Toast with Jam

What: Disk burning and music mixing and mastering suite

By: Roxio, Inc.

Cost: $199.95

More Information: www.roxio.com

Toast with Jam helps you master and burn CDs and DVDs that include bells and whistles sure to amaze your friends. Picking up where Apple iLife leaves off, this application bundle lets you create DVDs with Hollywood-style Dolby Digital sound, create professional-quality CD redbook specification masters, and much more.

You can produce Video CDs, Super Video CDs, and DVDs with menus, navigation buttons, and chapters (chapters are available only on DVD; music DVDs can be 36 hours long). CD Spin Doctor 2, an included application, lets you digitize your vinyl records and tapes or record live audio performances.

Toast with Jam also helps you turn still photos into movies complete with soundtracks and pan and zoom effects. The figure shows ToastAnywhere, a feature that lets you share CD or DVD recorders with other Toast users over a network and even over the Internet.

Why I like it: Toast with Jam can help bring out your inner movie or music producer.