoft Office Communications Online allows customers to take advantage of industry-leading instant messaging and presence capabilities without hiring support staff to manage an infrastructure or server hardware. The solution helps employees stay productive by enabling them to seamlessly communicate with others in different locations or time zones.

· Microsoft Office Live Meeting is an enterprise-class hosted Web conferencing service that engages audiences in online meetings, training sessions and events.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is an on-demand customer relationship management (CRM) solution that offers a complete suite of powerful marketing, sales and service capabilities, all within a familiar Microsoft Office Outlook interface.

Solutions for Occasional Users

The Deskless Worker Suite, including Exchange Online Deskless Worker and SharePoint Online Deskless Worker. The Deskless Worker Suite is a low-cost solution designed for users who don’t have access to messaging and collaboration capabilities today.

The Deskless Worker Suite will offer customers an affordable e-mail and collaboration solution for occasional users. By providing a cost-effective subscription rate (currently listed at 2.56 euros per month per user), the Deskless Worker Suite will make it possible for organizations to give all employees access to the same messaging and collaboration systems. Today, in organizations that have deployed e-mail, more than 40 percent of employees do not have e-mail.*

The Deskless Worker Suite will be available for trial and for purchase on April 24th.

Microsoft Online Services will deliver enterprise class Business Solutions to all businesses without the need for up front capital expenditure.

Additional information on Microsoft Online Services is available at http://www.microsoft.com/online.

*According to Ipsos MediaCT. Information collected from Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

· Faster, Easier and more Secure from the moment you start to browse

· Blocks two to four times more malware attacks than other browsers

· Independent.ie says, ‘tools are fantastic’ and ‘users will be the real winners’

· RTE Develops five Web Slices giving browsers up-to-the-minute information

Dublin; March 19, 2009: Microsoft has announced the availability of Windows Internet Explorer 8, the new web browser that offers the best solution for how people use the web today. It can be downloaded in 25 languages at www.microsoft.com/ie8 starting from 5:00pm (GMT) today. Internet Explorer 8 is easier to use, faster and offers leading-edge security features, in direct response to people’s increasing concerns about online safety.   A new study shows: 91% of U.S. adults are concerned about online threats in the current economic climate and 78% are more likely to choose a web browser with built-in security.

Ronald Dockery, client manager, Microsoft Ireland said that, “Internet Explorer 8 does more to help people be confident that they are safe on the web by making choices clearer and easier to understand.  With Internet Explorer 8, people get the controls they want from the start.  While some other browsers offer ways to address these safety and privacy issues, with Internet Explorer 8, you’re safe and in control from the moment you open your browser without any confusing downloads and add-ons.”

In response to extensive customer research and input from tens of millions of customer sessions, Microsoft developed Internet Explorer 8 to focus on what matters most to people.  The security enhancements offer protection against existing and emerging security threats online, including blocking two to four times more malware attacks than other browsers, and cutting down on the time it takes to complete common tasks on the web like searching, mapping and sharing, including 15 of the 20 Top Worldwide sites, and blurs the lines between the services they use daily and the browser used to access the internet. 

Helps Protect People from Online Threats

A new Harris Poll released today reinforces the importance of safety in browsing, indicating that 78% of people are more likely to choose a browser that includes built-in protection against security threats than they were two years ago.  It also showed that 91% of adults in the U.S. are concerned about online fraud and identity theft in today’s economic climate and 37% are less likely to shop online because of concerns over online threats.  Windows Internet Explorer 8 offers the best security protections among leading browsers: a study released today by NSS Labs indicates that Internet Explorer 8 blocks two to four times as many malicious sites as other browsers in market today.   Moreover, Internet Explorer 8 is the only browser with built-in protections to block unwanted attacks and threats—other browsers require that customers download additional add-ons or perform customisations.

Makes Common Online Tasks Faster and Easier

In addition to improved security and privacy protections, Internet Explorer 8 is one of the fastest browsers on the market today, beating other top browsers in page load time on almost 50% of the 25 top comScore websites. It also helps people save time while using the web with easy to use new features, including:

· Accelerators. Accelerators make it faster and easier to perform common tasks online by making web-based services like Facebook, Independent.ie and Live.com,  available for use directly from the  page people  are viewing—simply right click a word or phrase, and instantly map, email, or share.

· Web Slices. Web Slices in Internet Explorer 8 makes favorite information from sites like RTE.ie, Independent.ie, Aerlingus.com, MyHome.ie, and eBay instantly available wherever someone goes on the web.

· Visual Search Suggestions. The Instant Search Box in Internet Explorer 8 enables rich, real-time search from sites like the Independent.ie, Amazon, and Wikipedia, as well from people’s own Favorites and History, complete with visuals and detailed information that saves time.

Patrick Lenehan, CTO, Independent.ie commented, “Our business is run in the browser and we are delighted to be involved as a partner with Microsoft in launching IE8.  All users of IE8 will be able to use Irish Independent Web Slices and Accelerators as they browse and read any website.  We believe these are great tools that make for a fantastic user experience.  For Independent.ie it means that the full depth of our content is one simple click away regardless of what website the user is reading.”

Irish Independent is also an IE8 Search provider.  “Search is consistently one of the most popular places on Independent.ie and now a user can add Irish Independent Search as one of their search options in IE8.  It's another example of IE8 making it easy for the user to get things done their way.  The implementation of the new IE8 features was simple.  I think all website publishers should consider adding these features as users will be the real winners.”

RTE have developed five web slices onto the front page of www.rte.ie; Lotto result, News, Business, Sports and Entertainment that allow their browsers to keep in touch and informed on issues important to them. This is particularly useful when those sections of the site that get updated frequently.

“Web Slices are a nice feature in Internet Explorer 8 that allows people to stay connected with their favourite websites in a new and innovative way. It’s like an RSS but for humans – simple and informative but without compromising on the design. We already ‘sliced’ some sections of RTÉ.ie homepage and will definitely add more in the future.  It is as easy as adding 2 lines of HTML code. For a really good look and feel it may require a little bit more work but still it is very straightforward,” commented Michael Lisovskiy design and production manager for RTÉ.ie.

Web Slices, Accelerators and Search ensure browsers and customers get up-to-the-minute information, whether they want to track bids on an eBay product they are hoping to acquire; tracking a house price on MyHome.ie; getting the latest flight information from Aerlingus.com or staying informed with the latest sports, business, and entertainment news on RTE and Independent.ie.

“Web Slices deliver information important to your customers, quickly and easily.  For a full listing of all IE8 add-ons including Web Slices, Accelerators and Search providers you can go to www.ieaddons.com.,” concludes Dockery.

Available Today for Download

Internet Explorer 8 will be available for download at noon ET in 25 languages including Arabic, Chinese (Traditional, Simplified and Hong Kong), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal), Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Swedish.  To download or for more information, visit www.microsoft.com/ie8.

“Start Up Companies have the potential to be the engine of future growth for the economy - it is critical that they are given the support that they need now to grow and expand in a challenging environment,” Peter Russell, Public Sector Director, Microsoft Ireland

Belfast, 3^rd March 2009 – Microsoft in partnership with Momentum NI will introduce its BizSpark Programme in Northern Ireland.  BizSpark is an initiative designed to help indigenous technology and software start ups to grow into successful businesses.   The Northern Ireland launch will take place at Malone House, Barnett Demesne, Belfast on 12^th March at 8 am and all interested and eligible entrepreneurs and startup companies are invited to attend.

The programme recognises the unique and significant role that startup companies can play in helping to stimulate and drive an economy and is designed to provide a package of supports which will strengthen their ability to develop innovative technologies and solutions while growing in markets both locally and across the globe. 

The event will include an overview of the benefits of the programme and how young companies can join.  In addition, some startup companies who have already joined the programme will be on hand to share their experiences and progress.  Invest NI will discuss its new R&D programme which will assist companies to invest more in R&D and access financial support from the £50 million allocated by Invest NI, to promote investment in innovation-focused projects.

Peter Russell, Public Sector Director, Microsoft Ireland said: “I am firmly of the view that indigenous start up companies will play a critical role in driving Northern Ireland’s future economic success and I believe any support we can give them now will reap rewards in the future.   We believe it will give companies the right tools to create and identify opportunities that exist for their products and solutions. There are some very valuable synergies between the programme and Government initiatives like Invest NI’s ‘Grant for R&D’ and so we are calling on entrepreneurs and start up companies to attend the event on 12 March to find out more about how they can fast track their development through the programme.”

Ian Graham, CEO, Momentum ICT Federation, who is a Bizspark Network Partner, said: “BizSpark is a valuable initiative which will facilitate the development and growth of young companies. Fostering an environment of innovation is essential for Northern Ireland’s future growth and Momentum NI is committed to supporting progammes such as BizSpark, which are instrumental in driving research and development, helping to develop a true knowledge economy.”

Companies participating in BizSpark will be given technology support, access to a global ecosystem that can give them an enhanced business advantage and a network of partners to help support their growth and development. BizSpark provides entrepreneurs with fast and easy access to Microsoft software including development tools and server products with no upfront costs, it provides discounts on the purchase of Dell hardware and preferential rates from Internet hosters, enabling companies to get their products and services online faster and more cost effectively. 

In addition, BizSpark start ups receive professional support from Microsoft as well as community-driven support from a range of Network Partners.  Network partners are active organisations in the entrepreneurial space who can provide guidance, mentorship and resources to start ups. BizSpark companies will also have enhanced opportunities to interact with and meet those in the venture capital community who are actively seeking investment opportunities. 

The programme is open to all tech start-up companies who are privately held, less than 3 years old and have less than $1m annual revenue developing a software product or service. 

Companies interested in finding out more information on how to join the BizSpark programme should contact www.bizspark.ie .

Ends/

For further information please contact:

Suzanne Sullivan/Alison Mills

Q4 Public Relations

Tel: 00 353 1 475 1444

Mob:00 353 86 3797291/00 353 86 851 2890

About Microsoft Ireland

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential. Microsoft was first established in Ireland in 1985, and now has three local divisions: the European Operations Centre (EOC); the European Development Centre (EDC) and the Irish Sales, Marketing and Services Operation, which was established in 1991. Microsoft employs over 1,200 full-time employees in Ireland.  For more information on Microsoft’s products and solutions, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/ireland/about

Over 200 start up companies attend Dublin Bizspark Innovation Accelerator Event

“The level of attendance, the diversity and innovation of the business concepts and the enthusiasm and focus of the entrepreneurs gave me a really good reason to be optimistic about what our economy might look like in the future,” Paul Rellis, MD, Microsoft Ireland  

Dublin: Tuesday 24 February 2009 - Microsoft today hosted an event designed to help start up companies access all the information and guidance that they need to ensure the success of their new ventures. The event, Bizspark Innovation Accelerator, was jointly hosted with the Digital Media Forum and focused on supporting the growing and dynamic community of start up companies in Ireland.

