Real to Offer 'All in One' Jukebox

[MacRumors]

CNet reveals more details from RealNetworks upcoming Music Store and Jukebox software. While previous hints had suggested that Real's new service would be entirely incompatible with Apple's iPod as well as other systems, it appears Real is taking a different approach:

Real is betting that the flexibility of its music-playing software will distinguish it from rival stores and software packages. To this end, the company said it has created a jukebox that will play all the media formats used by its own and other song stores--including secure downloads from the iTunes store.

Unfortunately, it appears Real accomplishes this compatibility by launching Apple's Quicktime/iTunes applications in the background to enable authorization.

Real's Jukebox is also said to provide transfer capabilities with the Apple iPod.

The new initiative could help Real draw potential customers from other jukebox/music services... however, incompatibilities will remain. As previously noted, Real's music store will offer AAC/Helix encoded songs which are not compatible with present audio players (such as the iPod).

 

[coumerelli]

just like ALL the other window's offerings...always have to run other programs in the background - bloatware.

 

[Mudbug]

seems like a good idea, but maybe a poor execution... Able to play everyone else's stuff (so buy it there) but unable to play your stuff on other people's players.

backwards? or just me?

 

[MrMacMan]

Part Good...

Part Bad.

I don't know if either out weights the other.

At least 2 Services use AAC... even if they can't be playied in the iPod? (correct, incorrect?)

 

[coumerelli]

Originally posted by Mudbug
seems like a good idea, but maybe a poor execution... Able to play everyone else's stuff (so buy it there) but unable to play your stuff on other people's players.

backwards? or just me?

30 million downloads tells me it's not 'just you'

 

[gwuMACaddict]

lame...



just trying to dress up one uggggly package

 

[idkew]

also from real:

included with this all in one solution is an all in one spyware program. not only do we watch what website you go to, we also watchwhat music you listen to and what you type in your word processor.

 

[VicMacs]

real = barf

BARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARFBARF

 

[iomar]

I think it is a good idea!

 

[Sayhey]

The more players using AAC the better.

 

[Awimoway]

For Windows users who have a lot of WMA files and have made iTunes purchases, this might be the best option for them. But I don't see how this hurts Apple. The fact that it supports music purchased from the best online music store can only help Apple, right?


That being said, all the Windows users I know who have tried iTunes are in love and will never go back to whatever dreck they were using previously.

 

[Sailfish]

Real is going to confuse the situation even further.

Winblows people are going to have to have a compatibility cheat sheet taped to their monitors to keep track of it all.



Ahh just get a iPod and iTunes and quit messing around...

 

[AlanAudio]

The first point I would make is that when everybody launches a new downloadable music service, it's always referred to as a rival to iTMS.

Nobody bothers claiming to rival any other service, because iTMS is the only one that actually matters.

The Real proposal is a bit half-baked. It's neither fish nor fowl and is likely to be less than seamless for all users.

I'm not sure if it uses unsupported hooks into QuickTime, but if it does, it may find the door slammed in it's face at some point in the future.

However, I can only see it as good news for Apple.

The fact that they are not going Microsoft's way is a huge bonus.

More exposure for AAC is excellent.

The fact that it's likely to be inelegant and unreliable is also a welcome contrast to Apple's seamless simplicity.

You need to see the bad in order to properly appreciate what's good.

 

[XForge]

I'd sooner chop off my legs with a dull rusty garden spade, than ever use anything from Real. On my Winbox or my Mac.

 

[milatchi]

Real Media! I thought I smelled a horse's ass.

 

[Photorun]

Real... pioneers of the online media, no the dinosaurs. Hey, they made some pretty cool stuff though... in 1996 for what it was worth. 2004 on the peecee or Mac their stuff is merely sucktacular.

 

[TranceClubMusic]

Real Junk Box
Napster & Real will be out of Bizz by end of 2005.
Why even try folks?

 

[PowerBook User]

I don't know if this is good or bad for Apple, but it think it's great someone else is using AAC.