August 22, 2005 06:30 AM US Eastern Timezone
Roxio Pushes CD & DVD Burning Boundaries with Launch of Toast 7; Delivers Mac Platform Firsts Including Music DVD, Multi-Image HD Slideshows, Data Spanning and One-Step DivX Disc Creation
SANTA
CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 22, 2005--Roxio(R), a division of Sonic Solutions(R) (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today announced Toast(R) 7, the most significant upgrade ever to its industry-leading Mac CD & DVD burning suite. Toast 7 complements and extends the functionality of the Mac OS and iLife applications with innovative new features and ground-breaking capabilities that empower users to copy, save, hear and see their entire digital life on CD and DVD. Toast 7 will be publicly available direct from Roxio starting August 31 and in stores in early September.
Headlining the latest version is a number of features that make previously impossible tasks a reality for Mac users. These features include multi-image High Definition slideshows with pan and zoom effects, transitions and background soundtracks, audio DVDs with over 50 hours of rich Dolby(R) quality music and advanced navigation, and data spanning, which allows users to backup large files, folders and applications across multiple CDs and DVDs.
"Toast 7 delivers enhancements and features that I've always wanted along with some ingenious capabilities that I never even knew I needed," said Thomas Santee, Toast 7 beta tester. "Although it's packed with new features, Toast 7 has the same simple workflow and a design that I know so well."
Toast 7 also breaks new ground by becoming the first third-party application on any platform to support DivX(R) 6. The integration of the latest powerful compression technology allows users, in a single step, to turn DivX format files into DVD-Video discs. In addition, users are able to convert any video file to DivX and turn iMovie HD and FinalCut HD projects into true high-definition video discs to enjoy in the comfort of their living room on their DivX HD-enabled DVD player.
"Toast 7 defines a new standard in burning and is the source for quickly and effectively protecting, sharing and enjoying a lifetime of digital music, movies and photos on CD and DVD," said Adam Fingerman, director of product management, Roxio. "This latest version will appeal to Mac users who want to go far beyond the basic features of all other burning applications, and to audio and video enthusiasts who demand the widest possible file support and professional quality options."
Toast 7 New Feature Highlights:
Save It
-- Data Spanning: Span large files and folders across multiple CDs and DVDs. Quickly restore an entire disc set or a single file.
-- Simple Hybrid: Easily create hybrid discs with unique content for Mac or Windows users.
-- Customized Discs: Personalize your data discs with custom icons and backgrounds.
-- iLife Browser: Instantly access all your music, photos, and movies with the iLife media browser.
Hear It
-- Music DVDs: Enjoy audio DVDs in standard DVD players with over 50 hours of music, on-screen TV menus, and advanced navigation with smart playlists and shuffle play.
-- High Fidelity: Add rich Hollywood-style Dolby Digital sound or full-quality 96 kHz, 24 bit audio.
-- Instant Audio Capture: Capture live audio to add to iTunes with Roxio's Dashboard widget, Desktop Recorder.
-- Extended Audio File Support: Convert audio files to the newly supported OGG, FLAC, and AAC formats. Use all popular formats including OGG and FLAC in audio CDs and music DVDs.
See It
-- One-Step DivX to DVD: Turn DivX format files into DVDs to watch in your living room.
-- HD CDs and DVDs: Turn iMovie HD or Final Cut HD projects into DivX HD discs -- enjoy true 720p high-definition video on a standard CD or DVD today.
-- Menu Styles: Select from a gallery of DVD menu styles, and add chapter menus or slide menus with shuffle mode.
-- Multi-Image HD Slideshows: Turn still photos into stunning multi-image HD slideshows with collages, motion effects, and soundtracks.
-- Extended Video File Support: Convert video files to DivX, 3GPP, H.264, AAC and more. Watch on your portable player, cell phone or Sony PlayStation Portable. Convert audio tracks from DVDs into audio CDs.
Copy It
-- Powerful DVD Compression: Compress and copy an entire 9 GB dual-layer DVD-Video to a standard 4.7 GB recordable DVD disc.
-- Flexible DVD Copy Options: Maximize video quality by selecting the items on a DVD to copy such as main movie, language and audio format.
-- VR Disc Copying: Import and copy from VR discs created in set-top DVD recorders and camcorders. Extract individual titles and chapters from standard DVDs.
-- Auto Disc Mounting: Mount virtual image drives directly from the desktop.
Pricing and Availability
Toast 7 will be available August 31 direct from Roxio at (http://www.roxio.com/go/toast7) and will be widely available at retail stores in early September for a suggested retail price of US$99.95. Toast 7 is currently available for pre-order from select online retailers. In the United States, a $20 mail-in rebate will be available on August 31 to current owners of Toast, Jam, Popcorn, The Boom Box, iLife, and Mac OS X. Details are included in the box. Registered Toast, Jam, Popcorn and The Boom Box users will be eligible for other discounts direct from Roxio.
About Roxio
Roxio, a division of Sonic Solutions, develops and markets the best-selling digital media software in the world. Roxio offers award-winning software products for CD/DVD burning, photo editing and video editing and has an installed base of over 150 million users. Roxio distributes its products globally through strategic partnerships with major hardware manufacturers, through leading retailers, through Internet partnerships and through direct sales at www.roxio.com.
Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC)(http://www.sonic.com) is the leader in digital media software and provides a broad range of software tools and applications for creative professionals, business and home users, and technology partners. Sonic's products range from professional DVD authoring systems and interactive content delivery technologies that are used to produce the majority of Hollywood movies released on DVD to the award-winning Roxio- and Sonic-branded CD and DVD creation, playback and backup applications that have become the premier solutions for consumers and business users worldwide. Sonic's AuthorScript is the de facto standard for CD and DVD burning and formatting and has been licensed by major software and hardware manufacturers, including Adobe, Broadcom, Microsoft, Scientific-Atlanta, Sony, and many others. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California.
Sonic, the Sonic logo, Sonic Solutions, Roxio, Toast, CD Spin Doctor and AuthorScript are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sonic Solutions or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners and, in some cases, are used by Sonic Solutions under license. Specifications, pricing and delivery schedules are subject to change without notice.
Forward Looking Statements
The above paragraphs of this press release may contain forward looking statements that are based upon current expectations. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties including, among others, the timely introduction and acceptance of new products, costs associated with new product introductions, the transition of products to new hardware configurations and platforms and other factors, including those discussed in the Company's annual and quarterly reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Registration Statement on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which contain a more detailed discussion of the Company's business including risks and uncertainties that may affect future results. The Company does not undertake to update any forward looking statements.
Source: Busines Wire
