Digital Music Industry Leaders Line Up to Support iPIN's E-Content Payment SystemEMusic.com, ARTISTdirect Network, AT&T, MCY, CDuctive, And The Orchard Endorse iPIN System For Purchasing Digital Music On The Internet

iPIN, a pioneer in the e-content commerce market, has announced that it has entered into agreements to provide its Web-based payment system for the leading digital music companies, including EMusic.com (Nasdaq: EMUS), ARTISTdirect Network (ARTISTdirect.com and UBL.com), AT&T, MCY, The Orchard, CDuctive, MJuice.com, BuyMP3.com and iBEAM Broadcasting. Together, iPIN's partners represent over 125,000 licensed digital music tracks from major and independent labels alike. The announcement establishes iPIN as the leading e-commerce service provider for the rapidly growing digital music industry.With the iPIN system, consumers finally have an easy way to purchase digital music, in any format, over the Internet by simply entering an iPIN password. iPIN works with MP3, AT&T's a2b music, and other digital music platforms. iPIN also operates seamlessly with digital rights management and copy protection standards. With iPIN, music can be purchased and downloaded in an instant, and does not require a credit card. iPIN purchases, typically between $0.25 and $15, are aggregated each month and the purchase total is added to a consumer's monthly ISP bill, telco bill, or deducted from their online bank account. The iPIN system is designed to leverage virtually any existing online billing relationship. iPIN is currently in trial, and will go live this fall.iPIN provides an important enabling technology for the digital music industry. For iPIN and the new generation of online music companies, the opportunity is vast. Forrester Research estimates that the digital music download business will exceed $1 billion by 2003, while London-based Market Tracking International (MTI) projects that the Internet music market will reach $4 billion by 2004. According to Media Metrix, the number of people who listened to digital music in August 1999 jumped to over 4 million, up from a few hundred thousand a year ago. With broad industry discussion over how the Internet will impact the music industry, the iPIN system delivers a key e-commerce component.""We're very excited to be an iPIN partner, and are looking forward to deploying iPIN's Web-based payment system for our digital music offerings later this year,"" said Gene Hoffman, EMusic.com president and CEO. ""Our mission is to lower the barriers to purchasing downloadable music by making it simple, secure, and fast. We were thrilled to discover iPIN because they help us do this. Since many of our users are young, technically savvy music-lovers, we need to be able to offer payment alternatives to credit cards. For this reason, high quality online payment systems such as iPIN will be a critical step in the evolution of the digital music industry.""""CDuctive.com is pioneering new models for purchasing and distributing downloadable music, and iPIN is a key part of our strategy. CDuctive's customers love the convenience of downloadable music, and with the iPIN system, their entire experience becomes easier,"" says Tom Ryan, Chief Music Officer for CDuctive. ""The iPIN system allows us to focus on our core business - offering the web's best and broadest catalog of downloadable music- while working with a great partner to offer a convenient, secure payment system.""""We're very pleased to be partnering with the leaders in the digital music space,"" comments Brad Rode, iPIN's Chief Executive Officer. ""The music industry is at a critical inflection point, driven directly by consumer excitement and demand for digital music. iPIN is proud to be the payment system of choice for this explosive new growth market, and a partner in making digital music a reality for consumers, recording artists, platform providers, and retailers alike.""About The iPIN ServiceBuying e-content with iPIN is both simple and secure. Once consumers find an item or service they want to buy, they simply click on the iPIN logo next to it, then confirm the amount with a personal password. Instead of requiring a credit card to pay for each item, iPIN totals purchases over the course of a month. Then the total amount spent is added to the consumer's ISP or telco bill, or debited from their online bank account. iPIN preserves purchase privacy, as the user is the only one who has access to purchase details and account information. With completely Web-based account management, iPIN allows consumers to assign personal iPIN accounts to different family members and set spending limits. iPIN also supports easy blocking of undesirable content or services. The iPIN service is currently in trial with major global billing partners and content providers, and will go live in the fall of this year.About iPINiPIN, the Web's largest e-content commerce system, provides the simplest way for consumers to purchase e-content on the Internet. iPIN is partnering with leading content providers and billing partners to supply consumers with a quick and easy way to buy digital products and services including downloadable music, interactive games, software, streaming media and financial research. With just an iPIN password, consumers are able to make fast and secure online purchases in an instant without entering any personal or credit card information. iPIN has secure financial backing from Accel Partners, Sutter Hill Ventures and other leading Silicon Valley investors. Located in San Francisco's SOMA district, iPIN can be reached by calling 415 547 2700, or visiting the iPIN Web site at http://www.iPIN.com.