REDMOND, Wash. — July 17, 2012 — Nobody wants to spend more money than necessary to fill the gas tank, and drivers want to get the most out of each gallon. Making efficient, customized travel plans is now easier than ever with today’s launch of Microsoft Streets & Trips 2013, the new edition of the popular trip-planning software.

                  Current users of Streets & Trips will find the new 2013 version offers a sleek and clean look in high contrast designed for easier viewing, updated maps of the United States and Canada — including 150,000 new miles of roads since the 2011 version was released — and more than 2.5 million points of interest. Longtime fans will also find they can now turn all pushpin names on or off with a single click, and they can create larger drive times for more flexibility in trip planning.

                  “A new feature people are really going to love is the online ratings and reviews. Customer ratings and reviews on restaurants, hotels and more take the guesswork out of deciding where to go,” said Larry Petersen, software design engineer at Microsoft Corp. “Streets & Trips 2013 adds upgrades our customers have asked for, including 600,000 more points of interest than the previous version.”

                  The 2013 version of Streets & Trips is designed to help travelers plan the perfect trip start to finish — generate maps and directions, customize with start and stop times, and add notes such as reservation numbers or operating hours — all without an Internet connection.

                  For many truckers, RVers, family vacationers and other motorists, laptops have become an essential travel accessory. Microsoft Streets & Trips helps them efficiently plan and customize their travel before they hit the road. Whether the day calls for visiting an amusement park, winery, casino, national park or museum, there is a stop along the way for everyone when using Streets & Trips. One-click route optimization provides the most efficient route, and a fuel consumption manager helps consumers budget gasoline costs. Then, while on the road, Streets & Trips on a laptop helps travelers find necessities such as ATMs, hotels, auto services, restaurants and more, with no Internet connection required, helping plan for — or discover — plenty of fun and useful stops along the way.

                  “Microsoft Streets & Trips helps travelers tailor personalized itineraries with as much or as little detail as they prefer,” said Lori Stock, group product marketing manager for Streets & Trips at Microsoft. “It’s a great travel companion and easy-to-use laptop tool that really helps our customers’ travel inspirations become a reality. Everyone will appreciate how the software takes so many hassles and headaches out of the road trip while providing personalized options for creating memorable experiences.”

Availability

Microsoft Streets & Trips is available for purchase today, online at the Microsoft Store (http://www.microsoftstore.com) for an estimated retail price of US$39.99. Microsoft Streets & Trips with GPS Locator is available for US$69.99.** Consumers can give Streets & Trips a test drive by downloading a free 14-day trial version at http://www.microsoft.com/streets/travel.

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

* The NPD Group/U.S. Retail Tracking May 1999–March 2012.

** Estimated retail price. Actual retail price may vary.

For more information on Microsoft Streets & Trips:

                  http://www.microsoft.com/streets/travel