Microsoft Buys Into Progressive
Microsoft Corp. has bought a minority interest in Progressive Networks Inc. and will license the company’s RealAudio and RealVideo Internet technologies for its products, the companies said Monday.
The software allows continuous sound and video to be sent and received over the World Wide Web. Such “streaming media” products by Progressive Networks and its competitors brings broadcast programming and other multimedia content via the web to personal computers and other electronic devices. Progressive Networks, based in Seattle, estimates RealAudio and RealVideo are in regular use on some 10 million to 12 million personal computers.