Microsoft Corp. announced final licensing and pricing information for its soon-to-be-released Windows OneCare™ Live, the all-in-one, automatic and self-updating PC care service aimed at helping consumers more easily protect and maintain their PCs to keep them running well. Now available free to new beta testers in the United States, at http://ideas.live.com, Microsoft^® Windows OneCare Live will be available in June from retailers and via the Web for an annual subscription of $49.95 MSRP for up to three personal computers. To thank its valuable beta customers and offer an easy transition to the paid service, Microsoft also announced today a promotional deal offering the first year of Windows OneCare Live service for $19.95 to beta customers who become subscribers between April 1 and April 30, 2006.

“Consumers have made it clear they need more assistance than what’s offered today, and we are excited to deliver the value of improved protection and maintenance in one comprehensive solution,” said Ryan Hamlin, general manager of the Technology Care and Safety Group at Microsoft. “Windows OneCare Live eases the frustration of protecting your PC and gives consumers greater peace of mind so they can spend less time worrying and more time doing the things they enjoy.”

Windows OneCare Live helps make it simpler and easier for consumers to enhance the overall health of their personal computers by offering automated protection, maintenance, performance tuning and support in an all-in-one package. Hundreds of thousands of people have tested Windows OneCare Live since the beta was launched in November 2005, and Microsoft has continually added features — such as backup for external hard drives — based on their feedback. People have particularly liked the simplicity of the all-in-one nature of the service and, according to recent surveys conducted by Microsoft with Windows OneCare Live beta testers, the vast majority of testers said they would recommend it to a friend or relative.

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