For the first time ever, MusicMatch Jukebox 4.1 lets users with high-speed Internet
access seamlessly integrate CD-quality streamed music, digital music recorded from CD in MP3 or Windows Media Audio formats, vinyl or cassette libraries, and CD-quality tracks downloaded from the Internet
into single play lists. Users can now create personalized CD-quality play lists that link into huge selections of streamed MP3s around the world, including tens of thousands of CD-quality tracks at
MP3.com. Users can also save streamed playlists and share them via email with friends, who can then simply click on the playlist file to listen to the streamed tracks within MusicMatch Jukebox.
MusicMatch Jukebox 4.1 also lets users choose from approximately 1500 CD-quality tracks available for download or streaming from within a new, completely integrated "Net Music"
Internet music browser. The new "Net Music" browser takes integration between music Web site and player application software to a new level, allowing users to easily browse through extensive
collections of full length, CD-quality Internet music within the MusicMatch Jukebox interface.
"With the integration of MP3 streaming into MusicMatch Jukebox, our customers can now
automatically add CD-quality music to their music collection, without having to give up valuable time and storage space," said Dennis Mudd, CEO of MusicMatch. "It's now easier than ever
before for people to make choices about what they want to hear, how and when they want to hear it -- which has been our goal since releasing our first Jukebox in 1997."
In another
major breakthrough, MusicMatch Jukebox now integrates the ability to record and play files in the new highly efficient Windows Media Audio (WMA) format. All MusicMatch Jukebox users can now record in
MP3 and WMA formats. Native Windows Media Audio support is available to provide high-quality audio with smaller file sizes.
"Microsoft is pleased that MusicMatch, which
offered the first complete personal jukebox solution, has fully embraced the unmatched audio quality offered by Windows Media formats," said Will Poole, general manager, Marketing and Business
Development, Streaming Media Division, Microsoft Corp. "Windows Media is the format of choice for millions of users, major record labels and industry leaders like MusicMatch. This new
version of MusicMatch will bring Windows Media Audio recording and playback to millions of MusicMatch users."
With the addition of Windows Media Audio support into the standard
version of MusicMatch Jukebox, users now have access to a rapidly expanding selection of downloadable CD-quality WMA files available on the net, including impressive WMA catalogues at launch.com and
windowsmedia.com.
"When users require superior quality at high compression rates, clearly, nothing beats Windows Media Audio for recording digital audio files," said Dennis
Mudd, CEO of MusicMatch. "We are also extremely pleased to be able to offer our users the compelling new digital audio content available only in Windows Media Audio."
Descriptions of key features found in MusicMatch Jukebox 4.1 include:
-- MP3 Streaming -- Users with high-speed Internet access are now able to stream and play hundreds
of thousands of CD-quality MP3 files found on web sites such as MP3.com, all of which can be displayed from within the new "Net Music" Internet music browser, integrated into
MusicMatch Jukebox. MP3 streaming playlists can be saved and played back at a later time, or shared with others.
-- Mixed Local and
Streaming Play Lists -- For the first time, users can easily create and save individual playlists comprised of streamed and downloaded tracks, and tracks digitally recorded from their own CD, vinyl and
cassette collections.
-- WMA Support -- MusicMatch was the first company to create a special version of its software that supported WMA. MusicMatch Jukebox now replaces
RealAudio support with WMA in its standard version, in addition to supporting MP3s, MP2, CD Audio and WAV audio formats. Users can record WMA tracks from their own music collection, and download WMA music
content online.
-- "Net Music" Integrated into MusicMatch Jukebox -- The new Net Music feature enables a variety of solutions for finding and attaining new music online,
right within the MusicMatch Jukebox interface. Users simply open a window within the player that offers them a series of options for adding tracks to their Music Library. Users can search for new
music, peruse a list of free tracks available via the MusicMatch Web site, and sample tracks from online music partners such as emusic, MP3.com and epitonic. It has never been easier to find and sample
music within a Jukebox software program.
-- Automatic Add and Play -- Tracks from the Internet are now automatically added to the users Music Library and playlist as soon as they
are downloaded.
-- Downloadable Themes -- A number of professionally designed GUI interface themes are now available from an integrated window within the player. Users can
view and download the themes into the MusicMatch Jukebox player instantly. Themes apply not only to the player portion of MusicMatch but to the Recorder, Music Library and
"Net Music" components, for true interface customization.
-- Copy and Paste Tagging -- No other digital music software allows users to view a rich
variety of relevant multimedia information within the player. Adding album art to ID3v2 tags is now a few mouse clicks away. Users can now simply copy jpeg or bitmap images from their clipboard
and paste them into digital audio tracks while they are playing. Users can also use the standard tagging interface in MusicMatch Jukebox to tag art, lyrics, notes, bios, artist URLs and other
information to the digital audio file, providing a more rich multimedia listening experience than is possible with any other digital audio software program.
-- Find Music -- Users
can now find a particular song in their library with pinpoint accuracy by searching for tracks by keywords (track name, title or artist) from within their Music Library.
The free,
standard version of MusicMatch Jukebox 4.1 includes complete "near-CD quality" MP3 and WMA encoders, giving users the ability to record an unlimited number of audio files at up to 96kbps.
Users can easily upgrade to CD-quality MP3 and WMA recording at bit rates of up to 320kbps and receive lifetime free upgrades for $29.99 USD.
About MusicMatch Jukebox
MusicMatch Jukebox is the world's first personal jukebox software. It lets users build extensive collections of CD-quality digital music downloaded from the Internet and recorded
from music CDs, vinyl and cassette tapes.
MusicMatch Jukebox lets users organize all of their tracks in a digital music database on their PC, create custom play lists and play them on their PC in
CD-quality. MusicMatch Jukebox is one of the world's most popular audio software programs, downloaded by close to one million people each month, and is the most popular jukebox software download on
CNET. MusicMatch Jukebox is currently being bundled with the Diamond Rio and Creative NOMAD portable MP3 players.
About MusicMatch, Inc.
MusicMatch, Inc.
develops digital audio software that lets people take control over how they listen to their music. The company's popular "MusicMatch Jukebox" software turns a PC into a powerful component of
a user's stereo system, and is the world's number-one selling MP3 software program.
The MusicMatch web site (http://www.musicmatch.com)
is one of the world's 50 most popular music web sites, and contains one of the finest collections of downloadable music from independent artists on the Internet. The company has 43 employees, was incorporated in February 1997, and is headquartered in San Diego, CA. MusicMatch is 20% owned by Thomson Multimedia Inc. Together with Fraunhofer IIS, Thomson was the co-developer of the MP3 technology and ranks #1 in the U.S. and #4 in Europe in sales of consumer electronics.
