I want to hate Microsoft I really do, they are the magpies of technology stealing (or buying) other peoples ideas. Often their original version is pitiful when compared to the product they stole from, but give them enough time and they always seem to end up with the better product.
The obvious case was with the Browser war. Netscape 3 was a thousand times better than IE3, by version 4 it was a case of Netscape being twenty times better, by the current versions though IE5.x is a world in front of the latest official version of Netscape.
The same thing has just happened with the release of version 7 of Windows Media Player which after a pitiful start is now head and shoulders above the competition from Real networks (and in a sense Winamp).
Windows Media Player is an all in one media center, capable of playing just about any computer media format whether it be .wav, .mp3,.mov,.asf or any of dozens of other formats. It also fits seamlessly into IE5.
Version 7 though takes this sense of being your own stop application of media and improves upon it. Firstly Windows Media Player actively improves the quality of video and audio tracks. It also switches between them seamlessly, able to download or stream the media as appropriate.
Version 7 also improves the interface beyond all recognition, it borrows the skins concept from winamp, giving it a series of cool and inventive looks. It also has countless built in visual effects that can play along with audio tracks, this sounds like a little thing, but combine it with the ability to do that full screen and you can play your favorite music while cool trippy visuals fills your screen. (You kind of have to see it).
It also has a built in internet radio tuner which you can program, acts as a very good free CD player, lets you easily transfer files to portable players, helps you search for media files and allows you to organize your media collection within Windows.
I would love to have hated this product but quite simply it kicks all kinds of ass and will save any user time, effort and frustration. Download it now.



Recommended: Yes