Add Your Podcast | Feedback/Suggestions | Search |
|
Podcasting News Home | Audio & Music News | Articles | Podcast Directory | Forum | Podcasting Gear | Podcasting Gear Manufacturers |
 « August 2005 | Main | October 2005 » September 30, 2005MP3 Ghetto BlasterKorean manufacturer Inkel has introduced the P40CY mp3-ready ghetto blaster.
The P40CY has a 3-speaker system rated at 600W and can play and display digital tracks by plugging your MP3 player or flash drive to the external USB port on the front It is also equipped with an AUX terminal which lets you connect a computer, cassette and camcorder through RCA cables. In addition to MP3 through USB, it can play CD, CD/R, CD/RW, MP3 CD and many other types of disk. The radio tuner can save up to 30 different channels. It has 4 equalizer presets (JAZZ, ROCK, POP, CLASSIC) and can select/play 30 different tracks in sequences. The MSRP for the Inkel P40CY is US $185. via Axehole Posted by jlewin at 04:49 PM | Comments (0) Disney Mickeys with MP3 Market
Kids can also use a built-in SD/MMC card slot to listen to Disney Mix Clips - tiny plug-and-play add-on memory cards with near CD-quality music of albums from Walt Disney Records. "Digital music is exploding and is ready to take off with kids," said Chris Heatherly, vice president of Disney Electronics. "For the first time, we're able to deliver a real digital music player for under $50 that offers the affordability that has made CD so popular with kids." Mix Sticks Disney Mix Sticks hold 128 MB of internal storage, or enough for about 60 songs (at 64 kbps WMA encoding) - ideal for 6- to 8-year-olds just beginning their music collections. If more storage is desired, standard add-on memory cards (purchased separately) can be inserted into the SD/MMC card slot for up to 1 GB of storage, or nearly 500 songs. Disney Mix Sticks include a 10-hour, built-in rechargeable battery, stereo earbuds, a built-in "direct connect" USB 2.0 connector, standard headphone jack, Windows Media Player Software and a lanyard with safety release. They are PC and Mac compatible, have a suggested retail price of $49.99 and will be available nationwide beginning in mid-October. Mix Sticks come in three additional styles: Disney Chrome (modern/sleek look), Forever Princess (Pink/Purple) and Tinker Bell (Sassy Pixie in Purple/Green). Source: Mickey News Posted by jlewin at 04:33 PM | Comments (0) Tatuz International Creates Custom Promotional iPod iTatus
The company is marketing the iPod tatoos as promotional tool for podcasters, musicians, media companies and other advertisers. Tatuz works with organizations to create custom iTatus with company or organization logos, inspirational messages or custom designs. According to Tatuz, they can print and deliver orders within 15 business days. A rush service is available for an additional fee. Source: Tatuz International Posted by jlewin at 02:24 PM | Comments (0) Beyond the Press Release: Podcasting Marketing and PR StrategiesiPressroom's On The Record...Online is a podcast that features online public relations trends, tactics and tips. The podcast, hosted by Eric Schwartzman, looks at how forward-thinking companies are integrating podcasting and other new media technologies into their communications programs. In a recent podcast, Schwartzman talks to three public relations executives currently podcasting original programs or publicizing themselves through other podcasts. The podcast includes interviews with Dave Joseph, VP Corporate Communications & Strategy, Audible Inc.; Ethan McCarty, Writer, Editor and Technologist; IBM and Aaron Burcell, Director, Marketing and Communications, Podshow Inc. Schwartzman is the managing director of Schwartzman & Associates, a public relations firms based in Los Angeles. He is also chairman and founder of iPressroom, which helps organizations extend the impact of their public relations, corporate communications and marketing programs through easy-to-use, marketing communications software tools and services. Source: iPressroom Posted by jlewin at 01:32 PM | Comments (0) WinAmp Adds Podcast SupportWinamp 5.1, the latest version of the Windows media player application, adds support for podcasts. WinAmp lets users play music and video files, features a media library, SHOUTcast radio and TV, skins, visualizations and an integrated podcast directory.
WinAmp is available in free and "Pro" versions. Recommended system requirements * 1.5 GHz Pentium IV or comparable Source: WinAmp Posted by jlewin at 01:14 PM | Comments (0) Griffin Gets Smart with Intelligent Cassette Adapter for iPodGriffin Technology is shipping the SmartDeck Intelligent Cassette Adapter for iPod. The SmartDeck lets users control their iPod using the built-in controls of their cassette player.
"SmartDeck is a major improvement over passive car cassette adapters," said Paul Griffin, President of Griffin Technology. "Customers tell us that they want an iPod cassette adapter. So we designed the coolest iPod cassette adapter with the coolest features we could pack into it." Users can use the cassette deck's forward and rewind buttons to advance to the next or prior songs in the iPod playlist. In addition, pause and stop buttons do what pause and stop buttons are expected to do. When the user hits the cassette deck's Eject button or switches from Cassette to Radio, Griffin's SmartPlay technology automatically pauses the iPod. The SmartDeck also has the ability to control the iPod volume settings for optimal sound quality with your deck. Features:
A version of the SmartDeck compatible with iPod nano is expected to be shipping in November. Source: Griffin Posted by jlewin at 02:59 AM | Comments (0) September 29, 2005Price Wars Putting Down MP3 ManufacturersCompetition in the MP3 player market is taking its toll on manufactures. According to China Daily, "Dozens of MP3 player manufacturers in Shenzhen are bowing out as fierce competition has severely squeezed their profit margins." "Such a low profit cannot keep a MP3 manufacturer alive," said a manufacturer at Shenzhen Tianjian Industrial Zone. Wang Jinchi, vice secretary general of Shenzhen Electronic Chamber of Commerce, estimates there are 200 to 300 MP3 player manufacturers in Shenzhen. Some industry insiders say the number could be as big as 700 to 800 at the prime time of the industry. Manufacturing MP3 players was highly profitable back in 2001, when an MP3 player could bring 200 to 300 yuan in profit for its producer. The profit dropped to 80 to 90 yuan in 2002 and 30 to 40 yuan in 2004 for most small-sized manufacturers. Source: China Daily Posted by jlewin at 05:49 PM | Comments (0) Simon Says....Podcast!
The podcast features interviews with authors and the authors reading excerpts from their books. The most recent SimonSays includes:
Source: SimonSays Posted by jlewin at 08:50 AM | Comments (1) September 28, 2005Apple to Fix Broken nano Screens; Scratches Owner's Problem
"Any user with a defective screen should contact Apple … and we will replace it for free," an spokesman said. "It's not a design issue." "It is a real, but minor issue involving vendor quality problems," according to the spokesman. He added the problem has occurred in less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the iPod nanos sold so far. Customers with defective nano screens should get in touch with AppleCare and Apple will replace their iPod nano free of charge. Source: Fool Posted by jlewin at 03:54 PM | Comments (1) Motorola CEO: "Screw the nano!"Motorola CEO Ed Zander had some harsh words for Apple's iPod nano at a seminar in California on Friday. "Screw the nano," said Zander. "What the hell does the Nano do? Who listens to 1,000 songs?" "People are going to want devices that do more than just play music, something that can be seen in many other countries with more advanced mobile phone networks and savvy users," he added. The iPod nano debuted to generally positive reviews, while impressions of Motorola's ROKR phone, released at the same time, have been lukewarm. According to Motorola, Zander's statement "Screw the nano" and other statements regarding the nano were taken out of context. "Motorola has a great partnership with Apple. Unfortunately Ed Zander's comments, made at a conference in California on Friday, were taken out of context," Motorola said in a statement. Source: ComputerWorld Posted by jlewin at 03:44 PM | Comments (1) They're Tiny, But They're New
The new MP3 player is not only amazingly tiny, but, based on the photos at the Q-Be site, appears to have mesmerizing powers over supermodels. The Q-Be (pronounced: Quubie) is about the size of an ice cube. Its casing has a matt finish in black, orange or pink. MP3 and WMA files can be stored on the Q-Be. There are two different storage capacities available, 512 and 1024 megabytes. The battery can run for up to twelve hours without needing to be re-charged. All settings and information can be viewed on the OLED display.
In addition to playing music files, the tiny cube can also be used as an external hard drive for storing all kinds of data. The Q-Be comes with trendy white earphones and a neck band, as well as a protective case and a USB cable. Source: Q-Be Posted by jlewin at 03:25 PM | Comments (0) September 27, 2005Wired: Podcasting Gold Rush Is OnAn article in Wired declares that the Podcasting Gold Rush Is On. "The podosphere may be virgin terrain for the online world, but already the race is on to figure out whether there's any real money to be made through the new medium," writes author Steve Friess. While the article doesn't make a convincing case for a podcasting gold rush, it discusses several approaches podcasters are using to make money. Posted by jlewin at 10:52 PM | Comments (0) New Organization for PodcastersThe Ultimate Podcast Alliance And Consortium (UPAAC) is an organization intended to marshall resources and support services for amateur and professional podcasters. The organization plans to offer podcasters services designed to help them launch, operate and make money from their podcasts. UPAAC plans to provide its members with access to a special membership directory of vendors and consultants who offer special rates and programs to UPAAC members, access to a consortium of vendors who can offer products and services for sale on podcasting sites in exchange for commissions, demographic data relevant to the podcasting community, special webinars, seminars and teleconferences on the "how to" of podcasting. The organization will also support the study of more efficient ways to reduce bandwidth usage and costs, among other things. Source: UPAAC Posted by jlewin at 08:30 AM | Comments (0) New Site Features Video Tutorials on PodcastingScreenCastsOnline is a new video podcast that features free streaming and downloadable video tutorials for distribution via iTunes. The screencasts combine video screen captures with spoken narration explaining what is happening.
The site plans to cover hints and tips, demonstrating web apps, reviewing applications, explaining buzz words and other computer-related topics. Users can view the screencasts as a streamed Quicktime movie or download them their PC or Mac for off line viewing. The screencasts are recorded in high resolution widescreen format (960 x 600) and encoded using Apples new H264 codec, which gives clear, smooth video playback and relatively small file sizes. Current screencasts include:
ScreenCastsOnlince Video Podcast Details Page Posted by jlewin at 07:30 AM | Comments (0) September 26, 2005Oregon Scientific Delivers iPod Sound with BallsOregon Scientific has introduced the iBall, a wireless speaker for iPods.
iLounge's Jeremy Horwitz was effusive with praise: "As the iPod's first all-in-one docking, wireless broadcasting and speaker system, it brings a fresh mix of good looks and novel features to the table. There's nothing else quite like it, and because of its contemporary design, we wouldn't be surprised if the iBall became popular in galleries and museums, as well as homes." iBall incorporates a three-speaker array. The included transmitter dock acts as home base for the iPod, provides wireless communication with the iBall, charges the iPod, and synchronizes the iPod with the computer. An additional input source jack on the transmitter dock makes the iBall compatible with any audio source. iBall Technology The iBall uses high bit rate, adaptive Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) wireless technology maximizes the 2.4 GHz wireless frequency band to deliver the best possible sound fidelity while managing environmental wireless interference by rapidly hopping the audio signals to the next, clearest channel. The iBall’s wireless technology is fully compatible in environments with existing wireless devices such as cordless phones, WiFi, or Bluetooth. With built-in remote control functionality, volume, track play, treble and bass can be controlled up to 100 feet away from the iPod with the iBall’s built-in control pad. This remote control feature utilizes bi-directional radio frequency (RF) transmission between the wireless iBall speaker and the transmitter base. Features
Source: Oregon Scientific Posted by jlewin at 01:37 PM | Comments (0) Sennheiser Earphones Now iPod WhiteSennheiser has added an iPod white variant of its MX 500 earphones.
