Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition [OLD VERSION]

Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition [OLD VERSION]

from: Microsoft Software Price: $26.95 as of 11/23/2009 09:17 EST Used Price: $19.00 Third Party New Price: $26.95 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Binding: CD-ROM Brand: Microsoft Color: Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition EAN: 0805529196711 Edition: Digital Media Edition Format: CD-ROM Label: Microsoft Software Manufacturer: Microsoft Software Platform: Windows NT, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows 95, Mac, Unix, Linux, Windows XP Publisher: Microsoft Software Release Date: February 11, 2003 Studio: Microsoft Software Accessories: Microsoft Office XP Standard Upgrade [Old Version] Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade [OLD VERSION] Microsoft Windows XP Professional Upgrade [OLD VERSION] CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 11 Upgrade Doom 3 Related Items: Faster Smarter Microsoft Windows XP with Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition Sony CFD-S350 CD/Cassette Portable Boombox (Silver) Hallmark Blank Greeting Cards Half-fold Matte Premium 20 Count Linksys EZXS55W EtherFast 10/100 5-Port Workgroup Switch Best: 1991-2004 see more Browse for similar items by category: Click to Display Editorial Review: Amazon.com: Microsoft typically supplements its operating systems with a retail grab bag of utilities and entertainment-oriented applications called Microsoft Plus. For Windows XP, it has released not one but two such packages. The latest, Microsoft Plus Digital Media Edition, sports nearly a dozen perks, toys and tools for those who use their PC as a multimedia companion. Though some will find the program packs its fair share of incidental "fluff", anyone into photos, video or music will undoubtedly find several components both useful and enjoyable. Digital camera buffs will quickly take to Photo Story, wherein they can organize their favorite pictures in slideshow format, add narration, and create a dynamic sense of motion by manually or automatically zooming or panning across each shot. The end result is flowing and compelling and far less stagnant than a standard still presentation. The program also has plenty of goodies for music fans, including Analog Recorder, a clever utility that transcribes audio in real time from traditional sources such as cassettes and 8-tracks (cables not included), organizes them into playlists, and efficiently removes pops and hiss via technology licensed from respected pro audio veteran Syntrillium Corp. Slightly less impressive is CD Label Maker, which offers a standard selection of CD labels and templates but unfortunately emblazons a Microsoft Plus logo onto each one. Party Mode stretches your Windows Media Player to fill the entire screen and displays customizable marquee announcements and animations, and the aptly named Audio Converter converts MP3 and WAV files to space-efficient WMA files. Arguably Digital Media Edition's most disposable feature is Plus Dancer, a selection of minuscule live action pop-up dancers who cavort on command across the desktop. Conversely, the practical Sync & Go allows users of pocket PCs to enjoy their favorite PC content on their portable. Microsoft rounds out this eclectic package with several tidbits and novelties, including a variable interval alarm clock, eight mediocre Windows Media Player skins, and fifty additional transitions and visual effects for Microsoft's free downloadable video editor, Windows Movie Maker. --Gord Goble Amazon.com Product Description: Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition delivers easy and exciting new ways to share your photos and enjoy your music and home movies. The software allows you to easily create vibrant photo stories with your own narration, music, and photo effects. Transform your PC into a full-featured party jukebox with visual effects, while protecting your personal information and restricting access to other applications. Copy your cassette tapes and vinyl records into clean, vibrant digital files using hiss and pop reduction, track splitting, and more. With Plus! Digital Media Edition you can harness the power of Microsoft Windows XP to showcase and manage media on your PC and Pocket PC. Easily add your music, voice, and special effects to your digital photos to create vibrant photo stories. Small file sizes make it easy to share with family and friends via e-mail or the Web. Easily add special effects to your home movies with 50 effects and transitions for Windows Movie Maker 2. Get current news, music, and more delivered to your Pocket PC automatically in high-quality audio and video. Make your desktop the dance floor for amazingly lifelike 3-D characters that groove to your favorite tunes. Select from a variety of dance styles such as hip-hop, disco, house, salsa, and many more. Turn your computer