Microsoft Introduces Windows for Pen Computing, Japanese Edition; Pen Interface Expands Computer Use in Japanese Market; Sixteen Manufacturers Support This Most Recent Version

November 9, 1992 — Microsoft Corp. announced today the Japanese edition of the Microsoft Windows operating system for Pen Computing.

This new release enables pen input and character recognition of Japanese Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana characters, help-ing to provide Japanese users with increased utility in the rapidly growing Japanese computer market. The product will be shown for the first time in the Windows for Pens section of the Microsoft ISV booth at Fall Comdex next week. Also today, 16 OEMs announced that they will be supporting Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, on their pen-based computers.

This most recent announcement reflects Microsoft’s continuing support of mobile computing and the further expansion of its pen technology into exciting new markets.

With the addition of Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, to the currently available English, French and German ver-sions of Windows for Pens, Microsoft has brought pen computing to a broader, more international audience.

The release of the Japanese version of Windows for Pens will provide Japanese users with the means to quickly and easily input information into their computers without the limitations of the keyboard. Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, enables users of the Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana character sets to explore the mobility and versatility that pen computing offers.

According to Susumu Furukawa, chairman of Microsoft Corp. Ltd., “Microsoft is very committed to bringing the pen to the Japanese market. The pen is a natural method for writing Japanese characters, and we have seen strong demand by OEMs in Japan to build pen capabilities into personal computers. With the availability of the OEM Adaptation Kit for Windows for Pen Computing, Japanese Edition, we expect to see the introduction of many exciting new products this year.”

New Features of Japanese Edition

Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, is uniquely suited to address the needs of the Japanese user by providing character input and recognition capabilities specific to the Japanese language. A number of special features distinguish Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, from those versions of Windows for Pens based on the 26-character Roman (“A” to “Z”) alphabet:

— The user interface has been specifically developed to optimize the conversion of Kana-to-Kanji characters by pen.
— All characters contained in the JIS level 1 character set are recognized – the most common 3,000 characters in Kanji. JIS-level 2 Kanji support is user trainable.
— Any Kanji character in the JIS sets can be trained to recognize a user’s particular style of writing or character-stroke-order preferences.
— The Microsoft recognizer included with Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, performs simultaneous recognition of Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana character sets; upper and lowercase alphabet; numbers; and punctuation.
— The Microsoft recognizer allows for variations in the stroke order of the Kanji character set. It also has the capability to recognize characters that have had strokes omitted.
— Additional handwriting recognizers can be ported to Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, to accommodate the input and recognition of Kanji, Katakana or Hiragana characters, or all three simultaneously.

Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, builds on the Windows operating system version 3.0. It integrates a special set of pen extensions that support such pen innovations as ink, gestures, and recognition of shapes, special symbols and handwriting. It also provides more than 70 new pen functions to enable application developers to create exciting new applications.

OEM Support for Japanese Version

The introduction of Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, has spurred the support of hardware manufacturers anxious to bring pen computing to the Japanese market. Sixteen OEMs have announced plans to support Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, on upcoming pen computers slated for release in Japan. Those companies committed to installing Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, on their systems include the following: Canon, Epson, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Kyocera, Matsushita, Microslate, Mitsubishi, NCR Japan, NEC, Oki, Sanyo, Sharp, Smart Technologies, Toshiba, and Wacom.

“We believe that Windows will experience significant growth in the Japanese market,” said Mr. Katsuichi Tomita, general manager of PC Sales Promotion at NEC Corp.”

“The added benefits of using Windows for Pen Computing, Japanese Edition, will further expand the growing market for mobile computers. We are strongly promoting Windows on our PC-9800 architecture and plan to release a pen computer that supports Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition.”

“We are planning to support Microsoft Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, on our Toshiba DynaNote Kanji Pen computer,” said Mr. Tetsuya Mizoguchi, general manager of PC & Workstation at Toshiba Corp. “We will be aggressively promoting our new Pen PC and Windows. The availability of Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, will enable a new group of users to explore personal computers.”

Expanding Market Potential in Japan

Because of the complexity of the Kanji character set, keyboards have traditionally proven less than optimal as a means of comprehensive character input. With at least 3,000 Kanji characters routinely used in everyday communications, keyboards greatly limit the amount of information that can be communicated. As a result, the widespread adoption of personal computers in Japan has been constrained by this input barrier.

Though Japan continues to grow as the second largest PC hardware market in the world, even greater growth is hampered by the limitations of the keyboard. Introduction of the pen as an input device promises to open up new markets and opportunities in the Japanese market. Users will be able to input Kanji characters directly into their computers, immediately increasing the quantity and quality of information processed.

Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, serves as an excellent way to introduce users to the intuitive Windows operating system. Where the keyboard limited the majority of Japanese users primarily to the MS-DOS platform, the pen inter-face of Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, allows them to explore the extensive capabilities of Windows.

With instant recognition of their handwritten characters and easy navigation through the pen interface, both new and established computer users will embrace this technology. The combination of the pen as an input device and the versatility of the Windows platform will serve well in bringing the promise of pen computing to the Japanese market.

Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, is available only as an OEM product, distributed through licensed vendors with the sale of specific hardware products. Licensed clipboard and convertible manufacturers preinstall Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, directly on their hardware prior to customer delivery. Microsoft provides peripheral device OEMs with an installable version of Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, which is then included with the hardware and distributed through the standard hardware channels.

Manufacturers interested in Windows for Pens, Japanese Edition, should contact Microsoft Corp. Ltd., OEM Sales Department, Japan, at 03-5484-0702.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

NOTE: Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corp.

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