Tag: real

UPDATE: RealPlayer SP – rip streaming video and watch it on your phone

Real has released a beta version of the latest instalment of their long running media player. Dubbed SP – which stands for social/portable – the USP of this, the 12th version of RealPlayer, is that it allows users to rip streaming video and convert them to devices such as smartphones and portable media players.

After installing RealPlayer SP a download button appears if the cursor is hovered over YouTube, or other, video streams. After downloading the video using Real’s own download manager the video will now appear in the user’s library.

Now, this is when things get pretty interesting – honest. The user can now select to convert the video to a large number of portable devices ranging from the Palm Pre to the Nokia N97. If a user’s device isn’t listed – which isn’t likely as the list is huge – it is also possible to convert with custom settings. The conversion rate is quite slow though, only 1x, meaning a three minute video will take around three minutes to convert.

I can see this portable side of the SP being extremely useful for mobile users who haven’t got a free data plan. Instead of streaming video on the go, users will be able to preload their device before leaving their house using a broadband connection at home.

The social side to the SP is that users can share videos directly through email, Facebook and Twitter. However, this sharing is only done by sending links – so it’s hardly revolutionary.

504x_Multi-device_Converting_01.jpg

RealPlayer SP will be available for free as well as a pay version – $40 in the States – which allows H.264 conversion as well as DVD playing/burning. Currently it only works on Windows – sorry Mac fans.

The portable side of this beta release looks great. I just wish it was available as a separate app rather than being lumped in with the whole RealPlayer package.

Download RealPlayer SP beta here.

(via CNET)

Paul Lamkin Internet

Serious about Guitar Hero? So is Logitech.

logitech-wireless-guitar.jpg

I’m sure you’ve seen those pictures of real guitars modded to work with Guitar Hero, and coveted them furiously. Me too. Well, covet no longer, because you can have your very own wooden guitar to play Guitar Hero on, courtesy of Logitech.

The guitar, over there, has a rosewood fretboard, metal frets, and a wireless range of up to ten metres, via 2.4GHz wireless technology. It’s even got the slider bar from Guitar Hero World Tour, so you can get that awesome whooshy phaser sound.

It’s PS2/PS3 only, but Logitech reckons it’ll work fine on all versions of Guitar Hero, and Activision has even fully licensed it to that effect. It’ll be available on Amazon UK, and cost a rather-hefty-but-oh-so-worth-it £150.

Logitech

Related posts: Gibson Guitar introduces limited edition Dark Fire | Guitar Hero makes music look easy – 2.5 million extra kids learning instruments thanks to video games

Duncan Geere Gaming, Musical Instruments

20 exclusive beta invitations to RealPlayer to give away right now!

real.jpg Hopefully most of you would be familiar with RealPlayer, the cross-platform media player which plays numerous multimedia formats such as MP3, MPEG4, QuickTime and Windows Media. Infact, some of you may even remember when it was launched in 1995 as RealAudio Player, one of the very first media players capable of streaming media over the internet.

With thanks to RealNetworks, we have 20 exclusive invitations for Tech Digest readers to join the private beta testing of the new RealPlayer, which lets you bookmark and download video clips you find on the web, which can be later viewed offline and even ripped to CD or DVD. Imagine being able to download all of The Smith’s music videos and rip them to a DVD! In the future, further updates to the player will also support devices, so you can download directly to your iPod or PMPs. I’m sold…

Katherine Hannaford Competitions & Promotions, Websites