REDMOND, Wash. -- June 11, 2001 -- Microsoft Corp. today announced the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Microsoft® Word + Entourage™ 2001 Special Edition (SE). Word + Entourage 2001 SE is a limited-time promotion that allows users of Macintosh (OS 8.1 and higher) to experience the world's most popular word-processing application as well as integrated e-mail and personal information management solutions in a value-priced package. Word + Entourage 2001 SE expands Microsoft's Mac product line with an offering for price-sensitive customers who do not need all the power of Microsoft Office 2001 for Mac, but still want the best word processing and e-mail software. It enables users to easily create Word documents and manage e-mail and personal information, including addresses, calendar appointments and schedules. "Word processing and e-mail communication are two of the most common uses of the Mac today," said Kevin Browne, general manager of the Macintosh Business Unit at Microsoft. "Now, for a limited time, customers can get two great Office for Mac applications for a reduced price. We want everyone to experience the power and ease that Microsoft applications offer." Word + Entourage 2001 SE provides customers with compatibility with Word 98 Macintosh Edition. It is also cross-platform compatible with Microsoft Word 97, Word 2000 and Word XP for Windows, allowing users to save files in their native format and share them with anyone, whether they use a Mac or PC. In addition to word processing and e-mail functionality, other features of the package include these: * Project Gallery. Users can quickly start projects with the Project Gallery's customizable templates for resumes, catalogs, newsletters, calendars and more. * Clip Art Gallery. This gallery includes hundreds of images and provides tools to make it simpler to work with graphics and organize art. * Address Book. The comprehensive Address Book stores all contact information and allows users to locate an address on a map or find driving directions from Expedia.com. * Calendar. With the integrated calendar, users can easily organize their schedules and set reminders for important events and projects. The calendar can also be saved as a Web page so others can be notified about a schedule through e-mail and over the Internet. The specially priced promotional offering for Microsoft Word + Entourage 2001 SE will be available in English and French language versions for a limited time only. The English version is expected to reach U.S. stores in July with an estimated retail price* of $149 (U.S.). Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software -- any time, any place and on any device.