Bolstered by Windows Media, LAUNCHcast, LAUNCH Media’s Streaming Music Application, Is Now Available With Music Videos

REDMOND, Wash., April 5, 2000 — Microsoft Corp. and LAUNCH Media Inc. today announced the availability of music videos in Windows Media TM Format on LAUNCH.com’s ( http://www.launch.com/ ) unique streaming music service, LAUNCHcast.

Unlike traditional Internet streaming applications that offer only genre-based, preprogrammed channels, LAUNCHcast gives people the opportunity to design their own music station in either audio or video format. By simply selecting favorite artists, radio stations and DJs, and by rating songs as they play, music fans can train LAUNCHcast to play the music they like. LAUNCHcast enhances music listening on the Web by providing a constantly changing selection of songs based on individual preferences. Powered by promotions, advertising and word of mouth, LAUNCHcast, the compelling, individualized music service, has grown to stream more than 1.5 million songs per week and has amassed more than 200,000 user-created stations.

“The response to LAUNCHcast has been extraordinary,”
said Dave Goldberg, CEO of LAUNCH.
“With the addition of music videos on LAUNCHcast, we will continue to focus on making this the ultimate streaming music application on the Web for consumers.”

To guarantee the best audio and video experience, LAUNCHcast uses Windows Media exclusively. Windows Media offers high-quality video and CD-quality sound at half the file size of MP3.

Windows Media also offers LAUNCHcast the flexibility to design a tailored interface that showcases the service’s unique capabilities. Stations play in a browser window that uses Flash and HTML to present song information and station management tools without invoking a separate window for the Windows Media Player.

“LAUNCH has really taken advantage of Windows Media to provide a distinctive and powerful experience for listeners,”
said Dave Fester, general manager of the Digital Media Division at Microsoft.
“With great audio and video quality and the ability to tailor playlists to individual preferences, LAUNCHcast shows how much fun music on the Internet can be.”

About LAUNCH

Headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., LAUNCH (Nasdaq
“LAUN”
) is a digital media company focused on creating the premier Internet destination for discovering new music. Leveraging the inherent advantages of digital media, LAUNCH offers a compelling music discovery experience for consumers and provides a valuable marketing platform for record labels, artists, advertisers and merchants. LAUNCH delivers its content on the Internet at http://www.launch.com/ and on the monthly LAUNCH on CD-ROM. LAUNCH is engaged in key relationships with AOL, Microsoft, Intel, Snap, Road Runner, Sony Music, EMI, Warner Music, NetZero, Yahoo!, Yahoo! Japan, CheckOut.com, SOFTBANK Ventures and NBC.

About Windows Media and Microsoft

Windows Media, the leading digital media platform, provides consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and corporations with unmatched audio and video quality. Windows Media Technologies, which include Windows Media Player, Windows Media Services, Windows Media Tools and the Windows Media Software Development Kit (SDK), are available for download at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/ . The Windows Media Player is the fastest-growing digital media player and is available in 24 languages. To date, there are over 100 million licensed copies of the Windows Media Player, growing by more than one every second.

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 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 home page at http://microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

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