Sonic Acquires Simple Star

[John at Roxio]

Sonic Acquires Simple Star, Provider of Online Digital Media Software and Services

Adds Web Community for Multimedia Creation and Sharing to its Roxio® Consumer Product Line

 

Novato, California (April 29, 2008) — Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today announced it has acquired the assets of Simple Star, Inc., a privately held software products and online service provider based in San Francisco, California. Simple Star is the developer of PhotoShow™, a comprehensive multimedia storytelling platform and online community that enables consumers to quickly and easily turn personal photos and video clips into entertaining shows that can be enjoyed and shared on PCs, TVs, handhelds, or published to popular social media sites.

 

Over 13 million copies of the PhotoShow desktop software and flash-based online application have been installed since the product was first introduced in 2002. New installations now top 5 million a year. The product is broadly distributed through a network of major partners, including online photo providers Kodak, Shutterfly, and Snapfish, photofinishing service provider Ritz Camera, as well as cable operators Comcast and Time Warner Cable. Simple Star is further expanding its reach through its PhotoShow Developer Program, which provides APIs for easily integrating multimedia creation, playback and viral sharing tools into web offerings.

 

Last year the company launched PhotoShowTV™, a new service available through Time Warner Cable that enables cable customers to easily create and publicly broadcast their content directly to cable TV through their local on-demand service.

 

“With over 300 million copies of Roxio software distributed, Sonic has one of the largest installed bases of savvy digital media consumers in the world, and these consumers are always eager for new services and products,” said Matt DiMaria, general manager of the Roxio division of Sonic Solutions. “Simple Star provides us with innovative new products and web services that are a natural fit for our users and that will extend the reach of the Roxio brand beyond the desktop to online and cable offerings. Simple Star also brings to us a group of talented engineers and senior managers who will help us expand and diversify our product line.”

 

“When we founded Simple Star, our goal was clear - empower consumers to easily share their memories with the people they care about in new, entertaining ways,” said Chad Richard, Simple Star CEO. “The Roxio product line embodies this direction and philosophy, making this an ideal union. The combination of Simple Star and Roxio technologies puts Sonic in a tremendous position to take advantage of the convergence of PCs, the Web, digital TV and portable devices to define a complete ecosystem that will enable consumers to form unique and highly personalized digital media connections.”

 

About Simple Star

Founded in 2001, Simple Star (http://www.simplestar.com) develops software products and services that help consumers share their memories in entertaining ways through PhotoShow, the most complete and easy-to-use photo platform available. Simple Star distributes its award-winning PhotoShow software through partners such as cable companies, digital media software providers, online photo services, retailers with photofinishing services and hardware manufacturers. Millions of new users are creating, sharing and viewing PhotoShows every month. Across multiple business sectors momentum is building that PhotoShow is an emerging standard. Simple Star partners include Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Kodak, Shutterfly and Ritz Camera Centers. To try PhotoShow visit: http://www.photoshow.com.

 

About Sonic Solutions

Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC; http://www.sonic.com) enables the creation, management, and enjoyment of digital media content through its Hollywood to Home™ products, services, and technologies. Sonic's products range from the advanced authoring systems used to produce Hollywood DVD and Blu-ray Disc titles to the award-winning Roxio-branded photo, video, music, and digital-media management applications. Sonic's patented technologies and AuthorScript® media engine are relied upon by leading technology firms to define rich media experiences on a wide array of consumer electronics, mobile devices, set-top players, retail kiosks, and PCs. Always an innovator, Sonic has taken a leading role in helping professional and consumer markets make the successful transition to the new high-definition media formats and, through the Qflix™ platform, Sonic is defining new models for the digital distribution of Hollywood entertainment. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California.

 

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations, including the distribution and market acceptance of Simple Star products and services. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in the Company's annual and quarterly reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which contain a more detailed discussion of the Company's business including risks and uncertainties that may affect future results. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements.

 

Sonic, the Sonic logo, Sonic Solutions, AuthorScript, Hollywood to Home, Qflix, and Roxio are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sonic Solutions in the United States and/or other countries. Simple Star, PhotoShow and PhotoShowTV are trademarks or registered trademarks of Simple Star, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners and, in some cases, are used under license.

 

Note: We will have a PhotoShow section added to the English Roxio forums in the near future.