RealNetworks this morning unveiled a beta version of its next RealPlayer software, dubbed RealPlayer SP, that comes with a built-in feature for downloading and transferring web video from YouTube and other sites for offline viewing on mobile devices.

The feature is designed to work with a wide variety of devices, including the iPhone, iPod, Palm Pre and others. RealNetworks is  pitching it as particularly useful on mobile phones not traditionally known for rich multimedia experiences -- such as Research in Motion's BlackBerry devices. The transfer to devices is also designed to work with home videos and other user-generated content.

Among other new features, RealPlayer SP includes built-in shortcuts for sharing links to online videos with friends on Twitter and Facebook.

The Seattle company introduced Web video downloading in RealPlayer 11, the last version of the software. It puts a small tab above eligible videos on web pages, inviting people to click to download. In that previous version RealPlayer, however, the feature was primarily designed for viewing video offline in the RealPlayer software, not on mobile devices.

The new RealPlayer adds a quick mechanism for transferring the video to mobile devices, as well. In the case of iPhones and iPods, the feature puts the video into Apple's iTunes, to sync to those devices, but it moves the video directly to other devices.

The program automatically puts the video into the proper format for a chosen device, Flash, Windows Media, QuickTime and RealVideo. It also handles other behind-the-scenes technicalities to make the transfer. It's possible to adjust the settings, such as the video bitrate, but many users want a simpler experience, said John Schussler, RealNetworks senior program manager.

"We found in our testing that most people have no interest in (changing the settings)," Schussler explained. "They just say, 'I had it on YouTube, and I want it on my device. Can you make that happen?' "

The feature is designed to work only with Web video not protected by digital rights management antipiracy technologies. That means it doesn't work with Hulu.com, for example, said Bill Hankes, a RealNetworks spokesman. But a wide variety of sites offer video without DRM, and the company is betting that many people will be interested in storing and watching those videos on their devices offline.

The RealPlayer SP beta is available for download now for Windows machines. The company is also planning a version for Macs.