mp3PRO is the next generation of the World's most popular audio compression format, MP3. Developed by Coding Technologies and launched by Thomson multimedia, the mp3PRO digital audio codec has complete backward compatibility with MP3, and improves compression rates and overall audio quality with files that are half the size of the original MP3 data.

Offering 128 kbps performance at a 64 kbps-encoding rate, mp3PRO can effectively double the digital music capacity of MP3 files recorded onto a CD using Nero. Therefore, storing over 300 songs on a CD-Recordable disc at little compromise to the original data is now a reality with Nero and mp3PRO.

Henri Linde, VP, New Business for the patent licensing unit of Thomson multimedia, said "Nero is well known as the first recording application worldwide to support MP3 technology, and its inclusion of mp3PRO is further testament to MP3's dominance. We are pleased that Nero has licensed the new mp3PRO technology and that Nero users will soon have access to seamless encoding with mp3PRO."

"We are extremely pleased that the joint efforts of the development-teams of Ahead, Thomson and Coding Technologies were able to transfer our demo-version into a fully functional product, only two months after initial release." said Martin Dietz, CEO of Coding Technologies. "Nero will allow consumers to enjoy all the options of the mp3PRO-Codec, in particular the high quality encoding at 80 and 96 kbps."

Nero is fast, ultra-stable, powerful, and above all else user-friendly, Nero has no equal where CD Recording software is concerned. Driven by the idea of making the software you really want, Nero has evolved into the complete solution to all your CD Recording needs. The inclusion of mp3PRO further enhances Nero's enviable reputation in the CDR/DVD market as the premier application for the creation of CD's.

About Ahead

Ahead Software AG is one of the industry's leading privately held developers of software applications for CD-R/RW, DVD, and Internet Audio. Its flagship product Nero can be found bundled in many regions of the world with leading drive manufacturers including: Acer, Asus, Aopen, HP, Lite-On, Mitsumi, NEC, Philips, Plextor, Ricoh, Samsung, TDK, Teac, Ultima and Yamaha. In addition to a strong global retail and distribution presence Ahead maintains strong OEM relationships with major computer system and hardware manufacturers, as well as other strategic partners. Ahead Software is headquartered in Karlsbad, Germany. U.S. Technical Support is available by telephone: 515-288 2608 or Email: [email protected].

Nero® is a registered trademark. InCD is a trademark of Ahead Software AG. Any other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.