Oak Technology Transforms CD-Recording Software

New SimpliCD Enables CD-RW Drive Users to Make Their Own Photo Album CDs For Playback on PC or TV With DVD Players May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Oak Technology today announced the availability of its new SimpliCD Compact Disc recording software to consumers worldwide. SimpliCD is the first of a new breed of CD-Recording software that embeds directly within the Windows operating system, automating the creation of data, audio, video and photo slide show CDs. This integration makes it possible for first time users to easily create CDs without learning complicated software or arcane formatting techniques. Additionally, SimpliCD includes a breakthrough new feature, Picture Slide Show, which burns a collection of digital photos to a CD that will play on TV in consumer VideoCD and DVD Players, as well as computers.

In consumer testing conducted by San Jose Focus, a research firm specializing in human interface testing, SimpliCD was found to outperform other CD recording software, specifically in the areas of ease-of use, speed and utility.

About Picture Slide Show
Most of the new generation of DVD players are already compliant with the Optical Storage Technology Association's (OSTA) MultiPlay(TM) standard, a new industry specification that allows DVD devices to play CD-R and CD-RW discs. SimpliCD's Slide Show feature is the first CD-Recording software of its kind to take full advantage of the MultiPlay specification by automating the process of making consumer photo albums in VideoCD format that play automatically on TV with DVD players. By attaching a digital camera to the PC, consumers can instantly create digital photo albums, or archive for permanent storage. The Slide Show feature automatically converts digital picture (BMP and JPG) files on the fly and records them as slide shows and videos on CD-R or CD-RW discs for viewing on computers and TVs having MultiPlay compliant DVD or VideoCD players.

In addition to Slide Show, SimpliCD is able to create Compressed Audio (CA) albums with MP3 and WMA audio files. Such albums will allow users of computers or consumer players to enjoy 10 times more music on one CD, and additionally will allow user to organize by custom play lists or categories such as artist, album or genre. This new CA specification was developed by a group of companies of OSTA, and will soon serve as an industry standard to facilitate an improved playback experience in future CD and DVD consumer players.

"In designing SimpliCD, we've taken a completely new approach, with the consumer's ease-of-use in mind. We developed a simple yet full-featured program for CD-RW users frustrated by the limited freeware software that is typically bundled with their CD-RW drive or PC. With the new Slide Show and CA album applications, SimpliCD bridges the gap between computer and consumer electronic devices," said Felix Nemirovsky, general manager for Oak's Optical Media Software Group.

"Oak's focus on the ease of use in transferring digital content from the PC to CD-R/RW discs, for playback on consumer electronics devices and PCs, makes it a good match for today's rapidly expanding CD-RW drive market." said Peter Brown, removable storage industry analyst for IDC. According to IDC, the CD-R/RW market is experiencing rapid growth, with annual drive shipments expanding from 39 million in 2000 to an estimated 76 million in 2004. "Key factors driving this growth include a heightened demand for high capacity floppy-like storage, custom audio CDs, a proliferation of downloadable content over the Internet, increased need for storage of digital-camera images, and ongoing cost reductions for both CD-R/RW drives and recordable/rewritable discs."

In addition to Slide Show and CA albums, SimpliCD includes the following easy to use capabilities:

• SimpliCD Recorder -- A multimedia disc creation tool that easily and instantly creates audio, slide show and video discs on CD-R. One of the more exciting applications is the automated ability to convert MP3s to CDs that can play in most standard car stereos, CD/DVD players and CD/DVD drives. The SimpliCD Recorder can also mix and match audio files such as Windows Media Audio(TM), WAV and MP3 files, automatically converting them on the fly and burning them to standard CD Audio (Redbook) or CD-Text discs.
• SimpliCD Copy -- SimpliCD Copy automatically copies audio, game, and software titles to either 74- or 80-minute CD media, enabling consumers to make instant backups of their important digital content. Another unique feature of SimpliCD Copy allows users to seamlessly convert standard audio discs to CD-Text format for playback on home CD jukeboxes.
• SimpliCD ROM -- This is an easy to use drag and drop feature for creating Data discs for saving digital content to a folder on a hard disk. This unique folder is a part of the desktop and Windows Explorer. The user simply right clicks on the folder and selects "burn."
• SimpliCD ReWrite -- This module includes a Universal Disk Format (UDF) read/write device driver, with advanced defect management that allows CD-RW discs to be used like floppy disks. Disc tools such as Formatting and Erasing are available at your fingertips from Windows Explorer or from the taskbar menu.

Availability
Oak's SimpliCD software is now available for consumer purchase and download at www.oaktech.com at $49.95. Consumers may also purchase the software for physical delivery at a price of $64.95.

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SOURCE Oak Technology, Inc.