MP3, the world’s most popular audio compression format, goes multi-channel. Scientists and engineers from Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS, who developed MP3 together with their colleagues from Thomson, the exclusive licensing representative for their MP3 patents, and Agere Systems, have joined to launch MP3 Surround into the consumer and commercial markets. This technology will enable 5.1 channel surround sound for a broad spectrum of applications including web-based music distribution, broadcasting systems, PC-related audiovisual or gaming applications, consumer electronics and automotive systems.

http://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/amm/download/mp3surround/termsofuse.html

fraunhofer is the real home for mp3...

but this was supposed to be out in July!!