Compaq Plays Key Role in Windows 95 Launch; High Visibility Reflects Compaq's Status as Lead Systems Partner for Windows 95

Business Wire, August 24, 1995

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 24, 1995 -- Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE:CPQ), Microsoft's Lead Systems Partner for Windows 95, today exhibited more than 80 products at the Microsoft Windows 95 announcement event, including the new Compaq LTE 5000 notebook computer to be used by the Microsoft sales force to demonstrate Windows 95 and Windows NT to customers throughout the U.S.

Compaq, which has worked closely with Microsoft for more than a year in the development and testing of Windows 95, is beginning to pre-install Windows 95 today. In addition, Compaq has been providing coupons for a free Windows 95 upgrade for all Compaq desktop and portable products purchased since June 24. Compaq has named Windows 95 the preferred operating system for all its desktop and portable products.

The company is exhibiting both current and future products throughout all pavilions at the Windows 95 announcement event, a greater presence than any other participant except Microsoft. Products displayed include the new Compaq LTE 5000; up to 60 Compaq Presario PCs for the home in the Consumer Pavilion; the Compaq Deskpro and ProLinea in the Business Pavilion; the Compaq Deskpro in the Education Pavilion; and the Compaq LTE Elite.

"Compaq congratulates Microsoft on the extraordinarily successful completion and introduction of Windows 95. We are pleased to be a part of such a landmark event, and we're looking forward to providing our customers with the greatest Windows 95 solutions and support in the industry," said Eckhard Pfeiffer, president and chief executive officer of Compaq.

Lead Systems Partner for Windows 95

As Microsoft's Lead Systems Partner for Windows 95, Compaq has completed the highest degree of testing and support in the industry for Windows 95. The company has spent the equivalent of 50 man-years testing Windows 95 for compatibility and reliability, assuring customers that Compaq products offer a smooth transition to Windows 95. In turn, Microsoft has used numerous Compaq products to test beta versions of Windows 95 during the development and test stages.

Compaq LTE 5000 Exhibited at Windows 95 Event

Compaq is exhibiting the newly announced Compaq LTE 5000 flagship notebook product publicly for the first time at the Windows 95 event. The LTE 5000 is a new line of high performance modular notebook products with true 64-bit Pentium processing power, PCI local bus graphics and RAM expansion to 72MB.

In addition, the LTE 5000 features a breakthrough modular design offering simple customization for the ultimate in flexibility, giving customers choices of integrated CD-ROM, up to 2.7GB of internal storage, support for two batteries or a diskette drive. An MPEG and TV Video Adapter, combined with digital stereo audio and display-mounted stereo speakers, provides unsurpassed multimedia functionality.

Compaq is also exhibiting the industry's first modular MultiBay Expansion Base for the Compaq LTE 5000, which shares interchangeable devices with the notebook; includes storage expansion up to 5.4GB; and offers two additional PCMCIA slots, integrated Ethernet and stereo speakers.

Microsoft's U.S. field sales and engineering forces will be using the LTE 5000 to demonstrate Windows 95, Microsoft Windows NT and Microsoft BackOffice to customers throughout the country.

Microsoft Chooses Presario to Demonstrate Software

Up to 60 Compaq Presario PCs will be used to demonstrate the new Windows 95 software and other applications in the Consumer Pavilion at the Windows 95 event. The Presario 992 minitower products feature Intel Pentium microprocessors, quad-speed CD-ROM drives, 16 megabytes of memory and a variety of software titles. Compaq recently reduced the price of the Presario CDS 992 models to $2,399(a) , reinforcing its position as the overall value leader in the consumer segment of the PC market.

Compaq has worked extensively with Microsoft to ensure the compatibility of Windows 95 with Presario and the wide variety of software included on every Presario model. In addition, Compaq demonstrated the new hardware-based Wavetable and MPEG technologies, for which complete driver support is included in Windows 95. Hardware-based MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) is highly superior to current software MPEG implementations in that it enables smoother and faster full motion video and audio to be played on PCs without sacrificing performance, thereby eliminating the delays normally experienced with software-based video playback.

Intelligent Manageability

Compaq will be exhibiting its Deskpro desktop PC featuring Intelligent Manageability in the Business Pavilion. Compaq introduced Intelligent Manageability in March to make networked PCs easier to manage and less expensive to own. These unique desktop management features support improved asset, fault and security management. With the addition of Windows 95, significant new fault management benefits will enable diagnosis and prediction of IntelliSafe hard drive failures and temperature abnormalities both locally and across the network.