Canadian Software Developer Announces Major Upgrade to VR Authoring Tool
- The First to Allow Directional Stereo 'Wired Sprite' Sound in QTVR

Squamish, British Columbia, Canada, October 28, 1998 - Squamish Media
Group, Inc., announced today that they have released a major upgrade to
their popular software application, soundsaVR 1.0, the first product of its
kind available to allow the embedding of directional stereo sound into
QuickTime VR using Apple's new 'wired sprite' technology.

soundsaVR 1.1 is a fast and efficient way to add sound to photographic or
rendered single node and multi node QTVR movies (1.0 and 2.0), and can
import any file in sound formats supported by QT3.0 to enhance the
immersive experience of QTVR with realistic directional stereo sound.

David Solomon, Creative Director and co-founder of Squamish Media Group,
says that soundsaVR 1.1 has some major improvements over 1.0, as well as a
number of added features that were requested by registered users of the
product. "Version 1.1 now supports 'Fast Start' internet streaming, random
length delays between sound loops, and optional 'Auto Play' for each node
in a movie. Improvements to the application also include increased
compatibility with a wider variety of QTVR movies and support for
fractional durations for both nodes and sounds."

The product has struck a chord with people using and creating QTVR, who
feel that sound should be an integral part of the QTVR immersive
experience. "We've received a lot of positive feedback from registered
users in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Australia, and
other countries around the world" says Doug DeRusha, company co-founder and
CEO. "In fact, nearly 50% of our customers are from countries outside of
North America, which indicates an increasing global interest in QuickTime
VR and an expanding customer base for our products."

One of the more notable web sites using soundsaVR is the JASON Project, a
collaborative effort between Electronic Data Systems (EDS) of Plano, TX,
and the JASON Foundation for Education established by Dr. Robert Ballard,
discoverer of the R.M.S. Titanic. "EDS and the JASON Foundation are excited
about QTVR because it is another example of using innovative ways to
generate students' interest in science and technology" says Kirt Witte,
QTVR Activist and Animator for EDS. "Adding directional sound to our
(latest) QTVRs of the Amazon will make them more realistic and more
appealing to the students, and to everyone else who visits the site". EDS
is the founding sponsor and technology provider for the JASON Project.
Other sponsors include National Geographic, and Sun Microsystems.

Output movies made with soundsaVR are saved using the QuickTime 3.0 movie
file format - requiring no special plug-ins - for playback on computers
running the Mac OS, Windows 95, or Windows NT.

soundsaVR 1.1 is available now at a limited introductory price of $70.00
(US), and can be purchased through the Squamish Media Group, Inc., web site
at (www.smgVR.com)

CONTACT
Doug DeRusha/CEO
Doug@smgVR.com
(604) 892-5299