Once more it has been long months of development for me on CDWinder, and today we finally have something to show you for it.
We have added a load of new features and abilities to CDWinder, and even made some prominent changes to its appearance, and I hope you will all enjoy what we have come up with.

So, what is New with CDWinder ?
- newly redesigned and integrated layout, using a single window
- new Albums and SmartFolders allow for greater possibilities and flexibility when working with your files. Save your favourite Find Queries in SmartFolders for easier and faster access, or gather the files you need for a specific purpose or project in an Album to keep them together.
- new mapInspector right in the main window shows geotag locations even outside of the GeoFinder.
- new edit mode in the mediaInspector now allows for commenting or labelling directly from the main window.
- new external metaDataGenerator makes cataloging even faster and finally immune to crashing - it will take the fall so CDWinder won't have to.
- new improved cataloging of AudioCDs : CDWinder now asks MusicBrainz for information, and reads ASIN, ISRC and CD-TEXT when available.
- new PDF thumbnails and content cataloging (via Xpdf) : CDWinder will query an installed Xpdf for PDF thumbnails and/or content to store that in the catalogs.
- and a couple of other smaller issues and interface improvements.

Today we enter alpha testing, and we have the 6.0 alpha 1 ready for download. If you haven't received your invitation for this alpha (and later beta) testing yet (but believe you should get one), please drop me a line here.

There's still a lot to do - some functions still need interfaces, other interfaces need some tweaking, and we probably will replace a couple of the artworks still along the way. We're even thinking of renaming CDWinder, seeing as "CDs" have somehow aged in the last 10 years, and don't convey the full potential of CDWinder anymore.

We expect CDWinder 6 to see the light of day in July, and want to have another alpha or beta out til then as well. In the meantime we will keep you posted with the progress. If you have any thoughts or feedback along the line, please let us know.

By the way - the grace period is already well underway. Any purchase of or upgrade to CDWinder 5.7 now will already qualify for a free update to 6.0 in summer!