RealPlayer v11: Mac beta, new iPod support
updated 01:25 am EST, Thu November 15, 2007
RealPlayer v11 Mac beta
RealNetworks today announced the consumer availability of its new RealPlayer v11 for Windows after a five-month public beta period and announced a beta of its Mac version; in addition, the company said the newest version finally bring support for transferring downloaded video content to Apple's iPod nano, iPod classic and iPod video. iPod owners who previously only had access to video content available through Apple's iTunes now have access to non-DRM protected videos from thousands of sites on the Web after upgrading to the paid version of its product. The new Mac beta allows the downloading of non-DRM protected Web videos from thousands of sites for playback online or offline and is available for Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" and Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard," offering support for both Firefox for the Mac and Safari.
Version 11 features an improved look and feel, a streamlined installation process and faster video playback.
Originally debuting in June 2007 without Mac or iPod support, the new RealPlayer claims to be "the first" mainstream media player that lets consumers download and record video from thousands of websites; however, the company noted a few PC-only features: users can start downloading in the middle of watching a video, and the entire video will be captured; and consumers can send links of their favorite videos to their friends with a convenient "Share with a Friend" feature.
Real also said will extend the popular and simple one-click download feature in the new RealPlayer to a global audience by the end of November with the availability of localized versions for nine additional languages, including French, German, Italian, Korean, Spanish, Japanese, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Brazilian Portuguese and English language variations serving the United Kingdom, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. These localized versions of the new RealPlayer will be available for PC users (Windows XP SP II and Vista compatible) before the end of November.
"Now consumers can use the one-click download functionality to view Web video offline on their PC or transfer video to popular portable media devices like the iPod," said Harold Zeitz, senior vice president of media software and services at Real. "RealPlayer is one of the most popular applications around the world, and by the end of the month our customers from North America to China will have this one-click video download functionality and the ability to watch videos on the go with their iPods in their own native languages."
The company said will continue development of the new RealPlayer in the coming months and has plans to add video transfer support for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch in early 2008. The new RealPlayer is available as a free download, while support for the transfer of video to Apple's iPod is available to those customers who upgrade to RealPlayer Plus for $40.
so lame
11/15, 02:05am reply
would you mind paying us to convert a file in our wacky, proprietary format to a standard format.
Guest
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 1999
Thank you!
11/15, 02:06am reply
Finally, plug-in support for the Mac! I was so sick of Realplayer files opening in the app rather than in the web browser window. Thanks again!
smezjj
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2001
1998 called...
11/15, 02:51am reply
...and it wants its web multimedia player back.
Seriously...RealPlayer? Who cares?
leamanc
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 2003
Re: so lame
11/15, 07:29am reply
Yeah, just as lame as some company charging you to convert music you already own to a ringtone.
What would you rather do? Pay for each video download you want to view, or pay once to download and convert a lot more video content?
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
testudo.
11/15, 12:42pm reply
I'll take the bait, it's actually not the same, but it's a cute if not totally uneducated attempt at a comparison.
Ringtones are governed by a copyright and DRM over which Apple has no control, they have to charge for it. Their player, ahem, is free.
RealPlayer is a video player that requires that you pay for it to watch videos that you already ostensibly own and ARE ABLE to use on your personal player. Yet it requires a ridiculous format from a company whose software has years of buggy, ad-laden, privacy-averse, poor performing software under its belt.
Maybe you don't see the difference. But I'll just use the same tone you give to others on this board: You're a jackass.
zl9600
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2003
Re: testudo
11/15, 12:53pm (1 reply) reply
Ringtones are governed by a copyright and DRM over which Apple has no control, they have to charge for it. Their player, ahem, is free.
Ringtones are covered by copyright. But charging to create ring tones? Sorry, that's extending into a person's fair-use rights for that item (I don't care what the RIAA says, if Apple were more intent on user's rights then making $$$, they would have just stuck the ring-tone maker into the player software).
RealPlayer is a video player that requires that you pay for it to watch videos that you already ostensibly own and ARE ABLE to use on your personal player.
First, you're not required to pay for it. Second, exactly what do you need this player for if you already have videos and a player for those? I don't follow your argument over what you think you would be using this for.
The plus product is a paid for product to download and convert video from the web for viewing on your iPod. If you have no need for that, that's fine. But arguing that it shouldn't cost money is beyond me. I don't see Apple giving away the ability to convert any video format for use on the iPod. In fact, Apple would prefer you keep paying them $2 per video, rather then just a one-time fee.
Yet it requires a ridiculous format from a company whose software has years of buggy, ad-laden, privacy-averse, poor performing software under its belt.
I'm sorry, but what player doesn't have some ridiculous format or another. Some people consider Quicktime a ridiculous format.
Here's an idea, you don't like it, don't buy it. Think you can do better, do it. And give it away for free, because you shouldn't charge people to perform any tasks on anything they own (h***, I steal all the software on my computer because its all about manipulating my data, and I shouldn't be charged to do that).
Maybe you don't see the difference. But I'll just use the same tone you give to others on this board: You're a jackass.
Thanks!
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Pot...Kettle...Black
11/15, 01:07pm reply
"Here's an idea, you don't like it, don't buy it." -Testudo
Yes, folks. Straight from the mouth (I'm guessing it came from this end) of Apple's greatest critic.
trevj
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 1999
Errr
11/17, 11:59am reply
Wow...
Anyway, I guess I spoke to soon... it still likes to open in the app rather than the browser window...
smezjj
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2001