Corel today announced a new version of the compression utility Winzip. The 11th generation of the software introduces support for the archive formats RAR and BZ2 as well as additional features for handling image files.

The software now shows thumbnails of images, comes with an integrated image viewer that can read files within data archives. When compressing data, users do not have to select specific compression methods anymore, but simply choose "best compression" which adjusts the compression method depending on the file type.

According to the developer, the software now also uses a special lossless compression method that compresses WAV music files "more efficiently, and doesn’t compromise sound quality."

Winzip 11 is priced at $30 for the basic version of the software. A "pro" variant with CD/DVD burning capability and backup functionality is listed for $50. Including an Outlook plug-in, the software is available for $60.

New features, familiar interface : Winzip 11.0