Microsoft touts Media Player revamp
vnunet.com | at | by Mike
Microsoft is to release an enhanced Media Player that can send high-definition video and surround-sound audio over the internet. The Redmond giant said that chairman Bill Gates would unveil the new system, code named Corona, on 4 September. The move is a direct attack on RealNetworks, which leads the online digital software arena with a 16.2 per cent market share, compared with Microsoft's 14.4 per cent.
Key features touted by Microsoft include near-instant playback that gets rid of the initial delay when streaming web content, high-definition television-grade picture quality, and Dolby Digital that delivers surround-sound over five channels and a subwoofer. Users will need a broadband connection and new audio/visual hardware to take advantage of the new features, although Fester maintained that users with conventional dial-up speeds and hardware would still benefit from the enhanced features.