RealNetworks brings slide presentation to the Web

RealPresenter, which was developed by Real and Intel, lets companies broadcast slide presentations, such as those created using Microsoft's PowerPoint, over the Internet. Broadcast slide presentations typically come as part of an overall video-media broadcast.

Already, many companies use the Internet to Webcast important announcements, such as earnings reports, and include slide presentations. RealPresenter simplifies the process of broadcasting slides by automating the task in an application.

Real's streaming media technology allows Web surfers to watch video or listen to audio in real time rather than making them download the media to their hard drive and play it back. The company develops both the playback applications for desktops as well as servers for would-be broadcasters.

Both companies are interested, for separate reasons, in advancing the popularity and relevance of streaming broadcasts. For Real, the company's business depends on propagating its software as the dominant tool for such broadcasts. Intel, on the other hand, benefits as consumers upgrade to pricier computers that can handle these bandwidth- and processor-intensive broadcasts.

"RealPresenter G2 offers a new medium in which anyone can deliver a powerful differentiated message themselves, combining the visual impact of a formal presentation with critical context," Rob Glaser, Real's CEO, said in a statement.

RealPresenter will be a plug-in to Real's media players. A basic free version can be downloaded from Real's site, and a deluxe version of the plug-in can be purchased for $69.95.