The earphones offer a high-end alternative to iPod earbuds and other stock headphones, providing enhanced bass response, in-line volume control, and a carrying case. Features:
Source: Sennheiser Posted by jlewin at 01:28 PM | Comments (0) Honeymoon Over for Apple and Music Industry?The honeymoon appears to be over between Apple and the music industry. Just a few years ago, Apple's iTunes Music Store was being hailed as the savior of the music industry. Now, Apple's success may lead to confrontation with the major labels. Last week, Apple CEO Steve Jobs suggested that the record industry was getting greedy because they were looking at variable pricing for new releases. "If they want to raise the prices it just means they're getting a little greedy," said Jobs. Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. responded that the price of downloaded songs should vary depending on the popularity of the songs and the artists. He called Apple’s across-the-board $0.99-per-song charge unfair. "There’s no content that I know of that does not have variable pricing. We want, and will insist upon having, variable pricing," said Bronfman. "To have only one price point is not fair to our artists, and I dare say not appropriate to consumers. The market should decide, not a single retailer." Source: Red Herring Posted by jlewin at 01:06 PM | Comments (1) New Podcast Search EngineLoomia is a new podcast and video podcast (vlog) search engine that incorporates a recommendation system to help users find content that they may be interested in. According to Loomia, one of the key features of the site is the ability to get personalized recommendations. Given a bit of information about what podcasts you like (and the ones you don’t) the site can create a list personalized recommendations. The site also provides tagging, related channels and community ratings as tools for finding content. Registration is required to use the site's advanced features. Posted by jlewin at 12:59 PM | Comments (0) September 25, 2005Nova Podcast Looks at the Meaning of E=mc2
The podcast consists of 10 different episodes featuring top physicists, including two Nobel Prize winners, explaining E=mc2 for non-scientists in a few minutes each. The podcast ties in with NOVA's PBS television special, Einstein's Big Idea. Posted by jlewin at 09:33 AM | Comments (0) PraiseCast Intros Godcasting Service
"PraiseCast’s podcasting services helped me to use the latest in communication technology to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ," said Pastor Elizabeth Talbot, senior pastor at the Grace Place, a Seventh-day Adventist church in Alhambra, California. "PraiseCast takes full responsibility for all aspects of podcasting services and leaves me free to focus on the quality of my podcasting program, Jesus 101." "Basically we create all the supporting web pages, provide the equipment, training, support and communication for religious organizations to podcast," explains Vince Imani, President of PraiseCast. "All they need to do is focusing on the quality of the podcast program. We will do the rest." Podcasts, live webcasts and archived webcasts can be access through the PraiseCast site. "In addition to evangelistic reach, with podcasting, listeners, local or global, can choose what they want to hear, when they want to hear it, and how to tell their friends about it,” said Vince Imani, President of PraiseCast. PraiseCast podcasting fees start at $100/month. Posted by jlewin at 09:15 AM | Comments (0) September 24, 2005Apple Dogged by iPod nano Complaints
"I think Apple is going to have a major problem on their hands when enough of these are sold," suggests nano owner Richard Spangler. "They chose a poor material for the Nano and will probably have to change it in the manufacturing process soon." "In a week my ipod will look like crap," said another nano owner, Daniel Busbin. "I bought it because its supposed to be great for working out and being active. My CLOTHES SCRATCHED IT. I dont want to say Im mad, but this is my first apple product, and the $265 was not easy for me to scrape up. Basically Im just dissapointed. I called the Apple store where I bought it and they said they had never heard about it scratching. They did however admit their display models all look like crap." "I have a white nano, it's very nice and I love it," notes nano user Paul Curtis. "What I don't love, of course, are the scratches. The screen is scratched. I put the nano in my wallet very carefully and, on taking it out, it's badly scratched." One owner has gone so far as creating a website, FlawedMusicPlayer.com, to discuss his experiences with the nano, and has posted emails and information from other nano owners. Source: iPod nano forum Posted by jlewin at 08:03 PM | Comments (1) Blog, Podcast Without Censorship
The Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-dissidents provides tips and technical advice on how to remain anonymous and to get around censorship, by choosing the most suitable method for each situation. The book also explains how to set up and make the most of a blog, to publicise it (getting it picked up efficiently by search-engines) and to establish its credibility through observing basic ethical and journalistic principles. Many Internet experts helped produce the manual, including US journalist Dan Gillmor, Canadian specialist in Internet censorship Nart Villeneuve, US blogger Jay Rosen and other bloggers from all over the world. The Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-dissidents is on sale in bookshops for €10. It can also be downloaded in five languages (English, French, Chinese, Arabic and Persian) from the Reporters Without Borders website. Posted by jlewin at 09:46 AM | Comments (0) New iPod FM Transmitter
myTune FM plays music stored in an iPod on a car stereo, and can Users tune to any of the seven pre-set channels on myTune FM to listen to music on the car stereo. LEDs provide a visual indication of the selected channel. myTune FM is plug and play accessory-no software is required. A built-in antenna and advanced radio technology, including phase-lock-loop transmission system and FM stereo modulation, combine to minimize interference. myTune FM attaches to the car air vent with a clip that can be rotated to secure the cradle to a horizontal or vertical vent. Two arms are included with myTune FM: one to securely hold full-sized iPods, and a mini arm to securely hold the iPod mini. myTune FM is made for iPod (3G, 4G), iPod photo, and iPod mini. This new devices meets the requirements of FCC part 15C. The MSRP for myTune FM is $69.95. myTune FM comes with two exchangeable arms, a user guide, and a one-year limited warranty. Source: Tekkeon Posted by jlewin at 09:38 AM | Comments (0) September 23, 2005Griffin Ships iFM iPod Radio Receiver
With the flip of a switch, users can switch between controlling their music library and listening to FM radio programming. iFM is also a recording device, with a built in microphone to record voice, or to capture FM radio directly to the iPod. The white backlit LCD shows the operating mode of the iFM at a glance. Features: Radio
Remote
Recorder
Pricing & Availability The Griffin iFM's MSRP is $49.99 USD, and is available immediately. A version of the iFM that is compatible with iPod nano will be available in November. Source: Griffin Posted by jlewin at 08:47 AM | Comments (0) September 22, 2005Norwegian Site Features Podcast-Legal MusicUhort.no, a Norwegian indie music site, has added an index of podcast-legal music. "The list of podsafe music is very recent," notes webmaster Øystein Holmen, "but we expect it to grow." The site is in Norwegian only, but with categories like Funk, Pop and Death Metal, it's easy enough for non-Norwegians to browse. Source: Uhort.no Posted by jlewin at 10:54 PM | Comments (0) Australian iPod Owners - Thieves and Pirates?An article in the Herald Sun, Australia's leading daily newspaper, suggests that Australian iPod owners are breaking the country's piracy laws if they load music onto their portable audio players. According to the Herald Sun, "No legal method exists for Australian iPod owners to fill their player with music." The iTunes music store is not yet available in Australia, and music files available from legal commercial music sites are not compatible with the iPod. The Herald Sun also reports that the common method of "ripping" tunes to an iPod from the user's own CD collection is illegal in Australia as a breach of copyright laws. Source: Herald Sun Posted by jlewin at 02:13 PM | Comments (0) HomeDock Connects iPods to TV and StereoDLO has announced the HomeDock, an iPod docking station that with connections for stereos and televisions.
The HomeDock includes a 14-function remote control, a standard AC plug to power and charge your iPod while docked, and con docks an iPod without removing it from its iPod case. Features:
The HomeDock should be available in October and will retail for $99.99. Source: DLO Posted by jlewin at 01:48 PM | Comments (0) iPod Design Not So New After All?A BBC article points out parallels between the Apple iPod and the Regency TR-1 transistor radio, considered to be the world's first commercially sold transistor pocket radio.
The Regency TR-1 helped revolutionize the way people 50 years ago listened to music and radio. It was small enough to fit in your pocket, came in a variety of colors and was controlled with a large wheel controller. The similarities were first noticed by technology watcher John Ousby, who posted about this at flickr. "Notice anything familiar?" asks Ousby. "One is a groundbreaking consumer electronics device released in a range of catchy colours enabling a hugely addictive portable listening experience - the other is the ipod mini. With the help of KYOURadio, the Regency might even be used to listen to podcasts.... More on the Regency TR-1 Posted by jlewin at 01:28 PM | Comments (0) 43 Million iPods In 2006?Forbes reports that "Apple Computer Could Sell 43 Million IPods In 2006." "Due its strong product portfolio, market-share leadership, and the stickiness of iTunes, we believe Apple will continue to dominate this product category," said Deutsche Bank, forecasting 31 million iPod units in calendar 2005 and 43 million units in calendar 2006. Longer term, Deutsche Bank says Apple is "the best-positioned" PC vendor to capitalize on the convergence between digital media and computing. "Today, Apple is driving the digital music evolution. Tomorrow, Apple could become the partner of choice for digital video distribution and playback." Source: Forbes Posted by jlewin at 08:22 AM | Comments (0) PodcastCon UK "A Resounding Success"PodcastCon UK organizers are calling the September 17th event "a resounding success." "A capacity crowd seemed engrossed in a diverse range of speakers from podcasters and bloggers to prominent professional broadcasters and even live podcast recording from Richard Vobes and Simulacrum," they report. "Several topics generating debate and discussion throughout the day." Over 100 podcasters attended Europe's first conference on podcasting. Speakers included:
"If PodcastCon UK signifies anything, it's that there is absolutely no shortage of creative ideas, imagination, energy and enthusiasm about podcasting as an entertainment and business tool," suggests WebProNews' Neville Hobson. "Conversations with people were simply idea streams - if only two or three of the things I heard about on Saturday come to fruition, there is a very bright future for the development of this medium in the UK." Posted by jlewin at 08:12 AM | Comments (0) New Christian Podcast Provider
"We're excited to see what increased adoption of this technology will mean for Christian ministries online," said Rick Killingsworth, vice president of the Salem Web Network. "The nature of podcasting opens opportunities to ministries, churches and Christian organizations to reach much larger audiences and provide significant growth opportunities for listenership and donor development," added Killingsworth. "This is the next logical step for Salem Web Network in our mission of helping advance ministries and the Gospel through the application of emerging technologies." Source: Salem Posted by jlewin at 08:05 AM | Comments (0) Jobs: Record Companies Greedy
Jobs noted that, by eliminating manufacturing, selling through iTunes was already lucrative for record companies. "If they want to raise the prices it just means they're getting a little greedy," he said. Jobs also warned that raising prices could turn downloaders away from commercial sources. "We're trying to compete with piracy, we're trying to pull people away from piracy and say 'you can buy these songs legally for a fair price'," noted Jobs. "But if the price goes up a lot, they'll go back to piracy. Then everybody loses." Source: BBC Posted by jlewin at 07:54 AM | Comments (0) September 21, 2005Is That a Party in Your Pocket?PodGear has introduced a portable speaker system for the iPod shuffle, the PocketParty.
The PocketParty turns an iPod shuffle into a tiny ghetto blaster. The PocketParty can also be worn around the neck like the iPod itself. Features
Source: PodGear Posted by jlewin at 06:37 PM | Comments (0) Unusual Music Playervia Axehole: Composer/artist Tristan Perich has created a unique portable music player, One Bit Music.
Merging his interests in physical computing and electronic music, Perich programs and packages electronics in a standard CD jewel case. The device plays minimal glitch/dance music when headphones are plugged in. The music itself is all 1-bit and is generated by software written by Perich. Posted by jlewin at 06:16 PM | Comments (0) The Ultimate Podcasting Mic?
