PhatNoise Launches Highly Anticipated In-car Digital Audio System for MP3 and WMA Music; New PhatNoise Car Audio System Integrates Seamlessly with Pre-Installed Stereo Head Units and Provides Hundreds of Hours of Digital Audio Playback

Business Wire,  Nov 12, 2001  

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LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 12, 2001

Taking digital music "the last mile to the car," PhatNoise, Inc. today announced the November 15 release of its award-winning PhatNoise Car Audio System(TM) (CAS), the first complete digital media jukebox system for automobiles. The special, limited-edition PhatNoise Car Audio System can be purchased online at www.phatnoise.com for $799 and will also be available nationwide through select high performance distributors.

The PhatNoise Car Audio System creates an entirely new in-car entertainment experience by seamlessly integrating new media technology with current car stereos. The desktop-to-driveway solution provides everything needed to enjoy an entire music collection at home, work and in the car, without the hassle of burning CDs, dealing with messy adaptor cords or replacing the car stereo system. The PhatNoise Music Manager PC software dynamically organizes digital music collections into custom playlists and converts existing CDs into digital music files using MP3, Windows Media Audio files (WMA) and other popular formats. Taking that collection on the road is as simple as synchronizing the PC with a 20GB, removable, digital media storage (DMS) cartridge using a USB docking station. The palm-sized DMS cartridge is capable of holding up to 6,000 music tracks or approximately 500 CDs in MP3 format and even greater capacity in WMA format. Insert the DMS cartridge into the PhatBox(TM) and use familiar CD changer controls to access and enjoy hundreds of hours of digital music. The PhatBox can be conveniently installed in the trunk, glove box or under a seat and connects like a typical CD changer to the car stereo system.

"Until now, there has never been an elegant solution that lets consumers easily take all of their digital music with them on the road," said Dannie Lau, founder and EVP of New Business and Product Development at PhatNoise, Inc. "The PhatNoise Car Audio System delivers that solution, making it possible for people to enjoy thousands of tracks at a time through their existing car stereo. We believe that the PhatNoise system will set the standard for digital media entertainment in the car moving forward."

"Digital music offers a whole new level of consumer control, customizability and choice," said Dave Fester, general manager, Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft Corporation. "PhatNoise's integrated support for Windows Media Audio means digital music fans will now get double the amount of music storage, the best quality sound and take their entire digital music collection with them right in their car."

PhatNoise's system supports multiple audio formats and Microsoft's Windows Media digital rights management technology. In the future, the system's software upgradable design will enable PhatNoise to continue to include support for new audio codecs and DRM technologies as needed, and to introduce other new features and product enhancements quickly and easily.

Playing Digital Music in the Car

The PhatNoise Car Audio System is the only advanced in-car digital media device offered today that is natively compatible to in-car stereo systems, making it possible for consumers to take advantage of existing car stereo features such as steering wheel stereo controls and enhanced sound systems to play their digital music. Consumers select new playlists the same way as they would a new CD. In addition, if the user's head unit supports text display, the PhatNoise system provides artist's name, song title and other enriched information for listeners.

Stereo Head Unit Compatibility

Today, the PhatNoise system is compatible with an extensive selection of stereo head units by Kenwood, Audi and BMW. Compatibility for select Sony, Honda, Volkswagen and Toyota head units will be available in December. Moving forward, PhatNoise will continue to expand on the system's ability to work with other car stereo head unit models by introducing drivers that users can easily access and download from the PhatNoise Web site at http://www.phatnoise.com.

PhatNoise Music Manager Software

The PhatNoise system features the company's own music management software that enables users to seamlessly acquire, organize, store, transfer and playback thousands of digital music files. PhatNoise's database-driven software enables users to create fully customizable playlists using simple queries such as artist, genre, album, most recent songs and other keywords. Through PhatNoise's patent-pending Dynamic Playlist Generation Technology (DPGT)(TM), playlists are then automatically updated and categorized according to a user's musical preferences. In addition, users who have tracks saved on their PC via different jukebox programs can quickly scan their computer using the PhatNoise software, which will then automatically map tracks to their PhatNoise playlists for easy transfer to the car. The PhatNoise Music Manager offers synchronization with the PhatBox in the car, along with other portable devices such as the Creative Nomad.