|
Among RealNetworks' announcements were those regarding the release of RealVideo 9, an initiative to integrate and support MPEG-4, a strategic alliance with Sony, the unveiling of two RealOne add-on tools (Enterprise Desktop and Desktop Manager) for customizing and managing the enterprise media experience, and the availability of some nifty third-party media content creation/authoring tools. RealOne
A combination of browser, media player, and jukebox, RealOne appears to be a Microsoft-style bid to be all things to all people and thereby establish RealNetworks as the world's dominant media-delivery platform. RealNetworks group enterprise marketing manager Janinne Brunyee says that RealOne is intended to make life easier for everyone by consolidating all media in one browser/player. But didn't we hear this same sort of rationale from Microsoft when they blew the competition out of the water with Windows and then again when they swept the competition under the rug with Internet Explorer? Brunyee, however, insists that there is a demand for integrated browser/player within enterprises. She says that enterprises that standardize on an integrated browser/player avoid confusion, duplication of efforts, and product support headaches. She complains about confusion caused by the countless overlaying browser windows that Internet Explorer creates. In contrast, thanks to RealOne's three-pane interface, "Everything fits neatly into three windows," says Brunyee. "It is a new content paradigm that is less distracting." RealOne takes a different tack because Real believes that media is of paramount importance, according to Brunyee. "While other companies are putting the player into the browsers," she says, "we decided to put the browser into the player." She believes that RealOne will pave the way for interactive television (iTv). New Software Tools
To speed the adoption of RealOne within enterprises, RealNetworks is offering two new media management tools—RealOne Enterprise Desktop and RealOne Desktop Manager. The first tool is merely a customizable and configurable version of the RealOne Player. RealOne Desktop Manager is a Web-based tool for centrally creating, managing, and updating RealOne Enterprise Desktop applications. RealNetworks has also announced the availability of several suites or bundles of media creation tools comprised mostly of products from third-party partners. According to RealNetworks, "These tools are an important component of integrated solutions, unlocking the ability for decentralized content creation within enterprises." Among the tools now available are the following:
• GriNS Editor for RealOne, an authoring tool for creating synchronized multimedia SMIL 2.0 presentations that will fit into the unique three-pane RealOne player.
• RealNetworks PresenterOne, from Accordent, authoring software for creating live or on-demand synchronized Web-based presentations utilizing PowerPoint slides and rich media. Aimed at educational and training settings, it offers interactive features for polling and surveys.
• RealNetworks Presentation Maker, from sofTV.net, which also offers a full authoring environment complete with a library of three-pane templates to help enterprise professionals create compelling presentations. A RealSystem Edition of Camtasia is also included in some suites. This popular screen-capture software offers the ability to record movements on the desktop and is especially useful for software training applications. All suites also include RealSystem Producer encoding software. RealVideo 9
RealNetworks' most significant recent technology announcement heralded the release of RealVideo 9. Brunyee claims that RealVideo 9's superior compression gives it "30 percent greater efficiency," which means that it provides a 30% bandwidth savings over its predecessor—RealVideo 8. Brunyee claims its quality is "significantly better" than MPEG-4, Windows Media, or QuickTime. "Due to the better compression in RealVideo 9, you can get pretty good video at narrowband, over dial-up lines, for the first time," says Brunyee. "Finally, Internet-delivered video is good enough for people to actually be willing to pay for it." She thinks it heralds the beginning of a real (no pun intended) market for iTV. Sony
If world domination is indeed a Real dream, what could be better than a non-aggression pact (er, I mean strategic alliance) with Sony? The recently announced Real-Sony strategic alliance is not quite earthshaking, however. It is merely a research coordination agreement. RealNetworks PR spokesperson Erika Shaffer calls the alliance "a research agreement with a road map for going forward." She says the agreement will enable the two companies to "further collaborate on the deployment of various distribution and digital content software technologies to a wide range of Sony's industry-leading digital devices." The alliance establishes a framework of regular product and business reviews aimed at increasing collaboration on initiatives including the further integration of Sony's ATRAC3 technology into RealNetworks' products and the adoption of RealNetworks' products into Sony's networked CE devices. The two companies will also work to enhance the compatibility of RealNetworks' software such as RealOne with Sony's portable audio players and OpenMG devices such as NetMD. The two companies may also incorporate Sony's OpenMG technology into RealNetworks digital content distribution solution for digital music distribution and digital video distribution services. Sony plans to adopt these combined digital distribution solutions in a variety of networked CE products such as its networked audio products and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. RealNetworks has also announced that Sony will be purchasing a minority stake in RealNetworks. However, this is largely symbolic, representing a paltry one percent of the company. "I've been told that Japanese companies frequently do this"—make an investment in an alliance company—"as a gesture of support," says Shaffer. MPEG-4
In the old "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" spirit, RealNetworks has also announced several initiatives focused on support of MPEG-4. Firstly, RealNetworks launched a commercial MPEG-4 interoperability site powered by RealSystem Servers. Secondly, it joined the MPEG-4 Industry Forum. Additionally, RealNetworks said it will continue to submit components of RealVideo 9 technology for consideration to the MPEG-4/VCEG Joint Video Team, a joint effort between two leading standards bodies (ITU-T and ISO/IEC MPEG) charged with creating a single interoperable solution for a next generation of standard video coding. Despite these commitments to MPEG-4, Brunyee is quick to disparage the fledgling compression standard. She calls it "a five-years-ago technology," and says that the many licensing complications surrounding MPEG-4 make it "a long way from being economical." She continues, "You can use RealVideo for free right now. You don't have to negotiate a license with every company that contributed intellectual property to the MPEG-4 committee." She concludes that among her customer base, and indeed throughout the world, not many people are using MPEG-4 yet. "I don't see any real adoption of MPEG-4 right now," she says.
|