"Considering that you can find this mic online for about $80, I'm thinking it's in contention to be crowned the ultimate podcasting microphone for the portable studio." "I've used the device with GarageBand and Soundtrack Pro, but have had the must fun plugging it into Audio Hijack Pro," notes Story. "With the trio of my PowerBook, Audio Hijack Pro, and the C01U mic, I've captured some great sounding audio." Check Samson CO1u pricing Source: MacDevCenter Posted by jlewin at 06:03 PM | Comments (0) Harman Intros Docking Station with Remote
When combined with an iPod, the JBL On Stage II provides amplified sound. JBL On Stage II also provides power to charge the iPod even when the computer is in "off" mode. The remote control feature utilizes RF technology to provide reliable control of an iPod from up to 50 feet away. RF technology is more reliable and convenient than infrared control because line of sight with the unit is not required for the remote to work; in addition, longer transmission distances can be achieved. Comprising four Odyssey(R) transducers, JBL On Stage II delivers 12 watts of total power for astonishing bass and clear, accurate sound. The sound station is also equipped with easy-to-use touch volume controls, and additional cables for connecting it with other digital music player devices, CD players and laptop and desktop computers. The JBL On Stage will be available in February 2006. Posted by jlewin at 05:53 PM | Comments (0) Duke Plans Academic Podcasting SymposiumDuke University's Information Science + Information Studies (ISIS) program has planned what organizers believe to be the first-ever academic podcasting symposium. The symposium brings together scholars, journalists and podcasting practitioners to discuss how this new technology is shaping, and being shaped by, business, law, journalism and Internet culture. A schedule of speakers is available at the Duke site. The symposium is free and open to the public, with all events being held in the Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine, and Applied Sciences auditorium. However, registration has already been closed since the auditorium is filled to capacity. For those unable to attend, all symposium proceedings will be podcast and Webcast. "Podcasting, or any technology, doesn't just happen in a vacuum," said Cathy Davidson, vice provost for interdisciplinary studies at Duke. "It's part of a whole complex of social relationships; legal issues, like intellectual property, what you can use or can't use; and social issues, like privacy, security and who can afford it and who can't." Casey Alt is the symposium coordinator and ISIS administrative director. He explained why the group chose to hold the symposium this semester. "By having this symposium now -- while podcasting is still in its infancy -- academics have a chance to be a part of the discussions that shape how it is used, the rules that govern it and what kind of culture grows up around it," he said. "Podcasting is still malleable." Duke computer science professor Richard Lucic will moderate the panel discussion on the business of podcasting. "Economics have brought podcasting to a crossroads," he said. "What was once a hobby for a few techie-types is now being pressed into service by big businesses like IBM and CBS, and that's bound to affect the culture of creativity and independence that originally surrounded podcasting." Lynne O'Brien, director of Duke's Center for Instructional Technology, which has overseen Duke University's iPod experiment since it began last year, will moderate the panel discussion on podcasting in the classroom. "Students already use podcasts to review lectures, listen to audio materials and share their own reports, field notes and music compositions," she said. "It's part of a trend in higher education toward delivering class materials that are more timely, customized and engaging." The symposium is part of the Duke Digital Initiative, which promotes effective educational use of technologies, such as digital audio and video, as well as tablet PCs and collaborative software. Source: Duke Posted by jlewin at 08:16 AM | Comments (0) iPort Intros iPod Music Systems
"By connecting the iPod to their existing entertainment system, users get a much better experience than from self contained docking systems with built in speakers," said Peter Brown, iPort Vice President of Sales and Marketing. All iPort FS models charge the iPod when it's docked. Users drop their iPod into the iPort, enjoy music or photos, and always have their iPod ready to hit the road. And all iPort models have push button selectable syncing. There is no need to pick up your iPod once you drop it into the dock. Users switch between streaming and syncing with the touch of a button making it faster and easier to share content. Step up models provide all the features desired for high performance whole home systems. Integrated IR remote capability lets users sit back and control their iPod from across the room. iPort will offer a remote control, yet all iPod or programmable remote controls can also operate the iPort. Variable audio output allows the iPod to connect directly to an amplifier or powered speakers, with volume controlled from the iPort itself. Further upgrades make it easy to integrate the iPort into more sophisticated multi-room audio systems. These include: Balanced audio, which allows the iPort to be located as far as 500 feet away from the main stereo system; balanced video, which allows streaming of iPod photos to TVs or monitors up to 250 feet away; and two-way RS-232 communication, which allows users to see the iPod metadata (song title, album, artist, playlist, etc.) on touchscreen control panels that may be located in other rooms in the house. Models All five FS music systems include a multi-function two-part mated cable for USB, audio, video, control and power. The multi-function cable reduces clutter and simplifies connection. One side of the cable splits off for connection to the computer providing the means to sync the iPod to the iTunes library. The other side of the cable connects to a "breakout box" that provides outputs for audio and video along with inputs for power and control. The basic systems, FS-1 ($150) and FS-2 ($200), come packed with a simple mini-breakout box that provides audio outputs for standard RCA cable connection to a stereo and video outputs for both composite video and S-Video cables for connection to any TV. An included power supply connects through the mini-breakout box and charges the iPod when docked. With the FS-1, the iPod is controlled manually through the iPod click wheel. The FS-2 adds integrated IR remote capability and variable audio output. The variable audio output is controlled from volume up/down buttons built into the iPort face, or remotely from an optional iPort remote control or from a host of third party iPod and universal audio/video remote controls. The iPort remote control, REM-1 ($50) will control all in-wall and free standing iPort music systems equipped with an IR sensor and is due to ship at the same time as the FS music systems. The step up systems, FS-3, FS-4 and FS-5, include all the features of the FS-2, plus they are packed with an advanced breakout box designed for integrating the iPort into whole home distributed audio and video systems. The FS-3 ($600) features a balanced audio path that supports wiring runs up to 500 feet, as well as IR pass-through capability for operation from IR based control systems. Included with the FS-3 are the advanced breakout box and audio sender and receiver wall plates. The FS-4 ($800) is enabled for two-way communication. Users with RS-232 control systems can operate the iPod from any room or even outside and see the track, playlist, album and artist information just as if the iPod were right in front of them. Two-way control is as easy to use as the iPod itself. Completing the line is the FS-5 ($1,100), which builds on the FS-4 adding balanced video sender and receiver wall plates, allowing users to send images on their iPod photo devices up to 250 feet for viewing on any TV or video device. Said Brown, "The iPort in-wall systems with two-way communication capabilities set a standard for iPod integration. With our free standing systems ability to stream and sync, and switch between them at the touch of a button, we've pushed the convenience envelope even further." Systems start at $150. All FS systems are scheduled for release in the 4th quarter. Source: iPort Posted by jlewin at 08:00 AM | Comments (0) September 20, 2005Belkin Intros TuneBase for iPod shuffle
While mounted in the TuneBase, the shuffle powers and charges simultaneously. The TuneBase has a 3.5mm line-out for use with the specially designed Belkin Cassette Adapter (included) or TuneCast II FM Transmitter (not included) for high-quality audio through a car stereo. Features:
Belkin plans to have TuneBase available in November for US $39.99. Posted by jlewin at 10:13 PM | Comments (0) Apple Updates .Mac Features; Storage Still Lags Behind Free Google Email Service
While the update provides a substantial increase in storage for .Mac users, services like Google Mail provide more storage for free. New .Mac Features
In addition to these new features, other .Mac services include: HomePage, for simple yet attractive personal web sites with just a few clicks; iDisk, a virtual hard drive in the sky for providing access to files from anywhere at any time; .Mac Sync, which keeps Safari™ bookmarks, iCal calendars, Address Book information, keychains (passwords), and Mac OS X Mail preferences up-to-date across multiple Macs and available via web browser when users are away from their Mac; .Mac Mail, a world-class, ad-free email service; and Learning Center, featuring tutorials for popular Apple software applications. Enhancements to .Mac take online communication and sharing to the next level by opening up HomePage, iDisk, Mail and iCal to groups of friends, colleagues and acquaintances, providing members with more online storage space to house their increasingly growing digital media assets, all while making the process of backing up their valuable memories easier than ever. Pricing & Availability .Mac is available as a subscription-based service for $99.95 (US) per year for individuals and $179.95 (US) for a Family Pack which includes one master account and five sub accounts. Customers save $30 (US) on either the individual subscription or the Family Pack when purchased with a new Macintosh (terms apply) and anyone can sign up for a free, 60-day .Mac trial from www.mac.com. Recommended browsers include Safari 1.2 or later or Firefox 1.0.1 or later (Macintosh) and Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later or Firefox 1.0.1 or later (Windows). Recommended systems include Mac OS X v10.3.9 or Mac OS X v10.4.2 or later with a minimum of 128MB of RAM. Internet access requires a compatible ISP; fees may apply. Broadband Internet connection is recommended for Mac and Windows users. Source: Apple Posted by jlewin at 08:43 AM | Comments (2) First iTunes Phone Fails to Excite
"Fans who were expecting an iPod-style handset are likely to be disappointed," notes BBC Technology Editor Alfred Hermida. "The Motorola mobile is no iPhone. There is no click-wheel on the front, no hard drive to store thousands of songs and no fast connection to transfer songs from the computer." Several design choices limit the appeal of the Rokr. First, the phone does not use the iPod interface, familiar to many digital music fans. The phone also uses USB 1.1, an older and slower standard, for connecting to computers. This means that it takes longer than other devices to sync. The phone is also limited to 100 songs. "The Rokr feels like yesterday's phone," adds Hermida. Source: BBC Posted by jlewin at 08:18 AM | Comments (0) New Stereo Receivers Feature iPod Support
"Our AVR 40 series receivers incorporate a number of genuine engineering breakthroughs, including innovative iPod connectivity, and HDTV and multiroom capabilities," notes Harmon Kardon President Tom McLoughlin, "to take audio/video receiver design to never-before-available levels of performance and functionality – and provide entirely new ways for enjoying home entertainment,”
The flagship AVR 740 includes dual-input HDMI 1.1 switching, and incorporates a DCDi by Faroudja FL2310 processor and scaler that provides upconverted and enhanced high-definition 780p and 1080i video output from 480i and 480p video sources. HK’s latest EzSet/EQ II feature set provides automated system calibration and full-range room equalization including stereo subwoofer adjustment capability. The ‘740 features a high-current, ultrawide-bandwidth, discrete-output amplifier section that delivers 7 x 85 Watts of power output (into 8 ohms, 20Hz – 20kHz, <0.07 per cent THD, all channels driven; 2 x 100 Watts in stereo; and ±60 amps of high-current capability), along with 24-bit/192kHz audio D/A converters, and a Texas Instruments TI DA610 32-bit, 250MHz DSP processor. The receiver also includes the latest full-process Logic 7 surround-enhancement technology. Additionally, the AVR 740 offers a USB port for streaming audio from a PC; A-BUS connectivity for multiroom/multisource audio and video operation; and is XM Satellite Radio-ready. It’s supplied with HK’s new TC 30 activity-based remote control, an all-in-one remote that provides complete control of every component in a home entertainment system. The Harman Kardon AVR 740 will be available in December for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $3,699. The AVR 340 (October; SRP $1,299) includes upgrades like automatic EzSet/EQ functionality, video cross-conversion that converts all S-video and composite video sources to component video output, and an input titling function. It provides enhanced multiroom/multizone audio operation, including rear amplifier channels that are assignable to the multizone system, independent playback of multiple A/V sources, A-BUS connectivity and a supplied Zone II remote. The ‘340 boasts a high-current, ultrawide-bandwidth amplifier section with 7 x 55 Watts of power output (into 8 ohms, 20Hz – 20kHz, <0.07 per cent THD, all channels driven; 2 x 70 in stereo; and ±35 amps of high-current capability), along with 24-bit/192kHz audio D/A converters and a Cirrus 32-bit processor along with a Quadruple-Crossover Bass Manager. Other features include multiple wide-bandwidth, HDTV-compatible component video inputs, A/V Sync Delay, and digital input polling.
The AVR 140 (September; SRP $699) incorporates the Quadruple-Crossover Bass Manager, along with HDTV-compatible component video inputs, on-screen display via its component video outputs, digital input polling, input titling feature, and FM/AM tuner. It delivers 6 x 40 Watts of power output (into 8 ohms, 20Hz – 20kHz, <0.07% THD, all channels driven; 2 x 50 in stereo; and ±25 amps of high-current capability), and offers reproduction of all 6.1- and 5.1-channel surround sound formats, as well as Dolby Pro Logic IIx and Logic 7 surround-enhancement processing. In addition to its multiple component video inputs, the AVR 140 provides an extensive complement of audio and video connections, including 6/8-channel direct inputs and front-panel A/V inputs. Source: Harmon Kardon Posted by jlewin at 07:37 AM | Comments (0) September 19, 2005MP3 Watch: World's Tiniest Podcast Studio?
