RealNetworks Announces New Macintosh Products, Deeper QuickTime Support at Macworld
PR Newswire - January 05, 1999 09:17
Next Generation Streaming Media Player Provides Millions of Existing Mac Users With Highest Quality Audio and Visual Experiences Available on the Internet
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- RealNetworks, Inc. (Nasdaq: RNWK), the recognized leader in streaming media, today at Macworld (Booth # 3241) announced major new offerings for the Macintosh, including the preview release of RealPlayer(R) G2 for the Macintosh and the debut of RealProducer(TM) G2 for the Macintosh, as well as deeper support for the QuickTime authoring format. Users of RealSystem(TM) G2 can author in QuickTime and seamlessly take advantage of powerful system capabilities like SureStream(TM), RealVideo(R) G2, and RealAudio(R) G2 while reaching RealNetworks base of more than 43 million registered users. RealSystem G2 is the most popular way to experience the broadest range of media on the Internet and delivers a new rich media experience to users through synchronization and playback of multiple media types. The preview release of the Macintosh version of RealPlayer G2 is available immediately for free download at real.com.
"Our new products for the Macintosh and our deep support for QuickTime enables both content authors and end-users of Macintosh computers to take full advantage of the most popular media delivery system on the Internet, RealSystem G2," said Philip Rosedale, chief technology officer, RealNetworks, Inc. "By providing our Macintosh customers with a seamless authoring process that takes advantage of the export features built into QuickTime, we are enabling content developers to easily take advantage of RealNetworks media delivery solutions and access the more than 43 million registered users of RealPlayer."
RealPlayer G2 and RealPlayer Plus G2(TM) Now Available for the Macintosh
RealPlayer G2 for Macintosh brings the powerful, next generation RealSystem G2 capabilities to Macintosh users. Macintosh users can now experience RealAudio G2 which provides the best quality streaming audio available on the Internet including an 80% increase in audio fidelity (over RealAudio 5.0) for 28.8 modem users. RealPlayer G2 for Macintosh also includes Intel Web video streaming technology, which provides the best quality streaming video for both dial-up and high-performance network users. RealPlayer G2 for Macintosh requires MacOS 8.1 or newer and runs on PowerPC 604 or PowerPC G3 CPUs, including Apple's new best-selling iMac PC.
RealPlayer G2 for Macintosh offers support for breakthrough SureStream technology, delivering reliable and continuous end-user playback under real- world, unreliable network conditions. With SureStream, single media files now dynamically adapt to deliver the highest quality RealAudio and RealVideo to users at all connection rates. RealPlayer G2 for Macintosh supports two enabling Internet standards:
* Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL), the W3C standard
for Web-based multimedia, which enables rich multi-stream content to be
delivered over typical modem connections with new data types such as
RealPix(TM), RealText(TM) and RealFlash(TM) (co-developed with
Macromedia).
*Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), the IETF standard protocol for
time-sensitive data delivery, which enables interoperability between
streaming media systems.
The RealPlayer, with more than 43 million registered users is downloaded by more than 150,000 consumers daily. Innovative features, such as integrated search, enables RealPlayer G2 users to locate Internet audio & video directly from the RealPlayer. RealChannels(TM) provide one-button access to more than 80 leading media content providers, including CNN, ABC, Bloomberg, FOX, ESPN, NPR, and alerts users whenever new media content or breaking news stories are available.
RealProducer G2 for Macintosh, Deeper Support for QuickTime in
RealSystem G2
RealNetworks also today provided a first look of RealProducer G2 for the
Macintosh at the Macworld trade show here this week. RealProducer G2 for the
Macintosh allows anyone to create and deploy streaming media Web pages,
regardless of ability level. New wizards simplify the creation of Web pages
with embedded streaming media and the uploading of the media and Web page
files to the correct RealServer G2 directory or to an ISP personal page. An
Email wizard lets users add RealAudio and RealVideo clips to email as an
attachment or URLs.
RealProducer G2 will be made publicly available in 90 days. Developers
interested in being part of the RealProducer private beta program should
contact devzone@real.com. The RealSystem G2 for QuickTime Kit will be
available for demonstration at booth #3241 and will be made publicly available
in 90 days. ISVs interested in learning more about this technology should
contact Developer Relations at RealNetworks (devzone@real.com).
Also demonstrated today at Macworld is an early look at the "RealSystem G2
for QuickTime Kit," allowing applications developers to easily publish their
QuickTime-authored content for RealSystem G2, from within popular video and
multimedia authoring applications. The RealSystem G2 for QuickTime Kit takes
advantage of the QuickTime Authoring API, allowing any QuickTime developer a
"plug and play" upgrade to their existing QuickTime tools. Producing
compelling streaming media becomes a simple one-step process using the kit,
enabling authors a single "tape to streaming" production process. Leading
QuickTime developers such as Avid, Digital Renaissance, Terran Interactive,
and Waves, support RealSystem G2's integration of QuickTime and the QuickTime
Authoring API. Furthermore, users of Apple's QuickTime Pro offering can take
advantage of the same kit.
"The integration of RealNetworks' powerful new SureStream transport
technology and RealVideo G2 enables our users to achieve higher levels of
quality and reliability over today's IP-based networks and provides state-of-
the-art production efficiencies for creating multi-rate streaming video
content," said John Geyer, Vice President of Marketing, Terran Interactive.
"RealNetworks support for Macintosh users and QuickTime files combined with
the widespread adoption of RealSystem G2 among authors and consumers has made
integration of RealSystem G2 into Media Cleaner Pro an easy choice."
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