Disruptive Forces: Real Networks

Real Networks

Location: Seattle

CEO: Rob Glaser

Revenues: $395.2 million

What they do: The pioneer of occasionally frustrating streaming downloads now serves up the popular music subscription service Rhapsody.

Disruptive qualities: Rhapsody offers access to millions of songs. Moreover the company’s technology is being embedded in an impressive number of places like Facebook and MTV.com, as well as in devices such as cell phones and DVRs.

The tech that makes them tick: A super-easy drag-and-drop interface and a deft recommendation engine make the service simple for new users.

Who they are disrupting: The company is going head to head with Apple, Microsoft, Napster, satellite radio and your local record store.

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