Sony to Launch Electronic Music Service in Europe with 300.000 Titles * "Connect" will offer ease of use, integration with Sony portable devices and both local

CeBIT 2004, HANOVER (Germany) March 18 (PROTEXT/PRNewswire) -Sony Europe announced today that it will launch an electronicmusic download service in Europe, starting from June in the UK,France and Germany. The service named "Connect" will offer alarge catalogue of more than 300,000 songs, including albums andsingles from both major and independent record labels. Trackswill be available in the ATRAC3 format at a price starting atEUR 0.99 per track, or GBP 0.79 in the UK. Through Connectconsumers will be able to purchase music online in an easy-to-use, integrated and secure way downloading it to a wide range ofSony portable devices, such as Hi-MD WALKMAN, Net MD WALKMAN,Network WALKMAN and ATRAC CD WALKMAN. Already at time of launchmore than 2 million portable Sony devices in Europe will becompatible with the new service.

"Connect is an integral part of Sony's global strategy toempower consumers to enjoy music in more ways than ever before byoffering a truly easy-to-use service with seamless connectivityto secure Sony portable audio products," says Robert Ashcroft,Senior Vice President at Sony Network Services Europe. "Withmusic being at the heart of this new consumer experience we willoffer a unique catalogue proposition for each country whichincludes not only international but also a wealth of localartists."

The Connect service will work with SonicStage 2.0 musicmanagement software. SonicStage 2.0 provides seamless access toConnect and is supplied with the latest Sony network audiodevices. Current users can upgrade from previous versions ofSonicStage.

SonicStage guarantees secure transfer and playback ofdownloadable copyright material from Connect by using OpenMG(tm)copyright protection technology.

From March 18th consumers can get further information aboutthe service in advance of the launch and about the upgrade toSonicStage 2.0 through www.ready2connect.com.

Connect will be available on www.connect-europe.com.You make it a Sony

Sony products bring digital technology to life, offering aworld of applications in entertainment and networking. Whetheryou are a novice or an enthusiast, with a Sony network audiodevice, you can create your own Internet-sourced musiccompilations and enjoy them at great quality at homeor on the move. Or you can shoot your own movies on DVD, editthem with a VAIO and share them with friends and family with aDVD player/recorder. You can take perfect still shots every timewith easy to use digital cameras such as Cyber-shot, then makequality prints, enjoy them cable free on your WEGA television orsimply store your albums on your VAIO. These are just some ofthe ways in which Sony gives you complete control over yourdigital environment, enabling you to enjoy whatever you want,wherever and whenever.About Sony:

Sony manufactures audio, video, communications andinformation technology products for the global consumer andprofessional markets. With its music, pictures, game and onlinebusinesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to become a leadingpersonal broadband entertainment company in the 21st century. InEurope, Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of EUR 13.88billion (yen 1,666 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31,2003, based on an average market exchange rate for the sameperiod of yen 120 to the EUR. Sony Europe, with its corporateheadquarters at the Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, isresponsible for the company's European electronics business andregistered consolidated sales of EUR 8.62 billion for the fiscalyear ended March 31, 2003.

For more information on Sony Europe, please visithttp://www.sony-europe.comSource: Sony Europe GmbHFor more information, please contact:Jean-Baptiste Duprieu / Corporate Communications Europe, SonyEurope GmbHtel: +49 30 2575 5169 / fax: +49 30 2575 5174email: jean-baptiste.duprieu@eu.sony.comwww.sony-europe.com/presscenter

In addition, for any queries about Sony in your respectivecountry, please contact your local Sony PR office.

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