Adobe says the next version of its media player will allow users to watch video stored on their machines as well as that streamed online.

Sites such as YouTube use Adobe's Flash technology to stream video. But the Adobe Media Player will let you watch videos offline as well. It promises better quality playback and a favourites feature which will automatically download shows.

The player also includes two types of restriction on videos - either providing videos with unremovable adverts or linking videos with specific people or machines. It also promises more information for advertisers on how their content is being used.

Adobe worked with Akamai on the player - which it is previewing at a US broadcasters conference. The software will be available as a free beta later this year. More from Adobe here.

Microsoft used the same conference to announce Silverlight - its in-browser video player previously called Windows Presentation Foundation Everywhere.

Silverlight will be available from 30 April 2007 and will work on various browsers including IE, Firefox, and Safari. ®

Related stories

Build a Silverlight media player (9 January 2008)
Novell fills Microsoft Silverlight hole (5 September 2007)
Adobe embroiled in War of the Fed-Ex Kinko Button (31 July 2007)
Microsoft's Silverlight gets Linux treatment (28 June 2007)
Buttons and sliders go wild with Sun's Java FX (8 May 2007)
Sun makes Java mobile triple play (8 May 2007)
The Economist de-rails Microsoft media love in (2 May 2007)
Microsoft puts some iron into Ruby (1 May 2007)
Silverlight glow dimmed by cross-platform concerns (1 May 2007)
Microsoft flashes up Silverlight media challenge (30 April 2007)
Battling Swiss woman starts petition against Adobe (25 April 2007)
Microsoft Silverlight to copy Flash video tricks, Adobe responds (22 April 2007)
Oz teen copyright vigilante dupes YouTube (16 April 2007)
Thai King video wag pulls YouTube clip (5 April 2007)
Windows Media Player sends music site silent (5 April 2007)
iPod owners want radio in next player - survey (3 April 2007)
YouTube chops Mexican beheading vid (2 April 2007)