Type of Article: MacMinute Web Site

In a surprise announcement today, RealNetworks said it will support MPEG-4, the emerging open standard for digital video, in upcoming versions of its RealSystem iQ and RealOne media player products, according to c|net. The MPEG-4 file format is based on Apple’s QuickTime file format, as Apple has been a key supporter of the technology since its early development, and is widely considered to be the standard for solutions such as wireless streaming video and Internet distribution of full-length movies.

In its effort to trump the dominant MP3 audio format, Microsoft today will announce partnerships with the leading manufacturers of DVD chips that will pave the way for next-generation DVD players with support for the Windows Media audio format. The players will support DVD discs with up to 22 hours of CD-quality audio in the Windows Media audio format, according to c|net.

French-speaking Mac site Mac Plus has posted a handful of screenshots from Adobe’s upcoming Mac OS X-compatible products, including Photoshop 7, Image Ready 7, GoLive 6, and InDesign 2.

ICQ today released ICQ Lite, a Java version of its messaging service that runs in a browser window, and ICQ 3.0X, a Mac OS X version of its client.

The final version of America Online 5.0 for Mac OS X is available for download to AOL users from keyword “upgrade,” according to VersionTracker. The software is two generations behind its Windows counterpart, as AOL 7.0 recently began shipping for Windows.