Roxio

TiVo Extends TiVoToGo Service to Mac Users

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 8, 2007 - 2:32pm.

Las Vegas - TiVo announced on Monday that it has expanded the availability of its TiVoToGo service to Mac users. Through a partnership with software developer Roxio, a unit of Sonic Solutions, TiVo users will now be able to transfer their recorded shows to watch on a Mac. TiVoToGo for the Mac will be available later this month for $99. Separately, TiVo said it has partnered with Music Choice, a provider of digital music programming to cable TV providers. Under the deal, TiVo will offer Music Choice's library of music videos and original video programming to TiVo subscribers via the broadband TiVoCast service, beginning later this year.

Roxio Labs Site to Let Users Test, Provide Feedback on New Software

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 15, 2006 - 1:24pm.

Novato, Calif. - Digital media software developer Sonic Solutions on Thursday announced the launch of a website that will let consumers try out and provide feedback on early public beta test software from the company and third parties.

Napster Parent Roxio Ups Revenue Forecast for Second Quarter

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 20, 2004 - 3:57am.

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Roxio, a provider of CD burning software and parent company of Napster, announced on Monday that it expects to exceed its prior revenue predictions for both of its businesses for the second quarter. The company said it expects Napster to report $9 million in revenues, up from a prior estimate of $8 million, while Roxio will report revenues of $18 million, up from $17 million; Roxio also expects its loss for the quarter to be narrower than analyst forecasts. "The strength of Napster's results reflects increasing traction in the online music market and a favorable mix toward subscribers," said Napster chairman and CEO Chris Gorog. "We are excited by numerous near-term business catalysts for Napster including the upcoming consumer launch of, and device support for, the 'Napster To Go' portable subscription service, along with the full implementation of our partnership with Best Buy." Santa Clara, Calif.-based Roxio previously announced the sale of its Roxio CD burning software unit to Sonic Solutions, a deal the company says is slated to close in the fourth quarter.

Roxio Changes Name to Napster, Sells Software Business for $80 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 10, 2004 - 3:17am.

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Roxio, a developer of CD and DVD burning software that is also the parent company of Napster, has announced that it will sell its software division to Sonic Solutions for $80 million, and will change its corporate name to Napster to emphasize its focus on the digital music business. The company reported that the digital media software division saw revenues of $22 million during the first quarter and income of $6 million. "Today's announcement of the planned sale of our software division will allow us to focus all of our efforts on Napster and the fast-growing online music market," said Roxio chairman and CEO Chris Gorog. "Subject to stockholder approval and standard regulatory reviews, this transaction will significantly enhance our balance sheet resulting in a net cash position well in excess of $100 million, which will support our efforts to drive subscriber growth and accelerate Napster's competitive position." In recent months, Roxio has launched versions of Napster in the U.K. and Canada, and also expanded its campus music service program.

tags: Napster | Roxio | Software Business |

Roxio Wins Napster Domain Name from U.K. Treasury Solicitor

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 6, 2004 - 10:15am.

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Roxio, the company that recently acquired music service Napster, has won a victory against the U.K. Treasury Solicitor for the rights to the napster.co.uk domain name. The case has been a long time in the making: In 1999, so-called cyber-squatters hoping to take advantage of Napster brand-name recognition registered the name. In 2001, Napster went bankrupt, and in 2003, the name was transferred to the Treasury Solicitor, which deals with assets for which ownership has lapsed. U.K. registry Nominet ruled on Friday that the Treasury Solicitor's possession of the name was "abusive" and ordered it transferred to Roxio.

tags: Napster | U.K | Roxio | Treasury Solicitor |

Napster Gets New President; Roxio to Move Operations to Los Angeles

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 30, 2004 - 2:08am.

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Roxio, a maker of CD and DVD burning software and parent company of the Napster music service, announced on Friday that it will consolidate its management teams and corporate functions into Napster's Los Angeles headquarters. As part of the corporate consolidation, the company said that Napster president Mike Bebel will be replaced, after a transitional period, by Roxio head of worldwide business development Brad Duea. "We believe Napster will be a very significant contributor to Roxio's future and headquartering the company in the center of the entertainment industry should prove advantageous," said Roxio chairman and CEO Chris Gorog. Roxio's digital media software division will continue to operate out of the company's Santa Clara, Calif. offices.

Napster Parent Roxio Raising $22.5 Million, Signs Deal with Tom Petty

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 13, 2004 - 3:40am.

