by Arie Slob

Dear Windows-Help.NET Subscriber, Microsoft has released a free Bonus Pack for the Microsoft® Windows Media™ Player 7 that includes a tool which enables users to double the amount of music stored on their PCs by converting MP3 files into the more efficient Windows Media Audio format, exciting new skins and visualizations, and a tool to convert existing Winamp skins into Windows Media Player skins. To brighten up desktops for the holidays, the Bonus Pack includes a fun visualization of a snowman that dances to music, and fans of Windows Media Player 7 can download a special animated, seasonal skin that offers streamed holiday music courtesy of MSN®. The Bonus Pack includes a variety of tools and enhancements: MP3 converter. Audio Converter 3.0 Limited Edition enables users to double the amount of music stored on their PC quickly and easily by converting their legacy MP3 files to Windows Media Audio files. Because Windows Media Audio offers CD-quality sound in half the file size of MP3, music fans can double their playing time on PCs and portable music players. Winamp Skin Importer. This tool quickly converts any of the thousands of existing Winamp skins into Windows Media Player 7 skins, enabling users to enjoy a broad range of customized playback. New player skins. Eight skins transform not only the look of the player but also its functionality. The Bonus Pack includes new skins such as Gyrosphere, Figure8, Atomic and Bluesky as well as some of the most popular skins from WindowsMedia.com, including the Digital DJ skin. When users simply tell the Digital DJ what they want to hear -- such as artist, genre or song length -- the skin builds a customized playlist of the selected music. Visualizations. Eight new collections of stunning visualizations move in time to the music, including Eclectic Colors, StarTime, Blazing Colors, Softie the Snowman, Kid Drawing and more. PowerToys. Three PowerToys -- the Deluxe CD Data Converter, the Most Recently Used Cleaner and the PowerToys skin -- enable advanced users to import track information collected by the Deluxe CD Player or Microsoft CD Player into the Windows Media Player database, to easily clear the Windows Media Player most recently used file list and to manage their Windows Media Player 7 media libraries more effectively. The Bonus Pack and the special holiday skin are available for free download now through the Microsoft Windows Media Web site, or directly: Windows Media Player 7 Bonus Pack [165KB] Bonus Holiday Skin [862KB] "I'm a college student at Carthage College who downloaded Academic Flashcards and I love it (it help me pull a 98% on a Biochem test!) I've told all my fraternity brothers about it for next term!" -- Ray Flavell, USA

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