MSN Explorer Fact Sheet
MSN Explorer
http://explorer.msn.com/
Fact Sheet
June 2002
Overview: MSN® Explorer combines the best of MSN content and services including the MSN Hotmail® Web-based e-mail service, the CNBC on MSN online personal finance service, MSN eShop, .NET Messenger Service, MSN Music and MSN Search with the best of Microsoft® Internet software, such as Internet Explorer and the Windows Media™ Player, to form a single integrated experience that helps consumers get more from the Web. For Web users whose experience is not living up to their expectations, MSN Explorer provides an easy way to experience the Internet and makes using the Web more simple and personal.
MSN Explorer a portal and browser in one is a unique blend of powerful software and rich services that offers consumers, whether they use MSN Internet Access or another Internet service provider, an intriguing new Web experience. MSN Explorer is easy to use and personalize and is designed to provide consumers with a refreshing experience. It gives them an easy way to get online and provides them with a new home on the Web, helping them be more productive and get the most out of their time online.
Features: The engineering team at Microsoft Corp. had three design goals for MSN Explorer: simplify the experience of getting online and using the Web, help consumers stay connected to people and information they care about, and make it easier for consumers to take advantage of the Webs most exciting features. By meeting these design goals, MSN Explorer provides a superior Web experience for consumers. With the latest update to MSN Explorer, Microsoft has responded to customer feedback to improve the consumer experience by adding several of the most-requested features (such as a collapsible My Stuff navigation bar and a spelling checker for Hotmail). MSN Explorer also includes a tool with which users can alert Microsoft to errors encountered while using the program. Engineers use this customer feedback to increase the reliability of the current version and future versions of MSN Explorer. MSN Explorers key features and benefits include the following:
| • | Guided tour. Through an interactive tour, consumers are offered the opportunity to learn about key features of MSN Explorer and how to take advantage of them. |
| • | E-mail tools. Offline e-mail capability and increased MSN Hotmail storage space are available for MSN Internet Access subscribers, who can now have 10 MB of inbox storage space online. Consumers who are not MSN Internet Access subscribers can also purchase additional storage for MSN Hotmail and MSN Groups through the MSN Extra Storage option. With MSN Explorer, the spelling checker is now available to users who are running both Internet Explorer 5.5 (or higher) and either Microsoft Office 95 (or higher) or Microsoft Works 3.0. |
| • | MSN Music. MSN Music is the free* music service that provides a unique, enhanced and style-based listening experience for consumers. Taking advantage of the technology and expertise from the MSN Music group, users of MSN Explorer can easily find and listen to their favorite music using the unique SoundsLike search tool, easily discover new music based on attributes such as mood, tempo and vocals, and purchase music all online. |
| • | Unified navigation. The friendly, elegant user interface enables one-click access to browsing, e-mail, music, instant messaging, personal finance information and more, all displayed in a single pane with backward and forward navigation. |
| • | Automatic sign-in to Web services. When consumers sign in to MSN Explorer, they are automatically signed in to all Microsoft Passport services, including e-mail and instant messaging. |
| • | Support for multiple users. MSN Explorer supports up to nine regular Microsoft Passport accounts, each with its own settings for features such as favorites, e-mail and instant messaging buddies. It also includes a guest sign-in option. |
| • | Automatic update. New features and modifications are distributed to consumers automatically and will be smaller in size and quicker to download in the latest update of MSN Explorer. |
| • | My Settings page. This page provides a single location where consumers can customize their Web-related settings. |
| • | My MSN customizable home page. Consumers can customize the content that appears on their page and enjoy easier, one-click access to what is important to them. |
| • | Customizable My Stuff bar. The left-hand navigation bar is a customizable area where consumers can choose which features will appear in the bar and the order in which they are listed. The My Stuff bar is also collapsible, which gives consumers more control over their MSN Explorer interface and increases the amount of space available for viewing pages. |
| • | Roaming settings. Consumers can go to another PC (or Web-enabled device that supports access to MSN.com) and enter their user name and password to check e-mail, use instant messaging, listen to music and more from MSN.com. |
| • | Unified notifications. Consumers are notified of new events, such as a friend coming online or the arrival of a new e-mail or instant message, in a friendly, consistent fashion. |
| • | Accessibility features. MSN Explorer was built from the ground up with accessibility in mind. Extensive keyboard equivalents are available, as well as several other features that enable a wide range of users to access MSN Explorer. |
| • | Remain logged on outside MSN Explorer. Consumers can continue to receive instant messages and notifications without having MSN Explorer fully launched. |
System Requirements: The MSN Explorer installation is low impact. For consumers with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or later browser software and a 56Kbps modem, it takes approximately 15 minutes to download the 5MB MSN Explorer. Also, MSN Explorer does not assume system default settings and modify other programs, so there is less chance of any disruption to the working environment.
To use MSN Explorer, consumers need the following:
| • | Pentium 90MHz processor or faster |
| • | The Microsoft Windows® 95 or 98, Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me) or Windows 2000 operating system |
| • | A minimum of 16 MB of RAM |
| • | 170 MB of available hard disk space for installation (after installation, only 60 MB will be used) |
| • | Minimum 800x600 screen resolution recommended |
| • | Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device recommended |
| • | VGA or higher resolution graphics card |
| • | 28.8Kbps modem or faster |
Availability: Those interested in more information or in downloading MSN Explorer for free* should visit http://explorer.msn.com/ .
* Connect-time charges may apply.
Microsoft, MSN, the MSN logo, Hotmail, Windows Media and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
