Real Networks Hacks iPod; .rm & Real Store for iPod

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Real Networks Hacks iPod; .rm & Real Store for iPod

Posted by Hemos on Monday July 26, 2004 @12:00AM from the real-competition dept.

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?"

5 of 456 comments (clear)

Mr. Glaser... by chillmost · 2004-07-26 00:04 · Score: 5, Funny

I'd like to introduce you to Apple's legal team. Please assume the position.

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--Residential Interior Design
But what about the display? by JasonUCF · 2004-07-26 00:07 · Score: 5, Funny

I'm all well and good with them hacking a way into the OS to play stuff thru the iPod audio chip. But what I want to know is have they hacked the display! Will I get to see my all time favorite hits like
Rebuffering...
and
Cannot find stream
and
Would you like to upgrade to Real 9?
Real Media on an iPod can mean only one thing... by Vandil+X · 2004-07-26 00:09 · Score: 5, Funny

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!

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Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, START
Re:Real Media on an iPod can mean only one thing.. by Narkov · 2004-07-26 00:24 · Score: 5, Funny

> 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%
What REALly happens... by superultra · 2004-07-26 02:50 · Score: 4, Funny

Install this "hack" and this is what you'll really get:

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.