Today’s event hosted over 200 entrepreneurs and start ups who gathered to find out how they can accelerate the establishment, development and expansion of their new ventures.  Bizspark is an initiative designed to help indigenous technology start ups to grow into successful businesses and is designed to provide a package of supports which will strengthen their ability to develop innovative technologies and solutions while growing in markets both locally and across the globe.

The Bizspark Innovation Accelerator Event featured panel discussions and workshops hosted by some of Ireland’s most successful entrepreneurs including Iona Founder, Chris Horn;   Havok founder, Dr Steve Collins;  Telecoms Entrepreneur, Pat Phelan and Dublin City Female Entrepreneur 2008, Mary Ryan, all of whom shared their experiences with the attendees. In addition to hearing about past success stories attendees were also given extensive practical advice from a range of experts who hosted workshops in key areas such as business planning, sales, marketing, financial and legal services. 

Paul Rellis, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland said, “A vibrant, indigenous entrepreneurial community is critical to building an innovation economy.  We believe that it is essential that innovators and entrepreneurs are supported now, in these difficult economic times, so that we can reap the rewards in the future. Ireland’s future economic success is dependent on us putting in place strategies and supports now to ensure that we have strong and successful Irish enterprises in place who are in a position to scale internationally and take advantage of the economic recovery when it comes. This is what the Bizspark programme has been developed to do. 

“We’ve had a huge response to the programme with over 200 representatives from a range of start up companies attending this event today. Numerous other organisations and individuals have enquired about the programme and plan to sign up.  I am delighted that Microsoft is in a position to roll out a programme such as Bizspark which helps support the Government’s Smart Economy vision and which recognises the importance of innovation to our economy - both now and in the future.”

Neil Leyden, Chairman of the Digital Media Forum said, “Today’s event has been a huge success and we’re delighted with the interest from the start up community.  Training and connecting young businesses with experienced business people and professional experts is vital if start ups are to succeed in the long term. For that reason, events like today, which allow entrepreneurs starting out, to gain access to expertise and best practice are hugely valuable.”

About Bizspark:

The Bizspark programme provides entrepreneurs with fast and easy access to Microsoft software including development tools and server products with no upfront costs, it provides discounts on the purchase of Dell hardware and preferential rates from Internet hosters, enabling companies to get their products and services online faster and more cost effectively.

In addition, BizSpark start ups receive professional support from Microsoft as well as community-driven support from a range of Network Partners, such as the Digital Media Forum.   BizSpark companies will also have enhanced opportunities to interact with and meet those in the venture capital community who are actively seeking investment opportunities.  Microsoft’s BizSpark Programme is open to all tech start-up companies who are privately held, less than 3 years old and have less than $1m annual revenue developing a software product or service.

Find out more at www.bizspark.ie.

About the Digital Media Forum:
The Digital Media Forum is an innovation company specializing in developing and facilitating enterprise networks in the digital media industry. It has pioneered the creation of sectoral groupings such as the Animation CEO Forum and the Mobile TV Pilot Network to promote co-operation between companies with shared interests and the potential for specific synergies in joint venture opportunities. It is actively working to bring industry and academia together in joint research projects to develop leading edge commercial products and services. It has also successfully administered two Skillnets Network Training Programmes for the digital media industry and has raised significant funding to develop its enterprise training network on an all-island basis. The DMF has over 600 member companies and  is forging international links to create access for its network to international information, knowledge and commercial alliances. The Digital Media Forum is a Network Partner for the Microsoft BizSpark Programme.

Dublin: Tuesday 17th February 2009 – The Microsoft Bizspark Programme provides Irish entrepreneurs and start-ups with the support they need to build successful new businesses.  On 24^th February 2009, Microsoft is hosting the Microsoft BizSpark Innovation Accelerator event in partnership with the Digital Media Forum.   The full day event is designed to help entrepreneurs to find out how they can accelerate the establishment, development and expansion of their new venture.

A wide range of experts from the business and technology sector will be on hand to provide business guidance for start-ups or indeed anyone interested in setting up a new technology company.

The BizSpark Innovation Accelerator Event will feature practical sessions on many of the key areas of interest to anyone setting up their own business from finance, to business planning, sales, marketing, finance and legal. The event will have participating speakers from across the Irish technology and business community offering seminar style-sessions, and panel discussions where more experienced entrepreneurs share their experiences. In addition attendees will have the opportunity to meet and network with like minded entrepreneurs.

Paul Rellis, Managing Director Microsoft Ireland said, “We launched BizSpark late last year and the response from Irish entrepreneurs has been fantastic.  It’s clear there is a lot of innovation and entrepreneurship in Ireland.  This event is a fantastic opportunity for anyone involved in building a start-up to not only get real-world insight from a range of experts but to meet other people in a similar stage of development.

“There is no question that entrepreneurs are absolutely vital to building an innovation economy in Ireland, and their success will help the country to emerge from the current economic climate is a stronger position. It is essential that we foster an environment where entrepreneurs know they have the support and the tools to take that first step to establishing a company.  The Bizspark programme helps to provide the platform for that to happen.”

Neil Leyden, Chairman of the Digital Media Forum said, “The Bizspark programme is a great initiative and we’re delighted to partner with Microsoft.  It dovetails with our objectives to facilitate the training and networking of digital media enterprises in Ireland with a view to helping them create digital media products and services for the global market.  Support for start ups is essential if they are to succeed in the current economic environment.”

The day-long conference will run from 9.00am Tuesday, February 24^th in the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel in Dublin’s city centre. For further information log onto www.bizspark.ie

Microsoft launched its BizSpark programme in November 2008.  It provides entrepreneurs with fast and easy access to Microsoft software including development tools and server products with no upfront costs, it provides discounts on the purchase of Dell hardware and preferential rates from Internet hosters, enabling companies to get their products and services online faster and more cost effectively. In addition, BizSpark start ups receive professional support from Microsoft as well as community-driven support from a range of Network Partners, such as the Digital Media Forum. BizSpark companies will also have enhanced opportunities to interact with and meet those in the venture capital community who are actively seeking investment opportunities. Microsoft’s BizSpark Programme is open to all tech start-up companies who are privately held, less than 3 years old and have less than $1m annual revenue developing a software product or service.

Find out more at www.bizspark.ie.

About Digital Media Forum
The Digital Media Forum is an innovation company specializing in developing and facilitating enterprise networks in the digital media industry. It has pioneered the creation of sectoral groupings such as the Animation CEO Forum and the Mobile TV Pilot Network to promote co-operation between companies with shared interests and the potential for specific synergies in joint venture opportunities. It is actively working to bring industry and academia together in joint research projects to develop leading edge commercial products and services. It has also successfully administered two Skillnets Network Training Programmes for the digital media industry and has raised significant funding to develop its enterprise training network on an all-island basis. The DMF has over 600 member companies and  is forging international links to create access for its network to international information, knowledge and commercial alliances. The Digital Media Forum is a Network Partner for the Microsoft BizSpark Programme.

Thurles: 13th February 2009 - Tipperary Institute officially opened its Games Development Laboratory today. The Microsoft sponsored laboratory is equipped with the very latest technology to give students access to a state of the art learning environment. The laboratory is designed to help students start to build their software and games portfolio, assisting them to develop the skills which are sought by the growing game development and entertainment technology industry in Ireland and abroad.

To mark the opening, which took place during Engineers Ireland Week of Wonder, seventy students from Tipperary, Limerick and Dublin took part in workshops at the laboratory. The students used the latest Microsoft games development technology XNA to create their version of the classic Atari computer game Asteroids.

James Greenslade, Director of ICT at Tipperary said, "Tipperary Institute views investment in technology as crucial to our students’ learning experience and for the future development of the knowledge driven economy. We aim to develop students who are innovative and dynamic - something which is vital for our economy. To achieve this we must have access to technology and to networks, something Microsoft is providing for us through its sponsorship.”

“Innovation has never been as important as it is in today’s economic climate.  We need to embrace innovation in business, in technology and in society at large if we are to position Ireland a true knowledge economy. There is a demand for skills in games technology both from established global players and also from smaller companies based here and abroad. The growth of online technology means that the skills students will learn on the course will be relevant and in demand,” commented Dr. Kevin Marshall, Academic Programme Manager, Microsoft Ireland, who officially opened the laboratory.

The new laboratory has been completed in time to host the annual Games Fleadh which brings the games industry and secondary and higher education students from across the island of Ireland together.

For more information about Games Fleadh events can be found at http://www.tippinst.ie/games/

Ireland will spend less than any other European country on their Valentine this year – on average only €16

1 in 3 Irish people turn to instant messaging to say ‘I love you’ and a third of people have started a romantic relationship with someone they’ve met on the internet according to a new study by Windows Live

21^st Century Digital Romance:

• IM remains the preferred method to flirt in Ireland as 7 in 10 confess to find it easier to ‘flirt with their fingers’ than face to face
• 1/5 of Irish people are using Instant Messenger to flirt with a work colleague

• The way in which we communicate has changed and instant messenger is at the heart of this revolution. More than half (55%) of Europeans have used instant messenger to flirt with someone and the majority of people across Europe (66%) admit that they find it easier to flirt over messenger than face-to-face.

Recession Romance:

• One in ten people (10%) in Ireland have broken up with their partner as a result of debt/financial situation
• 18% believe that the credit crunch will affect Valentine celebrations this year
• Cupid’s arrow is set to miss 13 million Europeans (5%) who cannot afford to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, a further 1 in 10 will be forced to make cutbacks as households rein in their spending[1]

Twenty first century love has found its home in the digital world with 72% of shy seducers and new age Casanovas in Ireland admitting they would rather ‘type it than talk it’ on Instant Messenger (IM) this Valentine’s Day. The survey conducted by Microsoft’s Windows Live Group across 16 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa, explores the experiences and attitudes of over 78,000 people and highlights some of the online dating and flirting techniques of the 21^st Century.

Reflecting its growing role as a social networking and communications tool, the internet is now the second most popular way of meeting new people according to the research, with nearly a third (28%) Irish people agreeing this is the best way to meet new love interests. The internet is second only to meeting ‘through friends’ (38%) which remains the universal favourite.

