REDMOND, Wash., and CANNES, France, Jan. 24, 2000 — Today at MIDEMNET 2000, Microsoft Corp. and Digital Distribution Domain (Dx3) announced that Microsoft® Windows Media TM will be the preferred digital media platform for the Dx3 suite of digital media products. Dx3 is the first company in continental Europe to offer a complete end-to-end solution for the distribution and promotion of digital music on the Internet. Dx3 will enable producers and distributors of digital media in Europe to have a one-stop service specializing in converting and distributing audio and video content using Windows Media.
Through its strategic partnership with amplified.com in the United States, Dx3 is quickly building an extensive international digital music distribution system for the emerging European Internet music industry. Dx3 has already developed a technical infrastructure, based on Windows Media, for distributing and promoting, as well as encrypting, packaging, licensing and storing, digital music and other media.
“With Windows Media, we are giving our media customers the best technology platform available today,”
said Reza Kad, founder and executive vice president of Dx3.
“The huge installed base of Windows Media among users of Windows® , in addition to its superior audio quality, security and worldwide availability in 24 languages, make it the best solution for our customers. European media companies with Dx3 now have the local expertise to produce and deliver their content with the highest-quality technology on the market today.”
Dx3 chose Windows Media as its preferred technology over other digital media formats because of the superior consumer experience it offers, including CD-quality sound at half the size of MP3 built-in digital rights management technology, and the security that top-quality artists and labels demand for viable digital music e-commerce.
“Dx3’s end-to-end digital music solution and distribution service will be a critical catalyst for the growth of digital music in Europe over the next year,”
said Dave Fester, director of marketing, Digital Media Division, Microsoft.
“Digital media is going mainstream, and Dx3’s selection of Windows Media as its preferred technology is another example of the wide acceptance of Windows Media around the world.” About Dx3
Dx3 is a business-to-business company offering infrastructure, know-how and services for global digital distribution and promotion of music and other media, currently focusing on music. Dx3 enables content owners (record companies, game manufacturers, etc.) to distribute their content (i.e., music, games and video) in different digital formats through Dx3’s network of affiliates (e-tailers, portals and communities). Dx3 is an international company with European focus, founded in 1998 by Reza Kad. Dx3’s principal owner is Cell Ventures, which is owned by GE Equity. Dx3 operates currently from offices in London, Los Angeles and Stockholm. Dx3 has a partnership with amplified.com. Additional information is available at http://www.dx3.net .
About WindowsMedia.com
WindowsMedia.com ( http://windowsmedia.com/ ), part of the MSN TM network of Internet services, is among the fastest-growing major audio and video guides on the Internet. WindowsMedia.com provides access to localized audio and video content worldwide, including major music and video events and entertainment from more than 1,000 content providers.
About Windows Media
Windows Media is the leading digital media platform, providing consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and corporations with unmatched audio and video quality. Windows Media Technologies, which includes Windows Media Player, Windows Media Services, Windows Media Tools and the Windows Media SDK, is available for free* download at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/ . The free* Windows Media Player is the fastest-growing media player. More than 50 million copies have been downloaded to date — growing by more than one every second.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
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