RealNetworks (Real) says its RealPlayer is available for licensing by OEMs building “netbooks and nettops” that run Linux on Intel's Atom processor. Like the company's earlier release for MIDs (mobile Internet devices), RealPlayer for Intel Atom is integrated with Intel's “Moblin” Linux stack, Real says.

(Click for slightly larger view of the types of devices supported by Real's new Atom players)

Released in conjunction with this week's Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco, RealPlayer for Intel Atom supports RealMedia, Windows Media, MP3, MPEG4, H.264, AAC, AAC+, VC-1 and Ogg, says the company. The player can run in a browser or as a standalone player, and plugs easily into the Moblin.org open-source code base, says Real.

The player was developed using Real's Helix DNA technology, which the company says is available in source code form for development via free community source licenses. The licenses are available at the Helix Community, which helped develop the Moblin-oriented players.

In conjunction with Intel's original Atom announcement in April, Real announced it would deliver a “RealPlayer for MID” player. The player, now shipping, is said to be similar to the new nettop version, but also adds extensions for supporting a touchscreen and other MID specific interface elements, says the Helix Community. Real says it plans to work with the Community to publish a standard API to enable third-party Linux application development for RealPlayer.

To date, Moblin.org, an Intel-sponsored community that has developed the Linux-based Moblin open source stack targeting Atom-based devices, has aimed the technology primarily at MIDs as opposed to netbooks and nettops (small-format desktops). However, in June, Linpus Technologies announced it was joining Moblin, and was tuning its netbook-oriented “Linux Lite” distribution for the Moblin stack. To date, Linpus Lite has been bundled with two Linux-compatible netbooks: Acer's Aspire One, and Norhtec's Gecko Laptop. Intel is expected to formally announce version 2.0 of Moblin this week.

Availability

Both the MID- and netbook/nettop version of RealPlayer for Intel Atom are available now, says Real. The company will be demonstrating the RealPlayer for Intel Atom by appointment at the Intel Developer Forum at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, August 19-21. More information on the Linux-optimized players may be found here.

For a continually updated guide to Linux-ready netbooks, see our Linux Netbooks showcase.

 
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