Seattle start-up Progressive Networks Inc yesterday introduced RealAudio, designed to enable users with multimedia personal computers to play back audio in real time off the Internet instead of having to download an audio file first. Progressive’s technology compresses voice streams into 1Kbps of Internet bandwidth, so users with 14.4Kbps modems will be able to listen to programmes on US National Public Radio and ABC, the first content providers using the system. Progressive Networks is giving away the receiving software, which comes in versions for Windows, Mac OS and Unix, and is selling the transmission side to companies that want to offer audio over the Internet.
