ZDNet UK / News and Analysis / Mobile IT / Mobile Working

RealNetworks streams into mobiles

By Matt Loney, ZDNet.co.uk, 19 February, 2002 13:15

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

Topics

RealNetworks, Video streaming, streamed video, realone, Audio streaming, realsystem mobile, streamed audio, Realplayer

NEWS
RealNetworks is expected to demonstrate a version of its RealOne media player for Microsoft Windows CE and Pocket PC platforms at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes this week. The company sees the Pocket PC player as a significant development due to the sheer number of people expected to be using mobile devices to access the Internet. For instance, analyst firm Bear, Stearns and Co. predicts there will be 300 million mobile Internet users worldwide by 2003. RealNetworks claims to have more than 250 million users of its existing RealPlayer software. The RealOne demo on Pocket PC will come as RealNetworks unveils its solution at the conference that will enable mobile network operators to stream audio and video to phones over General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and 3G networks. This solution, dubbed RealSystem Mobile, will deliver RealAudio, RealVideo, MPEG-4 and other 3rd Generation Partnership Project-standard media formats to devices with RealOne players, said the company. Currently, RealAudio and RealVideo can only be played on one smartphone -- the Nokia 9210 Communicator -- and even on this only .SIS files downloaded from PCs can be played; streaming media formats are not yet supported. But RealNetworks is now preparing to deliver RealOne clients that can play streamed audio and video on a variety of devices based on the Symbian operating system and Microsoft Windows CE. "The timing is right for streaming to mobile devices now," said RealNetworks product manager for wireless consumer appliances Gregg Makuch. "We launched Real Player in 1995 when everyone was using 14.4kbps connections. With GPRS the connection speeds are fast enough to stream audio to mobile devices." RealNetworks' main target is mobile phone users, however, and this is where RealSystem Mobile comes in. RealSystem Mobile consists of several products -- Mobile Gateway, Mobile Server and the RealOne Player -- that will be sold to network operators, and implemented by partners such as Ernst and Young. The whole package is intended to make streamed audio and video sound and look better on mobile devices, so that network operators have something to tempt consumers with on GPRS and 3G services. Also, the content management features built into RealOne will mean operators will be able to charge for such content. Makuch agreed that in theory a PDA user could bypass a network operator's server and gateway, but said the quality of any content streamed this way will be poorer. "The operator package will provide enhanced latency, less lossiness and seamless tracking from cell to cell as you travel," he said. Network operators may decide to restrict users of smartphones to ring-fenced content, however, as they did with WAP services. A port for the Sony PlayStation2 is also on the cards for a summer release, but the company said it has no plans to demonstrate this yet. The Sony port will allow users with modems to listen to the 2,000-plus Internet radio stations that broadcast using RealNetworks technology, and watch RealPlayer movies. Currently, only third-party modems are available for the PlayStation2, but Sony is planning to launch its own in April or May.
For a round-up of the latest on ISPs, broadband and related issues, see the Telecoms News Section. Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Go to the Telecoms forum . Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Related stories

RealNetworks backs MPEG-4

RealNetworks launches subscription music service

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

BrownieBoy

@Jack, > Works really well for thieves.... Nice attempt to deflect the argument by tossing in a point that's totally irrelevant, even it were...

10 hours ago by BrownieBoy on AMD Ultrathins to challenge Intel Ultrabooks
bootlegger

Make that 13 people now - I got refused today at Manchester airport. I thought I was up to date on this legislation - I knew of the EU ruling from...

13 hours ago by bootlegger on UK airport body scans will not be opt out
tinycg

Don't forget to check out apps like GoodReader or SlideShark either, they're indispensible for people on the go in presentation situations. Best...

16 hours ago by tinycg on Four top iPad apps for people on the move
TerryRK

Well it seems there is something a number of us agree on. Why is the Ubuntu Unity launcher so ugly? I thought perhaps it was something to do with...

