SINA and Microsoft Announced Joint
Short Messaging Service -- SMS -- Service for MS Office XP in China
SINA SMS services will be built into
Office XP and Outlook 2002 as part of Microsoft's Office Suite's integrated
mobile communication functionalities in China
BEIJING--(BUSINESS
WIRE)--Feb. 14, 2003-- SINA Corporation (SINA), a leading online media company
and value-added information service provider for China and for global Chinese
communities, today announced a joint SMS service with Microsoft for MS Office
XP in China. SINA SMS services will be built into Office XP and Outlook 2002 as
part of Microsoft's Office Suite's integrated mobile communication
functionalities. Based on Outlook 2002 Short Messaging Support Program
developed on the Office XP platform and the SMS Web Service Program of SINA,
the service allows users of Microsoft Office XP to send and forward emails,
contacts, tasks, notes and calendar events as short messages to cell phones and
other mobile devices, thus enabling the users to communicate with others on
mobile devices as well as retrieving important data from their computers while
they're away from their desks via their cell phones.
"In a recent survey,
over 90 percent of knowledge workers voted Microsoft Office the best tool for
improving productivity and work efficiency," said Tang Jun, President of Microsoft
China. "Microsoft is committed to continuously expanding Office utilities
for knowledge workers, and the Business SMS we developed in cooperation with
SINA based on Office XP is just one example."
"Short Messaging has
become a common and convenient way of everyday communication," Mr. Tang
observed, "and the Business SMS not only makes the sending of short
messages much easier, but has expanded SMS applications to the existing mobile
business infrastructure for smoother coordination and better communication
between enterprises, employees, partners and clients."
"Business SMS a paragon
of the perfect marriage between information technology and communication
technology. SINA has been a long-term strategic partner of Microsoft. This
cooperation between the two companies will bring a simple, easy-to-use and
real-time communication platform and experience for the users of Office XP and
SINA SMS," Said Mr. Tang.
"SINA has always been
committed to providing various, personalized value-added services to our
users," said Wang Yan, President of SINA. "Our cooperation with
Microsoft in developing Business SMS is another important step for SINA by
providing value-added SMS for enterprise users. We look forward to further
cooperation with Microsoft in offering ever more quality services for our users
in the future."
About SINA
SINA Corporation (FKA:
SINA.com) (Nasdaq:SINA
- News) is a leading online
media company and value-added information service ("VAS") provider
for China and for global Chinese communities. With a branded network of
localized web sites targeting Greater China and overseas Chinese, SINA operates
three major business lines including SINA.com (online media and entertainment
service), SINA Online (consumer fee-based online and wireless VAS) and SINA.net
(small and medium-sized enterprises VAS), providing an array of services
including online portals, premium email, wireless short messaging, virtual ISP,
search, classified information, online games, e-commerce, e-learning and
enterprise e-solutions.
To learn more about SINA,
please check out our corporate Web site at http://corp.sina.com
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains
forward-looking statements. We may also make written or oral forward-looking
statements in our periodic reports to the Securities and Exchange commission on
forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, etc., in our annual report to shareholders, in our proxy
statements, in our offering circulars and prospectuses, in press releases and
other written materials and in oral statements made by our officers, directors
or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts,
including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking
statements. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and
projections, and therefore you should not place undue reliance on them. Forward-looking
statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution you that a
number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially
from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Potential risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, SINA historical and future
losses, limited operating history, uncertain regulatory landscape in the
People's Republic of China, fluctuations in quarterly operating results, the
Company's reliance on online advertising sales for a significant portion of its
revenues, and any failure to successfully develop and introduce new products.
Further information regarding these and other risks is included in SINA's
prospectus, 10K, 10Q and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.