A proprietary audio format and streaming technology developed by RealNetworks in the 1990s. It was one of the first systems to allow audio streaming over the internet.
Compound of 'real' (actual, not simulated) and 'audio' (sound). Created as a brand name in 1995 to emphasize the technology's ability to play sound in real-time over internet connections, contrasting with downloaded files.
RealAudio was revolutionary because it solved the problem of waiting hours to download a single song - suddenly you could hear music instantly over dial-up internet. Though eclipsed by later technologies, it pioneered the streaming revolution that transformed how we consume media.
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