Nero's SIPPS(TM) Connect: Dial, Talk, and Unite with Nero's New VoIP Solution; Nero Voice over IP Software Delivers Best-of-Breed Functionality and Convenience to Consumers, Now available in Retail!

GLENDALE, Calif. -- Nero, the market leader in digital media technology, has now raised the bar for next-generation communications with the introduction of SIPPS(TM) Connect, the premier consumer application for voice, video and messaging over the internet.

By now, most people have at least heard of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or Voice over Broadband (VoBB) technology, which lets users use a headset or telephone to send voice communications anywhere in the world for free via the Internet. However, not all VoIP clients are created equal. Nero's SIPPS(TM) Connect is now the most flexible, highest quality Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) VoIP application for consumers available today.

"Voice over IP is growing rapidly, and changing the way people view personal communication," says Udo Eberlein, President of Nero Inc. "We've proven SIPPS with major internet telephony service providers and corporate clients, and now we're bringing it to market in a form that anybody can use and enjoy."

Several key features set SIPPS(TM) Connect head and shoulders above competing VoIP applications:

Telephony at Its Best. SIPPS(TM) Connect covers the basics with 3-way group calling, caller ID, call waiting, and call forwarding to a land line or cell phone. But Nero also jazzes things up by letting users pick their favorite tunes to be their on-hold music. In addition, SIPPS(TM) Connect can record and play back an unlimited number of calls, and users can even connect to SIPPS(TM) from across the Internet to check their voice mail remotely. A Quick Dial pad makes calling one-click simple. And SIPPS(TM) Connect will even synchronize with the Contacts list in Microsoft(R) Outlook or Outlook Express.

Enhanced security. Hackers are now making national headlines by intercepting unprotected VoIP calls. Nero thwarts these 21st-century wiretappers by encrypting the call from start to finish. Even if a hacker could grab the data, SIPPS(TM) Connect makes sure any stolen data plays back as random noise.

Instant messaging master. Once bit by the instant messaging bug, many IM users find themselves juggling accounts between different messengers. SIPPS(TM) Connect not only provides an IM module able to work on a multitude of messaging networks, but can also run conferences allowing users on multiple IM systems to converse freely in one shared chat space.

Video Calling. "Videophones" have been a consumer dream for decades. Nero makes this dream a reality by using the owner's webcam to bring high-quality video into the conversation. Nero leverages its long experience with compression technology to provide top-quality MPEG-4 and H.263 video streams, not the slower, grainier codecs used in most video conferencing products.

Call anywhere, any time for less. With SIPPS(TM) Connect, users get their own free phone numbers, and all calls to other SIPPS clients are always free, no matter what day or time. Nero has partnered with leading service provider SIPTalk(TM) to provide users with FREE PC to PC calls, and various calling plans giving users unlimited calling to anywhere in the U.S. or Canada for only one low monthly charge. Features include call waiting, call forwarding, voicemail, caller I.D. and much more! Similarly, calls to international destinations are on rock-bottom flat rates. For more information on SIPTalk(TM), visit www.siptalk.com/nero.

Open for business. Like all Nero products, SIPPS(TM) Connect is based on open industry standards, not the proprietary voice calling schemes used by many competitors. Open standards allow third parties to design complementary applications, products, and services without fear of being locked to one manufacturer. Nero partners are already at work designing SIPPS-friendly products that will add even more value for consumers and businesses alike.

Participating retailers now carry Nero SIPPS(TM) Connect for $29.99, featuring two SIPPS licenses and a high quality microphone headset. Single-license ESD pricing is $24.99 and can be downloaded directly from Nero at www.sippstar.com.

About Nero

Nero (www.nero.com) develops and distributes the world's leading digital media solutions for the consumer and professional markets. More than 200 million users worldwide rely on Nero's award-winning applications, which represent the trusted technology standards needed to manage both today's digital home and forward-thinking business enterprises.

Nero's rapidly-growing portfolio of products defines new levels of innovation in the company's three key areas of focus: Digital Media Solutions - including products for multimedia projects and photo management designed to capture, edit, author, burn CDs/DVDs, and provide enjoyment of all digital media content; Audio/Video Compression Technologies - enabling the encoding of digital content to take up less storage space and transmission bandwidth while preserving the original content quality upon playback; and VoIP Solutions - consisting of products which provide cost-effective communication over the Internet for home and business.

The company's flagship product, Nero 7, is the world's #1 'all-in-one' integrated home entertainment software suite which delivers multiple applications for audio, video, photo, data, as well as PC and TV media management for consumers and industry partners alike.

Nero Digital(TM) is a revolutionary audio and video format based on the MPEG-4 standard, delivering the highest quality playback on certified home electronics, mobile and portable devices.

Nero SIPPS(TM) is the high-quality VoIP solution that provides clear online communication as well as contact management, instant messaging, TAPI interface, video telephony and Outlook synchronization to any private or commercial PC.

Nero products are globally distributed by leading hardware manufacturers, international distribution partners and online portals, and can be purchased directly at www.nero.com. Nero provides worldwide coverage through Nero AG, based in Karlsbad, Germany and two subsidiaries: Nero Inc. in Glendale, California, USA and Nero K.K. in Yokohama, Japan.

Nero(R), Nero Digital(TM) and SIPPS(TM) are registered trademarks of Nero AG. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

(C) 2005 Nero. All rights reserved.