A Real Way To Take Your DVDs With You

The software costs $29.99. It lets users legitimately copy DVDs onto the hard drives of their computers and view them later without requiring the original discs. (Convenient for travelers in the way Sony's eBook is.)

The original CSS encryption of the movie is left intact; there is no modifying or compressing of files, so an exact copy is saved. Cover art, genre, title rating and actor information are imported automatically during saving. Saved DVDs are encrypted and re-locked; they cannot be shared or stolen. However, content saved to portable drives can be played on up to five laptops licensed to the same user.

The software lets users customize their viewing: For example, viewers can choose a saving option that lets them skip straight to the feature film when opening a particular movie.

According to RealNetworks, saving DVDs uses approximately 4 GB to 8 GB of space and takes an average of 10 to 40 minutes. For those who can't wait that "long," users can simultaneously save and view movies. At this point, no other mobile device use is supported. RealDVD will be available this month at the $29.99 promotional price. The retail price will subsequently increase to $49.99. Additional licenses (up to 4) are available at a discounted price of $19.99.