50 MAXIMUMPC | APR 08 | http://www.maximumpc.com
ROXIO
NERO
vs.
y now, anyone who knows their
way around an optical disc drive
knows the names Roxio and
Nero. The two media-creation mavens
have been on the scene since practi-
cally the dawn of CD-burning time. And
through to today, inclusion of one or the
other’s software is de rigueur with the
purchase of just about any retail PC or
optical drive. Of course, the bundled
software packages are but abbreviated
versions of the full-on suites Roxio and
Nero offer. The stand-alone packages go
far beyond the basics of disc copying,
burning, and playing—and that’s never
been more true than today.
In recent months Nero and Roxio have
released new iterations of their respec-
tive media-creation suites and both are
packed with enough features to challenge
the commitment of even manic media-
philes. Roxio Easy Media Creator 10 and
Nero 8 Ultra have come out swinging with
more media-creation capabilities than
we know what to do with... literally. Still,
we’re willing to jump into the fray to fi gure
it all out. We’ll tell you how these two
suites rate and help you decide whether
it’s worth upgrading from the software
you’re already using.The leading names in
digital-media creation square
off with new do-everything
software suites. Should you care?
BY KATHERINE STEVENSON
ILLUSTRATION BY ADAM BENTONB