Nero has just made available for download a fresh version of Nero 8 Ultra. Version 8.1.1.0 of the product was dropped on October 1, 2007, and it offers no less than 15 days of free trial. The copy of Nero 8 Ultra offered for download has January 31, 2008 as the final expiration date, after which users will not be able to install the software. October 1 was the initial launch date for Nero 8, via the retail channel and as a download. A pre-release version of the product has been available for some time now, but it weighs in at approximately 1 GB. The latest version, optimized for downloading is no more than 178 MB.

"Nero 8 introduces the newly-designed Nero StartSmart user interface, which maximizes user efficiency with a one-stop solution for creating and managing digital media projects. With this new interface, prime functions like burning and ripping audio and data discs can now be accessed directly, letting users complete projects with one-click functions. Nero 8 also supports a number of next-generation formats with editing, playback, and burning features. In addition, Nero 8 lets users edit photo slide shows and create High Definition video in both Blu-ray BD-AV and HD DVD video formats," reads a fragment of Nero's description of the product.

Nero 8 has been envisioned as much more than simply an application designed to burn CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray and HD DVD disks. In fact, Nero 8 aims to be a digital lifestyle suite, offering everything from integrated digital media to an entertainment solution. The product comes complete with a range of components bringing to the table editing, sharing, creating, converting, ripping and burning functionality. Currently Nero 8 is approximately $99.99, but it can go as low as $79.99.

Nero 8 is also optimized for integration with Microsoft latest operating system, Windows Vista, although the product also supports Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. In this context, Nero informed that there are some issues with installing Nero 8 on 64-bit editions of Windows Vista. For example the gadgets will be inaccessible on x64 Vista.