Can Bill Gates help your kids with homework? Bloomberg Boot Camp, a report on today's technology. Okay…so maybe it isn't really Bill Gates offering the homework help…..but Microsoft is out with an update to its software designed to provide some assistance. Marissa Rocha is the product manager for the 2007 edition of Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium….

"Microsoft developed this edition based upon current homework trends and research on students themselves. So some of the features include a new user interface to help students find information. A new all encompassing math center called Microsoft Math in the product that now includes help with calculus. And enhanced tools and content throughout to meet the needs of middle school through entry level college students."

The price…after a twenty dollar rebate….is about fifty dollars. But to use all of the features, you'll also need Microsoft Office. The Student and Teacher edition will do, but that will run an additional 120 dollars or so. If you already have office…and a child in middle school or above…Student is a no brainer. Encarta Premium alone sells for about 40 dollars….

"It really is a lot of value within the product. And we also include with Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium 2007, we include a subscription to MSN's Encarta Premium for a year and we also include a subscription to our partner HotMath for a year."

HotMath offers homework help specific to textbooks used in many schools. That one year subscription alone has a value of 49 dollars. Bloomberg Boot Camp, I'm Fred Fishkin.