RealNetworks has announced RealPlayer SP, the latest version of its media player application. Among its many features, RealPlayer SP adds the ability to download and convert Internet videos—including YouTube videos—to the iTunes-friendly h.264 format, allowing users to load the content onto their iPods, iPhones, or Apple TVs.
Other features include support for custom device profiles that let the user easily change settings based on device, the ability to create audio-only files from videos for playback on audio-only devices, such as the iPod shuffle, the ability to share videos via Twitter and Facebook, and support for the latest versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Google Chrome. RealPlayer SP Beta is available now as a free download; h.264 video conversion and DVD functionality is available only to those who upgrade to RealPlayer Plus SP for a one-time charge of $40.
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