Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) and RealNetworks Inc. Tuesday
expanded the relationship they first announced at the E3 Game Expo in May.
At E3, the two unveiled plans to embed RealPlayer 8 and other RealNetworks
client technologies on Sony’s PlayStation 2 game console. On Tuesday the
companies went a step further and revealed plans to embed RealPlayer 8 on a
new Sony product — the e Villa Network Entertainment Center.
e Villa, which Sony plans to ship later this month at a $500 price point, is
a Net appliance for accessing Internet media, e-mail and the Web. Under the
agreement, the e Villa user interface will include an on-screen preset
button for the Real.com Guide, offering one-click access to the site, which
offers consumers a way to navigate music and other entertainment programming
on the Web. The e Villa will also utilize RealNetworks’ Real.com Radio
Tuner, providing access to more than 2,500 radio stations broadcasting on
the Net.
“The combination of our leading RealPlayer technology and the ease-of-use of
the e Villa unit will deliver a high quality multimedia experience to this
burgeoning market,” said Mark Bretl, vice president of Consumer Appliances
for RealNetworks. “This device represents a new class of consumer appliances
designed for the home and we are excited to leverage this growth opportunity
as we realize our vision of delivering a great Internet media experience
from any platform, to any device.”