Digital music service gets on track

Realnetworks is teaming up with push technology specialist Backweb to create an automatic and personalised digital music delivery service.

The free subscription based service, known as Quicksilver, will allow Realnetworks Realjukebox to automatically send digital samples and tracks that fit into users' personal musical profile.

Backweb's Polite push technology sends audio, video and graphics transparently to PC desktops using available bandwidth. This is to avoid disrupting the user. Realjukebox will notify consumers when the music has arrived.

Quicksilver is expected to be launched later this year.