Rob Glaser
Encyclopedia
Rob Glaser is the founder of RealNetworks
(1994) which produces RealAudio
, RealVideo
, RealPlayer
, and Helix
, among other products and services. Before founding RealNetworks, he had become a millionaire by working for Microsoft
for ten years.
Glaser, while Chief Executive of Real Networks, clashed repeatedly with Tony Fadell
, widely known as the Godfather of the iPhone and iPod, who then left the company after 5 weeks and went onto founding the products for Apple.
Glaser is a graduate of Yale University
with an MA degree in Economics and a BS degree in Computer Science.
On June 16, 2004, Glaser received the Music Visionary Award, along with EMI Vice Chairman David Munns, from the Music for Youth Foundation, and the United Jewish Appeal.
Glaser was the 22nd largest individual donor to 527 groups in the 2004 US election, donating over $2.2 million to pro-Democratic organizations. He was the leading creditor to Air America Radio
, loaning at least $9.8 million according to its bankruptcy filing.
Since June 2010, Glaser has been a partner at global venture firm, Accel Partners
, focusing on digital media technology, social media, and mobile service investments.
RealNetworks
RealNetworks, Inc. is a provider of Internet media delivery software and services based in Downtown Seattle, Washington, United States. The company is the creator of RealAudio, a compressed audio format; RealVideo, a compressed video format; RealPlayer, a media player; RealDownloader, a download...
(1994) which produces RealAudio
RealAudio
RealAudio is a proprietary audio format developed by RealNetworks and first released in April 1995. It uses a variety of audio codecs, ranging from low-bitrate formats that can be used over dialup modems, to high-fidelity formats for music. It can also be used as a streaming audio format, that is...
, RealVideo
RealVideo
RealVideo is a suite of proprietary video compression formats developed by RealNetworks – the specific format changes with the version. It was first released in 1997 and is at version 10. RealVideo is supported on many platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Solaris, and several mobile...
, RealPlayer
RealPlayer
RealPlayer is a cross-platform media player by RealNetworks that plays a number of multimedia formats including MP3, MPEG-4, QuickTime, Windows Media, and multiple versions of proprietary RealAudio and RealVideo formats.-History:...
, and Helix
Helix project
Helix DNA is a project to produce software that can play audio and video media in various formats, aid in producing such media, and serve them over a network. It is intended as a largely free and open source digital media framework that runs on numerous operating systems and processors and was...
, among other products and services. Before founding RealNetworks, he had become a millionaire by working for Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
for ten years.
Glaser, while Chief Executive of Real Networks, clashed repeatedly with Tony Fadell
Tony Fadell
Anthony M. Fadell is a Lebanese American computer science engineer. He was known for being the Senior Vice President of the iPod Division at Apple Inc., having succeeded Jon Rubinstein in 2006. On November 4, 2008, Apple announced that Fadell would be stepping down as Senior Vice President but...
, widely known as the Godfather of the iPhone and iPod, who then left the company after 5 weeks and went onto founding the products for Apple.
Glaser is a graduate of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
with an MA degree in Economics and a BS degree in Computer Science.
On June 16, 2004, Glaser received the Music Visionary Award, along with EMI Vice Chairman David Munns, from the Music for Youth Foundation, and the United Jewish Appeal.
Glaser was the 22nd largest individual donor to 527 groups in the 2004 US election, donating over $2.2 million to pro-Democratic organizations. He was the leading creditor to Air America Radio
Air America Radio
Air America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
, loaning at least $9.8 million according to its bankruptcy filing.
Since June 2010, Glaser has been a partner at global venture firm, Accel Partners
Accel Partners
Accel Partners is a global venture and growth equity firm funding companies from inception through the growth stage.The firm is based in Palo Alto, California with major offices in Bangalore, Beijing, London, and Shanghai....
, focusing on digital media technology, social media, and mobile service investments.
External links
- No. 41 Rob Glaser: Bit Streamer - Time Digital Top 50 (1999)
- Rob Glaser, Moving Target - interview by Randall Rothenberg writing for Wired Magazine (August, 1999)
- RealNetwork's CEO Rob Glaser - interview by Lance UlanoffLance UlanoffLance Ulanoff is a tech and social media expert and the former Editor-in-Chief of PCMag.com and PC Magazine and SVP of Content for PCMag Digital Network, now editor in chief at Mashable.com. He appears as guest on national and local TV and radio shows. He has spent almost two decades in the...
writing for PC Magazine (April 21, 2003) - Can Glaser and Jobs find harmony? - interview by John Borland writing for c/net news.com (August 17, 2004)
- Free Fall Radio: Air America Goes Bankrupt - Page 3 of the Chapter 11 filing from The Smoking Gun (13 October 2006)
- Rethinking Mobile Data Plans - On the Hot Seat with Rob Glaser - interview by Sue Marek for FierceMobileContent (December 18, 2007)
- Big Audio Dynamite - biographical interview with Steve Homer in the Independent Newspaper (7 Feb 2000)