Microsoft and Netscape are following the trail of small, streaming-audio pioneers. These companies made Internet audio possible primarily by developing applications that let users click on icons to hear music and news embedded in Web sites or delivered by Internet-transmitted radio stations. The true business market for these companies are not end-users who can download the software for free, but broadcast companies, advertising agencies, Web developers and others who must purchase the software and accompanying tools to build streaming video into their Web content. The costs of purchasing these building tools vary depending on the applications features and bandwidth needs, as shown in the table below. Some products offer superior quality while others provide advanced features such as rewind and fast-forward functions.
Price varies according to bandwidth and application features.
One of the first pioneers, Progressive Networks, is a market leader with its RealAudio product, a client server that allows multimedia PC users to play back audio or audio-based multimedia content on demand, in real time, as users download. Real-time delivery is critical to Internet audio ease of use because conventional audio downloading typically takes five times longer than the actual audio. Progressive released RealAudio Version 3.0 on Sept. 17. Another pioneer and a competitor to Progressive Networks is Macromedia, which offers ShockWave. Xing offers Streamworks, a live, on-demand system for video and audio Internet delivery.