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Turbolinux Announces First Linux Support for Microsoft Windows Media Format TOKYO --(Business Wire)-- April 28, 2004 -- New "Turbolinux 10 F..." Multimedia Desktop Brings Windows and Real streaming video, DVD movies and Apple iPod support to LinuxTurbolinux, a global provider of Linux solutions and the best-selling Linux distribution in Asia-Pacific, today announced "Turbolinux 10 F...", a new Linux operating system designed for home computer users. With 10F, Turbolinux becomes the first major Linux distributor to ship a media player capable of streaming pure Windows Media format audio and video. 10F is based on Turbolinux 10 Desktop. "Japanese consumers are moving in large numbers to Linux," said Koichi Yano, president and COO of Turbolinux, Inc. "Turbolinux Desktop has long had the best Asian language support and with 10F we now have the best multimedia system for consumers." Home users can now watch feature DVD movies and Windows Media streaming video on "Turbolinux 10 F...". CyberLink's PowerDVD for Linux is included in the new "Turbolinux 10 F..." and supports Content Scramble System (CSS), an encryption system widely required by studios to protect popular Hollywood and theater movies. Turbolinux engineers developed new software called Turbo Media Player that works with xine, a widely-used Linux media engine, to make it possible for customers to watch streaming video in Windows Media format. Turbolinux is the first Linux company to form a relationship with CyberLink to allow viewing of encrypted movies in different international DVD regions established by the major studios. Turbolinux 10 Desktop was ranked as one of the top 10 best-selling system software packages in Japan in the first quarter of 2004, including proprietary vendors such as Microsoft and Apple, according to market research firm BCN. Last month Turbolinux announced an OEM agreement with HP to distribute Turbolinux Desktop in 12 Asian markets on new HP business desktop computers. New features in "Turbolinux 10 F..." include: -- Streaming video and audio support for Windows Media Format, RealVideo/Audio and MP3; -- PowerDVD for Linux enables legal playback of DVD movies and supports Dolby stereo sound and simultaneous display of sub-titles, and; -- Sun's Java applet and Macromedia Flash browser support. Other key features that have established Turbolinux Desktop as a leading OS in Asia include: -- Instant messaging software compatible with the popular Yahoo! Messenger, MSN, ICQ, and AOL networks -- Apple iPod support -- Japanese TrueType fonts from Ricoh, and; -- ATOK X for Linux, the world's most popular system for entering Japanese characters on computers. "Turbolinux 10 F..." will be available for purchase in Japan on May 28, 2004 and is priced at $149 per copy. Customers upgrading from the previous version of Turbolinux Desktop can purchase 10F for $64. Customers outside Japan can purchase "Turbolinux 10 F..." starting June 30, 2004. About Turbolinux, Inc. Turbolinux develops and sells the leading Linux distribution in Asia-Pacific. The operating system is optimized to run on a wide range of hardware platforms, including Intel-based servers and IBM mainframes. Turbolinux, with headquarters in Japan, plays a major role in developing Linux systems for the Japanese market, including Japanese and Chinese language "double-byte" text support. More than half of Turbolinux's staff is dedicated to Linux engineering development and support, providing expert support and custom application development services that go beyond Japanese localization issues. Turbolinux works extensively with standards bodies and partners to ensure certification and software compatibility in all business environments. For more information, visit www.turbolinux.com. Turbolinux is a trademark of Turbolinux, Inc. Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. |
