Real Player for Pocket PC

[Tycho Morgan]

<a href="http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=technologynews&StoryID=690469">http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=technologynews&StoryID=690469</a><br /><br />We've gotten reports from several readers (Chris Coulter and Bob Atkinson) of this Reuters article that says RealNetworks (proprietors of the RealAudio format, and arch rival to Windows Media Player) plans to release a version of its RealOne software for the Pocket PC operating system. <br /><br />I think competition is a wonderful thing, and it will keep Microsoft on their toes and speed innovation of their products; however, I'm really unlikely to use this particular piece of software. Why? Because Windows Media player lets me play the audio files that I want in a suitable manner, and best of all it comes included in ROM. Thus, for me to switch to a different media player there would have to be a really amazing feature set <br /><br />Thoughts?

[mit4]

I think you just made the case to force Microsoft to unbundle software from all versions of Windows :o

Unfortunately, I feel the same way, and I am sure a lot of others do as well. Even if Real was a little bit better, the odds of me using it are pretty minute. But it may open up doors to play other formats, such as RM, MPEG, and who knows what else. And if its streaming is anything like RealOne's new TurboPlay, they would have Microsoft beaten in the race for semi-decent video on demand in the mobile device space.

Mike

[jasper1000]

I think that you're missing the point. The reason that this is a good thing has nothing to do with ram, rom or loyalty to microsoft. The fact is that not everyone delivers content in microsoft owned or supported format. Some of the best sites on the web only stream their unique content in RA format.

It will be great to have the *freedom of choice* to access this content rather than buying a device from a vendor upon which the developer of the operating system is trying to force you to use their formats for everything.

Microsoft could quite easily have integrated .ram support into it's media client but obviously this is not part of the game plan.

Having said that I still applaud the quality of the Microsoft applications even if they are a hidden cost in the device. :D

[Uh_Andy]

I bought a retail copy of Real Player Plus off a shelf in a computer store long, long ago. I liked their product and thought it would be nice to have the Plus version.

A few months later they updated their product and I found out I couldn't upgrade. I had to purchase the new version outright. I called them and they sounded like I should have known all along. In other words - 'Tough'. I guess that what what I had really purchased was a short term subscription - but it said that nowhere on the box. This kind of thing continues with them to this day from what I understand.

Then came the 'free' versions that changed the default file associations without asking! and kept bugging you to buy the 'enhanced' version (subscription). Then we find out they were actually collecting data from us everytime we used it - without asking. And if that didn't top it off - instead of innovate - they legislate and sue Microsoft!

This free software from Microsoft is really hurting me - not! I'm always on the lookout for a better software product and don't mind paying when I find it. But I won't put up with the kind of junk Real has done to their customers.

I'll never use another 'Real' product. Especially on my Pocket PC.

[Sven Johannsen]

They can keep Real Player. The desktop version, as has been said, is ruthless and annoying. I'm surprised that real is planning support for a non connected device. Maybe it just won't work unless you are connected to the net so they can stream ads along with content.

[Tycho Morgan]

I think that you're missing the point. The reason that this is a good thing has nothing to do with ram, rom or loyalty to microsoft. The fact is that not everyone delivers content in microsoft owned or supported format. Some of the best sites on the web only stream their unique content in RA format.

It will be great to have the *freedom of choice* to access this content rather than buying a device from a vendor upon which the developer of the operating system is trying to force you to use their formats for everything.

I know, and I think thats great, really. I personaly don't have a connection on my Jornada, and I generaly use Microsoft or Microsoft compatible formats (MP3+ WMA/V as needed for size reasons), becase it's convient for me. That's my choice. If you like Real stuff, go for it. Like I said I think the competition is a good thing for Microsoft, but on a strictly personal level, this new thing from Real would have to be a hell of a lot better than what I got now in order for me to switch.

And choice is a great thing; feel free to make any choice you like. I've set the terms for my decission, and given my reasoning. Take it or leave it. I'm not particularly loyal to anything: be it Microsoft, anti-microsoft, linux, apple, HP, Compaq, Vaja, Mead, Cannon, Kodak, Fuji, Agfa, Minolta, Namiki, Yafa, UPS, FedEx, and Birkenstock.

