Reprinted from a Sonic Solutions press release:
Sonic Solutions, the leader in digital media software, announced today that it is providing Photo Story 3 for Windows users with an effective, fast, and reliable burning solution. Sonic DVD for Photo Story 3 for Windows is the first DVD burning plug-in for Microsoft’s Photo Story 3 that enables users to record their photo stories to DVD from within Photo Story. Photo stories are compelling slide shows that combine personal photos with titles, captions, effects, narration, and background music. The resulting DVDs can be easily shared with friends and family, enjoyed in the comfort of a living room through a DVD player, viewed on a PC computer running Microsoft Windows XP, or stored for safekeeping.
“Photo Story 3 for Windows builds on the overwhelmingly popular experiences provided by past versions of Photo Story and remains one of the best ways for consumers to share their digital photos,” said Kevin Unangst, director of Windows consumer marketing for Microsoft Corp. “Sonic’s plug-in integrates seamlessly with Photo Story 3 for Windows and enables consumers to extend the reach of their Photo Stories to all devices that support the DVD format.”
The downloadable plug-in is fast and easy to install and automatically integrates with the existing Photo Story 3 wizard, appearing as one of the options in the Photo Story 3 Activities list box. A simple dialog box allows users to title their DVD and set record options. Within minutes users can create a polished DVD of their engaging photo stories, complete with an attractive DVD menu and copies of their original photos. In addition, Sonic DVD for Photo Story 3 for Windows is built on Sonic’s AuthorScript engine, employed in the production of the majority of Hollywood DVDs, so users are assured a trouble-free playback experience whether it is through a set-top DVD player or on a PC.
“Sonic’s DVD plug-in completes the Photo Story 3 experience by enabling users to burn their slideshows on DVDs that can be played, shared, and preserved for years to come,” said Mark Ely, senior vice president of corporate strategy for Sonic. “We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate with Microsoft as we enable millions of photo enthusiasts who use Windows to create DVDs using Sonic’s industry-leading DVD technology.”
Photo Story 3 for Windows empowers users to breathe more life into their favorite memories by adding motion, effects, music, and more to their digital photos. Users can easily retouch their images, add dramatic pans and zooms, create a soundtrack, and even add narration. In addition to sharing projects on DVD using the Sonic plug-in, completed photo stories can be shared via e-mail, the Web, or enjoyed on the couch with Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005.
Pricing and Availability
Sonic DVD for Photo Story 3 for Windows is now available from Sonic and will be available from Microsoft on February 20th for a limited, introductory price of $19.99 exclusively for users of Photo Story 3. More information is available on the Sonic Solutions site (www.sonic.com/go/photostory3) and will be available on the Activities page within Photo Story, as well as on the Photo Story home page (www.microsoft.com/photostory), on February 20th. Sonic DVD for Photo Story 3 for Windows customers are also eligible for special pricing on other Sonic software including award-winning MyDVD, which enables users to create customized Hollywood-style DVDs with motion menus and animated buttons.