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Roxio, a developer of CD and DVD burning software and parent company of Napster, announced on Tuesday that it plans to raise $22.5 million in a private placement of its stock with institutional investors. The company will sell 5.5 million shares at a price of $4.10 per share, and said the proceeds will add to its working capital as it continues to expand its activities in the digital media sector. Separately, Santa Clara, Calif.-based Roxio said that its Napster unit signed a deal with artist Tom Petty to offer his songs online for sale exclusively at Napster. Songs recorded by Petty for Universal Music Group including "Into the Great Wide Open," "Don't Do Me Like That" and "Refugee" will be available for streaming and download on the Napster service.

Company Sues Napster Parent Co. Roxio Over CD Burning Patent

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 15, 2003 - 5:06am.

Irvine, Calif. -- Optima Technology, a distributor of software that lets users burn photos, music and video onto recordable CDs, has sued Roxio for patent infringement, Reuters reported. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Roxio distributes the Easy CD Creator and Toast applications for burning content onto CDs, and also recently launched a version of Napster that lets users burn songs onto CDs. Irvine, Calif.-based Optima is seeking an injunction against the sale and distribution of Roxio's products, as well as unspecified damages. The company also says that widely accepted industry standards, set by the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA), are also covered by its patent. "Optima believes most every company in the CD burner industry may be infringing," the company's attorney, Robert Lyon, told Reuters.

tags: Napster | CD | Roxio | Burning Patent |

New For-Pay Version of Napster Launched by Roxio

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 9, 2003 - 4:50am.

New York -- Napster, a unit of CD and DVD burning software maker Roxio, on Thursday launched the anticipated beta test of its Napster 2.0 service, offering over 500,000 tracks as 99-cent downloads. Unlike the previous iteration of Napster, which used peer-to-peer technology to download songs from other users' computers, the new version sends secured tracks from Roxio servers. Napster 2.0 will also offer a $9.95 per month premium service, featuring unlimited listening and downloading, 40 commercial-free interactive radio stations, and community features like the ability to email tracks and share playlists. The company announced partnerships with Samsung, which will release a co-branded digital audio player with Napster; as well as with PC maker Gateway, which will include a free month's trial of the service on all of its desktop and notebook PC; and Microsoft, which will make Napster 2.0 the featured music service for its Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 software. Due to the Napster service's exclusive use of Microsoft's Windows Media Audio (WMA) format, it will be incompatible with Apple's iPod digital audio player. The official version of the Napster 2.0 service is slated to launch on Oct. 29.

tags: Napster | Roxio | For-Pay |

Roxio Sells GoBack Unit to Symantec for $13 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 22, 2003 - 1:39am.

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Roxio, a provider of CD and DVD burning software that also plans to launch an online music service based on assets it purchased from the bankrupt Napster Inc., announced that it has sold its GoBack business unit to Internet security software firm Symantec for about $13 million. The GoBack program records all data stored on a user's PC and can allow users to "go back" to a particular earlier configuration in the event of a computer crash or other problem. "The opportunity to sell GoBack comes at a great time for Roxio as it provides an opportunity to add to our cash balances and divest an asset that is not core to our digital media strategy," said Roxio president and CEO Chris Gorog. "This transaction will enable us to bring an even greater focus to our digital media software business and the development of our new on-line music business with our Napster assets."

tags: Roxio | GoBack | Symantec |

Roxio Hires Napster Founder Shawn Fanning, Will Re-Launch Service In '03

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 24, 2003 - 2:38am.

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Roxio, the maker of CD and DVD burning software that purchased Napster's assets for $5 million at a bankruptcy auction last November, confirmed on Monday that Napster founder Sean Fanning will be brought on with the company, which plans to launch a licensed, fully-legal version of Napster by the end of the year. Initially, the service will not be based around a peer-to-peer network, the protocol on which the original Napster worked that allowed free-range copying of music files from anyone logged onto the network. "We're looking to put a legal service up by year end," Roxio spokeswoman Kathryn Kelly told CNET News.com. "Our CEO, Chris Gorog, is in talks with all the major labels now." "We won't launch until we've got agreements with all the labels to include a significant proportion of their catalogues," a source at the company told U.K. news site The Guardian. "And we won't just be a subscription service, which asks users to make a commitment of at least $15 a month, but will also sell music on a track by track basis."

tags: Napster | Re-launch | Roxio | Fanning |