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Real Networks Hacks iPod; .rm & Real Store for iPod
alphakappa writes "According to Cnet, Real Networks is expected to announce on Monday that it has found a way to make its songs play on the iPod. Now songs bought from the RealPlayer Music Store can be played on the iPod. Earlier Real had made it possible for songs bought from iTunes to be played on RealPlayer by transparently starting the iTunes authentication in the background. However since Apple has not licensed the technology to make file formats playable on the iPod, the latest Real initiative could be construed as reverse engineering. How would this fare under the DMCA? Or is it just for the tiny ones?"
I'd like to introduce you to Apple's legal team. Please assume the position.
--Residential Interior Design
Rebuffering...
and
Cannot find stream
and
Would you like to upgrade to Real 9?
Real Media on an iPod can mean only one thi--- BUFFERING... 0%... 13%... 27%... 34%... 58%... 72%... 88%... 97%... 100%... --ng to consumers: More choice!
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, START
Great. Now I need a firewall on my Ipod to stop fifteen RealNetworks processes calling home every time I use it.
> BUFFERING... 0%... 13%... 27%... 34%... 58%... 72%... 88%... 97%... 100%
You should be so lucky
BUFFERING... 0%... 13%... 3%... 1%... -5%... 72%... 21%... 97%... 10%... 107%... 4%
im still waiting for real player files to be playable in winamp, WMP, zoomplayer, or ANYTHING but realplayer. as soon as real makes their standard open so i can use a decent player, i might pay attention.
attention realplayer execs, your software is AWFUL, and id sooner install blaster on my machine than your pathetic media player.
Well, the Green Party would probably strike down this law, and then pass a new one telling us exactly which artists we are allowed to listen to, and in what format, and using which bitrate, with which playback device. Vote Libertarian.
Yeah, the Greens would outlaw any musical device more technologically advanced than, say, a didgeridoo.
You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
Won't someone PLEASE think of the TERMITES!?
The real networks logo will display instead of an apple during bootup. You'll also notice that somehow the engraved logo on the back of your iPod also changed from an apple to Real.com.
You'll get "news" notifications during the songs (real format or otherwise) which actually consist only of upgrade information to the real software. Even if you just upgraded.
You'll notice that, despite being an iPod, Real somehow became the default player for all media formats on your iPod. The interface will be clunky and will no longer use the clickwheel but only two buttons and the lock switch, and you won't be able to figure out how to restore the default settings on your iPod. And it won't play AAC files.
Songs will stop midway through until you pay for a RealPass.
You'll constantly get buffering messages, even though the iPod is reading from the hard drive.
Menu options will crowd the top of the display that read, "FREE AOL SOFTWARE" and "FREE OFFERS FROM REAL"
You'll discover that you didn't really download the free version, but that somehow you paid $29.95 even though you don't remember using a credit card.
I think Apple may need the roof tiles changing in "steve-o's" office about now.