I have not always been a big fan of Real and the RealPlayer plug-in. Not that I’ve ever found anything wrong with the video player itself. When video was first starting on the web, Real made it possible, even in the days of dial-up access speeds. My problem was always the bloated download and intrusive installer. The default settings for the installer took over as the player for all media types. Some poor person who just wanted to view a web video was confronted with audio files that no longer launched in the acostomed program.
But that was in the old, early days of the web, waaaay before iTunes and Flash video knocked Real off its pedestal. After a long time of not even having the plug-in installed I needed to view some real player videos. I dreaded the install, but had to do it. And it was a pleasure. Not only that but the player comes with a really handy ‘download this video’ tool that makes off-line viewing possible. It works with flash video, which is a real joy. The install itself was quick and well mannered. The old intrusive behaviors seem to be gone. If, like me, you were turned off by the old Real, take another look. The PLUS version offers integration with the iPod, and some other features that might even be worth the $40 cost.
Download videos from thousands of Web sites with just one click
• Build your own video library and playlists
• Play all major audio and video formats
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Randall Rode's online home for thoughts, notes, and experiments with a wide range of technology topics. Visit the about page for info on my recent projects and professional background. I welcome your comments!
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