Internet romance is growing rapidly in popularity. Turkey, Sweden and South Africa have the largest number of online lovers with more than 4 in 10 people having found love on the internet, compared to 33% of Irish people.

Overall, approximately 67 million people (33%) across EMEA have found love online, with 5 million relationships (7%) leading to a stable marriage and a further 19 million (28%) resulting in long-term romantic partnerships[2]. Over a third (37%) of cyber- couples have had short-lived love stories but remained good friends. Only 2% of internet relationships have resulted in a divorce.

A Cyberspace Love Revolution

More than half (55%) of Europeans and 59% of people in Ireland have used Instant Messenger to flirt with someone. Instant flirting by Messenger is particularly prolific in Northern European countries like Norway (84%), Netherlands (82%) and Sweden (71%). While Arabia (35%), Belgium (36%), Spain (39%) and Italy (42%) are the least ‘virtually flirtatious’.

41% of Irish respondents in said that they preferred ‘wooing with their fingers’ on instant messenger because it was less intimidating than face-to-face, whilst almost a quarter favour creating flirty responses online because it give them more time to be creative.

Jean Smith, Relationship Expert, comments: “Romance is not dead – it’s just gone online! Economic instability often puts pressure on relationships and this is especially true at crunch times such as Valentine’s Day. It is commonly accepted that the key to maintaining good relationships is a good and honest dialogue. Services such as Windows Live Messenger provide an easy to use, and often less embarrassing, platform through which people can open up to each other. Most people find it easier to flirt or to profess their love in an online environment as it’s much less intimidating. It’s not unusual for shy people to come out of their shell and become more honest and forthcoming when they realise they are not in a face-to-face situation.

“Windows Live Messenger is a great way to keep the romance alive in your life. In general, people feel more comfortable expressing their true feelings when the pressures of direct eye contact and physical reactions are removed, so for some, the internet creates the perfect environment in which to open up to loved ones.”

Recession romance

Valentine’s Day is traditionally a time to splash some cash, but with consumers tightening their belts this year romance may be in for a rocky ride. Financial pressures can take their toll on relationships - while 82% of people claim they never argue about money, 1 in 10 (11%) have recently broken up or gotten divorced due to financial pressures and 8% are seeking debt counselling.

Sadly, Cupid’s arrow is set to miss 13 million Europeans (5%)[3] who cannot afford to celebrate Valentine’s Day at all this year and a further 1 in 10 will be forced to make cutbacks as households rein in their spending to weather the economic downturn. Less than half (47%) of Irish people will celebrate Valentine’s Day as they usually would this year.

Ireland will spend less than any other European country on their Valentine this year – on average only €16. However, this has no bearing on the credit crunch as it’s the same as they spent last year.

Ken O’Byrne, head of corporate marketing at, Microsoft Ireland comments: ‘Windows Live Messenger is becoming more and more popular because it’s an easy, free and fun way to communicate. It’s much more personal than email because the conversation is live – and the research released today shows that as we become even more entrenched in our digital lives and make better use of instant messaging it’s becoming a real alternative to either real or telephone conversations.

“Recently, we’ve also seen more and more people using video calls on IM to make communications even more personal than pure text exchange. It is now possible to carry on a long distance romance using the video function, or keeping the romance alive with a quick, flirty text to a long-term love. So this Valentine’s Day if you don’t quite have the nerve to say it in person, Windows Live Message it!”

About the survey

All numbers and percentages come from a survey of over 78,000 MSN users, conducted by Microsoft MSN in conjunction with Cross Tabs across the following 16 EMEA markets: Arabia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.

About the Analysis

[1] Calculations based on the total online population for all participating markets, totalling 203 million (source: EIU Economic Statistics) so 33% of the online population equals 67 million people. 7% of 67 million people who have started a relationship have got married, this equals 4.7 million. 28% of relationships have led to long term commitments totalling 18.8 million

[2] Calculations based on a population of 260.8 million (source: EIU Economic Statistics) for participating European countries (excluding Arabia, Israel, South Africa and Turkey) – 5% of population equals 13 million people

[3] Figures based on the average spend across all participating markets. Calculations based on money spent in 08 against projected spend for 09 – difference from €75 to €68 is 9%. Currencies have been converted into Euros to provide meaningful comparisons

[4] Calculations based on the total online population for all participating markets, totalling 203 million (source: EIU Economic Statistics) so 33% of the online population equals 67 million people. 7% of 67 million people who have started a relationship have got married, this equals 4.7 million. 28% of relationships have led to long term commitments totalling 18.8 million

[5] Calculations based on a population of 260.8 million (source: EIU Economic Statistics) for participating European countries (excluding Arabia, Israel, South Africa and Turkey) – 5% of population equals 13 million people

[6] Figures based on the average spend across all participating markets. Calculations based on money spent in 08 against projected spend for 09 – difference from €75 to €68 is 9%. Currencies have been converted into Euros to provide meaningful comparisons

[7] Figures based on the average spend across all participating markets. Calculations based on money spent by men against women – difference between €89 and €60 is 33%. Currencies have been converted into Euros to provide meaningful comparisons

Table showing Expenditure on Valentine’s Day across Europe

About Windows Live Messenger

Faster than email and easier than the phone, Windows Live Messenger is a free instant messaging (IM) service that allows people to connect with others in real time and express themselves in a rich, convenient and fun way. Windows Live Messenger is used by more than 294 million people each month, making it the world’s largest consumer IM service. The only IM service to offer full-screen video Windows Live Messenger was also the first to offer virtually unlimited file sharing. Every day over 2.5 billion Messenger messages are sent around the world and at any one time there are more than 15 million people using Windows Live Messenger – which is available at http://messenger.live.com.

About MSN and Windows Live

MSN attracts more than 465 million unique users worldwide per month. With localized versions available globally in 42 markets and 21 languages, MSN is a world leader in delivering compelling programmed content experiences to consumers and online advertising opportunities to businesses worldwide. Windows Live, a new set of personal Internet services and software, is designed to bring together in one place all the relationships, information and interests people care about most, with enhanced safety and security features across their PC, devices and the Web. MSN and Windows Live will be offered alongside each other as complementary services. Windows Live Services can be downloaded from www.get.live.com MSN is located on the Web at http://www.msn.com.

Microsoft offers tips tips for parents to create safer online environment

Dublin: 10th February 2009 – Research published by Microsoft today shows that 22 per cent of Irish teens have experienced bullying online with 4 out of 10 experiencing it frequently. The survey also found 55 percent of teens surf the internet without any restrictions from their parents. To mark EU Internet Safety Day which takes place today, Microsoft has issued tips for parents on how to tackle cyberbullying.

The research also found that of those teens who have experienced bullying online, seven out of ten experienced it while instant messaging and 48% were bullied on social networking sites. Just over three quarters (76%) of those surveyed have never reported online bullying and half (52%) believe the internet makes it easier to bully.

The research, which was carried out throughout Europe, revealed that only 11% of Irish teens never post photos or personal information online, compared to 36% of Spanish and Italian. When feeling threatened online, 38% of European teenagers said parents would be their first port of call for advice; with friends (30%) a close second. In Ireland 33% turned to their parents while two fifths (41%) claim they’d approach friends first.

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan said, “Unmonitored internet access is an emerging trend in Ireland with 55% of teens claiming they surf the web without any restrictions from their parents. Although they may claim to be aware of the risks when using the internet, teens appear uneducated on the risks. Vigilance by parents is essential to protect children and I welcome Microsoft’s intervention and efforts to raise awareness of the issue. It builds on the valuable work of the makeITsecure campaign which has sought to promote safe internet use by consumers.”

Paul Rellis, Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland said, “Today’s teens are living more and more of their life online. The advent of social media has helped our children become sophisticated web users, but they still need help and guidance on how to tackle emerging issues such as online bullying. The findings reveal worrying gaps in their internet education. We believe education a vital part of the solution and the combined efforts of industry, government, community groups and parents are required to tackle the problem.

“As a leading provider of social media services such as Windows Live and Xbox Live, Microsoft believes it is important to educate children and young people on how to have a fun, responsible and safe web experience. We are constantly developing cutting edge technical solutions and integrating technologies to our products and services help ensure that children can explore the best of the internet and are protected from the worst.”

Margie Roe, Childline On line Manager said, “It is important for parents to communicate with their children and to talk to them about Internet safety. Parents need to let their children know that they can come to them if they feel upset or uncomfortable while on line. If a child feels that he/she is being bullied they have a right to tell a parent or a trusted adult like a teacher or a friend.”

Other findings from research:

• When it comes to reporting online risks, 33% of teens approach their parents for advice
• Only 21% of teens believe young people respect each other’s privacy online
• Over half of teens (51%) DO NOT use privacy settings to restrict who can see their personal information
• Despite high levels of awareness towards online risk, 45% post images of themselves and personal information online.
• 70% of teenagers claim to have been told about the risks of being online

TIPS FOR PARENTS: HOW TO TACKLE CYBERBULLYING

1. Encourage children and their friends to look out for each other

2. Put family computer and Internet-connected game console(s) in central locations and keep an eye on children’s online activities

3. Ask children what they’re doing online and get specific answers

4. Ask for an “online tour” of the Web sites they visit, and online activities they participate in

5. Seriously discuss cyberbullying with older kids, who use the Internet in multiple locations (sometimes unsupervised outside the home)

6. Make sure children feel comfortable reporting bullying to you

7. Promise to report any such incidents on their behalf, if they want – and follow through

8. Approaching the bully’s parent, a teacher or other school official may worsen the problem. Strategize best course for your child accordingly

9. Lay out clear consequences children will face if they engage in cyberbullying against others

If you’re interested in more information on staying safe online and protecting your computer please visit:

http://www.microsoft.ie/protect

http://www.makeitsecure.ie

Belfast: February 9th 2009 - To mark Safer Internet Day, which takes place across Europe on the 10th February, 2009, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Microsoft will be visiting 25 primary schools across Northern Ireland on the 9th and 10th February 2009, to deliver internet safety talks.

Dympna Thornton, the PSNI’s Education Advisor, explains why it is important for young people to be aware of issues associated with Internet usage:

“Lots of young people access the internet under the guidance or supervision of a teacher or parent. This may be to source information to help them complete school projects. As children get older, they may also start to use the Internet to keep in touch with friends through social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace or Bebo. “We want young people to be aware that the information which they share with others may actually be accessed by a wider audience and viewed by people who are not necessarily friends. Following the steps outlined below can help to keep them safe and prevent them from becoming a victim of malicious behaviour, crime or fraud.”