The Thanko Analog MP3 Watch with Voice Recorder2 is a 5-in-1 watch that can be used as a standard MP3 player and also directly record MP3s via an analog input. Features:
The phone comes with a USB cable, USB conversion charge adapter, 3.5mm conversion adapter, external input cable and ear phone Requirements - Windows 2000/XP with USB port Source: Thanko Posted by jlewin at 11:26 PM | Comments (0) Sprint, RealNetworks Launch Mobile Radio Service
"Sprint customers now have more choices for all their entertainment and music needs," said Jeff Hallock, vice president of consumer product marketing and strategy for Sprint. "The addition of Rhapsody Radio gives customers a popular catalog of commercial-free streaming music, music news and independent music videos which will allow Sprint customers a new way to discover artists." "This is an important step in our plan to make Rhapsody available to consumers any time from any device," said Dan Sheeran, Senior Vice President of Premium Consumer Services, RealNetworks. Rhapsody Radio includes "Urban Hitz Radio," "Alternative Radio," "Country," "70s Station" and "Pop Hits," as well as "Beats N Breaks," which features the beats from many of today's most popular songs and allows subscribers to "freestyle" rap to the instrumental tracks. Customers can also enjoy streaming podcasts from KCRW - Santa Monica 89.9 FM (KCRW.com), National Public Radio's Southern California flagship station, including "Morning Becomes Eclectic," which showcases live recordings of in-studio performances by independent and unsigned artists and the popular "Le Show" with satirist Harry Shearer. Customers will also receive music news and reviews and music videos from IMNTV(TM) (OTCBB:GMUS), part of the Global Music International Company and leading international aggregator of R&B, Hip Hop, International, Rock and Pop videos. Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Services is available nationwide to customers with a Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Phone, and channels, like Rhapsody Radio, can be purchased a la carte through the phone by going to Menu/ Media Player and then selecting from a category of choices, including Music & Radio, Entertainment, News & Weather, and many more. Rhapsody Radio is the latest of four streaming music channels available to Sprint customers. Customers can purchase Rhapsody Radio by typing in channel 39 in the Sprint Media Player or by going to the Music & Radio folder and selecting the new channel; the cost is $6.95 per month for unlimited access. Source: Sprint Posted by jlewin at 11:16 PM | Comments (0) Podcast Trademark Gold RushA recent surge of trademark applications pertaining to iPods and podcasts parallels the increased interest in business opportunities relating to the world of podcasting. Recent trademarks include: Podcast Realty, GuidePod, PodGizmo, Pod-Casting, MyPod, Podvertiser, ePodcast, PodCabin, Podcaster, PodShop, PodKitchen, Podgram, GodPod and Podcast. ePodcast - Electronic software and hardware used in the creation, production and uploading of audio or audio-video materials distributed via the internet. GodPod - Electronic audio players containing MP3 data for playback of prerecorded readings from the Holy Bible Guide Pod - Streaming audio walking tours to cell phones through toll-free numbers and radio broadcasting of audio walking tours MyPod - fabric accessories for MP3 format personal digital music player devices. Pod-Casting - promotional and marketing services for radio stations Podcast - online prerecorded radio program over the internet PodCabin - ONLINE WEBCASTING AND NETCASTING OF AUDIO AND AUDIO-VISUAL PROGRAMMING AND AUDIO STREAMING TRANSMISSION OF GENERAL-TOPIC AND TOPIC-SPECIFIC TALK, NEWS, INFORMATION, AND DATA VIA COMPUTER TERMINALS; PROVIDING ONLINE CHAT ROOMS AND ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARDS OF MESSAGES AMONG COMPUTER USERS CONCERNING GENERAL-TOPIC AND TOPIC-SPECIFIC NEWS Podcast Realty - Directory, search engine and database for property listings which comprise information in downloadable audio and visual form; property listings comprising information in downloadable audio and visual form; preparation and delivery of property listings comprising information in downloadable audio and visual form. Podcaster - AUDIO EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING WIRELESS TRANSMITTERS, RECEIVERS, SPEAKERS, HEADPHONES AND AMPLIFIERS FOR DISTRIBUTING AUDIO SIGNALS PodGizmo - Portable listening devices, namely, MP3 players. PodGram - A computer script that controls the flow of multimedia content from the Internet PodKitchen - the production and webcasting of a continuing recorded entertainment talk show over the internet, supplemented by a website where users can receive other webcast transmissions and participate in bulletin boards and chat rooms. PodMax - computer software for use in organizing, transmitting, manipulating, and reviewing audio files on portable and handheld digital electronic devices Podshop - Selling and servicing portable and handheld digital electronic devices for recording, organizing, transmitting, manipulating, and reviewing data, audio, video, and multimedia files, and accessories PodTavern - The production and webcasting of a continuing entertainment talk show over the internet, supplemented by a website where users can receive other webcast transmissions and participate in bulletin boards and chat rooms via Yahoo Groups, USPTO Posted by jlewin at 10:39 PM | Comments (0) Podcast Client with Retro VibeDeveloper Howard Harawitz has created Golden Ear, a free podcast client with a retro vibe. Golden Ear lets you to browse for podcast sites, view a list of the podcasts that are available at each site and sample them with a click.
Golden Ear works like an ordinary radio. Use dials to select podcasts and adjust listening volume. Receive podcasts as streaming audio files. Installation requires only copying files to a folder - Golden Ear and its installation does not make registry changes. To uninstall Golden Ear, just delete the files. Golden Ear can be downloaded from the Brooklyn North site. Posted by jlewin at 06:01 PM | Comments (0) First Gas-Powered MP3 PlayerToshiba Corporation has developed two prototype direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) units and begun tests to validate their operation with mobile audio players. Each unit integrates the DMFC that Toshiba announced in June 2004, the world's smallest, bringing its practical use a major step closer.
The prototype players include components related to the fuel-cell testing and are W35mm x L110mm x D20mm (flash memory) and W65mm x L125mm x D27mm (HDD) with the fuel cell units. These sizes can be reduced substantially by removing the extra components and applying optimal design for commercial products. The design of the fuel cell units reflects current moves toward international standardization of micro fuel cells and meets the International Electrotechnical Commission's draft safety standards now under review. The new fuel cell units have an output power of 100mW and 300mW and have been applied to a flash-memory-based digital audio player and an HDD-based digital audio player, respectively The 100mW unit, similar in shape and size to a pack of gum at a compact W23mm x L75mm x D10mm, can power the flash-based player for approximately 35 hours on a single 3.5ml charge of highly concentrated methanol, the fuel that drives the electricity producing chemical reaction in the fuel cell. The 300mW unit is W60mm x L75mm x D10mm and delivers enough power to keep an HDD-based audio player running for approximately 60 hours on a single 10ml charge. Toshiba's DMFC features a passive fuel supply system that is suited to smaller fuel cells and use with a highly concentrated methanol solution. Fuel cells usually mix methane with water in a concentration of less than 30%, a dilution that supports generating efficiency but which requires a fuel tank that is much too big for portable equipment. Through durability and reliability tests with the new units, Toshiba will accelerate technology enhancements, including development of production technology, to support integration of DMFC into commercial products expected to appear in and after 2007. Source: Toshiba Posted by jlewin at 08:06 AM | Comments (0) September 18, 2005Conference Call to PodcastConference Calls Unlimited has introduced ia new podcast service that lets users add podcasts to their marketing communications tools with just a few minutes of their time, without the need to know xml or buy recording equipment. "There's no need for the technically-challenged to learn the intricacies of XML tags, RSS feeds, file hosting, audio recording formats, or buy expensive equipment," says Conference Calls Unlimited CEO, Zane Safrit. "You provide the content; we'll provide the podcast "We wanted to make podcasts and their benefits available to everyday The company offers a complimentary podcast to new customers to demonstrate their podcast service's ease-of-use and potential for their marketing communications. Source: Conference Calls Unlimited Posted by jlewin at 02:20 PM | Comments (0) Free Vlogging App UpdatedFireAnt, an RSS video aggregator and media player popular for downloading and viewing vlogs or video podcasts, has been updated. The update features bug fixes, improvements and new functionality.
FireANT 1.0b6 is for Windows XP. A Mac OS X version is also available. Features:
FireAnt for Mac and PC can be downloaded from the GetFireant site. Posted by jlewin at 02:09 PM | Comments (0) September 17, 2005Kensington Intros iPod Docking StationKensington has announced its first NXT-based product, the SX 2000 Speakers for iPod. The grille-less NXT flat panel loudspeaker, which forms the whole fascia of the docking station, provides a wide, immersive sound. A Universal Dock provides a way to connect any iPod with a dock connector.
NXT Chief Commercial Officer, Graham Ryan, said, "the Kensington SX 2000 is a great example of where NXT technology can really add another dimension to a product. The SX 2000 Speakers for iPod is the most visually striking iPod docking station available, and the excellent sound quality ensures that users will be able to get the most our of their digital music collection." Launching in November and priced around $159.99, the SX 2000 Speakers for iPod will be available from Apple Stores across the US, and in Canada, Japan and the UK, as well as from the Apple website. Source: Kensington Posted by jlewin at 05:54 PM | Comments (0) September 16, 2005New Podcast Looks at Construction Aftermath of Hurricane KatrinaThe McGraw-Hill ConstructionCast's current episode looks at flood protection after Hurricane Katrina. The podcast features a group of engineering professionals and scientists who sat down with Engineering News-Record and Architectural Record editors to discuss the expanding need for protection from floods and hurricanes in southern Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. The podcast includes a discussion of what could be a foundation for a comprehensive regional flood control program, a proposal called Coast 2050, now being considered by Congress as part of a new water resources bill, and debate about how Hurricane Katrina could accelerate long-stalled flood control projects and change longstanding national policy. ConstructionCast Podcast Details Posted by jlewin at 06:31 PM | Comments (0) Das deutschsprachige Podcast-PortalFabio sends word of a German podcasting portal, Podcast.de. The site features podcasts and information about podcasting for the German-speaking audience. Posted by jlewin at 06:04 PM | Comments (0) Promonet Offers Podcasters Pre-Cleared Music Tracks
Promonet is accepting applications from qualified promotional partners, with a full launch expected by the end of the month. IODA also announced the creation of a promotional license that specifies terms under which qualified podcasters and bloggers can use and distribute PromoTracks from IODA’s labels in podcasts and as full MP3 downloads. Music from a wide-range of genres, including rock, pop, dance, classical, world and jazz will be available as PromoTracks. Podcaster Info In exchange for access to the thousands of PromoTracks available in the system, qualified podcasters and bloggers must comply with a few rules designed to raise awareness of the artists and labels and drive sales of their music. PromoTracks must be properly identified and the sites using them in their programming must include links to the artists’ sites as well as "buy" links to at least one digital and one physical retail site for each release. IODA will provide all necessary information and assets via the Promonet site. Label Info IODA-distributed labels can select up to three songs per album for inclusion in Promonet. In addition to hosting PromoTracks, Promonet will also contain a directory of release-specific videos, photos, album art and other promotional assets posted by labels and artists, as well as preview clips of all tracks, and "buy links" for each release at the many digital music services and retailers to which IODA distributes. There is no charge to IODA-distributed labels to make their assets available on Promonet. "Indies have a great opportunity to take advantage of the promotional opportunities created by new technologies online," said IODA founder and CEO Kevin Arnold. "Because they tend to have less hang-ups about restricting the use of their music and more respect for their fans than the majors they can move more quickly and push the envelope to their benefit." Source: PromoNet Posted by jlewin at 05:15 PM | Comments (0) PodOmatic Launches Free Podcasting Service
The site offers PodMail, for recording and mixing MP3 audio and mailing it to a PC or iPod; PodAmigo, a podcast client; and AutoCatcher, a tool for searching for and downloading podcasts based on keyword searches.
Features:
"Our objective in designing podAmigo was to complement existing media players such as iTunes and Windows Media, and provide ease of use without compromising power of choice," explains Jonathan Kolyer, VP of Client Software at podOmatic. "We are especially proud of podMail; where you can quickly mix music and your voice and send a personalized message right into your friends and family's iPod or mp3 player, how cool is that!" Says Johnny Mansour, co-founder of podOmatic.com. "We are really looking forward to all the different ways people will use podMail; teachers will now be able to easily share lectures with their students, project managers can share the last team meeting with remote team members nine time-zones away, party-goers can now listen to the beats for next weekends club announcements or a G.I stationed in Iraq can hear his kids sing him happy birthday, the possibilities are almost limitless." Posted by jlewin at 04:51 PM | Comments (0) New OS X Podcasting AppKudlian Soft has released a free pre-release version of Podcaster, a Mac OS X application that makes podcasts and enhanced podcasts. Features
Podcaster supports specific iTunes Music Store information such as images, copyright notices, categories and links to web sites. Podcaster will also create 'enhanced podcasts', these are audio files which contain chapter markers where you can include titles, images and web links. The images in these files can be viewed on an iPod with photo capabilities. Enhanced podcasts can be created from movies, an iMovie project and even from slideshows in iPhoto. Podcaster automatically extracts the audio content in the correct format, with a configurable bit rate to save disk space, and also resizes the images to the correct format. Source: Kudlian Soft Posted by jlewin at 04:41 PM | Comments (0) User Interface Top Reason for Buying iPodIt appears that usability tops sound quality, "cool factor" and even the recommendations of friends when choosing an MP3 player. "The quality of the user interface was the primary reason why users chose the iPod over other digital music players," notes TDG's Dale Gilliam. "This finding is especially relevant given that many press and industry pundits argue that it is the aesthetics or maybe the cool factor that has made the iPod so popular."
