TiVo, iriver and others license Rhapsody platform

A range of consumer electronics companies have licensed the Rhapsody DNA platform from RealNetworks Inc. and plan to build support for the technology into their products and services in 2007.

RealNetworks made the announcement at the Consumer Electronics Show 2007 in Las Vegas. Agreements with the consumer electronics companies, including Nokia, TiVo, iriver, Logitech, SigmaTel, and Telechips, are expected to help make the Rhapsody digital music service accessible virtually anywhere, from PC to home stereo to portable music player. Rhapsody DNA will help the companies provide access to more than 3 million songs.

Rhapsody DNA is a technology platform and set of marketing programs that enable consumer electronics makers to extend Rhapsody digital music beyond the PC to portable and in-home devices through features such as the ability to browse the Rhapsody Music Guide and My Library menus, instant song playback, and access to Rhapsody’s editorial content.

For example, RealNetworks is working with Reigncom, maker of iriver portable multimedia devices, to roll out two Rhapsody DNA-enhanced portable players this spring. These flash-based devices will include a Wi-Fi-enabled MP3 player. The player will let consumers download, stream and share music over the air directly to the device via the Rhapsody digital music service, and the iriver clix 2, an enhanced version of iriver’s clix line of players.

In another example, RealNetworks is collaborating with manufacturers of set-top boxes and home audio devices to enable direct playback of Rhapsody’s music and radio stations via their devices. RealNetworks and TiVo Inc. are integrating Rhapsody DNA support into TiVo digital video recorders. The companies expect later this year to provide TiVo customers access to Rhapsody’s library of over 3 million songs through their set-top box.

RealNetworks is the corporate parent of RealPlayer Music Store, No. 92 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide to Retail Web Sites.