A Player or a Browser?
Receiving RealNetworks streaming media requires a RealPlayer. A browser plug-in supports embedding Real content in a Web page. Officially, the G2 player is just that, a player. But take a closer look at this player and you will see it is really a multimedia browser. It handles audio, video, animation, still images, and text. About the only file type it doesn't seem to support right now is HTML. I would not be surprised if, in a back room at Real's Seattle headquarters, there sits a RealPlayer that does that too. Future versions of the player promise multiple windows and a URL window. RealPlayer is quickly becoming the multimedia browser.

Much like Apple's QuickTime player, RealPlayer software is available in two versions. The basic player is free download and covers most of the needs any user might have. For $29.99, you can upgrade to the Plus version. For the extra cost, you get better control of your video picture and sound enhancement. You also gain built-in MP3 support. For most people, these features are not that critical. The record feature, for those sites that support it, is the one feature that I find makes the Plus version worth the extra cost. If a streaming clip is broken up, recording the feed and then replaying it off of the hard drive is handy. RealPlayer will delete the buffering gaps and give you just the data. The catch is that many sites disable the ability for users to access this feature.