Real Networks demos Unifi cloud media platform at CES

It's still not quite ready for beta testers to try out, but Real Networks was more than happy to give CES 2011 attendees a look at their upcoming Unifi service. Unifi will allow users to stream digital content stored on their desktop to computers to a variety of devices -- including your favorite smartphone. Unlike some desktop-to-mobile streaming apps, Unifi will also let you send content back to your desktop from your mobile devices -- as well as push content from your connected devices to the cloud. Unifi currently catalogs and shares music, playlists, photos, and videos -- though Real promises that support for documents and TV shows is coming later this year.

Unifi's "librarian" works with most popular desktop media apps, including iTunes. The Unifi app for Android has been available in the Market since December, but without access to the desktop software it won't do you any good just yet. An iOS app will also be available at launch, and Windows Phone 7 users should be able to get their hands on Unifi sometime in the second quarter of 2011. Pricing for the service hasn't been announced, but Real does say that Unifi will be a freemium product and that the basic paid plan will cost about the same as a couple fancy coffees per month.

You can toss your name into the beta tester hat over at findunifi.com, or take the jump to see Real Network's Unifi teaser video and a lengthy presentation from Dive Into Media from December 2010.

Tags: apps, audio, cloud, desktop, mobile, multimedia, photo, real, real networks, RealNetworks, sharing, streaming, video