RealNetworks’ finalizes latest RealOne software

SEATTLE: RealNetworks Inc. on Tuesday released the "gold," or
final, version of its flagship software for playing audio and video over the
Internet and rolled out a beefed-up version of its subscription content service.

Having a gold version of the RealOne software will allow the Seattle-based
company to start bundling the product on new computers, RealNetworks' President
Larry Jacobson said in an interview.

"On the business side we can now work with PC partners like Compaq to
install (the product), because they will only accept gold software,"
Jacobson said. "We will work with Compaq to get the new RealOne player into
the spring releases of PCs."

Such deals are important for Real as it faces stepped-up competition from
crosstown rival Microsoft Corp., which has made its own media software a major
part of its latest operating system, Windows XP. Real also used the debut of the
software to expand and rebrand its subscription service that pipes exclusive
entertainment, sports and news content to users.

The expanded service, now called SuperPass, would add a new baseball program,
Oscar award coverage, 40 stations of commercial-free Internet radio, and access
to CNN's online news video, Jacobson said. Subscribers will also get RealOne
software enhanced with a new feature called TurboPlay that eliminates much of
the delay found when trying to play video over the Internet, Jacobson said.

"Consumers won't have to wait around twiddling their thumbs, they can
just click and play," Jacobson said. RealNetworks has signed up more than
500,000 subscribers to its subscription services, which are becoming a bigger
part of the company's business as it copes with slowing sales of its core
systems software.