Research published by Microsoft today shows that 27 per cent of teens across the UK have experienced bullying online with 3 out of 10 experiencing it frequently. The survey also found 66% of teens surf the internet without any restrictions from their parents. To mark EU Internet Safety Day which takes place today, Microsoft and the PSNI have issued tips for parents and teens to help create a safer online environment.

The research also found that of those teens that have experienced bullying online, six out of ten experienced it while instant messaging and 44% were bullied on social networking sites. Just over three quarters (73%) of those surveyed have never reported online bullying and half (56%) believe the internet makes it easier to bully.

Peter Russell, Public Sector Director, Microsoft Ireland outlines the industry’s commitment to improving Internet safety:

“The internet is a fantastic resource for finding and sharing information, as well as connecting and communicating with friends and family. However due to its size it can be difficult to regulate and it’s very important that internet users ensure that they take the appropriate measures to protect their online safety, similar to the way in which we all take precautions to prevent our property getting stolen.

“With a view to embedding good internet usage behaviour from an early age, 25 Microsoft volunteers teamed up with the Police Service to deliver a series to presentations to school children across Northern Ireland. The 30 minute presentation provided a number of tips that young people should use when surfing the net, setting up profiles or communicating with others in chat rooms.”

Some tips to help you stay safe when setting up a profile on Facebook, MySpace or Bebo:

• Never use your real name
• Never tell anyone personal things about yourself or your family such as your address, phone number or the name of your school
• Instead of posting a photo of yourself, consider using a picture you like or a photo of your favourite band.
• Don't post photos or videos that you wouldn't be happy for your parents or teacher to see. Once online they can be copied and posted in other places where you can't get rid of them.
• Keep passwords private and don't tell anyone, not even your best friend.

Once you have registered and set up your profile you can start adding friends

• Don't add anyone you don't know, even if they say they know you.
• If someone contacts you with weird or nasty messages, don't reply to them but do save the messages. Tell someone you trust such as a parent as soon as possible and show them what you have been sent.
• When writing a blog, be careful about what you write in it. Don't include too many details about yourself.
• Don't arrange to meet in person someone you have met online. Some people lie online and may not be who they say they are.
• If someone you are unsure of contacts you on a forum, contact the forum administrator.

All the pupils who attended a presentation also received a booklet on gaming called ‘Play Safe, Play Smart’ and ‘Family Safety’ courtesy of Microsoft. Guidelines on internet safety can be viewed online at www.microsoft.com/protect and www.ceop.gov.uk.

Dublin, February 4th 2009 - Microsoft has announced the availability of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2 (R2). Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 (R2) is a unified communications platform that brings together voice calls, instant messaging, audioconferencing, webconferencing, and videoconferencing into a single platform for companies that saves costs and helps teams to work better together.

Office Communications Server 2007 R2 delivers important new functionality that extends software-powered voice, particularly for remote and mobile workers; provides on-premise audioconferencing to help reduce operational costs; and introduces new developer advances, including the ability to build communications-enabled business processes. These enhancements will improve business communications through a unified infrastructure and user experience.

“Office Communications Server 2007 R2 brings even great benefits to Irish customers,” according to Richard Moore, Business Manager, Information Worker for Microsoft Ireland.  “It helps to quickly reduce costs by introducing VOIP capability and providing rich web conferencing technology which helps teams to communicate and collaborate without having to travel,  In addition it supports increased productivity by enabling co-workers to find and communicate with each other whether they are in the office or on the road.”

Nigel Horncastle at eircom welcomed the latest release of Office Communications Server 2007: "OCS 2007 R2 adds important new telephony and collaboration features that enables it to provide a richer communications platform capability for all organisations. For example, eircom are currently working with a number of construction companies to develop a solution that enables construction sites to be linked via VoIP based audio visual calling and conferencing. The aim is to deliver tangible cost savings via reduced travel and expenses whilst at the same increasing staff efficiencies"

“The current economic climate is encouraging companies to evaluate how technology can help to reduce costs while boosting efficiency,” commented Tom O’Neill, managing director at Brandon Consulting.  “This updated release of Office Communications Server 2007 is a great example of technology that achieves both of those objectives.  OCS helps businesses to reduce operational costs such as travel and telephony, while enabling colleagues to connect and work together wherever they are. We’re seeing our customers get a rapid return from their investments in unified communications.”

Software-Powered Voice for Today and Tomorrow

Since the solution became available in 2007, businesses have begun migrating their workers off their PBXs to Office Communications Server for all their telephony needs. Customers such as Royal Dutch Shell plc are already taking a load off their PBXs by using Office Communications Server and Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 for mobile and remote workers in place of PBX phones to provide global employees with innovative communications solutions to quickly and efficiently reach their colleagues and help reduce operational costs.

Office Communications Server 2007 R2 takes the complexity out of daily communications and delivers the next generation of streamlined tools that enable users to find and communicate with the right person, right now, from the applications they use most (such as Microsoft Office Outlook).

Key Features and Enhancements

Office Communications Server 2007 R2 includes all components of Office Communications Server 2007, as well as a host of new features and enhancements to streamline communications, increase flexibility and incorporate communications into business processes:

Streamlined Communication

• Office Communications Server Attendant Console. This new client application is optimized for receptionists, team secretaries and others to manage incoming calls and conferences on behalf of their teams through an intuitive software-based interface that uses presence-based technology to indicate individual availability and best means of contact.
• Microsoft Office Mobile Communicator. This integrated mobile client, now available on Nokia S40, Motorola Razr, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile platforms, provides rich presence information, instant messaging and Single Number Reach, making the cell phone an extension of the office phone.²
• Cross-Platform Desktop Sharing. A new feature of Microsoft Office Communicator and Communicator Web Access that allows users to share their desktop to collaborate with external users on PC, Mac and Linux platforms. Using voice integration technology, Communicator Web Access works with Office Communications Server 2007 R2 to enable remote users to conveniently specify and call phone numbers on the device of their choice.
• Group Chat. This new client application enables geographically dispersed teams to collaborate with each other by participating in topic-based discussions that persist over time. This application provides users with a list of all available chat rooms and topics, periodically archives discussions in an XML file format that meets compliance regulations, provides tools to search the entire history of discussion on a given topic, and offers filters and alerts to notify someone of new posts or topics on a particular topic.
• Response Group. This workflow design application defines how incoming calls are routed to the appropriate person based on interactive voice response and user-configured rules (e.g., round robin, longest idle, simultaneous).

Increased Operational Flexibility and Control

• Dial-in Conferencing. An on-premise bridge allows organizations to cut costs by hosting their own conference calls, whether connecting by voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) or traditional telephones.
• Single Number Reach. This server feature intelligently forwards calls to a user’s cell phone and treats calls initiated on a cell phone as business calls, allowing the enterprise to integrate voicemail messages and consolidate call records for compliance and billing purposes. With Single Number Reach, organizations can also preserve customer relationships even if key employees depart by depositing unanswered voice messages into a central, enterprise voicemail system.
• Session Internet Protocol (SIP) Trunking. A mechanism for directly connecting to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) over a SIP trunk without requiring on-premise gateways, reducing the complexity of network management and associated costs.
• Call Monitoring. Companies can use Call Monitoring to maintain call logs and track phone data for easier billing processes, business analysis and troubleshooting.

Extensible Communications Platform

• Build communications into business processes. Office Communications Server 2007 R2 provides developers with the tools they need to build business solutions that join structured activities and information with presence and communication tools, enabling users to communicate within applications they are most familiar.
• Interoperate with existing telephony and conferencing infrastructure. A broad range of partners can help customers interoperate with existing PBX or videoconferencing infrastructure directly or through gateways, allowing customer to depreciate assets rather than ripping and replacing.
• Implement a future-ready, software-powered VoIP infrastructure. Broad developer support in the forms of published developer interfaces and device protocols are optimized for superior customer choice, value and end-user experience.

Users seeking advanced functionality can complement Office Communications Server 2007 R2 with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, a cornerstone of the Microsoft unified communications portfolio that offers built-in auto attendant for answering and routing inbound voice calls as well as unified messaging that brings together voice mail and e-mail in a single inbox.

To find out more, visit the Unified Communications Virtual Press Room

A new national initiative bringing Transition Year students and older people together to share computer and life skills goes nationwide in January 2009.

Dublin: January 19th 2008 - Log On, Learn is a collaborative initiative between Intel, An Post and Microsoft. More than 100 secondary schools across the country have already signed up to the Log On, Learn programme this year. As the programme is rolled out further, it will have the capacity to train up to 30,000 older people in basic computer skills, making it the largest delivery system of computer training designed especially for older people.

During January, An Post is sponsoring a national television and online advertisement to promote computer literacy for older people as part of their National Adult Literacy campaign. The initiative is promoted locally by the TY students, allowing them to improve their marketing skills.

Research has shown that older people experience a ‘fear factor’ around computers and often express the opinion that computers are ‘not for them’. The perception is that computers are complex and ‘difficult to learn’. Many older people miss out on the benefits of being able to use the internet and other basic digital equipment like ATMs and mobile phones.

As the ‘digital divide’ widens, barriers to accessing computer training and literacy can lead to social isolation and greater expense for older people. Having a basic knowledge of computer and internet skills can give access to many exclusively online products and lower prices. It can also mean increased contact with family and friends at home and abroad, leading to greater quality of life and happiness.

In order to address the growing problem of literacy for people of all ages, An Post, Intel and Microsoft, have come together to devise and promote the Log On, Learn programme. Log On, Learn uses the one-to-one teaching method, which is designed to ‘buddy up’ a participating transition year student tutor with an older person from their local community to share their skills with one another.

From the school computer room, the student tutors share their knowledge of how to use a PC and mouse, basic word processing and Internet confidence, at a pace which suits the older person. The relationships built allow the older person to share their ability to relate and communicate opinions, memories and life experience.

Log On, Learn has been enthusiastically approved by Michael O’Leary, Dept of Education. “As National Co-ordinator of the Transition Year Programme I wholeheartedly support the initiative and will support its promotion in as many ways as possible. ….The Transition Year rational is ‘to promote the personal, social, vocational and educational development of students and to prepare them for their role as autonomous, participative and responsible members of society.”

