Users Receive Breaking News, Finance, Entertainment, Fashion, Personal Tech
or Any Other Topic of Interest Via Up-to-the-Minute Headlines and Images
SAN DIEGO, DEMOfall2006, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
RealNetworks(R), Inc. (Nasdaq: RNWK), the global leader in digital media
delivery, is announcing today the beta launch of RealTime, a free desktop
toolbar, news reader and screen saver that brings up-to-the-minute
personalized information and images to the desktop. The program integrates
with users' Web browsers allowing single-click subscription to favorite
stocks, weather, personalized life-style information, news feeds and blogs
with information delivered right back to the desktop.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060926/SFTU028 )
The screen saver rotates through favorite headlines along with their
accompanying photos or images. With one click, the user can read the story
about a baseball pitcher, stock updates, information about the war in Iraq,
a new salad recipe or the latest handheld device.
"We've designed an easy-to-use and visually appealing way to have
personalized news and information delivered right to desktops," said Jeff
Chasen, Real's vice president of media software. "With people's busy lives,
many don't have time to follow the topics which interest them."
"Beta testers have told us the most fascinating aspect of RealTime is
that it brings news to them as it happens," Chasen continued. "They feel
well-connected without having to do any work. They've also commented that
it's fun to actually see a picture of a new tech gadget rotate onto their
screensaver from a site like engadget.com versus just reading about it with
other RSS readers."
Real is teaming with the Associated Press, Reuters, Interactive Data,
SmartMoney, Feedster and The Weather Channel Interactive to ensure RealTime
users get the most current information available. RealTime provides
editorial recommendations based on all of this data and allows users to
personalize the product either from the RealTime Web site or as the
consumer surfs the Web. When a user visits a favorite Web site, such as
ESPN.com or Parenting.com, that person instantly sees whether that site has
a feed. With a click of the mouse, the feed is added and the user can
resume their work or playtime on the computer.
"RealTime's single click personalization and Feedster-powered dynamic
feed discovery make RSS subscription easy," said Tyler Goldman, president
of Feedster. "It will enable mainstream users to take advantage of the
power of RSS. We're looking forward to our continued partnership with Real
as RealTime begins to deliver news, feeds and blogs to the millions of
people using the Web. They want personalized real-time information, but do
not have the time to figure out and configure complex RSS systems."
RealTime is available in its beta form at http://www.realtime.com. Additional
features will be added as the product heads toward its official release in
early 2007. Real invites users to comment on the product at
http://blog.realtime.com/ .
About RealNetworks, Inc.
RealNetworks, Inc. is the leading creator of digital media services and
software including Rhapsody(TM), RealPlayer(R) 10, and casual PC and mobile
games. RealNetworks has more than 2.2 million paid subscribers to its
premium digital media http://www.real.com . Broadcasters, network
operators, media companies and enterprises use RealNetworks' products and
services to create and deliver digital media to PCs, mobile phones and
consumer electronics devices. RealNetworks' corporate information is
located at http://www.realnetworks.com/company .
NOTE: RealPlayer, Rhapsody, RealNetworks and RealTime are the
trademarks or registered trademarks of RealNetworks. All third party
trademarks belong to their respective owners.
SOURCE RealNetworks, Inc.
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Related links: http://www.realnetworks.com
Photo Notes: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060926/SFTU028 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT: Carol Rogalski of RealNetworks, +1-206-892-6780, or crogalski@real.com; or Ashley Allman of Barokas Public Relations, +1-206-344-3133, or ashley@barokas.com, for RealNetworks
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