Last month at the D conference, Real Networks announced the next version of RealPlayer, which features one-click downloading and saving of online video. This week last100 editor Steve O'Hear got his hands on RealPlayer 11 and thoroughly tested it.
Steve reported that RealPlayer 11 has a cleaner installation process, a UI similar to iTunes, and indeed many other features in common with iTunes - including its 'jukebox' functionality (importing and organizing music and video) and burning media to CD/DVD from within the application. But the biggest new feature, noted Steve, is the ability to download videos from the web:
With RealPlayer 11 installed, when you visit a website with embedded video (Real, Flash, QuickTime or Windows Media), a floating tab appears giving you the option to download the file or 'record' it in the case of a live stream. Once you click 'download this video' a copy is then placed into your RealPlayer library. I tested the feature on YouTube and found that videos downloaded quickly and without a glitch. Next up I tried to save a 'Real video' stream from the BBC but was greeted with the following message: 'This clip is not downloadable from this site.' That's because RealPlayer honours any online video protected by DRM, preventing a user from saving it to their hardrive.
Read the full review on last100. Steve liked what he tested, so it seems that Real Networks has borrowed well from iTunes and is ensuring it remains a viable alternative to the market leading Apple.
Have any Read/WriteWeb readers tested out Real Player 11? How do you rate it?
Comments
Subscribe to comments for this post OR Subscribe to comments for all Read/WriteWeb posts
It's a decent release, but there are still many privacy issues that haven't been resolved. Unless you explicitly change the preferences, RealPlayer still sends identifiable information when you try to view a video stream.
As far as downloading videos, RealPlayer's only advantage is mainstream appeal. Otherwise, there are many other tools available like Orbit Rich Media Downloader that do much the same and more.
Posted by: Robson Lee | June 13, 2007 11:03 PMThe concept is good, but actually capturing videos is a bumpy proposition at best. And outside of YouTube-like sites, most videos you see can't be captured, and require a tool like Replay Media Catcher to download them.
Posted by: Bill | June 14, 2007 11:30 PMgood
Posted by: mohammed aliuddin | June 17, 2007 1:22 AMhhbf hhgfgdyd dhh adfgosadfg adfgadflag dfasdgfasdfashdgfaygfwrf;sfgjsbvspugvskvb s vusdg vud vds vas v
Posted by: ihab | June 24, 2007 12:18 AMI have purchased the real player11 and have deleted by accident.
Posted by: Hernandez sicard | June 29, 2007 7:40 PMAt this time, I am not able to downlooad it could you please help me get it back?
Thank you and have a nice day.
dzcdcvsdz
Posted by: spier | July 23, 2007 2:04 AMthanks forme this programm
Posted by: mans | July 23, 2007 9:32 AM.......
Posted by: jamal | July 30, 2007 12:04 AM