RealNetworks Inc is selling 7th Level Inc’s streamed character animation software, Agent 7 1.0, direct from its web site at http://www.real.com. Agent 7 is a little unusual. It’s a voice- activated environment for developing broadcast-quality, lip- synched animation that can be used and reused on the web and within desktop applications. Users can change what a character is saying just by speaking the new words into a microphone. With Agent 7, getting John F Kennedy to talk to Forrest Gump on the web should be a breeze. The deal has been kind to both companies’ stocks. 7th Level made a one-day gain of 36% while RealNetworks closed up 17%.