"The iPod will remain the dominant device for mobile digital music consumption," according to Gilliam, "as long as Apple can keep from tripping over its own feet." TDG recently completed an in-depth consumer study focused on mobile multimedia services and platforms among US mobile consumers ranging in age from 15 to 50. They included a detailed section of questions targeting the iPod phenomenon. Source: TDG Posted by jlewin at 08:12 AM | Comments (0) "Body Armor" for iPod earbuds
The compact case (about the size of a jewelry box) has been designed specifically with the iPod earbuds in mind, but can hold many other earbuds as well. It is coated with ballistic nylon and built to withstand 200 lbs. or 90 kg of force. The ABS frame on the inside lets you easily wind up the cable and store everything simply and safely in the smallest possible space. earBuddy comes in two color schemes: a black & silver version with orange zipper and an all black version. Source: SendStation Posted by jlewin at 08:05 AM | Comments (0) September 15, 2005iPod Threats on the Rise?Commentary: Elle Webb As the iPod's popularity has reached a frenzy, news reports on the popular music player's dangers are on the rise. News items at Podcasting News and other sites suggest that the millions of iPods "in the wild" may be exposing owners to risks worse than questionable advertising claims or blowing $15,000 at iTunes to fill up a 60GB iPod. Potential iPod Risks
It's too early to know if iPods are really as dangerous as some news items make them out to be. Owners are advised to use caution. Posted by jlewin at 01:30 PM | Comments (0) iTunes 5 Giving Windows User Grief
Apple has acknowledged the problems and is working on a fix. Users having trouble should check Apple's iTunes for Windows discussion board for troubleshooting help and watch for an update. Posted by jlewin at 01:19 PM | Comments (2) NYPD Intros PodcastThe New York Police Department is using podcasting to deliver the latest news and information about New York's Finest. The initial podcast is hosted by Jesse Peterman, and features, and interviews with a captain about identity theft and a chief sent to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The podcast will be updated weekly, or as events require. Posted by jlewin at 01:08 PM | Comments (0) ClickCaster Open Beta UpdateClickCaster sends word that they have made updated their site, currently in open beta testing. The site has added a new embedded recorder. "We've created a truly turn-key solution for the novice and professional podcaster. Now everyone has the capability of delivering high quality audio podcasts anytime, anywhere", notes ClickCaster CEO Scott Converse. The site is designed to let anyone with a computer, an Internet connection and a microphone create and publish podcasts. End-users click, record and publish their podcast directly on the ClickCaster directory service. Users can sign up for a Beta account at the ClickCaster site. Posted by jlewin at 08:10 AM | Comments (0) September 14, 2005Four Ways to Make Money PodcastingA recent article at Forbes outlines four ways to monetize podcasting. "I think it is natural to have an ad-supported model for podcasting," said GarageBand.com's Ali Partovi. "But I don't think 30-second ads will work. Ads will need to be shorter, such as even 10 to 20 seconds long. In other words, ads will need to be short enough where it does not make sense to skip them." Paths to Podcast Payoff
Source: Forbes Posted by jlewin at 11:45 PM | Comments (0) iPodcast: Next from Apple?
No iPodcast products have been announced, but the two filings cover computer hardware and various services. USPTO Serial Number 78706741 Computers, computer peripherals, hand held computers, computer terminals, personal digital assistants, electronic organizers, electronic notepads, apparatus for recording, transmission and reproduction of sounds, images, or other data; magnetic data carriers; mobile digital electronic devices, telephones, computer gaming machines, microprocessors, memory boards, monitors, displays, keyboards, cables, modems, printers, videophones, disk drives, cameras; computer software, prerecorded computer programs for personal information management, database management software, character recognition software, telephony management software, electronic mail and messaging software, paging software, database synchronization software, computer programs for accessing, browsing and searching online databases, computer software and firmware for operating system programs, data synchronization programs, and application development tool programs; electronic handheld devices for the wireless receipt, storage and/or transmission of data, messages, and devices for keeping track of or manage personal information; software for the redirection of messages, Internet electronic mail, and/or data to one or more electronic handheld devices on or associated with a personal computer or a server; and software for the synchronization of data between a remote station or device and a fixed or remote station or device; computer hardware; facsimile machines, answering machines, telephone-based information retrieval software and hardware; adapters, adapter cards, connectors and drivers; blank computer storage media, fonts, typefaces, type designs and symbols in the form of recorded data; chips, discs and tapes bearing or for recording computer programs and software; random access memory, read only memory; solid state memory apparatus; electronic communication equipment and instruments; telecommunications apparatus and instruments; computer and electronic games. computer equipment for use with any of the aforesaid goods; electronic apparatus with multimedia functions for use with any of the aforesaid goods; electronic products with interactive functions for use with any of the aforesaid goods; accessories, parts, fittings, and testing apparatus for all the aforementioned goods; user manuals in electronically readable, machine readable or computer readable form for use with, and sold as a unit with, all the aforementioned goods USPTO Serial Number 78706746 Telecommunications services; communication by computer, computer intercommunication; telex, telegram and telephone services; rental, hire and leasing of communications apparatus and of electronic mailboxes; electronic bulletin board services; electronic communications consultancy; facsimile, message collection and transmission services; transmission of data and of information by electronic means, computer, cable, radio, teleprinter, teleletter, electronic mail, telecopier, television, microwave, laser beam, communications satellite or electronic communication means; broadcasting or transmission of radio and television programmes; time sharing services for communication apparatus; provision of telecommunications access and links to computer databases and the Internet; electronic transmission of streamed and downloadable audio and video files via computer and other communications networks; web casting services; delivery of messages by electronic transmission; provision of connectivity services and access to electronic communications networks, for transmission or reception of audio, video or multimedia content; providing access to digital music web sites on the Internet; providing access to MP3 web sites on the Internet; delivery of digital music by telecommunications; operating search engines; providing telecommunications connections to the Internet or databases; providing user access to the Internet service providers; electronic mail services; telecommunication of information (including web pages), computer programs and any other data; video broadcasting, broadcasting prerecorded videos featuring music and entertainment, television programs, motion pictures, news, sports, games, cultural events, and entertainment-related programs of all kinds, via a global computer network; streaming of video content via a global computer network; subscription audio broadcasting via a global computer network. audio broadcasting, broadcasting music, concerts, and radio programs, via a global computer network, streaming of audio content via a global computer network; electronic transmission of audio and video files via communications networks; providing search engines for obtaining data on a global computer network; communication services in the form of matching users for the transfer of music, video and audio recordings via communication networks; providing on- line bulletin boards for the transmission of messages among computer users concerning entertainment, music, concerts, videos, radio, television, film, news, sports, games and cultural events; provision of information, consultancy and advisory services for all the aforesaid services Source: USPTO Posted by jlewin at 11:36 PM | Comments (0) AOL Adopts Podscope Spoken Word Podcast SearchAOL will be the first major Web portal or search engine to provide its users with Podscope's podcast search capability, according to a new agreement between AOL and TVEyes, Inc. The new capability will be based on an integration of the TVEyes Podscope search engine with AOL Search. Podscope, which creates a Spoken Word Index for every word in audio and video files, makes the files searchable in the same manner as text pages on the Web. Available this fall, AOL's podcast search function will offer access to podcaster's current files and thousands of archived files, as well as AOL's podcast offerings and programming. The new search functions will be accessible through the AOL.com portal and AOL Search. In addition to plans for enhanced podcast search, AOL.com has introduced an array of podcasting features and programming. "AOL visitors will be able to search for content within podcast files just like they do for text within Web pages," said David J. Ives, president and chief executive officer of TVEyes, Inc., whose technology and company are behind Podscope. "Because of AOL's commitment to podcasting, consumer-created and broadcast media distributed as podcasts will gain truly global distribution." "We're excited to work with Podscope to offer the unique capability to search within podcasts through our AOL.com Web portal and AOL Search," said Alex Blum, vice president, audience product management, for America Online. "This innovative search capability will enable podcast enthusiasts to sample relevant audio snippets using Spoken Word Indexing prior to subscribing to the podcast." "As TV and radio migrate to the on-demand dynamic of podcasts on the Internet, new search tools are needed to make what will ultimately be billions of spoken words in millions of files accessible in a meaningful way," said Allen Weiner, research vice president at Gartner. "Indexing the spoken word has a profound impact on a consumer's ability to find what they want and get the most out of audio and video search." Source: Podscope Posted by jlewin at 06:42 PM | Comments (0) Fun, Tough & SkinTightSpeck Products has announced nine new iPod nano cases that will be on retail shelves in October. The company expects to be first to market with the largest assortment of nano cases, in a variety of colors, textures and shapes.
