Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : RealNetworks (NASDAQ:RNWK) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: B. A. Marlow who wrote (1730)	2/15/1999 6:40:00 PM
From: neverenough	Respond to of 5843

I could be wrong, but it seems that there are 50 million unique users through out the world, and 15.5 million of those users are in the US. Here's some more news, February 15, 1999 13:05 RealNetworks Launches International Versions of RealPlayer G2 Ubiquitous Reach of RealPlayer G2 in United States Extended as Six Localized Versions of RealPlayer G2 Launch in Response to Global Demand SEATTLE, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- RealNetworks, Inc., (Nasdaq: RNWK) the recognized leader in streaming media, today announced the launch of six localized versions of RealPlayer(R) G2 in response to the growing global demand for streaming media programming on the Web. Localized versions of RealPlayer G2 are being released today in French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese and will enable consumers world-wide to enjoy the full potential of the Internet by accessing audio, video, and animation programming in their own language. The localized versions are also launching with 22 international RealChannels(TM) -- providing consumers with direct access to popular programming in their native language. Nine new Japanese channels, six new Brazilian channels, and seven new European channels are launching with the localized versions of RealPlayer G2. In conjunction with the global release of RealPlayer G2, the Company also announced two international events to be broadcast over the Internet in RealAudio(R) and RealVideo(R). The company's Real Broadcast Network, in conjunction with Embratel, a subsidiary of MCI WorldCom, and Grupo Globo, the Brazilian conglomerate of media companies, will broadcast Carnaval '99 from Rio de Janeiro live in RealAudio and RealVideo beginning February 13, 1999. The broadcast can be accessed at www.real.com/realguide/index.html. The Chinese New Year celebration will be broadcast live and on-demand in RealAudio and RealVideo on Monday, February 15. Beginning at 4:00 a.m. PST, viewers can access the coverage at www.real.com/realguide/index.html. "We are thrilled to be expanding the reach of RealPlayer G2 to Europe, Latin America and Japan," said Maria Cantwell, senior vice president, Consumer Products and E-Commerce, RealNetworks, Inc. "With more than 30 percent of our 50 million registered users being overseas, it is important to recognize our international consumers with popular local programming in their own languages." "The launch of ITN's media streaming platform for RealNetworks' RealPlayer G2 marks an important threshold in the development of news on the Web," said Owen Pringle, ITN New Media. "By working with RealNetworks, ITN Online aims to augment its position as Europe's foremost provider of multimedia news via the internet." "It is a sensational opportunity to be one of the RealChannels. We are very proud of this relationship with RealNetworks and we are sure it will accelerate the growth of our business and further solidify our brand in all market segments in Brasil and in Latin America," said Rubens Campos, Marketing Director for Sistema Globo de Radio and CBN. New International Channels New international channels will be available to customers every month. English speaking player customers also have the ability to load any of the new international channels by using the "Add Channel" button in the RealPlayer. The first group of channels launching with the RealPlayer G2 include: Ciudad Internet by Grupo Clarin - Argentina, CBN News by Sistema Globo de Radio - Brasil, The Televisa Channel by Televisa - Mexico, StarMedia Channel by StarMedia - (Spanish and Portuguese), UOL TV by Universo On-Line - Brasil, GMN - Global Music Network - UK, BrainPool - Germany, ITN New Media - UK, Deutsche Welle - Germany, NMTV - UK, FT.com (Financial Times Television)- UK, asahi.com Movie Channel - Japan, Daily Yomiuri - Japan, Nikkei BiZ TV - Japan, NTV NEWS on Demand - Japan, "So-net" Internet Entertainment Station - Japan, Sony Music Online - Japan, TBS NEWSi - Japan, W-VISION - Japan, and Yomiuri News Stream - Japan /CONTACT: press only, Johanna Range of RealNetworks, 206-674-2202, johannar@real.com/ /Company News On-Call: prnewswire.com or fax, 800-758-5804, ext. 119814/ /Web site: real.com /Web site: real.com (RNWK)

To: B. A. Marlow who wrote (1730)	2/15/1999 6:48:00 PM
From: neverenough	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 5843

NSTL CONCLUSION NSTL tested RealNetworks' RealSystem G2 and Microsoft's NetShow to determine whether any differences could be found between the two. The methodology was proposed by RealNetworks Inc., and was designed to contrast the ability of both players to handle data streaming, paying particular attention to the issues of rebuffering and packet data loss. The data collected by NSTL during the testing for this project reveals two products with contrasting aptitudes for handling these issues. During testing, both media players were operated using UDP protocol, thus forcing each media player to deal with packet loss issues without any significant assistance from the protocol. Also, even though the encoding of the song data was for a 28.8 Kbps stream, the modems were operated at three different settings, thus incorporating the fact that actual data stream performance may vary, depending on time, network load, and line conditions. As the data clearly indicates, RealPlayer G2, by dynamically adjusting its data stream, far surpasses Windows Media Player in its ability to handle its proprietary encoded stream when the provided bandwidth falls below the optimal setting. Not only that but, the lower the data rate the greater the disparity in the results exhibited by the two media players. RealNetworks' "SureStream" technology, which is used to encode the song data in several parallel streams, allows the media player on the receiving end to choose which stream it will process, based on its monitoring of the available throughput. While RealPlayer G2 was able to keep a consistently reliable stream of song data flowing to the user, Windows Media Player many times would experience either excessive rebuffering or total "loss of connection" (no further content received from the content server). In fact, in a total of seventy-two tests conducted on the two products (thirty-six on each), Windows Media Player actually "lost the connection" five times while RealPlayer G2 maintained every single connection to the end of the song, regardless of how encumbered it was by the data rate. One significant item of note that does not really appear in the data is the quality of the songs as they are processed through the media player. It is generally agreed that discontinuities in the generated sound, whether caused by the server's load or heavy network load conditions, is undesirable at best. While NSTL was able to count and measure the rebuffering needed during song play, there were a number of times when the music was chopped up by small pauses that essentially could not be measured. While this did not occur for RealPlayer G2, it happened upwards of twenty to thirty times per song when Windows Media Player operated at 16.8 Kbps, and, to a lesser degree, when it operated at 19.2 Kbps. NSTL believes that, by anyone's standard this is unacceptable. This report was prepared under contract for RealNetworks, and contains highlights of tests executed by NSTL at the client's request, in accordance with parameters provided in the full testing report. NSTL makes no recommendation or endorsement of any product. NSTL does not warrant or guarantee the adequacy, accuracy of completeness of the data provided in this report. NSTL MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY ANY PERSON OR ENTITY FROM USE OF THIS DATA.

To: B. A. Marlow who wrote (1730)	2/15/1999 8:07:00 PM
From: posjim	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 5843

Well, that was the info they were tossing around at the Goldman Conf. 50 million users and I thought they said there were 150,000 downloads a day.The growth is really amazing and the awards cannot hurt them. I did not see the standing room only, tough NYC Wall St. crowd, reach for a puke bag when they showed the growth on slides :) But if you find out, like to see it! thanks, Jim

To: B. A. Marlow who wrote (1730)	2/16/1999 10:13:00 AM
From: DaYooper	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 5843

About those numbers, BAM, it seems pretty clear to me: 50 million computers worldwide have the RealPlayer software 15.5 (in U.S.) of those used RealPlayer in December, 98 That's an increase of of more than 400% in my calculation (not 300%) over the December 97 usage of 3.5 million active users. Basically it's the active users that really matter, not the total number of registered users who may have downloaded once for something and never gone back to use it again. Although it's nice to know our little logo shows up on their desktop, eh? DaYooper