Sun Microsystems Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW) announced the release of the Java 3D™ application programming interfaces (API) specification 1.0, as well as early access releases of the first set of its comprehensive suite of Java™ Media and Communications technologies, including the Java Media Player API, the Java 2D API and the Java Sound Engine.

In addition, Sun announced the Java Sound API (for more information: http://java.sun.com/products/java-media).

The Java Media and Communications family of APIs expand the Java platform by providing enhanced multimedia and communications capabilities. These critical technologies will allow software vendors and enterprise developers to include a variety of media in their applications, from streaming audio and video for training applications to telephony and speech for building complete on-line customer support centers.

The Java Media and Communications APIs also provide more traditional media markets with enterprise strength capabilities for compelling and effective on-line games and Web content, including consistent, reliable stereo-quality sound, high-end graphics and font-handling capability.

"Today's announcement provides Java developers with a wide variety of the newest and most exciting technologies available," said Jon Kannegaard, vice president of software products at JavaSoft, a business unit of Sun Microsystems Inc. "We expect that Java Media and Communications technologies will help drive the Java platform forward as the need for dynamic, cross-platform content and advanced communications grows within business communities."

Using the Java Media and Communications APIs, developers can create richer, more dynamic applications and applets while leveraging the inherent strengths of the Java platform, decreasing time-to-market and reaching a broader audience by running on multiple platforms, and lowering costs by distributing applications over the web.

Java 3D API

Sun's Java 3D API 1.0 specification allows developers to take advantage of a simple programming model that empowers them to build, render, and control the behavior of 3D objects and visual environments. Because Java 3D brings the "Write Once, Run Anywhere™" concept to 3D graphics applications, developers should be able to more easily incorporate high-quality, scalable and platform-independent 3D graphics into Java-based applications and applets.

As a high-level API, Java 3D will be layered on top of existing popular 3D APIs, including OpenGL, Direct3D, and QuickDraw3D, thus providing portability across platforms while leveraging these lower level APIs for high Java 3D performance. Java 3D API can support the same application on either a high-end or a low-end graphics platform whether for browsers, 3D games, CAD systems, graphic design, or VRML implementations. The Java 3D API specification was developed in conjunction with Apple Computer Inc., Silicon Graphics Inc. and Intel Corp.

Java 2D API

The Java 2D API extends the capabilities of the abstract windowing toolkit (AWT), the standard API for providing GUIs for Java programs, by providing high quality, device and resolution independent graphics and enhanced text handling capabilities to the Java Virtual Machine. Java 2D is part of the Java(TM) Foundation Classes, a comprehensive set of Java graphical user interface (GUI) components and foundation services.

The Java 2D API's rich set of features allows developers to create and manipulate shapes and utilize expanded font support to create graphically enriched user interfaces, multilingual applications and Web pages. The specification for Java 2D was developed in conjunction with Adobe Systems Inc.

Java Media Player API

The Java Media Player API receives, controls, and plays time-synchronized media, such as audio and video, in a wide variety of formats enabling developers to embed them into Java applications and applets. Data can be played from any source, whether local or on a network. Java Media Player is the first phase of the three phase release of Java Media Framework, a set of interfaces that will play, capture and conference media. Sun has developed the Java Media Player specification in cooperation with Intel Corp. and Silicon Graphics Inc.

Java Sound Engine

The Java Sound Engine is a high quality audio rendering and sound synthesis engine. It offers reliable, consistent, stereo-quality sound on Java-enabled platforms without the need for a high end sound card. Java Sound will be an essential component of the next release of the JDK™, and Sun plans on fully integrating it into the Java Virtual Machine.

Java Sound API

Sun's newly announced Java Sound API will allow sound designers to integrate their work into Java applications and onto the Internet. This Java Sound API will enable a wide variety of markets, from education to advertising to telecommunications, to take advantage of a high-quality Web audio experience, making communication more effective and accessible.

The Java Sound API will also work in conjunction with all other Java Media and Communications APIs, allowing developers to utilize Java technologies such as the Java Sound Engine and the Java Media Framework API for a high-quality, feature-rich Java sound application.

About Sun

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is The Computer(TM)" has propelled Sun Microsystems Inc., (NASDAQ:SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the Internet. With more than $8 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com .