RioPort Launches Beta Version of Next Generation Audio Manager Software for Simple, No-hassle Access to the World of Downloadable Audio

Business Wire, March 13, 2000

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2000

New Audio Manager 3.0 Lets Consumers Instantly Play Streamed or Downloaded Tracks in Multiple Formats, Burn CDs, Watch Desktop Videos

and Connect to Portables, All From One Easy-to-Use Application

RioPort Inc., a pioneer in the digital audio download market, today announced the beta launch of its next generation Audio Manager software, offering a score of innovations that make enjoying digital audio content both easier and more compelling than ever before.

RioPort's Audio Manager 3.0's industry-leading feature set includes new audio and video streaming capabilities, the ability to burn custom CDs for playback of music on home and car stereos, and downloading of tracks in multiple formats to the desktop or portable playback devices.

The beta version of Audio Manager 3.0 is available for free beginning today at www.rioport.com. The final software is expected to become available through RioPort's growing network of distribution partners in the next several weeks.

RioPort's new Audio Manager 3.0 is MetaTrust Certified(TM) by InterTrust Technologies Corp., and also supports Microsoft's Windows Media Format, addressing the desires of major content owners by providing a solid, secure commerce infrastructure, which will drive the delivery of popular digital music and spoken audio content via the Internet.

For RioPort's platform partners and OEMs, key benefits include support for multiple file formats with built-in digital rights management functionality and the ability to customize the application's look and features for their own audiences.

"RioPort's new Audio Manager is a significant leap forward in helping to drive mass market acceptance of digital audio," said Todd Moore, director of product management for platform systems at RioPort, Inc.

"Audio Manager 3.0 provides all the features consumers want in an easy-to-use application, while addressing the concerns of copyright holders who want assurance that their content will be protected from piracy. By addressing these concerns through our software, we are helping the industry come one step closer to making digital audio a truly viable consumer market."

Multi-Format Support for Playback on PCs, Portables or Home/Car Stereos

The Audio Manager 3.0 provides users with flexibility to enjoy new music and spoken word content. For instance, using Audio Manager 3.0, people can:

--   Play CD music in addition to downloaded digital audio or video
     files;

--   Easily encode music from their own CD collection to create a
     personal database of MP3 or Windows Media Format audio files for
     playback on their PC or compatible portable device;

--   Download new music tracks from the Internet or use their existing
     database of MP3 or WMA files, then make their own CD using a CD-R
     drive for playback on their home/car stereo;

--   Simply download tracks in MP3, WMA, formats for playback on the
     PC or compatible portable player;

--   Stream leading audio formats, such as MP3, WMA or G2, on their
     desktop for listening to audio or viewing video files on the Web
     without storing files on their hard drive;

--   Or connect to portable devices using the industry standard Media
     Device Manager (MDM) API from RioPort, which is interoperable
     with Microsoft's Windows Media Device Manager (WMDM), adopted by
     a growing number of portable device manufacturers.

     Other Key Advantages of the New Audio Manager 3.0 Include:

--   Support for multiple video streaming formats. With Audio Manager
     3.0, music fans can enjoy a full multimedia music experience by
     viewing AVI and QuickTime videos of their favorite artists while
     listening to their music.

--   Support for a variety of portable audio playback devices. Audio
     Manager 3.0 allows for "one-click" downloading of tracks from the
     Internet to any portable appliance supporting RioPort's industry
     standard MDM API. People simply choose the track, playlist or
     album that they want to transfer and press "download." The
     software will keep track of the content and available memory of
     their portable device.

--   Simple and intuitive categorization, searching, sorting and
     creation of playlists. Audio Manager 3.0 uses a simple database
     architecture for easy organization of all digital audio content.
     One of the software's key strengths is a powerful searchable
     database or "jukebox" where users store and organize all of their
     digital audio and video tracks by artist, title, genre or other
     categories. The database supports digital tracks embedded with
     information such as song titles, lyrics and CD art. An intuitive
     playlist editor lets users search their entire digital audio
     collection and easily create and save playlists that can be
     played from either their desktop or portable playback device.

--   Built-in Web browser for quickly and easily downloading content
     from the Net. Audio Manager 3.0 features a built-in Web browser
     that is custom configured for searching and downloading content
     from the Internet. RioPort's Audio Manager 3.0 connects users
     directly to its vast network of content providers, where they
     will find the Internet's best selection of downloadable music and
     spoken audio programming.

--   Higher fidelity encoding. Audio Manager 3.0 allows consumers to
     encode tracks from their own CD collection into the MP3 or WMA
     formats at up to 256 Kbps (versus the lower quality of 96 Kbps
     with the free versions of competitive applications), providing
     for extreme fidelity in the quality of recorded music. Encoding
     of CD tracks couldn't be easier -- users simply insert the CD
     into their CD-ROM drive and click on "copy."

--   Customizable interface and effects. The Audio Manager 3.0
     supports an unlimited number of skins along with visual and DSP
     plug-ins, allowing users and RioPort's platform partners to
     create a customized interface and add features that work best for
     them.