Media player a real winner

Playing different forms of multimedia on a Windows-based computer has always been a challenge. It usually required a number of different programs to get the best performance out of the machine. The “Media Player” software supplied with Windows 95 and 98 is very basic, and most users quickly abandoned it to adopt one of the many freeware players available.


Everything changed recently, when Microsoft launched Media Player 7, a free download that looks like a real winner. The program is capable of playing virtually every popular digital format in audio and video. It also offers a host of extra features that allow you to personalize how music and video sound and look on your computer. In a departure from past Microsoft offerings, the program itself has a stylish look and feel, and can even be customized with different “skins” to suit your personal desktop.


All in one player
The biggest advantage offered by Media Player 7 is that it is truly an “all-in-one” player that gives you one place to find, organize and play digital media, whether it’s streamed or downloaded from the Net or
stored on your hard drive. More than 200 million copies of Windows dia Player have already been licensed, and its use is growing faster than that of any other player.


According to Bill Gates, the new player “represents a digital turning point for both our industry and millions of consumers around the world.” We might think that the world’s richest man (and, it should be noted, biggest philanthropist) could be prone to hyperbole when describing his latest software, but in this case, he may be right.


I’ve downloaded the player, and it has proven to be everything the press releases claim. The new player lets you:
· Make your own custom CDs
· Offers “one-click” access to a built-in media guide, a media library, a radio tuner, portable devices, and custom visualizations and skins.
· It plays Windows Media formats with near-VHS and near-DVD video and CD-quality audio.
· It also plays MP3 files.
Versions of the new player are available for the Windows 98 and Windows 2000 operating systems.


Anyone who has struggled with the different programs you need for the various formats will welcome the Windows Media Player 7. And best of all, downloading is free!