RealNetworks, Inc. (NASDAQ:RNWK) is a the company that has brought us the ability to download videos on YouTube, pay for online streaming music, and was best known for the term “buffering.” The company is now launching a new software product that will allow users to rip DVDs onto hard drives and burn them. The new software is called RealDVD.

In the FAQ section of RealDVD, one of the questions that is included is “Is it legal to save movies with RealDVD?” The answer is “Yes, provided that you are the owner of the original DVD and you use your saved copy solely for your personal use.”

RealDVD will authorize five computers to play the movies. Movies cannot be transferred to other computers after that.

RealNetworks, Inc. (NASDAQ:RNWK) is known for its digital media software that revolves around music.  RealNetworks’ develops popular music software, Rhapsody.  RealNetworks’ market capitalization as of right now is about $1 billion and they’re planning to acquire a small gaming company called GameTrust for under $50 million.  GameTrust develops flash games that revolve around contests and multiplayer abilities.

GameTrust  was founded in 2002 by Adeo Ressi.  Adeo sold a company he started in 1994 called Total New York Inc. to AOL.  AOL rolled Total New York into AOL Digital Cities.  Adeo also started methodfive, inc., brought in $2 million from Pricewaterhouse Coopers and then sold the company to Xceed for $88 million.

Some of RealNetworks’ previous acquisitions inlcude Zylom Media Group B.V., WiderThan Co., Ltd. and Atravia Latin America Ltda. in 2006.  And RealNetworks acquired Sony NetServices in 2007.  Sony NetServices was a joint venture between Sony DADC and Sony Europe.

[Information Source: Paidcontent]