Download mp3 player sonique

Lycos Acquires Sonique Music Player; Sonique, With Millions of Downloads, Provides Users Seamless Access to Static and Streaming Audio Files

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 1999--

Leading Player Complements Lycos' Multimedia and Broadband Offerings

Player Offers Lycos a Prominent Desktop Presence

Lycos, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCOS), the fastest growing Internet portal and the world's largest online community, today announced that it has acquired Internet Music Distribution, Inc. ("IMDI"), formerly known as MediaScience, maker of Sonique, one of the world's most popular independent MP3 players. Under the terms of the agreement, Lycos purchased IMDI for approximately 1.1 million shares of Lycos stock, plus potential additional consideration based on the Sonique player's ongoing success.

Sonique is one the most popular audio players, supporting many audio formats including MP3 and is consistently in the top five of the most popular downloads on www.download.com. The audio player technology decodes music files and formats them to be played from the desktop. The free player is available from www.sonique.com, www.lycos.com and from prominent download sites including CNET's www.download.com and www.tucows.com.

"The acquisition of IMDI is an exciting move for us as we approach our goal of becoming the premier multimedia company," said Bob Davis, president and CEO of Lycos. "With the acquisition of Sonique and the addition of the talented people at IMDI to the Lycos team, we will strengthen our leadership position by offering the best the Web has to offer in music and entertainment content."

The marriage of the Sonique player with Lycos' MP3 Search, one of the most popular MP3 services on the Internet, simplifies the end user experience for finding and playing back music. Through this acquisition, Lycos can now provide a one-stop destination for both search and playback technology.

Currently one of the leading companies in desktop audio playback on the market, Sonique features format-agnostic technology and support for secure music playback with its PlaySafe technology. "Given Lycos' concern for the rights and intellectual property of artists, Sonique's ability to adhere to all digital rights management standards and SDMI standards is a tremendous asset to us," said Brian Kalinowski, director of multimedia services for Lycos. "We expect the addition of this player technology to build on our solid working relationship with the Recording Industry Association of America."

"We look forward to becoming an integral part of the Lycos Network's online music strategy," said Riaz Valani, principal and co-founder of IMDI. "A perfect match for IMDI and Sonique, Lycos brings significant online resources and a cutting-edge perspective on delivering online content to its user base."

"Sonique has redefined the user experience on the Internet," added Al-Riaz Adatia, principal and co-founder of IMDI. "This acquisition adds value to the Lycos multimedia and broadband strategy by providing a desktop application for playback of the most popular audio file types as well as streaming content."

Lycos is a leader in providing the best in online music content and services. In addition to Lycos MP3 Search, the launch of the Lycos Radio Network in April represented the first radio offering by a major portal and the first to provide a continuous feed of video and still images that correspond to and complement the music. Additionally, the Lycos Network provides music news, reviews, photos and fan clubs all combined to give the user one of the most comprehensive music experiences on the Web. With the acquisition of IMDI, Lycos is introducing a fresh focus on the online music industry as part of an overall plan for the future of its network.

About Lycos

Founded in 1995, Lycos, Inc. is a leading Web media company and owner of the Lycos Network, one of the most visited hubs on the Internet reaching one out of every two Web users. The Lycos Network is a unified set of Web sites that attracts a diverse audience by offering a variety of services, including leading Web navigation resources, homepage building and other Web community services and a comprehensive shopping center. The Lycos Network is composed of premium sites: Lycos.com, Tripod, WhoWhere, Angelfire, MailCity, HotBot, HotWired, Wired News, Webmonkey, Suck.com and MyTime.com. Lycos.com (http://www.lycos.com), "Your Personal Internet Guide," is dedicated to helping each individual user locate, retrieve and manage information tailored to his or her personal interests. Headquartered near Boston in Waltham, Mass., Lycos, Inc. is a global Internet leader with a major presence throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.

About Internet Music Distribution, Inc.

Internet Music Distribution, Inc. (IMDI), with offices in San Francisco and Campbell, California as well as Bozeman, Montana, is a leading provider of digital content delivery systems. IMDI's flagship product, Sonique(TM) (www.sonique.com), has been recognized as the preeminent music player. With a host of proprietary tools and programs, IMDI is intent on making Sonique the universal application for online media delivery by ensuring that it can be flexibly tailored to the diverse needs of Internet music firms and end users. IMDI's nine employees will remain in their current locations as the newest members of the Lycos Network.

(c)1999 Lycos, Inc. - Lycos(R) is a registered trademark of Carnegie Mellon University. All other product or service marks mentioned herein are those of Lycos or their respective owners. All rights reserved.