20 hours ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Freebies202

Duplicate comments are not made intentionally. Its very good to know that now you are keeping check on this problem because sometimes a commenter...

1 day ago by Freebies202 on Microsoft fixes blog comments, speeds up blogs with open source
kevinmchapman

"the very significant number of users" and "many (most) of us" - you have no evidence for these statements. It is a fact that most users are saying...

2 days ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Marg Menzies Harrison

Another grammar faux pas is the improper use of "you". When sitting down down in a restaurant, for example, I get cringe when the waitress...

2 days ago by Marg Menzies Harrison via Facebook on 10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid
zdnetukuser

And NOW, folks, for Canonical's next trick... Kubuntu is late. Here's a pencil. Draw your own conclusions. cf.:...

2 days ago by zdnetukuser on Linux Minterface
Moley

@kevinmchapman. The discussion here reflects the very significant number of users who really do like the traditional menu system and who wish to...

2 days ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

Er, no... It is an efficient means of finding the application/file/setting you need in one place. The icons are a simply a fallback for when you...

2 days ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

Isn't the provision of a text based search an admission by the developers that the mass of icons approach does not work? I don't need to use a...

2 days ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

"Unity and GNOME 3 both abandon the old text-based cascading menus in favour of a graphical icon-driven system." Point truly missed. Both use a...

2 days ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

whs001 - Thank you, I'm glad you liked the article. I absolutely agree with you on your first point. I should perhaps have made it clearer that...

2 days ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Dennis Nilsson

If we allow corporate interest to dictate the way our government circumvents due process against foreign entities then we should accept the same...

2 days ago by Dennis Nilsson via Facebook on ACTA stumbles in Germany
GHar123

I totally dislike pirating of works, I fear that artists will be deterred from creating works if they think that they are going to get ripped off....

2 days ago by GHar123 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
JCB33

How dare film makers, artists or anybody that invests in creativity stop us pirating their works for free. I want to be able to walk into my local...

2 days ago by JCB33 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
Moley

@GrueMaster. I prefer horses for courses rather than one size fits all. I, and I suspect most other computer users, do not really wish to have...

2 days ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
greycynic

The product that scares me every time I have to use it is the Office 2007 version of Excel. The first bug that I found was applying the median...

2 days ago by greycynic on Ten flawed products that derail productivity
GrueMaster

Nice review and very informative. One thing I'd like to add (in reply to whs001's 1st question), the main reason to have the same interface from...

2 days ago by GrueMaster on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Frederick Wrigley

I'be been using Mint 12 since the RC came out, and I am far more happy with the Cinnamon, the Mate, and, yes (with extensions), theGnome 3...

2 days ago by Frederick Wrigley via Facebook on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

Featured white papers

ZDNet Tech Family Tree - The history of the iPhone

ZDNet UK

ZDNet Tech Family Tree - The history of the iPhone

Download this a wholly original insight into Apple's most famous product, peruse the PDF and buy the history of the iPhone for your... Read more

How to prime your WLAN for employee devices

Aruba Networks

How to prime your WLAN for employee devices

Companies are finding the wireless LAN is under pressure as employees are bringing their own devices to... Read more

Six iPad tests for multimedia-grade Wi-Fi

Aruba Networks

Six iPad tests for multimedia-grade Wi-Fi

The University of Ottawa, Apple, Aruba Networks and others validate a multimedia grade Wi-Fi environment for scaling voice and video... Read more

Inside ZDNet UK

A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

2012 Predictions: VCE FastPath, VI SAN Probe & Hadoop

2012 Predictions: VCE FastPath, VI SAN Probe & Hadoop

BlackBerry Bold 9790

BlackBerry Bold 9790

Make faster, smarter decisions using BI

Make faster, smarter decisions using BI

Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit

Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit

Toshiba Portégé Z830-10P Review

Toshiba Portégé Z830-10P Review

BT's archive: Pictures from the vault

BT's archive: Pictures from the vault