Software giant Microsoft Corp will be sticking its finger in yet another pie when it launches itself into the education software sector next month. The Redmond, Washington organization hopes that its name will enable it to break into an already crowded market with relative success. Microsoft will launch My Personal Tutor, an application consisting of four compact discs aimed at children aged between three to seven, consisting of some 200 activities to reinforce basic skills. The company has spent the last two years developing the product, which will sell for around $50. The education market as a whole has recently witnessed stiff competition and the subsequent lowering of prices, but it has been favorably affected by the influx of multimedia machines in the last few years. Competitors in the sector, that include Walt Disney Co, Broderbund Software Inc, CUC International Inc and the Learning Co don’t seem to be particularly put out by Microsoft’s introduction. Charles Tarlton, a spokesperson for the Learning Co says the market is such that you have to expect change and growth, and said: It’s good to see that Microsoft sees this market being one worth targeting. My Personal Tutor is the first product Microsoft has developed focused on teaching skills to younger children but, for several years, the company has marketed the Magic School Bus series for older children. The company now thinks there are enough homes with personal computers to make it worthwhile to launch into this section of the education market.