Speck's new cases include the Nano iGuy, above, along with FunSkin, TouchSkin adn SkinTight models. Nano Grass FunSkin - this funky new cover includes a screen protector and belt clip. Available in green only. ($34.95) Nano Cloudy FunSkin Nano ToughSkin ToughSkin for nano provides rugged protection and style. Screen protector and belt clip included. Available in clear or black. ($34.95) Nano iGuy iGuy is the only bendable, posable friend for your iPod nano. He's fun and functional. Available in white only. ($34.95) Nano Armband A sporty and secure nano case that's perfect for jogging. Available in clear only. ($29.95 for Armband; $34.95 for Armband plus Skin) Nano Connect and Protect The SkinTight skin keeps your nano protected, and four distinct accessories keep it connected. Includes SkinTight skin, holster, caribeener clip, lanyard and wrist strap. Available in clear only. ($34.95) Nano SkinTight Deluxe Classic, form-fitting skin features a screen protector and Deluxe Swivel Holster, which works as a belt clip. Available in clear or black. ($24.95 each; $34.95 for two-pack) Nano SkinTight Rubberized skin adds protection against dust, knocks and scratches. Includes removable screen protector to keep your color screen looking sharp. Available in clear or black. ($19.95 each; $29.95 for three-pack, which also includes pink) Nano See-Thru Three-Pack Three translucent hard cases, with just a hint of color. Set includes pink, blue and clear. ($29.95) Source: Speck Products Posted by jlewin at 06:27 PM | Comments (0) The Story Behind the iPod nano
It's amazing that the Nano even made it to the stage. The story of the Nano started nine months ago, when Jobs and his team took a look at the iPod Mini and decided they could make it better. On the face of it, that wouldn't appear to be a fantastically smart decision. The iPod Mini was and still is the best-selling MP3 player in the world, and Apple had introduced it only 11 months earlier. Jobs was proposing to fix something that decidedly was not broken. "Not very many companies are bold enough to shoot their best-selling product at the peak of its popularity," Gartner analyst Van Baker says. "That's what Apple just did." And it did that while staring right down the barrels of the holiday retail season. Source: Time Posted by jlewin at 07:56 AM | Comments (0) New Device Combines GPS, MP3 Player & Travel Assistant
"The nüvi makes traveling easier and more enjoyable," said Gary Kelley, Garmin’s vice president of marketing. The nüvi's introductory screen lists two options: “Where to?” and "View map," which offer the user GPS navigation functions. A third option on the title page – "Travel Kit" – contains the functions that distinguish the nüvi as a seasoned travel companion. Inside the Travel Kit, users can access the optional Garmin Language Guide, with data provided by Oxford University Press. This software suite contains a multilingual word bank, phrase bank, and five bilingual dictionaries. The multilingual word bank and phrase bank supports nine languages and dialects including American English, British English, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, European Spanish, and Latin American Spanish. The Language Guide lets travelers look up and translate more than 17,000 words or 20,000 phrases per language. Through the unit’s text-to-speech interface, users can get a spoken pronunciation of each entry in the word bank – along with gender and part of speech information. The multilingual phrase bank is categorized by activity for ease of use. “With the nüvi, travelers can make the most of a business trip or vacation,” said Kelley. “Users can browse restaurant menus and reviews in the Garmin Travel Guide for a highly-recommended French bistro, and then use the nüvi’s navigation capabilities to find the restaurant. Once they’re seated, they can even use the Garmin Language Guide to order their meal in the native tongue.” Both the Garmin Language Guide and Garmin Travel Guide are available separately on SD data cards. Once the Garmin Language Guide is installed, users can remove the card to free up the SD slot for other purposes, such as the Garmin Travel Guide. The nüvi comes equipped with an Audio Book Player, with content provided by Audible.com – featuring more than 70,000 hours of audio programs from more than 200 content partners. The nüvi also features an MP3 player that lets users browse music by artist, album, song, or genre – as well as the ability to build playlists. Loading music onto an SD card is “drag-and-drop” easy – no special software is required. Additionally, the nüvi offers a Picture Viewer for displaying digital photos, a World Travel Clock, Currency and Measurement Converter, and Calculator. Approximately the size of a deck of playing cards, the nüvi features a sunlight-readable 3.5-inch (diagonal) color touchscreen display with a recessed power button, SD card slot, mini-USB jack, and headphone output. The flush flip-up GPS antenna houses an external antenna jack, and the unit’s speaker is mounted within the unit – making the nüvi easy to carry in a jacket pocket, attaché, or carry-on. The nüvi has a battery life of four to eight hours, depending on backlight settings and GPS or application usage. The unit can be charged via the included AC power adapter, 12-volt power cable with suction-mount automotive cradle, or the PC/USB interface cable connected to a computer. The nüvi lists for US $969.22. Source: Garmin Posted by jlewin at 07:46 AM | Comments (0) US State Dept PodcastingThe U.S. Department of State has launched a podcast to provide a convenient way to download State Department press briefings and audio releases from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other senior Department officials. Note to the State Dept: validate your newsfeed. In addition to our other popular electronic subscription services, RSS news feeds and Listservs, the Bureau of Public Affairs now podcasts available State Department audio files to media players. iTunes Music Store Podcast Users, search for "State Department Audio Releases." State Department Podcast Details Posted by jlewin at 06:46 AM | Comments (0) September 13, 2005Get Ready for Surround-Sound MP3sEngineers of Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS, in partnership with Thomson, have introduced an MP3 Surround-Sound hardware player. "The ARM powered MP3 Surround hardware player, developed at Fraunhofer IIS, represents another piece of a puzzle in the new format's development and gives a clear view on upcoming MP3 Surround consumer electronic devices", comments Harald Popp, head of the Multimedia Realtime Systems department at Fraunhofer IIS. The technology enables 5.1 channel surround-quality sound for web-based music distribution, broadcasting systems, PC-related audiovisual or gaming applications, consumer electronics and automotive systems. "With the growing popularity of home theater systems, consumers are getting accustomed to experiencing their home entertainment in multi-channel surround sound," notes Thomson's Henri Linde. "We are excited to showcase the benefits of MP3 Surround with this hardware implementation, which paves the way for further product developments by our licensees." Fraunhofer IIS has worked with Thomson's Intellectual Property and Licensing unit to offer optimized MP3 Surround decoder software for all popular processor platforms such as ARM, MIPS, Texas Instruments, Analog Devices and many more. The decoder, in this case based on ARM chip design, can be implemented into a wide range of home entertainment products including home theater receivers, DVD players and portable audio players. MP3 Surround supports high-quality, multi-channel sound at bit rates comparable to those currently used to encode stereo MP3 material, resulting in files half the size of common compressed surround formats. More information on MP3 Surround technology and songs are available at www.mp3surround.com. Posted by jlewin at 05:26 PM | Comments (0) Free Podcast Kits for Katrina VictimsPromoPicker.com, Liberated Syndication and Audio Hijack Pro have teamed up to offer podcasting kits to those affected by Hurricane Katrina. The organizations plan to give away 10 podcasting kits, consisting of MP3 recorders, hosting and other software to those who seek to have their voices heard now and in the future. This is a intended to be an opportunity for victims to get the word out there that this will take more than a few weeks to clear up and move on, it will take years. Anyone involved in the disaster can apply for a kit by sending us an email at katrina at promopicker.com, detailing why they feel they should be awarded one of the podcasting kits. Posted by jlewin at 08:29 AM | Comments (3) Free Promo Site for Podcasters
Podcast listeners will have access to this database shortly to browse and choose new shows to listen to based on the shows MP3 promo. The site is also available for podcasters to download new promo's to play in their own show. Posted by jlewin at 08:24 AM | Comments (0) TelCaster Intros Podcast Creation Site
"TelCaster eliminates microphones, mixers and the complexity of podcast publishing and hosting," said Encounter president, Hoyt Prisock. "So now, if you’ve got something to say to your world, reaching them is as simple picking up the phone. Best of all, TelCaster is free to both podcasters and listeners." Integrated conference call bridging in the TelCaster studio lets podcasters have several guests online to create lively and interactive content. Program creators can choose from a library of music intros and outros. When recording is complete, a simple click publishes the program for all to hear. Source: TelCaster Posted by jlewin at 08:15 AM | Comments (0) Holtzbrinck Publishers Announces Podcast WebsiteHoltzbrinck Publishers, has launched a new site which will feature podcasts from Holtzbrinck's trade publishers, including Audio Renaissance, Farrar Straus & Giroux, Henry Holt, Picador, St. Martin's Press, and Tor/Forge. "It's obvious that podcasting is the hot new technology," says Jeff Gomez, Director of Internet Marketing for Holtzbrinck Publishers, "and we definitely wanted to take part in this exciting format. Our podcast website allows us to offer audio excerpts to users on a regular basis, giving them the chance to discover great books and authors whenever they want, wherever they want." The Holtzbrinck Podcasts website will offer four podcasts a month, with a new podcast posted each week. The podcast categories will be Fiction, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, and Self-Help. Each podcast will be approximately thirty minutes in length, consisting of up to three excerpts per podcast. Each excerpt will last approximately ten minutes, and in most cases will consist of the book's first chapter. The Holtzbrinck Podcasts website will also feature recordings of special events, such as author readings. The site will also feature "spotlight" titles which will consist of interviews and material not found in the original book. Both the Special Events and Spotlight Title podcasts will feature material unavailable anywhere else, and a new one of each will be posted every month. Visitors will be able to sign up for a newsletter that keeps them up-to-date on the latest podcasts, as well as giving them a preview of the upcoming podcast schedule. "At the end of the day, this isn't about technology, it's about the content," says Gomez. "First and foremost we want to let people know that we have great books that we think they're going to love. A podcast is just one of the ways they'll be able to find a great new author or title. It's kind of like word of mouth where the words are our books, but the mouth is your headphones." Source: Holtzbrinck Podcasts Posted by jlewin at 07:54 AM | Comments (0) September 12, 2005Potion Factory Intros OS X Podcast App
Features
Requirements
Source: Potion Factory Posted by jlewin at 10:39 PM | Comments (0) Podcast Directory Top 10Podcast directories play an important role for users looking for new podcasts to listen to, and for podcasters trying to find an audience. With over fifty sites featuring podcast directories, though, it can be difficult for podcasters to know where to start. The Podcast Directory Top 10 list ranks directories, based on their site traffic, and can be a useful starting point for podcasters promoting their shows. Podcast Directory Top 10
Apple's iTunes Music Store does not appear on this list because it does not have a browsable web directory. Nevertheless, it is one of the most important places for podcasters to list their shows, because of the number of iTunes users. Podcasters should look beyond the top 10 to other sites in the Podcast Directory List. Other directories are increasing in popularity, and there are also a growing number of international and topical directories. About the Podcast Directory Top 10 List Sites from the Podcasting News Podcast Directory List are ranked based on their Alexa Traffic Rank, as of September 2005. Alexa has created a database of information on how people use the web, based on the activity of users of the Alexa Toolbar. There are many ways of ranking sites; Alexa's approach provides a useful tool for comparing the relative traffic levels to various sites. If you know of a podcast directory to add to the list, please let us know. Posted by jlewin at 07:22 AM | Comments (0) September 11, 2005New App Designed to Make Podcasting EasyOasis Media Group has introduced Cast Easy, an application designed to help users create, publish, and organize new and previously published podcasts. The Mac OS X application lets users create podcasts without the need to know any XML code. Users start by choosing to create a simple or advanced podcast. A simple podcast allows the user to easily create a podcast without typing complicated XML code. An advanced podcast allows those who are comfortable with XML to do it as they have always done it.
"The best feature I like in Cast Easy is the ability to create an Enhanced Podcast using Apple’s Chapter Tool. This opens a lot of doors for a lot of people that want to create really cool podcasts, but can’t because they have to know XML and the command line," said Juan Alvarez, creator of Cast Easy. Cast Easy is US $29.95. A trial download is available. Posted by jlewin at 01:04 PM | Comments (0) Tap Dancing Podcaster Looking for SponsorsTap dancing newscaster Sondra Lowell is opening up a verse in her singing/dancing podcast for commercials. Lowell is host of WebcamMurder, a podcast that discusses Lowell's unfinished movie, and features the Tap Dancing Podcasting News. "Radio hosts do testimonials for all manner of products," said Lowell. "Podcasters can recommend weight loss products we don't use and air cleaners that generate dangerous ozone with the best of them--and we need the money more than they do!" A recent Tap Dancing News podcast features a musical accounting of Michael Jackson jurors cleaning up on their unanimous decision to acquit a man they saw all along as a dangerous sexual predator; the safe return of the space shuttle; and the San Quentin riot that spared still-handsome murderer Scott Peterson. The remaining verse of the minute long report, heretofore devoted to such news as natural disasters, Christina Aguilera comments on Britney Spears or, oftentimes, the weather, is an open invitation to advertisers. "OK, maybe there are still people who think news should be pure," admitted Lowell, "but that fight was lost when TV news started staging events and stopped checking out National Guard memos. TV and movies sneak ads into their content and so can I." Posted by jlewin at 12:48 PM | Comments (0) Diskeeper Using Podcasts for InfomercialsDiskeeper, a maker of computer utility software, is using podcasting to deliver infomercials to listeners interested in their products. Their infotainment podcasts, branded under the trademark "Pod Mercials" are hosted by John Iasiuolo, the host of Computer Outlook. "Our first Pod Mercial was downloaded by 16,500 listeners. That's enough consumers to fill an entire arena -- and we've only just begun syndicating," notes Derek De Vette, VP Public Affairs for Diskeeper Corporation. "The Pod Mercial empowers consumers to choose the information they want to receive when they want to receive it. We knew it would be a success. But this far exceeded our expectations." Posted by jlewin at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) September 10, 2005New Windows Podcast App
Highlights
Requirements
Posted by jlewin at 03:51 AM | Comments (0) Podium Aggregates Top Podcast ListPodium, a leading resource in Japan for podcasting, has launched launch Popcasts, an aggregator of the most popular podcasts from different directories. Popcasts lets you see on one page what is popular in a number of different podcast directories. The site scans and synchronises with pre-registered podcast directories or ranking sites every hour and generates RSS feeds for each top 10 podcast. The sites registered in Popcasts include: Apple iTunes Podcasting, Odeo, Podnova, Podfeed, iPodderX, PodcastPickle, Podcasting News and Podcast Alley. The site also has Popcasts Japanese, which aggregates Japanese podcast directories. Podcasters that want to add a directory or ranking site to Popcasts can contact Podium at english-admin at po-di-um.net. Posted by jlewin at 03:15 AM | Comments (0) Pioneering Podcaster Hits CBS
Dana, along with her husband Rob, host the WebTalk Radio show. "Rob alerted me to this announcement that CBS is looking for a podcaster," Dana explains. "How could I not send them my submission? It's what I do and I'm such an entertainment evangelist." When Greenlee found she'd been chosen, she blogged "CBS called this morning... I WON!! Say hi to the CBS Podcaster! Going to LA September 10 to interview CBS actors!" Greenlee will join top DJs at the CBS Radio Junket on September 10 in Hollywood to interview CBS talent for the podcast, which will be made available to listeners via CBS.com and Infinity Broadcasting’s San Francisco-based KYOURADIO. Posted by jlewin at 02:58 AM | Comments (0) "I'm Podcasting This" Go to the Dogs
They've got all the usual Cafe Press goodies, including T's, tanks, polos, bibs, coffee mugs, hoodies, mouse pads sweats, bears, bags, calendars, and, yes, doggie shirts. We're skeptical about the dog actually podcasting, though. Posted by jlewin at 02:43 AM | Comments (0) September 09, 2005Secrets of Online Music Service LicensesThe Electronic Frontier Foundation has published a guide to the secrets of online music service licenses, The Customer Is Always Wrong: A User's Guide to DRM in Online Music. Many digital music services, including iTunes, Napster and Microsoft, employ copy protection that can prevent you from doing things like using the portable player of your choice or creating remixes. According to the EFF, "In an effort to attract customers, these music services try to obscure the restrictions they impose on you with clever marketing." EFF Lays Out the Facts on the iTunes Music Store According to the EFF analysis, Apple reserves the right to change at any time what you can do with the music you purchase at the iTunes Music Store. In April 2004, Apple decided to modify the DRM so people could burn the same playlist only 7 times, down from 10. How much further will the service restrict your ability to make legal personal copies of your own music? Only Apple knows. Another hallmark of ownership is the right to give away or sell your property. Apple's DRM frustrates first sale. There are other ways that Apple's DRM limits what you can do with a song you own:
Many other a la carte download services impose similar restrictions. EFF's guide provides information on Napster, Microsoft and RealNetworks licenses, in addition to Apple's. Posted by jlewin at 01:48 PM | Comments (0) New I-Dog Half Toy, Half MP3 Accessory
Plug an MP3 player into I-DOG and the music plays through the I-DOG's speaker. Toggle I-DOG's tail to turn off the speaker and listen to music via headphones. According to Hasbro, "I-DOG feeds on your music. Your music helps form its personality by the type of music it hears, and its mood changes depending on how much music you share with I-DOG." According to Hasbro, the I-DOG displays distinct personalities depending on the type of music you feed him.
