Jason Dunn
03-11-2005, 08:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.sonic.com/pr/news/2005/03/EMC75.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.sonic.com/pr/news/2005/03/EMC75.htm</a><br /><br /></div>There are two major players on the optical drive burning software market: Nero and Roxio. Roxio was bought up by Sonic, which creates an interesting juggernaught, and they've just released version 7.5 of their popular burning suite. Talk about throwing in the kitchen sink! This new version boasts a lot of new features...<br /><br /><i>"Roxio®, a division of Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today unveiled Easy Media Creator 7.5. The latest version of Roxio's award-winning digital media software combines technologies from both Roxio and Sonic® into the most comprehensive suite of CD and DVD authoring and burning, photo, video and music applications on the market. Available in retail channels in April, Easy Media Creator 7.5 offers exceptional value to consumers who want to create, manage, share and preserve their personal digital content.</i><!><br /><br />In addition to Roxio's PhotoSuite® 7 Platinum, VideoWave® 7 Professional, DVD Builder®, Disc Copier, and Creator Classic®, Easy Media Creator 7.5 also includes some of Sonic’s award-winning applications: Backup MyPC™ Deluxe 6 for comprehensive data protection and disaster recovery, MyDVD® Slideshow for fast and efficient creation of DVD slideshows from still photos, and CinePlayer™ 2 for high-quality playback of DVD-video content. In response to strong consumer appetite for music downloads, internet radio, and portable music players, Easy Media Creator introduces new audio features such as an LP and Tape Assistant that streamlines the conversion of analog recordings to digital, an Easy Audio Capture utility that provides a quick and effective way to record audio such as internet radio broadcasts, and an enhanced Sound Editor that now provides features for the precise manipulation of audio files and the creation of mixes.<br /><br />Sonic acquired the Roxio software division in December 2004, and with Roxio's strong retail brand and Sonic's strong OEM position, Sonic now has an installed base of over 150 million users. According to NPD Group figures which track software retail point-of-sale information, Roxio is number one at retail with almost 50% of the market and more than double that of its closest competitor in the CD-R Utilities Software Category in 2004.*<br /><br />“Easy Media Creator 7.5 demonstrates the power and potential of the Sonic and Roxio combination and illustrates Sonic Solutions’ unique position in the market,” said Dave Habiger, senior vice president and general manager of Roxio. “Easy Media Creator 7.5 is a must-have suite for owners of digital media devices such as cameras, camcorders, portable music players, and DVD burners, and is a compelling upgrade for our large installed base of users.” <br /><br />Other new features in Easy Media Creator 7.5 include a Disc Image Loader that enables users to mount disc image files in a virtual drive as if they were discs in a physical drive; a DivX-to-DVD Creator that makes it easy to convert DivX content to DVD for playback in the living room; DVDInfo Pro for testing the performance of drives and media; support for LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling Technology in Label Creator, the suite’s disc and label artwork creation component and support for Media Center PC PVR files.<br /><br />Pricing and Availability <br /><br />Roxio Easy Media Creator 7.5 will be widely available in early April 2005 throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. The suggested retail price in the US is $99.95. Owners of previous versions of Roxio products and competitive applications are eligible for a $30 mail-in rebate. For more information on Roxio Easy Media Creator 7.5 and detailed descriptions of each of the new components visit (<a href="http://www.roxio.com/en/products/emc75">http://www.roxio.com/en/products/emc75</a>).<br /><br />About Roxio <br />Roxio, a division of Sonic Solutions, develops and markets the best-selling digital media software in the world. Roxio offers award-winning software products for CD/DVD burning, photo editing and video editing and has an installed base of over 150 million users. Roxio distributes its products globally through strategic partnerships with major hardware manufacturers, through leading retailers, through Internet partnerships and through direct sales at <a href="www.roxio.com">www.roxio.com</a>.<br /><br />Roxio’s parent company, Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC; <a href="http://www.sonic.com">http://www.sonic.com</a>) is the leader in digital media software and provides a broad range of software tools and applications for creative professionals, business and home users, and technology partners. Sonic’s products range from professional DVD authoring systems and interactive content delivery technologies that are used to produce the majority of Hollywood movies released on DVD to the award-winning Roxio- and Sonic-branded CD and DVD creation, playback and backup applications that have become the premiere solutions for consumers and business users worldwide. Sonic’s AuthorScript, is the de facto standard for CD and DVD burning and formatting and has been licensed by major software and hardware manufacturers, including Adobe, Broadcom, Microsoft, Scientific-Atlanta, Sony, and many others. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California."