BW0293 JUL 17,2000 10:02 PACIFIC 13:02 EASTERN
( BW)(CA-INTERACTUAL-TECH) InterActual Announces InterActual Player
2.0
Business Editors/High-Tech
Writers
BURLINGAME, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July
17, 2000--
Multi-platform software seamlessly combines web browsing with DVD-Video
and CD-Audio to enable a new dimension in entertainment and business
applications
InterActual(R) Technologies
today debuts at the DVD Pro 2000 conference its next generation software,
InterActual Player 2.0, for multi-platform support of DVD and the web. The
successor to the popular PCFriendly(TM) software, InterActual Player 2.0
includes support for both the Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh operating
systems, and also provides a common platform for the design of Internet-enhanced
DVDs and CDs for use on upcoming web-connected DVD consumer electronics players
and appliances. InterActual Player 2.0 is the first software application to
bridge the worlds of DVD and the Internet in a single, cross-platform
environment.
Having shipped on over 30 million DVDs
worldwide, InterActual PCFriendly software is the industry standard solution for
providing ROM features and web connectivity to DVD titles. Some of the
best-selling DVDs of all time include InterActual PCFriendly software, including
The Abyss Collector's Edition, American Pie, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged
Me, The Blair Witch Project, The Matrix, The Mummy, Stuart Little, Walt Disney's
Tarzan and over 200 other titles. InterActual Player 2.0 software is fully
backwards compatible with all PCFriendly
titles.
"It's the best of all worlds," remarked Todd
Collart, President and CEO of InterActual. "By combining the immediacy and
personalization of the Internet with the unsurpassed video quality of DVD, we're
enabling content developers from all industries to create an experience that
simply wasn't possible before."
Beyond the additional
cross-platform support, InterActual Player 2.0 adds several features that enable
new kinds of DVD bonus material, including a new "skinnable" architecture that
allows content developers to "wrap" video content in a customized look and feel.
InterActual Player provides enhanced features and a customizable interface for
playing discs that weren't authored using InterActual, and there are also
several performance improvements, such as a streamlined installation process and
fully scalable window support.
Due for public release
in September 2000, the new software is sure to catch on, as InterActual improves
and streamlines its tool kit for developers. DVD authoring leaders such as
Daikin U.S. Comtek Laboratories and Sonic Solutions have announced plans to
integrate the software into their respective authoring
environments.
Daikin's Dr. Panos Nasiopoulos, Vice
President of Marketing Communications, added, "InterActual is a strong partner
and recognized leader of combining DVD Video with web connectivity. We are
pleased to support InterActual's standard as part of Daikin's Enhanced DVD Kit
(EDK)."
"Our customers will be thrilled," said Robert
Doris, President and CEO of Sonic Solutions. "The combination of InterActual
Player 2.0 integrated with the Sonic eDVD authoring environment provides a
turnkey solution for adding web links to
DVD."
InterActual is also planning to provide
enhanced development services and utilities directly to developers. InterActual
Inventor Connection is a new program that will provide support and training for
creating content for InterActual Player 2.0. "This couldn't be happening at a
better time," said Douglas Textor, President of Canned Interactive, the
developer that produced enhanced DVD content for such films as The Matrix and
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. "InterActual's approach to web-connecting
DVD is adding a whole new bag of tricks to our industry, and it's taking us
places that weren't supposed to be possible until infinite bandwidth came
along."
About InterActual Technologies,
Inc.
InterActual Technologies, Inc. (http://www.interactual.com/) is the
leading provider of software and services that connect DVD and the Internet.
InterActual PCFriendly(TM) software has enabled millions of connected viewers to
enjoy exclusive special features with Hollywood movies and music when played in
an Internet-connected DVD player or personal computer. By integrating the
experience of web browsing with theater quality video and audio, InterActual is
connecting the audience to a new dimension of entertainment and
communication.
About Daikin U.S. Comtek
Laboratories
Based in Novato, California, Daikin
U.S. Comtec Laboratories is the center of operations for R&D, marketing and
support for the worldwide distribution of the acclaimed series of DVD authoring
and support tools, Scenarist, Scenarist EDK, ReelDVD, DVD Informer and ROM
Formatter. Daikin U.S. Comtec Laboratories is a subsidiary of Daikin Industries,
Ltd. of Japan.
About Sonic
Solutions
Based in Marin County, California,
Sonic (http://www.sonic.com/) is the leading
manufacturer of solutions for DVD publishing and interactive, streaming video on
the Internet. Sonic DVDit! (http://www.dvdit.com/) is the first application
for DVD authoring targeted at consumers and corporate video producers, and is
bundled with major video editing, capture, encoding and media production
systems. Streaming DVD is the first interactive technology based on DVD for
content distribution over the Internet. Sonic DVD Creator and DVD Fusion are the
most widely-used systems for professional DVD publishing, and are installed
worldwide at major studios, post production facilities and in corporate
marketing departments. SonicStudio HD is the leading digital workstation for
preparing audio for release on CD and the first for creating content for the new
DVD-Audio format. Sonic is also a full voting member of the DVD Forum, the
standards-setting body for the DVD format.
About
Canned Interactive
Canned Interactive is a
premium interactive agency with a concentration in broadband interactive
entertainment, advertising, and promotions. They combine world-class creativity
with heavyweight technical skills for clients that include Warner Home Video,
Columbia Tri-Star, EMI Music, and Chiat-Day. Canned Interactive brings connected
broadband content to homes today, in the form of
DVD.
Note to Editors: InterActual, the
InterActual logo, PCFriendly and the PCFriendly logo are either trademarks or
registered trademarks of InterActual Technologies, Inc. All other company or
product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Specifications, pricing
and delivery schedules are subject to change without notice.
--30--nj/sf* crd/sf
CONTACT: InterActual Technologies, Inc.
Leonard Sharp, 408/392-7134
lsharp@interactual.com
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ELECTRONIC GAMES/MULTIMEDIA SOFTWARE INTERNET
ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT MARKETING AGREEMENTS