Microsoft Corp., on the eve of the launch of the Microsoft� Windows� XP operating system, today announced that more than 150 companies are supporting the new digital media features in Windows XP and creating new products or services around them. A broad spectrum of industries, including the software development industry, the service provider industry, the entertainment industry, and the consumer electronics and hardware manufacturing industry, all see the tremendous business opportunities represented by the new digital media technologies and experiences in Windows XP. Personal computers today are as much entertainment and communications platforms as they are productivity tools. Windows XP represents the latest step in the 10-year evolution of digital media on the PC, which began with the 1991 release of Multimedia Extensions for Windows 3.0 and the first Media Player. Since then, audio and video technology has rapidly become mainstream among consumers and is vital for today's businesses as they rapidly embrace streaming media for corporate communications and distance learning.