Log on, Learn supports this rational in all of its components. For students and older people to work and learn from each others experiences, in the safe environs of the school, is to admired and encouraged. Both partners can benefit greatly from the experience and the interaction can only lead to a more caring and supportive community for all involved.”

To get information on courses in your local area please contact 01 214 7414.

Dr. Kevin Marshall, Academic Programme Manager at Microsoft Ireland said; “Technology is becoming an integral part of all our lives. It opens up fantastic opportunities from online communications, to research, entertainment and shopping,” Of course the key to using technology is knowledge and that’s why Log On, Learn is such a fantastic initiative. It provides older people with the skills and confidence they need to use the latest technology, while it also provides students with fantastic experience in meeting, training and communicating with others. This is a project that truly benefits society, and we’re very proud to be involved.”

Máire Hoctor, T.D. Minister for Older People at the launch of the initiative commented; “This is a wonderful initiative which will increase older peoples’ connectivity by giving them access to digital communication, while providing a unique opportunity for them to work with teenagers. I have no doubt this cross generational approach will be of mutual benefit. I congratulate teachers, transition year students, along with Intel, Microsoft and An Post for making this innovative approach, a reality.”

An Post Chief Executive, Donal Connell said;

“The Log On, Learn initiative is a perfect partner to the An Post/NALA adult literacy campaign launched last year. Computers require a certain degree of literacy and we at An Post have made a long-term commitment to improve literacy levels. If we are to raise awareness on a national level we must begin on the ground in a local setting. The Log On, Learn initiative will deliver real benefits to the participating Older People who can often feel marginalised in the digital era. Through this programme An Post will have a positive impact on the lives of both older and younger people.”

John Davies, Intel General Manager, World Ahead Programme said that; “to survive and thrive in this growing knowledge-based economy, our older citizens must be equipped with 21st Century skills to stay in touch. Intel is committed to improving digital inclusion and education for all,”

Dublin: January 16th 2009 - Microsoft Ireland has launched an online survey intended to build a better understanding of the attitudes and experiences of 14–18 year olds to online bullying and online privacy.

The survey is exclusively for 14–18 year old respondents.

You can take the survey here.

Microsoft will not collect or use any personal information and will use the responses to the survey for statistical purposes only to create a small report on the topic.

Company previews simpler, better Windows operating system and highlights connected entertainment offerings at CES.

Las Vegas: January 7th, 2009 — In a keynote address at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer announced the beta availability of the Windows 7 operating system as well as the availability of the latest version of the Windows Live, a suite of personal communications services and applications.

Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer delivers the pre-event keynote at International CES 2009; Ballmer announced the availability of Windows 7 beta and new partnerships with Web sites such as facebook. Jan. 7, 2009, Las Vegas.

Ballmer also announced new alliances with the following companies:

•  Dell Inc. In February, to offer a comprehensive experience for consumers to connect, share and personalize their content, Dell will offer preloaded Windows Live Essentials (a free suite of applications for instant messaging, e-mail and photos that complement Windows Live on the Web) and Live Search on a majority of its new consumer and small-business PCs globally.

• Facebook. In the coming months, Facebook users can choose to share content they post on Facebook, including photos, directly into Windows Live.

Together with Internet Explorer 8, currently in beta and releasing soon, Windows Live helps make the things people do most on the Web (searching, sharing and communicating) faster and less complex with fewer clicks, logins and customizations. Windows Live is now available for download at http://www.windowslive.com/explore, or automatically via Microsoft Update for current customers.

Windows 7 Consumer Features Showcased

Microsoft demonstrated new features and key improvement in Windows 7 based on listening to the needs of customers. Windows 7 is designed to do the following:

• Work the way consumers want. With Windows 7, Microsoft paid special attention to performance, reliability, security, compatibility and battery life. The company is on track to deliver a great experience that will allow customers to spend more time doing the things they want to do, without the operating system getting in the way.

• Make everyday tasks faster and easier. The more streamlined and intuitive design of Windows 7 is intended to simplify the things people do every day on their PCs. Desktop improvements make using the PC easier and provide immediate access to the applications and files people use most often through features such as Jumplists, Previews and the new Taskbar. The new Home Group feature makes it easier for consumers to connect multiple home PCs together to share printers and access files, music, photos and videos. Device Stage makes connecting and working with devices easier than ever with a single interface to manage devices and run common tasks. New multitouch technology in Windows 7 will enable people with touch-screen monitors to use multiple fingers to interact with their PC screens in a more intuitive way.

• Offer a better entertainment experience. Consumers today have access to more digital media and are increasingly using the PC as the hub of their electronic experiences. The “Play-to” feature in Windows 7 allows easier streaming of music, video and photos to devices in a home network. Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center in Windows 7 have built-in support for more media formats so people can use their PC to play more media content and sync it to a broader range of devices. As an alternative to monthly digital video recording (DVR) fees, Windows Media Center, available in some editions of Windows 7, with a TV tuner and improved user interface, makes recording TV free and easy.

Entertainment That Extends Across Devices; New Xbox Experiences Previewed

Microsoft’s president of the Entertainment & Devices Division, Robbie Bach, shared the stage at CES with Ballmer. Bach addressed Microsoft’s unique ability to deliver entertainment on virtually any screen that consumers commonly use today, including the PC, TV and mobile phone.

Despite a tough holiday and economy, Xbox 360 registered its biggest year ever, driven by record sales at retail with 28 million consoles sold to date, an 84 percent jump in online consumer spending, and Xbox LIVE membership that has grown to 17 million active members.

“Not only is Xbox 360 one of the world’s leading next-generation gaming consoles, but with partners like Netflix, it is one of the world’s leading entertainment devices, period,” Bach said. “With 28 million consoles sold worldwide, an active online community of 17 million members, and more than $1 billion spent on Xbox LIVE since the launch of the Xbox 360, it’s clear that consumer demand for these great entertainment experiences has never been higher. We’re only beginning to scratch the surface of what’s possible with Xbox.”

Bach shared how consumer demand for connected TV experiences is growing and announced the Mediaroom platform has reached nearly 2.5 million subscriber homes worldwide, an increase of more than 1.5 million new connections in the past year alone. The award-winning Microsoft Mediaroom is driving the future of television by enabling broadband service providers to deliver new connected TV and entertainment experiences to consumers around the world. Bach also unveiled a groundbreaking feature called Mediaroom Anytime that lets subscribers access previously aired shows directly from the Interactive Program Guide without any pre-planning or prior DVR recording.

Bach discussed how Microsoft is making it easier than ever for people to synch their entertainment content across the screens in their lives. This month, Microsoft and Netflix, the world’s largest online movie rental service, will offer software that enables Windows Mobile customers to update and view their Netflix movie queue. Changes will appear instantly on Netflix on Xbox LIVE, extending the existing service that launched in November. Xbox 360 is the only game system that lets people instantly watch thousands of movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix, many in HD.

Bach also spoke about how Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE are transforming the way people enjoy interactive entertainment at home. This spring, Microsoft will introduce a new interactive entertainment genre with the premiere of the Xbox LIVE Primetime channel, which brings together the best of TV and gaming. Xbox LIVE Primetime will debut with an online version of the popular TV show “1 vs. 100” that enables thousands of gamers to play together with real hosts and compete for real prizes.

In addition, Bach talked about the outpouring of creativity from the Xbox community since the announcement of Community Games in November, with over 100 new games available for anyone to play. He highlighted an upcoming Xbox LIVE Community Game called “Kodu,” launching in the spring, designed to help anyone from age 7 to 70 create their own video games.

Additional information about Microsoft at CES 2009 is available on the Microsoft CES Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/ces.

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

Dublin: January 7th 2009 - Minister for Education, Mr Batt O’Keeffe, TD, launched a new online game supported by Microsoft and the County and City Enterprise Boards, which is aimed at teaching students real-life business skills. The Small Business Game involves students running a virtual sports shop and teaches them key business skills such as marketing, finance and stock management.

The Business Game gives students the opportunity to develop enterprise skills in a virtual online world.  However, it is more than just a game as it will be closely linked to the Junior Cert curriculum. This means that teachers can utilise the game to give students the opportunity to have their students examine business concepts in a more realistic but virtual way.

Minister of Education, Mr Batt O’Keeffe launching the game said: “This is a wonderful demonstration of how technology can be adapted to meet the needs of the curriculum. Using the game, students will get a very real flavour of what it takes to run a business and if we can continue to provide these types of enterprise experiences to our students it is much more likely that they will decide to try the real thing in the future.”

“Fostering business skills and entrepreneurship must start in our schools and the Small Business Game provides students with a fantastic medium to learn many of the skills they will need to operate in the real world when they have completed their studies,” said Paul Rellis, Managing Director of Microsoft. “Playing the game, students will be faced with real business decisions and like in the real world success or failure will be based entirely on the decisions they make. This is a valuable skill to learn at a young age.”

Gerry Enright, County and City Enterprise Boards noted, “This game is hugely valuable as it offers students the opportunity to implement what they are leaving in business studies class. Utilizing the game to take lessons beyond the curriculum, students can learn what works in business and what doesn’t. by experimenting with different strategies and tactics students can see the impact of their decisions.

To play the game, schools needs to register at www.businessgame.ie. For Irish secondary school students only, it is designed for ages 13 - 18. All a school requires is an internet connection and Flash Player 8 or higher installed on a computer. If resources are limited, teachers can choose to run the game from their laptop and project the game in class. Registered teachers can access the specially designed Teacher Resources Area for more ideas on how to use The Small Business Game in class.

Dublin: December 17th 2008 -   Microsoft is encouraging customers to follow simple safety guidelines including the application of all relevant software updates, installing up-to-date anti-virus and anti-malware software and ensuring that the firewall on their PC is turned on. 

Updated Information:

The security update for Internet Explorer has been released.  The update will help protect customers from malicious attacks. Like a vaccine developed to fight a virus, this “security update” will protect your computer only if you install it.  If you have turned on Automatic Updates, your computer will install the security update automatically.  If you don’t use Automatic Updates, please go to http://update.microsoft.com. 

The Microsoft Security Response Centre continues to monitor the threat landscape while working, and sharing information with, partners around the globe through the Microsoft Active Protections Program to help protect our customers.

Microsoft strongly recommends that consumers find out how to protect their PC by visiting:  http://www.microsoft.ie/protect/

It’s important that consumers:

• Keep anti-virus and anti-malware software up to date
• Turn on their computer’s firewall
• Ensure that their PC is up-to-date with the latest software updates
• Turn on Windows Update to ensure that software is patched automatically

Microsoft has published an advisory with detailed information which customers can access at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/961051.mspx

Company encourages greater transparency in the pursuit of interoperability by publishing ODF and Open XML implementation notes.

