Microsoft's Corona Out of the Bottle
eWeek | at | by Mike
A Corona-fueled bash has hit the Web. The latest incarnation of Microsoft's Windows Media Player -- formerly code-named Corona -- leaked to Windows enthusiasts' Web sites within a week of the official launch date announcement. Although Microsoft cordons off access to select groups of partners and software testers, downloads sites have permeated the Web bringing the next-generation digital media platform, Windows Media (TM) 9 Series, to the masses. Windows Media 9.0 introduces a new proprietary codec that Microsoft is pitting against the MPEG-4 standard embraced by competitors including Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple Computers. Apple's newly christened QuickTime 6.0 includes support for the standard. Both standards charge royalties for distribution or transactions.