into a full-featured alarm clock, complete with your favorite tunes. Use songs or sounds from your music library, set snooze times, set multiple alarms, and more. Customize your personal schedule with different alarms for every day--or every appointment. Also, with Plus! Digital Media Edition you can personalize your Windows Media Player with high-quality skins. Manage Windows Media Player-compatible personal audio players in My Computer, just like CD-ROM and floppy drives. Easily and quickly view, drag and drop, transfer, and delete files between folders. Customer Reviews Average Rating: Rating: - Slide Show with Narration I wanted to be able to make a slide show with narration. I wanted the narration to be arbitrary size for each picture. There may be other software out there that do what I need but this is the only one that claims to do it. I haven't used it yet but the documentation indicates that it does everything that I need. You can do the same thing with Windows Movie Maker but resulting file can be much larger with Movie Maker. Rating: - My review The description of the product which was Plus! Digital Media Edition [OLD VERSION] is why I bought it. At this point I was in no rush and didn't worry aout the price of the product. I knew what I would get from the description of the product and the sellers rating because I had previous experience with the product but had no key. Also, I couldn't get the product any where or way else. The sale of the product was prompt despite a short delay but early compared to Amazon.com's prediction of when I would recieve it by. I am thankful and happy that I bought this product. It was everything the description said it would be and what it actually was when I recieved and installed it. The purchase was even responded to with an apology for the short delay which I accept. Rating: - Terrific For Getting Your Old Records On Cds Or In Your iPod! This is not the most current version of this software; but since it's probably still being sold new in places like eBay, I thought I'd still do a review. I bought this years ago to convert my records to CDs, but just ended up using it this year. I got a terrific Audio-Technica turntable for Christmas that plugs in easily to my PC. This is the software I'm using to convert the records. It is VERY easy to use, and has VERY easy instructions. The only one problem I had is that sometimes the hiss reduction feature will not be available if the software can't detect the spaces between the songs on an album, or if you are playing a 45. You then have to go back to the recording page, and record the blank area at the end of the record. And believe me, you don't want to leave out either the pop or hiss clean up! It's unbelievable how well they both clean up the record. (And I find this software far easier to use than the Nero that came with my Sony CD/DVD burner.) After the software chooses the correct volume, you record whatever songs you want. Most of the time, it has been able to tell the tracks apart on my 33 records. Sometimes it doesn't, and sometimes it may break the song apart. But that's very easy to correct. You also do have to type in the song info, but that's not a big deal to me. When the music has been downloaded to MY MUSIC, you can then burn it on CD, or go to iTunes and click "add a file" to get it in your iPod. The songs sound great on the iPod, too! Rating: - Great fun at a great value Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition is not something necessary for the enjoyment of life, but, then, neither is a computer, a cell phone, or a TV, unless you are a diehard couch potato. What this collection of utilities does is add some fun to Windows XP, and it's stuff no other operating system enjoys. I personally use Photo Story and Analog Recorder often, because they are both easy to use and a blast to use, too. The games collection could have been better, but, hey, for a little over ten bucks, why complain? Rating: - It's OK Don't get me wrong--this isn't a BAD product, but it really isn't very useful, either. I find the dancers are fairly amusing for a while and the analog recorder makes a really easy way to record old tapes, but that's about it. Also, the recorder ONLY records in proprietary Micro$oft .wma format instead of offering a useful-for-editing format like .wav. Because of this, the only time I ever use it is when I am feeling lazy and I have it set my recording level for me. I would only recommend this product if: 1. Like me, you can get it "Free after rebates" (don't forget about taxes and shipping). Don't even think about paying more than $5 (after taxes, etc) for it. 2. You already know you like a certain feature (like the dancers)--don't get this hoping for something great because you will probably be disappointed 3. You have a lot of extra space on your hard drive and 4. You have a fast internet connection (Downloading dancers requires up to 20MB or more PER DANCER!) see more