REDMOND, Wash. — Dec. 16, 2008 — To help foster interoperability among office productivity applications, Microsoft Corp. today published documentation detailing its implementation of OASIS Open Document Format (ODF) version 1.1 support in Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 2, currently in beta and scheduled for release next year. Similarly detailed notes about the company’s implementation of Open XML (Ecma 376 Edition 1) in Office will follow in the coming weeks.

“This is an extremely valuable contribution to the pursuit of grounded, practical interoperability among applications,” said Dennis Hamilton, document-system interoperability architect. “This step raises the bar for transparent disclosure of how standard formats are supported at a detailed level.”

“By publishing notes on how we are implementing file format standards in Microsoft Office, we are providing detail that others can use as a reference point for their own applications,” said Doug Mahugh, senior project manager for Office interoperability. “We encourage other companies to take similar steps to help achieve greater interoperability across the industry.”

Microsoft’s implementation notes include the following:

• Details on implementation decisions. When implementing a standard, an implementer may find the text ambiguous or more permissive than is appropriate for that particular implementation. In these cases implementers need to make a choice that best suits their application. This type of information enables developers to see the direction a vendor is taking and make informed decisions about their own efforts to interoperate.

• Details on additional data written into files. File format standards typically allow additional application-specific information (such as certain user customizations) to be written to the file. By providing this information vendors allow developers to correctly interpret the additional data.

• Details on implementation variances. With every application there may be instances where an implementer cannot follow the standard exactly for one reason or another. For example, general industry practice may differ from what is in the specification or users may have made clear that they need something different. In such cases, it is important for vendors to document their approach so other vendors can make fully informed decisions about how they will approach implementation.

Standardization is a useful first step in promoting interoperability, but more work is required among vendors to achieve the goal:

• Shared stewardship in the ongoing evolution of the standards as they are maintained by the standards body. Microsoft is committed to being an active participant in the evolution of ODF, Open XML, XML Paper Specification and PDF standards. Microsoft has already made contributions to ODF in OASIS and is actively participating in the maintenance of Open XML in ISO/IEC.

• Transparency. Vendors must be transparent when implementing standards in their own products. By publishing these implementation notes Microsoft is helping other developers and vendors make informed decisions on how they create their own implementations. In addition to the ODF notes, Microsoft will also publish similar implementation notes for Open XML in the coming months. This information will be updated over time as products change and based on feedback.

• Collaboration. Vendors must collaborate with other vendors to identify and resolve real-world issues among implementations, and build tools and solutions to improve interoperability over time. Events such as the DII workshops around the world enable technical vendor discussions, labs and solution-enablement programs that help vendors develop solutions for effective data exchange between product implementations of document format standards.

Further information about the ODF implementers notes is available at the DII site, http://www.documentinteropinitiative.org, or by reading the Microsoft PressPass question and answer article with Doug Mahugh, senior product manager, Office Interoperability, at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2008/dec08/12-16DougMahughQA.mspx. More information on Microsoft’s approach to interoperability including its Interoperability Principles is available at http://www.microsoft.com/interop.

Dublin: December 16th 2008 - A new report from the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) shows how Ireland can maximize its competitive advantage in a digital environment.

An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD, today launches 'The Next Leap: Competitive Ireland in the Digital Era', a report on trends in the digital sector and government opportunities for action.

"Ireland is at a moment of opportunity. A digital revolution is transforming the global environment in which Ireland operates, a revolution which presents huge opportunities for Ireland to engage with a global market of unprecedented scale," says Johnny Ryan, a Senior Researcher at the IIEA, and author of the report.

Paul Rellis, Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland, speaking on the report, says "Now is the time to create the vision of a new economic reality.  If Ireland fosters innovation and enterprise in the digital space, it can create social and economic benefits.” ”However, to do so requires bold and brave investment.  In forty years' time, historians will look back at the actions we took to address the challenges and opportunities presented to us. They will commend our foresight on the basis of the actions we take now."

Download the report here

The report represents the best and boldest concepts drawn from the input of leaders in the field of research, entrepreneurs, media producers, multinational companies and early stage startups, software vendors, educators, and public sector bodies and organisations, who were consulted during the IIEA's Digital Sector Stakeholders' Competitiveness Consultation.

'The Next Leap' offers a cross-cutting draft plan of action for government in promoting our knowledge economy based on extensive consultation with key stakeholders in the digital sector.  The report identifies emerging trends that will characterise the digital environment in the coming years and government actions that could capitalise on these trends.

"In 2008, the IIEA identified Ireland's competitiveness in the digital sector as a priority area for research. The trigger for this research was the warning by the Irish Technology Leadership Group in Silicon Valley that Ireland was no longer mentioned among the top five countries in the digital sector," Jill Donoghue, Director General of the IIEA.

The report is available on http://nextleap.wordpress.com

Microsoft takes action against alleged “Blue Edition” software scheme and illegal global online sales of high-quality counterfeit software; company reminds consumers to remain vigilant when shopping online.

REDMOND, Washington: December 4th, 2008 — Microsoft today announced legal actions around the world against online auctioneers who allegedly orchestrated international marketing schemes and sold counterfeit software to unsuspecting customers. Legal actions were announced against auctioneers involved in numerous schemes, including the alleged fraudulent sale of so-called “ Blue Edition,” counterfeit Windows XP software and illicit software components on online auction sites. In one case that demonstrates how global the trade-in fake software has become, counterfeiters in New Zealand allegedly sold counterfeit they obtained in China to customers in six countries.

The 63 legal actions are taking place in 12 countries, including 16 in the United States, 12 in Germany, 12 in France and 7 in the United Kingdom, as well as proceedings in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand. These cases are a timely reminder to consumers to be vigilant during this holiday season to avoid falling prey to fakes when shopping online for good deals on software.

The majority of the cases announced today involve counterfeit Windows XP software or components. Windows XP is coming to the end of its sales cycle, and although genuine Windows XP products are still available through some channels, customers should be vigilant to avoid counterfeit software. To help, Microsoft provides resources such as http://www.howtotell.com and other tools to help consumers buy smart.

“Dishonest auctioneers are too often using these online auction sites to sell counterfeit and illegal copies of Microsoft software, taking advantage of unsuspecting customers around the world,” said David Finn, associate general counsel for Worldwide Anti-Piracy and Anti-Counterfeiting at Microsoft. “These dealers are peddling bogus products that can put customers and their personal information at serious risk.”

In recent months, Microsoft received complaints from victims of a new online auction scheme by auctioneers selling discounted software from a fabricated marketing program dubbed “Blue Edition. The entirely fictional “Blue Edition” scheme fools unsuspecting consumers into purchasing counterfeit software burned onto a CD.

“By taking legal action against these and other alleged counterfeiters, Microsoft is helping ensure that consumers around the world are protected from those who sell counterfeit software over the Internet,” Finn said. We are also continuing to arm our customers with the information they need to keep from falling victim to counterfeit software. Consumers should be aware that the so-called ‘Blue Edition’ software is nothing more than low-quality counterfeit software burned onto a CD.”

The growth of Internet auction sites has also made it possible for people to purchase software online from anywhere in the world. One of the cases announced today spans four continents and is a reminder of the global nature of the online counterfeit software problem. In this particular case, Microsoft New Zealand and Microsoft Australia received complaints from customers who had allegedly purchased the counterfeit software in question. Numerous consumer complaints were also filed on iOffer.com and Trademe.co.nz against the reseller. Microsoft is committed to following up with each complaint it receives as part of its ongoing effort to protect customers and partners from software piracy, and this case reflects that commitment.

As part of its follow-up investigation in this case, Microsoft learned that auctioneers in New Zealand sold high-quality counterfeit Microsoft Windows and Office software to unsuspecting consumers in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and 15 U.S. states. As further evidence of the global scope of online piracy schemes, the defendants in this case sold the counterfeit software from their base in New Zealand and had it shipped to unknowing customers in the U.S. directly from China, according to the complaint.

“The International Trademark Association applauds Microsoft’s actions to help make online auctions safer for consumers and less hospitable to counterfeiters who are violating trademark laws,” said Alan C. Drewsen, executive director, INTA. “Unsuspecting customers seeking good deals on the Internet are a prime target for counterfeiters, and we encourage customers to be smart shoppers to avoid fakes. Legal actions like these send an important message around the world that intellectual property infringement, wherever it occurs, is a global crime that endangers consumers as well as brand owners.”

Risks of Counterfeit Software

Counterfeit software presents real risks to consumers and businesses by opening their computers to security breaches that can result in the loss, damage or misuse of important data or personal information. Even the most experienced online shoppers searching online marketplaces for the best deal can be tricked by counterfeit resellers. A June 2006 forensic analysis of counterfeit Windows XP disks conducted by Microsoft found that 34 percent of the disks could not be installed correctly and 43 percent contained tampered code that could leave a victim open to data loss, identity theft or other malicious attacks. Businesses as well as consumers can be caught off guard by this risky software. More information on how consumers can make safe software purchasing decisions appears at http://www.howtotell.com.

Certain internet auction platforms, like eBay, proactively cooperate with Microsoft in the fight against counterfeiters. None of these actions we have filed today have been brought against eBay or other auction sites. In many cases, sites like eBay can and do play a role in fighting the problem.

Genuine Microsoft Software

These lawsuits are part of Microsoft’s Genuine Software Initiative, which is aimed at advancing education within the software ecosystem as part of Microsoft’s long-term efforts to increase awareness about the consequences of software piracy; advance engineering technologies to protect its intellectual property; and support enforcement of anti-piracy policies and laws. More information about Microsoft’s Genuine Software Initiative is available at http://www.microsoft.com/genuine.

Resources:

• To find out more about Genuine Microsoft Software please visit this website.
• For tips on how to tell if software is genuine or not please visit this website.
• There is a fact sheet on “Buyer Be Smart on Online Auctions” here.

Vienna, Austria: Tuesday 2nd December 2008 – Enable Ireland’s National Assistive Technology Training Centre has today received a medal from the European Commission for its innovative use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for people with disabilities. This medal is in recognition of the launch of Ireland’s first National AT Training Centre, by Enable Ireland and with the support of Microsoft Ireland, in November 2007.

