QuickTime coming to PDAs

A US company says it is developing software that plays Apple's QuickTime video format on handheld computers such as the Handspring Visor Prism and the Linux-based Zaurus SL-5500 from Sharp.

California-based Media Metastasis said last week it has begun private demonstrations of ZygoVideoH, which consists of server-side compression software and a client-side player for mobile devices. The player presently works with the Visor Prism and Zaurus, Media Metastasis said.

The announcement follows RealNetworks' launch of a RealOne streaming media player for Pocket PC devices.

Some media formats, such as Windows Media and now RealMedia, are available on handheld devices, but players that handle QuickTime are generally not available on PDAs. QuickTime, created by Apple Computer, is popular for content authoring, and Apple promotes it for high-profile publicity uses such as distributing film trailers.

Media Metastasis sells ZygoVideo, software designed for improving compression on streamed QuickTime video. That software consists of back-end compression technology and a QuickTime plug-in that is automatically downloaded when users encounter ZygoVideo-compressed media.

ZygoVideoH applies the same technique to handheld wireless devices, reducing typical QuickTime video clips to half their original size, according to Media Metastasis. "The advantage in file size translates to a very flat and consistent data rate, the perfect solution for wireless streaming," said Rod Sheffield, the company's president and chief executive, in a statement.

He said the ZygoVideo technology also eliminates the need for media buffering.

The software, which does not have a release date, is aimed at handheld computers and 3G phones, Media Metastasis said.

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