The DVD+RW Alliance today announced that Microsoft Corp. has become its newest member and will be one of nine companies that sit on the Alliance's policy-setting team, the Executive and Steering Committee. Other members of the Executive/Steering Committee are Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Mitsubishi Chemical/Verbatim, Philips, Ricoh, Sony, Thomson and Yamaha.

　　"In an effort to evaluate providing support for writable DVD and other digital media formats, Microsoft has decided to join the DVD+RW Alliance as a core member," said Tom Phillips, general manager of Microsoft's Windows Hardware Experience Group. "Microsoft is committed to the convergence and compatibility in both PC and consumer electronics applications. Microsoft is happy to become a part of the DVD+RW Alliance and help promote writable DVD standards that are aligned with the Mt. Rainier technology."

　　"The Alliance is very excited to have Microsoft's commitment to the organization," said Maureen Weber, general manager of Hewlett-Packard's Optical Storage Solutions Business and worldwide chair of the DVD+RW Alliance. "We look forward to working together to create and promote the best customer experience built on DVD+RW technology".


◎ About DVD+R/+RW
　　The DVD+R/+RW format is capable of recording up to 4.7 gigabytes of digital video, images or data. This equates to the storage capacity of seven CD-R/RW discs and the potential to store thousands of digital photographs or approximately two hours of digital video. The primary benefits of DVD+R/+RW include its functionality, simplicity and two-way compatibility, meaning that DVD+R and DVD+RW media can be played in most DVD video players and DVD-ROM drives in use today.

◎ About The DVD+RW Alliance
　　The DVD+RW Alliance is a voluntary group of industry-leading personal computing manufacturers, optical storage and electronics manufacturers including Dell (Nasdaq: DELL), HP (NYSE: HPQ), MCC/Verbatim, Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG), Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), Ricoh Company, Ltd. (ADR: RICOY), Sony Corporation, Thomson (NYSE: TMS) and Yamaha Corporation. The companies promote the universally compatible, rewritable DVD+R/+RW format that enables true convergence between personal computing and consumer electronics products. DVD+R and DVD+RW discs written on DVD+R/+RW recorder can be read and played in most DVD video players and DVD-ROM drives. More than 50 additional companies have formally pledged support for DVD+R/+RW technology.

24 February 2003---- from LOVELAND, Colorado