No word is available on how I-Dog digests podcasts. The I-Dog lists for US $29.95, and is suitable for ages 8 and up. Posted by jlewin at 01:32 PM | Comments (1) iPod Cases - Now in Corduroy
Made from natural corduroy and available in five colors, the Kiwali Mineon comes with a metallic carabiner clip that lets you "hook your gear to your person" for carrying convenience. The Mineon is $15 flat, via the Kiwali site. Features
Posted by jlewin at 01:15 PM | Comments (0) New Podcasting eBook Released
Main features include how to create, record, publish and promote a podcast. Also included are product reviews, podcast directories, and tools to help them evaluate their podcast. A podcast about The Podcasting Ebook and a sample chapter are available for download at ThePodcastingEbook.com. Posted by jlewin at 01:02 PM | Comments (0) Got an Opinion about Podcasting?The Communications Program of Monash University (Melbourne, Australia) is inviting the producers of podcasts and videoblogs to participate in a short survey, the first wide-scale survey focusing on the production The online survey takes about 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Participants do not need to provide any personal or identifying information to complete the survey. The objectives of the research are to:
Monash University Podcasters and Videobloggers Survey 2005 Posted by jlewin at 08:32 AM | Comments (0) MP3 Players for Aliens
Features
With SRS WOW technology, sound is extended in both the horizontal and vertical planes without having to enlarge the speaker size. As a result, CE-IV players achieve dramatically improved audio performance over the tinny, hollow sounds produced by many other digital audio players limited by small speakers and headphones. Among the other benefits included with CE-IV players are Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology to make downloading from the top online music sites simple and a memory expansion slot that gives users the option of packing even more music into their players. In addition to showcasing the unique design elements that Alienware is known for, the CE-IV players will be available with a fully integrated HUB docking sound system that is loaded with extreme power and performance. Two versions of the CE-IV players will be available: one with 512MB of built-in memory and one with 1GB of built-in memory. Alienware’s CE-IV players will be available in October. Source: Alienware Posted by jlewin at 08:20 AM | Comments (1) Podcasts on Sony PSP
Sony's version 2.0 ROM firmware update for th PSP enables full web browsing via a WiFi connection. Additionally, the new web browsing capabilities to capture Podcasts to your PSP. Dave's iPAQ has the details along with a video showing the PSP's new podcast feature in action. Posted by jlewin at 08:13 AM | Comments (0) Portable Music Player Market to DoubleCanalys, a technology research firm, is predicting that the market for portable digital music players will double by the end of 2005. Mobile phones will begin challenging music players, primarily at the low end. The portable music player market has grown rapidly over the last six months and is likely to continue to do so, despite the inclusion of music playback capabilities in mobile phones, the latest of these being the Motorola ROKR with iTunes. Canalys estimates that 25.6 million portable music players were sold globally in the first half of 2005, not far below the 28.3 million sold in the whole of the preceding year. Highlights
The new 2GB and 4GB iPod nano models, which replace the iPod mini, will pile even more pressure on Apple’s competitors. Creative reported a loss for the last quarter, despite rising unit shipments of MP3 players, indicative of an already highly competitive market with shrinking margins, particularly on the flash-based players. D&M Holdings, Rio’s owner, has recently announced that it is withdrawing from the portable music market, following an earlier announcement of the sale of its MP3 technology to SigmaTel. Music-centric phones will clearly have some impact on the portable music player market, a fact acknowledged by Apple dipping a toe in the water through the Motorola collaboration, but Canalys sees a lot of barriers to phone handset vendors making a big splash and argues that they should focus more on the casual music consumer than try to compete for the savvy music enthusiasts at the high end, for whom a mobile phone-based player will hold only limited attraction. The higher-end devices are also likely to be met with less enthusiasm by network operators. “A mobile phone-based player doesn’t offer much to a high-volume music consumer. The convenience of having to carry one device less will usually be outweighed by the design compromises that result. And a heavy user is not going to pay a premium to download each track over the air to a phone when there are cheaper service alternatives that offer a more sophisticated browsing experience, interface and file management,” said Canalys analyst Rachel Lashford. “The brand and image that Apple has built with the iPod would be difficult enough to challenge on its own, but would-be competitors will have to compete on accessories and usability as well, and they have to factor in the operators’ attitudes to content provision, charging and consumption.” Source: Canalys Posted by jlewin at 08:06 AM | Comments (0) September 08, 2005CBS Intros Guiding Light "Netcasts"
Guiding Light will offer daily episodes of Guiding Light, Lite, a ten-minute mini-episode highlighting one storyline a day. In a recent episode, Michelle reveals to Danny why she came back to town. Guiding Light, Lite will be followed by an interview with an actor from that storyline. CBS is branding the shows as "Netcasts", but they appear to be podcasts in every way but name. "With the advent of new technology, people want to enjoy their entertainment in different ways," explained Guiding Light Executive Producer Ellen Wheeler. "They want to be able to take it with them and listen at their convenience. A groundbreaking show like Guiding Light should be a part of that. Podcasting allows Guiding Light to be accessible anytime, anywhere." "Guiding Light originated as a radio program 68 years ago," said Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin, Executive-in-Charge of Production for Procter & Gamble Productions. "Allowing our fans to listen to Guiding Light at their convenience is a nod to the show's roots with a modern twist, bringing us into the 21st Century." Posted by jlewin at 05:41 PM | Comments (0) Sony Intros Walkman MP3 PlayersSony has introduced a new MP3 player, called Walkman, available in two capacity sizes - 20GB (NW-A3000) and 6GB (NW-A1000). Featuring an advanced organic EL display (2 inches on the 20GB NW-A3000 version and 1.5 inches on the 6GB NW-A1000 model), the Sony Walkman features two new shuffle functions.
Once switched on, a mobile phone style 'Home' menu appears offering nine different options that can be selected via the four-way directional button. These include 'Music Library', 'Play Mode', 'Initial Search', 'Intelligent Shuffle', 'Favorite 100', 'Play History', 'Settings', 'Playlist' and 'Now Playing'. Music can be searched in a variety of ways, via 'Genre', 'Artist', 'Album', 'Song', 'Release Date', 'Rating' and 'Recently Transferred', all of which can be scrolled through to enable users to find their music faster and easier. Sony WALKMAN records three years of playback history that can be searched and also features the first ever 'Initial Search' on a hard disc device, allowing the user to scroll from A-Z for ultimate ease of use. The 20GB Sony Walkman is available in two colours, violet and silver; while the 6GB unit comes in the additional colours of pink and blue. All models are packaged with colour-coordinated headphones. Sony WALKMAN features ATRAC3plus and MP3 playback and ships with the new "CONNECT Player" that offers advanced music library management as well as providing seamless access to the CONNECT™ catalogue of more than one million tracks and albums available for download. Source: Sony Posted by jlewin at 08:45 AM | Comments (0) Apple Posts Webcast of iPod Introductions
Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduces the latest iPod, the nano, along with the new iTunes phone. Posted by jlewin at 08:36 AM | Comments (0) September 07, 2005Get Motoring With MINI Cooper Podcast
With gas above $3/gallon, finding out the latest info about the Mini and the MINI community looks better than ever. And if that doesn't get your motor running, there's always the WhiteRoofRadio Drinking Game. According to the WhiteRoofRadio site, "You have found the #1 podcast for the new MINI Cooper! Well, ok, it's the only podcast for and about the MINI, but we are world famous!" WhiteRoofRadio Podcast Details Posted by jlewin at 11:07 PM | Comments (1) Podcast Alley Bought Out; Team Moves to Podshow
"I built the beta Podcast Alley site while my wife drove us from Chicago to Nashville", said Podcast Alley founder, Chris McIntyre. "The first version of the site was actually up-loaded in a Starbucks. And, after just a few days, this outspoken community of podcasters found Podcast Alley and began to occupy my every waking hour. Since joining PodShow, I’m totally amazed at how far we’ve come, and I’m really looking forward to where we are going." According to Podshow management, "Many millions of podcast episodes are now finding their way to millions of listeners through Podcast Alley, firmly placing Podcast Alley at the epicenter of the podcast phenomenon." "Podcast Alley is something that can not be architected… it is proof of the adage that a community must be built by its members", said Ron Bloom, PodShow co-founder and CEO. "Chris is already proving himself a great addition to PodShow, and this is just the beginning." "Almost since the beginning of podcasting, I have watched Chris and Podcast Alley. He has been a great resource for the entire industry and we are delighted to have him in the family", notes Podshow founder Adam Curry. "We now look forward to adding new features and functionality that will continue to keep Podcast Alley at the forefront of the podcasting revolution, bringing podcasters and listeners even closer together." Podcast Alley has over 5000 forum members, 7000 podcast listings, 100,000 podcast episodes tracked and 25,000 forum postings. Posted by jlewin at 05:57 PM | Comments (1) Apple Signs Harry Potter to Exclusive Audiobook Deal
"We’re delighted to be able to bring these wonderful and wildly popular stories to iTunes Music Store customers," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. Customers can either download individual audiobooks or the complete Harry Potter Digital Box Set which includes a full color digital booklet as well as previously unreleased readings from author J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter fans can also purchase the complete Harry Potter Digital Box Set together with a Collector’s Edition 20GB iPod® engraved with the Hogwarts crest. The complete Harry Potter Digital Box Set is equivalent to almost 100 CDs, but customers can purchase this entire audiobook collection with just one click and then transfer all six books onto their iPod to take with them wherever they go. Up to now, The Harry Potter audiobook series from Listening Library (a division of the Random House Audio Publishing Group) has been available only on CD and cassette. It is by far the best selling series in the history of audiobook publishing, with the six books selling over five million copies. The narrator of all six books available in North America, Jim Dale, won a Grammy award in 2000 for “Best Spoken Word” as well as earned three Grammy nominations for his work on the series. The audiobook series is available online for the first time exclusively on iTunes. Posted by jlewin at 01:41 PM | Comments (0) Apple Teams Up With Acura, Audi, Honda & Volkswagen on iPod SupportApple has announced that it has teamed up with Acura, Audi, Honda and Volkswagen to deliver iPod integration with their car stereos for 2006 model lines. "Car companies are embracing the iPod, and over 30 percent of the cars sold in the US in 2006 will offer iPod integration," notes Apple's Greg Joswiak. Seamless integration of iPods in cars allows music lovers to enjoy high-quality sound through their car’s stereo system, easily access their entire music library and take their music with them everywhere they go. There are now 15 car companies around the world offering iPod integration, and more than 5 million cars will ship with iPod support in the US in 2006. The Honda and Acura Music Link iPod integrations will be the first to include text-to-speech capabilities or VoiceID, which is used to search for playlists, artist and album names or genre information. Acura and Honda will feature iPod integration in the majority of their lineup beginning later this year. Beginning in November, Audi will feature iPod integration in the A3, A4 and TT models and Volkswagen will offer iPod integration for the majority of their 2006 US lineup. Source: Apple Posted by jlewin at 01:38 PM | Comments (0) iPod Accessories Top 1,000
According to Apple, "the iPod economy has flourished with over 21 million iPods sold and a wide range of companies creating products ranging from high-end fashion cases to speaker systems to automobile integration kits for iPod." Apple also announced that there are more than 700 products bearing the Made for iPod logo on the market or in development. "The iPod economy is thriving with over 1,000 accessories now available," said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. "There are more ways than ever to get the perfect accessory to complement your iPod for use at home, on the go and in the car." Source: Apple Posted by jlewin at 01:35 PM | Comments (0) Apple, Motorola & Cingular Launch First iTunes PhoneApple, Motorola and Cingular Wireless today announced the availability of the world’s first mobile phone with iTunes, enabling music lovers to transfer up to 100 of their favorite songs from the iTunes jukebox on their Mac or PC to their mobile phone.
