Broderbund Introduces New Extreme Media Digital Studio

Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Broderbund, a leading developer and publisher of rich media productivity software today rolled out its first product under its new Extreme Media brand. Extreme Media Digital Studio is a complete solution for individuals to capture, edit, manage and personalize digital content such as photographs, videos and music -- and then burn a CD to view or listen to it on a PC, DVD Player or stereo. Extreme Media Digital Studio is compatible with Microsoft's Windows XP and takes advantage of the many digital functions of the new operating system. Digital Studio is an integrated product with a wide variety of rich media functions that are in high demand by users. For example, Digital Studio goes beyond basic CD-burning by enabling the recording of data, music, and digital photos and videos on a single mixed mode CD; and for those who like to create their own audio CDs or add music to their favorite videos, Digital Studio offers unlimited MP3 compressions and automatic track labeling.

"We're very excited about Extreme Media Digital Studio, which delivers our customers' most requested features in the video, photo, music and CD burning categories -- all in a single, well designed product," said Joe Roberts, executive vice president of Broderbund. "Digital Studio meets the needs of the user -- from the initial capturing of video and photos and audio content to burning the finished project onto a CD for archiving or sharing with others. Additionally, it allows the user to integrate multiple mediums to create a single, rich media presentation, making it truly the most complete solution available on the market today," Roberts added.

Extreme Media Digital Studio makes the digital creation process even easier by providing tutorials, professionally designed templates and special effects. Whether it's creating a CD-ROM of one's favorite music or editing and adding music to home videos, Digital Studio provides an end-to-end solution. Purchased separately, standalone software applications would cost the consumer more than $200. The estimated retail price for Extreme Media Digital Studio is only $79.99 and is available at retailers worldwide. Digital Studio offers users the versatility to create a wide range of personalized digital content using music, photographs or videos. Additionally, consumers can use EMDS to:

• Enhance video clips with graphics, photos and MP3 tracks
• Create dynamic photo slide shows with transitions and sounds
• Organize a music library with song titles and artist information downloaded from CDDB Internet music database.
• Create customized play lists and listen on a PC or export MP3 files to popular portable players.
• Burn videos on to Video CD or Super Video CD that can be played on most DVD/VCD players on a PC
• Preserve important files including favorite music and family photos, business documents and large graphics files by burning them to CD
• Design and print custom CD jewel case inserts plus labels for CDs, DVDs and much more.

Exploding Consumer Interest in Rich Media Software
The interest in and need for easy-to-use rich media software applications has been fueled by increasing consumer usage of broadband as well as the continued mass market penetration of digital cameras and camcorders, scanners and other computer peripherals. For example, unit sales of video editing software applications rose more than 600 percent in the year ending August 2001(1); digital camera sales more than doubled in 2000, with 4.6 percent of households purchasing digital cameras, up from 1.8 percent the previous year(2); and the U.S. consumer digital camcorder market is forecasted to grow from 1.7 million shipped units in 2000 to 6.8 million shipped units in 2001.(3)

About Broderbund
Broderbund is a leading publisher of rich media productivity products. Its brands, including The Print Shop, PrintMaster, Family Tree Maker and Dragon Naturally Speaking, are category leaders. Broderbund's flagship brand, The Print Shop, has sold more than 17 million units since its introduction in 1984. The company has more than 40 million+ customers in homes, businesses and schools worldwide.

Broderbund operates ExpressIt.com, the company's award-winning website, which is visited by more than one million people every month. It offers greetings, photo albums, more than one million graphics and other products and services.

Broderbund LLC is owned by an affiliate of Gores Technology Group, a privately held international acquisition and management firm that pursues an aggressive strategy of acquiring promising high technology organizations and managing them for growth and profitability. More information about Broderbund and its products can be found at www.broderbund.com

MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here

SOURCE Broderbund LLC