Assistive Technology (AT) is one of the major enablers in helping people with disabilities to live independently, access education and enter the workforce. With over 70% of AT being discarded due to a lack of training, Enable Ireland’s services are helping to bring the full benefits of the technology to the people who need it. AT also benefits those who either acquire injuries or disabilities at work who might otherwise have to retire or take sick leave. On a global scale the most conservative estimate of the related costs of Repetitive Strain Injury for example (RSI) runs into the hundreds of billions of dollars.

Enable Ireland provides a range of AT training courses. However the growing demand for such training means there was a need for a full-time facility. As a result Enable Ireland, with support from Microsoft, has created Ireland’s first National Assistive Technology Training Centre. The new centre provides AT training and advice all year round to an estimated 700 people.

Speaking today from the award ceremony, Siobhan Long, manager of the National High Tech Assistive Technology Service said: “It’s a great honour to receive this recognition from the European Commission. We passionately believe in the potential of AT to remove barriers that might previously have prevented people with disabilities from accessing education and employment. At a time of significant economic downturn, it is even more important that we retain sight of the potential for these technologies to make a real and tangible difference to the lives of people with disabilities. I would also like to thank Microsoft for their support in helping us to open our AT centre and for their continued support since it’s opening.”

Pictured: Minister of State, Dept of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Sean Power, T.D., and Siobhán Long, Manager of Enable Ireland’s National Assistive Technology Training Service at the E-Inclusion awards in Vienna.

Tom Murphy, head of community affairs at Microsoft Ireland said: “It’s vital that we all work towards building an inclusive information society where we focus on assisting some 30-40 per cent of European citizens who remain at risk of being excluded because of socio-economic factors such as low income, low levels of education, disability, cultural or geographic isolation or old age. The trojan work undertaken by Enable Ireland illustrates how the combination of technology, training and support can help address many of these issues.”

“At Microsoft we have a vision of helping people to realize their full potential. Enable Ireland is a community partner who embodies that vision. Since the opening of the Assistive Technology Centre in Crumlin we have seen changes in so many people’s lives from helping them to lead an independent life to getting back into the work force. We are proud of our long association with Enable Ireland and our delighted to be celebrating this medal of recognition with them. I would like to congratulate Siobhan and her team on their continued hard work in this area.”

You can find out more about Microsoft’s community programmes here.

You can visit Enable Ireland online here.

Dublin: 20th November 2008 – In the current economic environment, charities should take a more rigorous approach to applying business practices when running their organisations, attendees at The Partnering for Success Conference heard today. Mark Butcher, an international expert on the community and voluntary sector delivered the key note address at the event. The Conference included representatives from the private and community & voluntary sectors, who came together to explore the leadership and management challenges facing organisations in Ireland and how both can learn from each other.

The conference marks the first time that the corporate and community & voluntary sectors have formally come together to explore how the private and the community & voluntary sectors can work together for mutual benefit. The event was supported by a number of organisations from the private sector and the community & voluntary sector including; The Wheel, Carmichael Centre, GlaxoSmithKline, Microsoft, Ulster Bank, Vodafone Ireland Foundation, and Recruitment Plus.

Mark Butcher told the conference delegates that focus on customer management strategy, adopting structural delegation, mission critical priorities and avoiding pitfalls like strategic neglect could mean the difference between just surviving and delivering stakeholders a quality service.

Addressing the conference, Mr Butcher said, “We are facing economically turbulent times and just like the private sector, the not for profit sector needs to adapt to meet new challenges. To ensure sustainability and meet responsibilities of stakeholders, leaders in the community and voluntary sector need to focus on taking a strategic business approach to running their organizations. They need to adopt, where feasible, management tools and thinking that can sometimes be wrongly viewed as the preserve of the private sector.”

Deirdre Garvey of The Wheel said “Very often the community & voluntary sector doesn’t have the resources to run its organisations that are so readily available to the private sector and as a result the process of managing the organisation can suffer because sacrifices are made to keep the front-line service running. Today’s conference is very valuable as non-profit groups who attended received invaluable advice from experts in the fields of HR, technology, fundraising and management to help drive strategic thinking and streamline the processes of running a charity.”

Tina Roche, CEO of Business in the Community said, “Now, more than ever, charities need to be thinking strategically about how they work with business. Since 2000, Business in the Community Ireland has been working with the community & voluntary sector and supporting them to develop links with Irish business. It is fantastic to see so many of our member companies involved in this event, clearly demonstrating their commitment and support. Particularly in times of economic downturn, communities and business need to create strategic partnerships and avail of resources such as skills sharing and employee volunteering in order to turn our mutual challenges into opportunities for success.”

“Partnership between the private sector and the community and voluntary sector presents great opportunities for both,” commented Tom Murphy, head of corporate social responsibility at Microsoft Ireland.  “While there’s a lot of talk about the current economic climate, the reality is that there is a lot of opportunity for building relationships across both sectors that will benefit everyone.  The Partnering for Success conference presents a fantastic opportunity to start this discussion.”

The conference included discussions and seminars on how the community & voluntary sector is developing and the main challenges that face its leaders. It also focused on how the corporate and voluntary sectors can foster and develop ongoing relationships by sharing best practice and experiences. Specialist sessions covering areas such as governance, fundraising, management, HR and technology, were hosted by the corporate partners.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008 are designed to help businesses reduce costs while boosting productivity

Dublin: November 13, 2008 - Microsoft has launched Windows Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008) and Windows Essential Business Server 2008 (EBS 2008), products which have been specifically designed to help small and medium sized companies to take advantage of IT to drive increased competitiveness. The new server products reduce the cost and complexity of managing a computer network while enabling small and medium businesses to take advantage of the latest productivity developments such as mobile e-mail and remote collaboration.

Over 16,000 small businesses in Ireland are using the previous release of Microsoft Windows Small Business Server:

David Walsh, Finance Director of Sign and Digital Materials believes, “the real value in upgrading to Small Business Server 2008 is Exchange 2007 and the mobility features, being able to access information and emails from the road. SBS 2008 will keep my sales force on the road in all corners of the country, instead of wasting time having to come back to the office they can be where they are needed. It removes all barriers to offering good service to our customers and delivering value to the business and staying competitive.”

Nicole Fitzgerald, Finance Manager for Thornton’s Recycling said, “we’ve been working with Netforce, Microsoft Certified Partner for a number of years and have been using Microsoft Small Business Server since 2000.  The new version of SBS will give us Microsoft SQL Server 2008 to run our LOB solutions even faster and more securely, enhancing our branch and remote access connectivity through Remote Web Workplace and mobility through Exchange 2007 as well as giving us larger email storage and better control over email security and archiving.   By developing a strong IT infrastructure and deploying upgrades such as Microsoft Hyper-V and the latest version of Small Business Server 2008 we know that we can stay ahead of the game by being more productive and placing our energy where it’s needed, delivering a secure and cost efficient service to our customers.”

“Ireland has over 72,000 small businesses which are the centre of our local economy. Today only one in six small businesses in Ireland have a server,” said Enda Flynn, Windows Essential Server Solutions Product Manager, Microsoft Ireland. “In today’s economic climate, businesses are looking at how they can reduce costs while increasing their competitiveness. We believe that technology provides the means to address both issues. SBS 2008 and EBS 2008 have been specifically designed provide the ideal set of technologies a small or medium sized business needs to reduce the time and cost of doing business while becoming more productive. The success of our small and medium companies is central to the health of our economy.”

While large companies typically have specialists on staff with the technical knowledge, budgets and time needed to manage IT environments, small and midsize businesses rarely have dedicated IT staff. Based on direct feedback from customers, SBS 2008 and EBS 2008 have been designed to greatly reduce the setup and ongoing management of a company’s IT network, while enabling a whole range of new capabilities from mobile e-mail to collaboration between employees in the office or working remotely.

SBS 2008 is an all-in-one server solution designed to help small business owners to keep data secure and their company more productive. It supports up to fifty PCs and provides many of the capabilities you’d only expect to find in large companies, such as e-mail and collaboration tools, internet connectivity, internal web sites, remote access, support for mobile devices, file and printer sharing and backup and restore capabilities. EBS 2008 is designed for the midsized market from fifty to three hundred PCs. It expands on the capabilities of SBS 2008 by adding greater capacity and the management and security tools you need to easily control a larger IT environment.

Partner support for small businesses

In Ireland, Microsoft currently has over 1,700 partners working closely with small customers to help them reduce cost and increase productivity through the effective use of technology.

“Windows Small Business Server 2008 will help our customers be more productive by simplifying those day-to-day management challenges that they face as well as allowing them to focus on their business. The integrated features such as the reporting console, remote access, centralised file storage and security innovations such as Exchange Forefront and Windows Live OneCare will free up business owners from having to deal with interruptions to their IT infrastructure and allow them to focus on developing the business,” commented Larry Doyle, Managing Director, Netforce Ltd and Microsoft Certified Partner.

“SBS 2008 builds on the success of SBS 2003 improving security, performance and the ability to work remotely. The improvements to Remote Web Workplace help small companies to be very competitive in the current economic climate. They will be able to work from any location in real time, never missing a beat. Combined with Windows Mobile ability to use Windows Sharepoint Services 3 to access files on your PDA, and to have Push Mail with Exchange 2007 offers great features for the ever expanding number of devices that small business users today have to use in their normal work day,” commented David Houston, Leader SBS Ireland User Group and CTO of Dame Computers Ltd.

Microsoft hardware partners are offering a broad choice of solutions for SBS 2008 and EBS 2008. Dell Inc., HP and IBM Corp. have optimized their hardware configurations for a superior customer experience when installing, running and maintaining SBS 2008. HP, IBM and Intel Corporation have also designed and priced blade servers specifically for midsize customers. Combined with EBS 2008, these blade servers give customers an affordable and scalable infrastructure solution that is easy to set up and manage. Customers can also choose from a wide variety of traditional rack-and-tower servers from Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo and Sun Microsystems Inc.

Many independent software vendors (ISVs) are also supporting SBS 2008 and EBS 2008, across a wide variety of applications such as backup and recovery, security, business management, systems management, line-of-business applications, and more. In addition, SBS 2008 and EBS 2008 will run virtually any applications certified on Windows Server 2008.

Platinum sponsors participating in the worldwide launch are Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD), CA, Citrix Systems Inc., Dell, HP, IBM, Intel, Lenovo, Sun Microsystems, Symantec Corp. and Trend Micro Inc.

Product Details:

Small Business Server 2008 – Companies with 5-50 PCs

Designed for companies with up to 75 users or PCs, SBS 2008 is an integrated server solution created to help businesses keep their data more secure and make their company more productive. SBS provides many of the technologies used by larger companies, such as Windows Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and other Microsoft products.

