More Than 150 Companies Embrace Digital Media Features in Windows XP

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 24, 2001 — Microsoft Corp., on the eve of the launch of the Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system, today announced that more than 150 companies are supporting the new digital media features in Windows XP and creating new products or services around them. A broad spectrum of industries, including the software development industry, the service provider industry, the entertainment industry, and the consumer electronics and hardware manufacturing industry, all see the tremendous business opportunities represented by the new digital media technologies and experiences in Windows XP.

Personal computers today are as much entertainment and communications platforms as they are productivity tools. Windows XP represents the latest step in the 10-year evolution of digital media on the PC, which began with the 1991 release of Multimedia Extensions for Windows 3.0 and the first Media Player. Since then, audio and video technology has rapidly become mainstream among consumers and is vital for today’s businesses as they rapidly embrace streaming media for corporate communications and distance learning.

“The release of Windows XP represents the most advanced digital media technology ever in Windows and goes beyond creating a breakthrough experience for consumers and organizations,”
said Dave Fester, general manager of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft.
“Whether you market your own technical solutions and services or have a great new device for consumers, Windows XP offers a rich platform of opportunity for a broad spectrum of businesses and industries.”

Key digital media innovations in Windows XP such as the DirectShow® Video Mixing Renderer add a whole new dimension to video editing and playback, allowing developers for the first time to tap the power of a graphics card’s 3-D engine to render video onto a 3-D surface and seamlessly blend multiple videos together. Seamless device support for everything from video cameras with 1394 support to portable audio devices and CD burning offer a hassle-free device experience for consumers. These new technologies combined with the easy ability to license key Windows XP technologies such as Windows Media™
technology enable companies are able to create whole new digital media scenarios and services on the PC.

“At SnapStream, our vision of a totally new consumer experience with TV and the PC is brought to life by the ground-breaking new features in Windows XP. Multi-user capabilities, CD-burning support, the great quality of Windows Media Video, and terrific stability are just a few of the exciting advances that Windows XP brings to the table for us,”
said Richard Kuo, chief technical officer and co-founder of SnapStream Media.
“The result is a next-generation digital media experience where consumers can now use our technology with their PCs to record their favorite TV shows.”

Industries and companies that support the digital media technologies in Windows XP include the following:

  • More than 20 software and hardware developers including Approach, APZU, Inc., ATI Technologies, Audible.com, Cakewalk, CyberLink, Be Here Technologies, Digital Lava Inc., Eloquent Inc., ESS Technology Inc, Grass Valley Group, InterVideo, Pinnacle Systems, SnapStream Media, Telestream Inc., Mercury Interactive Corp., Mixman Technologies (a wholly owned subsidiary of Beatnik Inc.), MixMeister Technology, MGI Software Corp., Matrox Graphics Inc., MUSICMATCH, Inc. and VoiceAge

  • Twelve leading consumer electronics
    and device manufacturers including Aiwa America Inc., Casio, Inc, Compaq, Digisette LLC, Imation, Intel Corp., Harman Multimedia, Iomega Corporation, Kenwood USA Corp., Lumenati/NetTV, Thomson multimedia and SONICblue

  • Entertainment companies including AMG, CinemaNow, pressplay, Trans World/FYE, Intertainer and SightSound Technologies

  • One hundred thirteen Windows Media Service Providers offering services supporting the digital media features in Windows XP including Alcatraz Media LLC, Anystream Inc., Apex Interactive Ltd., artec technologies ag, Bit and Dot Inc. Boomerang Interactive Media, Brien Lee Creative Solutions, Broadband Gateway Inc., CAPITALEVENTS, Chimestone Digital Productions, Coollink Broadcast Network (CLBN), Corpcam.com (Pty) Ltd., Creative Digital Products Ltd., Crossworld, Cyberfront Ltd., D2E2 Inc., Designlab Systems Ltd., Digital Island, DiONmedia, DMDsecure.com, eClipsNow Inc., EFE Solutions, EmotionalBits Inc., enlightened medias, enScaler, Faro Latino Sur S.A., Fasoo.com, Granicus Inc., GRS Systems Inc., INDO-PACIFIC SOFTWARE & ENTERTAINMENT LTD., Infovision Inc., Instawatch, Interact, inter-tainment.com Inc., i-SeeTV, Isocentric Networks Inc., ITN SignalStream, I-Web Development Ltd., Jet Stream Digital Media Inc., KCL Consultoria Ltda, K-Class Systems Ltd., Keel Networks, KL AV Systems, Knowledge Anywhere Inc., Lightningcast, Aurora Broadcast Ltd., M Systems Software LLC, MADTSoft Internet Marketing Consulting SL, ManaVision Inc., MapleSolutions, Media3Way Ltd., mediaencoding.com, MediaWave Group Ltd., Mediaweb Internet Integrators, Mediaworks Inc., Meytel Publicidad S.L., Mind Verge Inc., Miradores, NaviSite, netplace Telematic GmbH, Netway Communications AG, Next-Cast, NICE Multimedia, OMNI Productions, OneWorld ISP Corp., Planeta Networks Inc., PlayStream, Primestream Corp., PURPLECAST, RadioWEB, Rapid Systems Inc., RealCast Corp., RIZM Broadband Solutions Co. Ltd., Saltmine, SeeLIVE Inc., ServeisWeb, SignalStrategies.com, SiteMaker Inc., Sorenson Services USA, Southcoast Productions, Speedera Networks, Spider Eye Studios, StreamCase, STREAMDAY GmbH, StreamGuys, Streaming Media Corp., Streamit2me Inc., STREAMLAB, SuperKeyword.net, SyncCast LLC, Synergy Group, Tattoo Media Inc., the antfarm network technologies, The Pulse Internet Services Inc., The Skins Factory Inc., thePlatform for media Inc., Tilde, Tri-Digital Inc., TvTaxi.com, Vault Studios, VCast Ltd., Vendaria Inc., Vidco Network Inc., Virtually Basic Virtue Broadcasting, Visual Data Corp., Vital Link Business Systems, VitalStream Inc., Warpradio.com, Webcast Media Center, Webpage Marketing.com Ltd., Webstreaming.com, Worldwide Publishing Corp. and XTV srl

About Windows Media

Windows Media is the leading digital media platform, providing unmatched audio and video quality to consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and corporations. Windows Media offers the industry’s only integrated rights-management solution and the most scalable and reliable streaming technology tested by independent labs. Windows Media Technologies includes Windows Media Player for consumers, Windows Media Services for servers, Windows Media Tools for content creation, and the Windows Media Software Development Kit (SDK) for software developers. Windows Media Player, available in 26 languages, is the fastest-growing media player. More information about Windows Media can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/ .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies 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.

Microsoft, Windows, DirectShow and Windows Media are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

Related Posts