Rock.com, Iomega and Liquid Audio Announce
First Secure and Portable Digital Music Download
Solution Designed to Meet SDMI Guidelines
Enables Customers to Quickly Access and Download Music from
Rock.com
SOMERVILLE, MASS., - June 30, 1998 — Rock.com, Iomega
Corporation and Liquid Audio, Inc. today announced they have
joined forces to deliver the first secure and portable download
solution for digital music that is designed to meet the
newly-released Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) guidelines
for digital portable devices. Exclusively available on the Rock.com
Web site at www.rock.com, this Digital Download solution allows
consumers to quickly and securely download music via the
Internet and store it directly to their computer's Zip®, Jaz® or
new Clik! disks. Iomega drives and disks help consumers organize
their digital music, save valuable hard drive space and provide a
flexible, portable storage solution to transport music to and from
any computer with an Iomega drive.
"The Rock.com Digital Downloads are the first portable solution
that balances the consumer's need for simplicity and
convenience with the record labels' interests in furthering digital
rights management through security and copy protection
features," said Kevin Sheehan, president and CEO of Rock.com.
"It's a win-win situation for everyone — the recording industry,
musicians, record labels and music enthusiasts."
The Rock.com Digital Download site features an extensive
collection of secure, downloadable music for preview and
purchase, with new titles added every month. Individual songs
from a selection of artists, including Fatboy Slim, Buddy Guy,
Buffalo Tom, Jerry Garcia, Joe Henry and Medeski, Martin & Wood
can be purchased and securely downloaded to a Zip disk from
the Rock.com site for $1.99 or less.
In conjunction with its new Digital Downloads, the Rock.com site
features exclusive, free downloadable music from the band
Squirrel Nut Zippers, including their hit "Suits are Picking up the
Bill." In addition, the Rock.com site includes an exclusive Squirrel
Nut Zippers video, "The Ghost of Stephen Foster," animated by
the creators of the "The Simpsons," as well as free Fan Photos
of the band.
"Using the free Liquid Player software available on Rock.com,
consumers can sample high-quality music on the site, check out
album art and liner notes, and securely download singles directly
to their Zip disks," said Robert Flynn, vice president of Business
Development at Liquid Audio. "Liquid Audio has also been actively
involved in the Secure Digital Music Initiative to ensure this
secure digital download solution meets SDMI requirements."
"Iomega is excited to be a part of this groundbreaking solution to
offer secure and portable storage for digital music," said David
Henry, vice president and general manager of Zip and Jaz
Products, Iomega Corporation. "With unique serialization on all
150 million Zip, Jaz and Clik! disks in the marketplace, Iomega
provides an excellent solution for devices requiring
SDMI-compliant portable media."
Zip disks are the perfect solution for seamlessly transporting and
sharing music from one computer to another. Unlike other music
solutions that bind music to a hard drive, the Digital Download
solution allows consumers to freely and securely transport music
from office to home or from computer lab to dorm room. One
100MB Zip disk can store approximately 20 songs while one
250MB Zip disk can store approximately 50 songs. One 40MB Clik!
disk can store approximately eight songs.
About Iomega
Iomega Corporation (NYSE:IOM) manufactures and markets the
award-winning Zip®, Jaz® and Clik! drives and disks that help
people organize, manage, create, exchange and share their
important information. Used in homes, businesses, government,
education and by creative professionals everywhere, Iomega
storage solutions are the enabling technologies preferred by
millions. The Company can be reached at 1-800-MY-STUFF
(800-697-8833), or on the Web at iomega.com.
About Liquid Audio
Located in Redwood City, California, Liquid Audio provides
services and software for the digital delivery of music over the
Internet. The Liquid Audio solution gives musicians, record labels,
Web sites and music retailers the ability to create, syndicate and
sell recorded music online. Liquid Audio enables artists and record
companies to promote and securely sell their music with copy
protection and copyright management through the Liquid Music
Network of 200 Web site affiliates. Using the Liquid Player
software, available for free download at www.liquidaudio.com,
consumers visiting these Web sites can preview and purchase
songs from a growing catalog of syndicated music.
About Rock.com
Rock.com is the first and only online music store to offer
consumers products, services and information customized by
lifestyle segments. Through technology, commerce and original
content, Rock.com provides a seamlessly rich and entertaining
retail experience that encourages people to connect to the
music they love and discover new artists targeted to their
personal preferences. The site features over 300,000 CDs and
DVD titles in a wide range of genres, from alternative, pop and
hip-hop to acoustic, jazz and classical.
Rock.com previously operated under the corporate name
SoundStone.com Inc., a breakthrough online music retailer that
helped redefine the music industry through the development of
Web sites customized to age specific audiences. The company
was started in 1994 by Kevin Sheehan, founder of Hear Music, a
national chain of interactive music retail stores and a direct mail
catalog. For more information, visit Rock.com's Web site at
www.rock.com.
# # #
Liquid, Liquid Audio, Inc., Liquid Audio, the Liquid Audio logo,
Liquifier and Liquid Music are trademarks of Liquid Audio, Inc.
For more information about Liquid Audio products and services
call 1-888-liquid-0 or visit liquidaudio.com.
For information about employment at Liquid Audio visit
liquidaudio.com or send resumes to
jobs@liquidaudio.com.
For more information, press only:
Erik Ryan 425-637-9097 erikr@wagged.com
Lisa Petrocchi, Schneider & Associates, (617) 646-3312
|
