Windows Media Player 11

Windows Media Player is the multimedia software developed by Microsoft to provide users with the ability to view multimedia content, both from the Internet and from their hard drive. If youve bought into the Microsoft-oriented music world in any way, however--perhaps with a Media Center PC, Portable Media Center device, or by using a WMA-compatible online music service--you simply must upgrade to WMP 10.

This release offers major improvements for discovering and buying, and subscribing to content online, sports an improved UI, and integrates nicely with a coming generation of portable devices. And if up-and-coming music subscription services, like that now offered by Napster, take off, the release of WMP 10 will be heralded as the watershed moment of what is clearly still a nascent market. That said, users interested solely in music playback will likely find little reason to abandon iTunes. And iPod users will simply ignore WMP 10 as they have previous versions.

It is the all-in-one media player that provides the best experience for discovering, playing, and taking your digital entertainment anywhere--on Windows XP-based PCs and the widest choice of portable devices.

The Player provides faster access to top activities, such as ripping, burning, and syncing. You can also fine-tune the layout, choose from a range of online music and video stores and services, and much more.