Encarta Premium Suite 2003 DVD

The development of electronic learning packages such as this expose the limitations of the old methods, for what really makes Premium Suite stand out is the diversity of its multimedia learning aids. As well as the traditional factual entries, here are maps, video clips, a music/sound archive, and 3-D virtual tours. You can take a trip around a Masai village, for instance, with video footage of the people and their way of life to gain a real insight which a traditional factual description--such as those we normally expect of an encyclopaedia--would be hard-pressed to match.

Excellent, vivid graphics combine with the video clips to prolong the attention span, and make the exploration of the information an entertaining as well as an informative experience, one which all age groups will be able to appreciate.

In order to run this product you need Microsoft 98 and Internet Explorer 6.0, as well as a minimum of 64 MB of RAM (128 MB of RAM for Windows 2000 or Windows XP). With more sound clips, more animations and entries, and the addition of dictionaries and a thesaurus, this package definitely enhances what is available through Encarta's Plus and Standard collections, and will be worth paying the extra for, especially if you plan to use the thesaurus or dictionaries. --Toby Green

Access information that changes with our changing world. Update Encarta* keeps the reference materials in Microsoft Encarta Premium Suite 2003 both timely and accurate. A wealth of relevant information on virtually any subject. With an integrated search you can access up-to-date, rich and reliable content and multimedia from Encarta Encyclopedia Plus, Encarta World Atlas, live streaming media, Web links from the Web Centre, bilingual dictionaries, and many additional resources all in one place.

Homework is a breeze! Innovative Encarta learning tools help students learn more, and achieve more. You'll discover how easy it is when you put these indispensable tools to work:

• New and updated articles for this edition ? gives you access to current information.
• Project Starters Sometimes, half the battle with homework is simply getting started. New Project Starters provide students with resources to plan and write their essays and assignments.
• Chart Maker Spice up a presentation with easy-to-build charts! Simply choose a chart type, enter your data and Encarta draws a pie chart or bar graph.
• Dictionary Tools Encarta takes the World English dictionary a step further by providing easy access to Encarta Thesaurus.
• New bilingual dictionaries in four languages!

* Requires an Internet connection. Access to and use of the Internet may require payment of a separate fee to an Internet service provider. Local and long-distance telephone call charges may apply. You must be online to use Web links, live streaming media and Update Encarta.