Netscape Bundles Beatnik Plug-in with Communicator Headspace's Audio Technology to Enhance New Products
September 3, 1997
Headspace, Inc., a leading creator of software technologies for audio on the Internet,
today announced that Netscape Communications Corporation is bundling Headspace's Beatnik Plug-in with the final shipping
versions of Netscape Internet Access Edition and Netscape Communicator Deluxe Edition.
In addition to playing great music, Beatnik is the first Plug-in to enable sound effects, environmental sounds, and even
voice-message notification in a single, cohesive sonic soundtrack that responds directly to user input.
Beatnik Plug-in
The Beatnik Plug-in is compatible with Netscape client software products (version 3.01 or higher) and manages the playback of
audio files encountered in Web pages, including RMF, MIDI, MOD, AIFF, WAV, and AU files. The Beatnik Plug-in sounds
great on all supported platforms (currently Macintosh PowerPC and Windows 95/NT) and doesn't require a high-end
soundcard.
"Beatnik is the natural evolution of audio on the Web," notes composer/musician and Headspace CEO Thomas Dolby
Robertson. "Beatnik doesn't require expensive server software, and doesn't limit the number of streams served to simultaneous
users. Netscape client software users can experience the benefits of Beatnik's instantaneous downloads, consistently
high-fidelity at different bandwidths, and easy integration into HTML pages that present a practical way for Web designers to
bring warmth and personality to their sites."
Beatnik's distinctive features are its potential for interactivity and its high-fidelity. The potential for interactivity results from
Beatnik's support of a comprehensive set of JavaScript functions, which creates a richer a musical experience than other
multimedia delivery systems that treat the Web as a playback-only medium. With Beatnik, audio can be played not only upon
the opening of a Web page, but also in response to events such as mouse clicks or "mouse overs." These events can start or
stop music and change its tempo, volume, pitch, or mix. When used in conjunction with RMF (Rich Music Format) files, the
Beatnik Plug-in delivers sound quality comparable to high-end PC wavetable soundcards, even though the processing is
entirely software-based.
"Headspace's Beatnik technology leverages the Netscape platform to provide leading-edge integration of top-quality audio
content into the fabric of the Web," said Dave Rothschild, Director, Client Product Marketing. "Through JavaScript integration,
efficient, quickly-downloaded music becomes part of the interactive user experience. Netscape is happy to be part of
Headspace's successful efforts to move the Web experience forward."
Netscape Communicator
Netscape Communicator Internet Access Edition and Netscape Communicator Deluxe Edition is expected to be available in over
9,000 retail stores in the U.S. and Canada. Netscape Communicator is a client software suite composed of Netscape
Navigator 4.0, Netcaster push technology, Netscape Messenger, Netscape Collabra and Netscape Conference. Through
support of dynamic HTML and JavaScript 1.2, Netscape Communicator allows Web designers to build much more
sophisticated multimedia Web pages. The final shipping version of Netscape Communicator Internet Access Edition is available
at an estimated street price of US$59 and comes with a $30 manufacturer's rebate for previous Netscape Navigator customers.
Netscape Communicator Deluxe Edition includes additional functionality for home users who want advanced tools is available
at an estimated street price of US$79 and comes with a $30 manufacturer's rebate available to everyone.
About Netscape
Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of open software for linking people and information over
enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools and commercial
applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol
"NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.
About Headspace
Headspace was established in 1993 by multimedia entrepreneur Mary Coller and musician/composer Thomas Dolby Robertson.
From its offices in Silicon Valley, Headspace produces software products and musical content for the Web. Headspace's audio
engine has been licensed to an expanding family of strategic partners, including Sun Microsystems/JavaSoft, WebTV and Be,
Inc. Its Rich Music Format is a platform-independent standard for music on the Internet. Headspace musical content has been
licensed to many customers, including Netscape Communications Corporation, WebTV and SegaSoft. By coupling expert
engineering skills with first-class musical talent, Headspace is dedicated to realizing new possibilities for interactive music and
audio within multimedia and on the Internet.
For more information, visit their web site at www.headspace.com.
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