If I could aford it I'd probably be loyal to Nikon equiptment, but thats life.

Of course I have prefrences. I like Agfa film over Kodak and Fuji film, I like Cannon over Manolta, Birkenstocks over Tevas, Namiki over Parker or Pelikan, Microsoft over Linux, Mac over Linux, and so forth. I also like having the choice, and I respect your right to make your own choice, I'm just telling you mine.

Cheers,

[johnm]

I will never install another real product on my PC. I certainly won't install one on my pocketPC. I doubt you could ever uninstall it, and certainly you would never get your 'associations' back even though you told it not to make them in the first place.

All this bitterness and I even know people work there. Hmm, some to think of it I know just as many people that USED to work there.

[Chubbergott]

I think it's a good thing for two reasons;

1) Some content is only streamed in Real format (I know, someone already made this point)
2) Real are taking the PocketPC as a serious wireless device.

You may not want to software, but I think we should applaud its impending availability.
As for concerns about adverts and needing to be connected to use it, the version for the Nokia Communicator (which has been available for some time) currently doesn't have any of these problems.

I think this is a good thing for the PocketPC.

[Registered]

I wonder, how they plan to implement their Spyware features on a PPC ?

[Don Sorcinelli]

I think a few people have brought up a valid point that cannot be emphasized enough:
Some content is only available in Real format.
While this (for lack of a better word) sucks, it is a reality. In my case, some of the content that I need (not want) to have is only available in Real format. So, I guess I have to live with it.

Now, if only I could find better coersion methods to apply to those providers. Hypnosis, anyone? :wink:

[nishka]

Yes, it's about CONTENT and NOT SOFTWARE.

There's a wealth of material out there that's only out there in REAL format. Maybe it'll even stream video off the web more reliably than Windows Media Player (which I have never managed to get working properly).

Probably the coolest thing this will get us is when Big Brother returns to CBS this summer. I for one think it'll be pretty cool to watch the contestants on my 802.11 enabled Ipaq :).

-nishka

[nirav28]

Damn, and I thought real player was a virus...

[Janak Parekh]

Damn, and I thought real player was a virus...

It totally is, unless you learn how to disable all of the "helpful" features it adds to your Startup. Actually, it would be if you could figure out how to download the free version - it's buried on their site.

I don't install Real anymore on any of my machines, unless it's absolutely needed.

--bdj

[lsbeller]

In the same vein as "some sites only use the real audio format," from a corporate perspective (including mine, which is one of the largest software vendors), many companies only produce their content in real audio. All of our training and archived mulimedia files are in the real audio/video format. I have been going through the painstaking process since June of 2000 of converting those real files to windows media format so that I could download and listen to/watch on my iPaq.

While I would prefer to exclusively use the Windows format for many of the same reasons already mentioned and I have made that suggestion to my company, I am ready for a real audio player I can load on my iPaq and directly play those training files! I am sure that there are many more corporate users like me as well.

Steve

[Chubbergott]

I say "well done" to Real for this.

So their software is a little naughty at times, but it doesn't lock me into anything and makes no demands about what else I can run while it is installed (unlike some of Mugabe$oft's software), and what is important to me is that it is more compatible with other platforms.

Windows Media format is good, but unless you use Mugabe$oft Windows, you're shafted. I can watch Real video on my Linux box, Windows and Symbian mobile device! If I ever consider spending my pennies on a PocketPC, this would certainly be a plus point..... though that's not going to happen for quite a while.

[IpaqMan2]

In response to the article-

I think having Realplayer on the PPC is more than about having a choice of a media player. For me it's just about being able to view contant that is not availble in MS format. That is more of the bigger down fall that I see with just having one media player only.

[TomB]

I'm missing something here...

Real is a proprietary format that generally locks the most desirable content. Yes those streams can be captured and manipulated by accomplished techs with time on their hands, but why would you want to waste time on what some consider an inferior format in the first place? Unless Real Networks has completely changed their business plan, I would steer clear of this!

[Small Town Man]

the realplayer is ready for download:

http://www.real.com/realonemobile/download.html