Standard Edition:

• Windows Server 2008 Standard Technologies
  • Strong IT Foundation system core with flexible and robust operating  system
• Windows Sharepoint Services 3.0
  • Share internal documents, coordinate calendars, manage issues and participate in discussions while you’re on the road
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition
  • Messaging and collaboration  with unparalleled security features
• Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange Server
  • E-mail Security with multiple anti-virus engines
• Windows Server Update Services 3.0
  • Network updates and automatic system checks
• Windows Live OneCare for Server
  • Server Protection

SBS 2008 Premium Edition:

All the products outlined above and:

• Windows Server 2008 Standard
• Microsoft® SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition
  • Small Business Data management and analysis

Essential Business Server 2008 – Companies with 50 - 300 PCs

EBS 2008 is designed for businesses with up to 300 users or PCs, and allows IT managers to have more control over their environment by reducing complexity and automating common tasks. With support for Windows Mobile phones, SBS 2008 and EBS 2008 can significantly help boost productivity with access to business e-mail, calendar, contacts and files when away from the office.

Standard Edition (includes three servers):

Management Server:

• Windows Server® 2008 Standard Technologies
  • Strong IT Foundation system core with flexible and robust operating  system
• Microsoft System Center Essentials 2007
  • Management and monitoring of the IT environment with increased efficiency  
• Windows SharePoint Services 3.0
  • Share internal documents, coordinate calendars, manage issues and participate in discussions while you’re on the road

Messaging Server:

• Windows Server® 2008 Standard Technologies
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition
  • Messaging and Collaboration with advanced e-mail and calendar functionality
• Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange Server
  • E-mail security for protection  & layered protection

Security Server:

• Windows Server® 2008 Standard Technologies
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway, Medium Business Edition
  • Integrated edge security gateway 

EBS 2008 Premium Edition:

All the products outlined above and:

Database Server:

• Windows Server® 2008 Standard Technologies
• Microsoft® SQL Server 2008 Standard
  • Data management and analysis software solution

To find out more about Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008 please visit: www.microsoft.com/sbs.

About Microsoft Ireland:

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential. Microsoft was first established in Ireland in 1985, and now has three local divisions: the European Operations Centre (EOC); the European Development Centre (EDC) and the Irish Sales, Marketing and Services Operation, which was established in 1991. Microsoft employs over 1,200 full-time employees in Ireland.  For more information on Microsoft’s products and solutions, please visit www.microsoft.com/ireland/about.

Microsoft helps agencies and advertisers to understand the online opportunities to deliver ROI

Dublin: November 10th 2008 – Microsoft Advertising today hosted a unique event for advertisers and publishers looking at the evolution of advertising in the digital era. The ‘Microsoft Advertising Today – Hear it Here First’ event is designed to inspire new thinking around reaching and engaging today’s digital consumers, with a particular focus on how to maximise digital ROI in an economic downturn.

Through a series of focused presentations and workshops, speakers shared global insight into the digital future, introducing new tools to help clients maximise ROI and showcasing digital creativity.

Drawing on eight years of data and insights from a worldwide study in over 20 countries, Jeffrey Cole, Research Professor and Director of the Centre for the Digital Future, explored the changing new media user and their influence on advertising and digital strategies. He examined the evolving trends and expected developments for the future.

Paul Dalton, Ireland Sales Manager, Microsoft commented: “In the current challenging economic environment where every penny is being scrutinised, we want to highlight to advertisers and publishers the various ways in which they can most effectively engage and interact with their audiences to deliver value and impact. This event is all about separating myth from reality, providing clarity and insight to our customers and helping make sense of an increasingly complex landscape.”

Ciaran McConaghy, Head of Analytics (EMEA), Atlas Enterprise, introduced a new reporting standard that enables advertisers to have a more holistic and accurate view of what drives performance and publishers to recognise how their inventory is performing for their customers. Engagement Mapping is a new way of calculating ROI, ultimately ensuring that advertising spend is directed at the most profitable channels and publishers.

David Pugh Jones, Creative Strategist EMEA, Microsoft Advertising, demonstrated how brands can excite and compel consumers in the digital landscape. He also provided an overview of the wealth of creative opportunities available on the Microsoft network – from MSN through to in-game, mobile and Xbox – as well as new advertising innovations at Microsoft

About Microsoft Advertising

Microsoft Advertising provides world-class advertising tools and solutions for digital advertisers and publishers to drive brand and consumer engagement. The portfolio includes all of our digital advertising businesses: our global media network that includes MSN, Windows Live, Office Live, XBOX, Live Search, Facebook and more, and our global technology platforms and tools that include Atlas, AdECN, adCenter, DRIVEpm, Massive and ScreenTonic, which together create engaging digital advertising experiences for their consumers.  Microsoft Advertising helps make buying and selling media simple, smart and more cost-effective across media and devices in the Microsoft network of properties and beyond, which spans 42 markets globally and 21 languages. Visit http://advertising.microsoft.com for more information.

About Microsoft Ireland

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential. Microsoft was first established in Ireland in 1985, and now has three local divisions: the European Operations Centre (EOC); the European Development Centre (EDC) and the Irish Sales, Marketing and Services Operation, which was established in 1991. Microsoft employs over 1,200 full-time employees in Ireland.  For more information on Microsoft’s products and solutions, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/ireland/about

“Irish Start Up Companies have the potential to be the engine of future growth for the Irish economy - it is critical that they are given the support that they need now to grow and expand in a challenging environment,” Paul Rellis, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland

Dublin: 7th November 2008 – Minister for Innovation, Jimmy Devins, TD, today launched Microsoft Ireland’s BizSpark Programme, an initiative designed to help indigenous technology start ups to grow into successful businesses. The programme recognises the unique and significant role that start up companies can play in helping to stimulate and drive an economy and is designed to provide a package of supports which will strengthen their ability to develop innovative technologies and solutions while growing in markets both locally and across the globe.

Companies participating in BizSpark will be given technology support, access to a global ecosystem that can give them an enhanced business advantage and a network of partners to help support their growth and development. BizSpark provides entrepreneurs with fast and easy access to Microsoft software including development tools and server products with no upfront costs, it provides discounts on the purchase of Dell hardware and preferential rates from Internet hosters, enabling companies to get their products and services online faster and more cost effectively. In addition, BizSpark start ups receive professional support from Microsoft as well as community-driven support from a range of Network Partners. Network partners are active organisations in the entrepreneurial space who can provide guidance, mentorship and resources to start ups. BizSpark companies will also have enhanced opportunities to interact with and meet those in the venture capital community who are actively seeking investment opportunities.

Speaking at the event Mr. Jimmy Devins T.D., Minister for Innovation said: “I commend Microsoft on developing this innovative programme. BizSpark is a valuable initiative which will facilitate the development and growth of young companies. Fostering an environment of innovation is essential for Ireland’s future growth and the Government is committed to supporting progammes such as BizSpark, which are instrumental in driving research and development, helping to support Ireland’s goal of becoming a true knowledge economy.”

Pictured: Paul Rellis, managing director, Microsoft Ireland chatting with Minister Devins and Pat Brazel, CEO of Zignals at the BizSpark launch in Dublin.

Paul Rellis, managing director, Microsoft Ireland said: “I am firmly of the view that indigenous start up companies will play a critical role in driving Ireland’s future economic success and I believe any support we can give them in these difficult economic times will reap rewards in the future. I am confident that the BizSpark programme will help drive innovation, which is the fuel of the economy’s engine. We believe it will give companies the right tools to create and identify opportunities that exist for their products and solutions. At times of an economic downturn it can take significant courage to start up a new business. It is for this reason that I am particularly delighted to be in a position to recognise this courage and commitment of our Irish based entrepreneurs by giving them access to a programme which will help support their ambitions. ”

Cliff Reeves, general manager of Microsoft’s Emerging Business Team said: “Microsoft has a long history working with start ups and we believe that the BizSpark package offers start ups the right combination of software tools, support through a global network of experts and promotion to succeed. We’re committed to helping start ups in Ireland and around the world realise their potential and experience the opportunities made possible through technology.”

Pictured: Pat Brazel, CEO, Zignals with Cliff Evans, general manager of Microsoft’s Emerging Business team and Brian Caufield of Caliban Ventures.

Conor O’Riordan, Chief Executive, Trade Facilitate said: “As the head of a start up, I realise that the value and opportunities that the BizSpark programme will offer to entrepreneurial companies can’t be underestimated. So many entrepreneurs have the ideas, the drive and the will to grow but can lack the essential resources to develop. BizSpark provides those resources, not just through access to development tools but through access to a global network of experts offering companies all the essential elements they require to succeed.”

Bizspark is based on three essential pillars, which offer young companies and entrepreneurs valuable tools and support.

Software

Start ups will receive fast and easy access to Microsoft’s current full-featured development tools, platform technologies, and production licenses of server products for immediate use in developing and bringing to market innovative and interoperable solutions with no upfront costs and minimal requirements.

Support

Start ups will receive professional support from Microsoft and BizSpark Network Partners around the world who provide a wide range of support resources for software start ups. Network Partners are incubators, investors, advisors, government agencies and hosters who are vested in software-fueled innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition, start-ups will have access to discounts on the purchase of Dell hardware, and to a range of internet hosters including Blacknight, C-Infinity, Digiweb, eircom and Hosting365.

Visibility

A dedicated Website, www.microsoftstartupzone.com, will highlight promising companies from around the world every day. Through their relationship with Microsoft and BizSpark Network Partners, start ups will achieve global visibility to an audience of potential investors, clients and partners.

Network Partners from Ireland and Northern Ireland include:

• Digital Media Forum
• Irish Internet Association
• Irish Software Association
• Momentum NI

BizSpark members can also avail of special offers from: hardware partners such as Dell, training partners such as New Horizons, and hosting providers such as Blacknight, C-Infinity, Digiweb, eircom and Hosting365.

Companies interested in finding out more information on how to join the BizSpark programme should contact www.microsoft.ie/bizspark

About Microsoft Ireland

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential. Microsoft was first established in Ireland in 1985, and now has three local divisions: the European Operations Centre (EOC); the European Development Centre (EDC) and the Irish Sales, Marketing and Services Operation, which was established in 1991. Microsoft employs over 1,200 full-time employees in Ireland.  For more information on Microsoft’s products and solutions, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/ireland/about