blinkx signs up with RealNetworks

By Stevie Smith Jun 26, 2007, 14:01 GMT

San Francisco-based video and audio search engine specialist blinkx PLC has this week made considerable forward motion in its own development by signing a significant deal with Internet media giant RealNetworks Inc. while also releasing fresh video-based advertising technology.

According to a CNN Money report on the deal, blinkx will now have its existing video search engine embedded into RealPlayer, the widespread media player that’s integral to Seattle-based RealNetworks. As such, the inclusion of the blinkx search technology, RealPlayer users will have fully searchable access to some 12 million collected hours of wide-ranging online media of various genre types.

"The new RealPlayer will give people the ability to easily download non-DRM [Digital Rights Management] protected videos from thousands of sites, so giving our users access to a best-in-class video search experience is critical," trumpeted Jeff Chasen, vice president of RealPlayer for RealNetworks, Inc. "By teaming up with blinkx, we now deliver their powerful video search engine directly to our users."

Further to the notable deal with RealNetworks, blinkx has also released AdHoc, a dedicated video-search advertising platform. The company has high hopes for AdHoc, and has even intonated that it expects the platform to rise as high in stature as Google’s popular Adsense system. Specifically, AdHoc will give advertisers the ability to synch customised television ads to the habits and preferences of Internet-based video users.

"We are very excited to be powering video search for RealNetworks, a global leader in digital media and entertainment," enthused Suranga Chandratillake, founder and CEO of blinkx. "Through blinkx's patented speech and pattern recognition technologies, we will be offering their millions of users the most advanced tool for finding videos online."

The share price attributed to blinkx rose by 7.7 percent on news of the deal with RealNetworks.