"We’ve worked closely with Motorola to deliver the world’s best music experience on a mobile phone," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. "We’re also thrilled to be working with Cingular, the largest wireless carrier in the US, to bring this pioneering phone to market." Apple’s iTunes software on the Motorola ROKR features easy to use menus, simple navigation and playback, and the ability to simply switch from phone to music and back again with the push of a dedicated music key. The new Motorola ROKR is available today at the Cingular site and will be sold exclusively in all Cingular retail locations beginning tomorrow. "The ROKR brings music to the mobile phone in a way unlike any other, with the unrivaled ease of use that has become the signature of iTunes," said Ed Zander, chairman and CEO of Motorola. "We predict that the ROKR is going to be a hit this holiday season." "We’re excited to be the first wireless carrier to offer the world’s first phone with iTunes to our customers nationwide," said Ralph de la Vega, chief operating officer of Cingular Wireless. "This innovative product represents a world class handset, connected to a world class network, delivering a world class application." The new Motorola ROKR has a color display for viewing album art and features built-in dual-stereo speakers, as well as stereo headphones that also serve as a mobile headset with microphone. Music fans can randomly autofill or manually fill the mobile phone with playlists from their favorite music, audiobooks and Podcasts from their iTunes library via a USB connection. The Motorola ROKR pauses music automatically when users take a call and offers the ability to listen to music while messaging with friends or snapping a photo. The new Motorola ROKR with iTunes pre-installed is available for $249.99 (US) with a two-year commitment at all Cingular stores nationwide and includes stereo headphones and a USB cable. iTunes for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Music Store and is available as a free download from www.apple.com/itunes. Purchase and download of songs from the iTunes Music Store for Mac or Windows requires a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase. Posted by jlewin at 01:30 PM | Comments (0) iTunes 5 Features 15,000 PodcastsApple has introduced iTunes 5, bringing new features and a refined look to the world’s most popular digital music jukebox and online music store. iTunes 5 includes a new Search Bar to make it easier for users to find what they’re searching for; the ability to organize playlists into folders; Smart Shuffle, which lets the user change the "randomness" of shuffled songs; and the ability for Windows users to automatically sync contacts and calendars from Outlook onto their iPods. The iTunes Music Store has also added parental controls and album reviews, and now features a catalog of over two million songs, making it the largest online music catalog in the world. “iTunes is widely regarded as the best jukebox, with the world’s most popular online music store built right in,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We are constantly improving iTunes with new features like Podcasting and better searching because we love music ourselves and want to surprise and delight music fans around the world.”
Tunes 5’s new Search Bar helps users find what they are looking for within the catalog of two million songs, 15,000 Podcasts and 10,000 audiobooks on the iTunes Music Store, plus everything in their own iTunes music library. iTunes and the iTunes Music Store have a new refined look, as well as parental controls allowing parents to determine which music and Podcasts their children can access on the iTunes Music Store. Users can now do even more with playlists, including the ability to organize them into folders and have greater control over random playback with the new Smart Shuffle feature. Windows iPod users can now use iTunes to automatically sync calendars with Outlook or contacts with Outlook or Outlook Express. The iTunes Music Store now features over 1,000 album reviews from Apple’s team of music experts. The reviews cover some of the best albums over the past 50 years, including current hits from Coldplay, Kanye West and Yo-Yo Ma, as well as classic artists such as Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash and Frank Sinatra. Pricing & Availability iTunes 5 for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Music Store and is available as a free download immediately from www.apple.com/itunes. Purchase and download of songs from the iTunes Music Store for Mac or Windows requires a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase. Posted by jlewin at 01:24 PM | Comments (0) Apple Intros iPod Nano
"iPod nano is the biggest revolution since the original iPod," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. "iPod nano is a full-featured iPod in an impossibly small size, and it’s going to change the rules for the entire portable music market." The iPod nano features an portable, lightweight design with a color screen, Apple’s Click Wheel and the ability to hold 1,000 songs or 25,000 photos. The iPod nano is available immediately in a 4GB model priced at just $249 and a 2GB model priced at just $199, with both models available in white or black designs. The iPod nano features optional accessories including lanyard headphones, which integrate the headphone cables into the lanyard, so users can wear their iPod nano around their neck without dangling headphone cables. For customers looking to personalize their iPod nano with colors, an optional set of iPod nano Tubes in pink, purple, blue, green and clear offers protection in a sheer casing while enabling full operation of all functions including the Click Wheel. Optional armbands available in gray, pink, blue, red and green allow users to wear their iPod nano as the ultimate fashion and sports accessory. iPod nano features the same 30-pin dock connector as the iPod and iPod mini, allowing it to work with a wide range of over 1,000 accessories developed for iPod, including home stereo speakers and iPod car adapters for an incredible music experience at home or in the car. iPod nano features up to 14 hours battery life* and completely skip-free playback, as well as new stopwatch, world clock and screen lock applications. Pricing & Availability The 4GB and 2GB white and black models of iPod nano for Mac or Windows are available worldwide immediately for a suggested retail price of $249 (US) and $199 (US), through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. All iPod nano models include earbud headphones, a USB 2.0 cable and a CD with iTunes for Mac and Windows computers. New optional accessories designed for iPod nano with the following suggested retail prices include: Lanyard headphones for $39 (US), armbands in five colors each for $29 (US), dock for $29 (US) and a set of iPod nano Tubes in five different colors for $29 (US) and will be available within the next 30 days. iPod nano requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port and Mac OS® X version 10.3.4 or later and iTunes 4.9 (or later); or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional (SP2) and iTunes 4.9 (or later). Source: Apple Posted by jlewin at 01:14 PM | Comments (1) PodShow Buys Out Podcast AlleySilicon Beat reports that PodShow, a podcasting network founded by Ron Bloom and Adam Curry, has bought Podcast Alley, a top podcast directory and podcaster community. PodShow recently received an infusion of venture capital. According to Silicon Beat, "this is the first acquisition for PodShow, the podcasting company started by Adam Curry and Ron Bloom to commercialize podcasting." Posted by jlewin at 01:00 PM | Comments (1) USOpen Adds "Podcasts"USOpen.org, the official site of the 2005 US Open, is using "podcasts" to bring coverage to a wider audience. The shows are available for download from the USOpen site, but no podcast newsfeed is currently available. The site is publishing three audio updates each day. The updates cover what's going on with the top stars and main courts, but also give attention to the outer courts, the players and matches listeners might not otherwise know as much about. USOpen plans to post new programs twice each day, at approximately 6 p.m. and midnight (all times Eastern). Posted by jlewin at 08:16 AM | Comments (1) GoGear Jukeboxes - Latest iPod Challengers
The HDD1630 features 6 GB of storage for up to 3,000 songs, 1,600 pictures; while the HDD6330 features a storage capacity of 30 GB to hold up to 15,000 songs or 8,400 pictures. Both players feature backlit sensory touchpads and Philips' SuperScroll system for navigation through a music collection. Listeners can tap or drag their finger along the touch-sensitive strip to maneuver through their library of music and photos. Graphic icons, as well as album art, help illustrate menus and music tracks, while music collections are arranged into categories such as Artist, Album, Genre and Playlists. The navigation system also helps the user locate and view photos stored on the GoGear jukeboxes, enabling JPEG pictures to be shown on the large, clear and colorful backlit LCD screen. Pictures can be navigated in full screen mode or as an array of thumbnails, and can be viewed one at a time, or automatically in a slideshow accompanied by music. In addition to stored music and playlists, users can listen to their favorite radio stations with the integrated FM tuner. The GoGear players also include a built-in voice recorder. Battery life on the HDD6330 is up to 15 hours of continual music playback, while the HDD1630 model will run for up to 18 hours before recharging. These latest GoGear jukeboxes also have a speed charge capability where one hour of charging delivers 70 percent capacity. Source: Philips Posted by jlewin at 08:05 AM | Comments (0) Oregon Scientific Intro Wireless Music SphereOregon Scientific has introduced the Music Sphere Wireless Speaker System. The system uses 2.4 GHz wireless digital audio technology to wirelessly play back and control up to three different audio sources, up to 100' away from the source.
Long range wireless transmission means no cables or wires are required. Connect an MP3 player, iPod, stereo system or TV's audio output to one of the three transmitter sphere's independent audio input jacks and transmit the audio digitally, wirelessly. FHSS technology eliminates interference from other wireless signals and results in uninterrupted audio. The unique "Learn-Remote" function also allows you to use your audio source's remote control directly from the Music Sphere. Source: Oregon Scientific Posted by jlewin at 07:57 AM | Comments (0) September 06, 2005New Podcast Host Seeks Beta TestersPodtopia.net, a new podcast publishing and hosting service, is seeking a limited number of beta testers for the month of September to help test functionality. In return for submitting regular feedback and actively using Podtopia.net, beta testers will receive three months free podcast hosting. Interested parties can signup at the Podtopia.net site. Posted by jlewin at 08:10 AM | Comments (0) September 05, 2005Buy an iPod; Get a Free Ant InfestationAn Auckland man got more than he bargained for when he found a colony of destructive Singapore ants had followed him home from Fiji. The man discovered the infestation in the packaging of an iPod he had bought at the airport. About 50 live Singapore ants – highly destructive ants that can eat through plastic and wiring – were crawling around the iPod. He immediately phoned the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, which advised him to put the iPod with its ants, not seen in New Zealand, into the freezer. According to authorities, the ants are aggressive pests that can build big colonies in homes and buildings. They prey on other insects and chew holes in fabric and electrical wiring. Source: Stuff.co.nz Posted by jlewin at 11:29 AM | Comments (0) Dallas Podcasters Covering Katrina Relief EffortThe Aguirre family of Dallas, Texas, are podcasting about relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina. While volunteering with the Grand Prairie, TX based People That Care International, the Aguirres are also podcasting, interviewing relief workers, city officials and evacuees from New Orleans. The Aguirres have been active with Katrina relief efforts since the first victims entered Dallas, TX on Thursday, Sept. 1. The latest episode of their podcast, The Zany Aguirres Show, includes coverage from Reunion Arena in Dallas, TX.
Posted by jlewin at 11:12 AM | Comments (0) September 04, 2005Laporte Controversy Highlights Privacy Issues
In a post to his blog, Boy Was I Dumb, Laporte expresses concerns over how Feedburner handles information about his podcast. "I'm moving all my feeds off Feedburner to a server I can trust - mine. I apologize to you for using Feedburner and for the inconvenience this may cause." "Yesterday Information Week published an article about podcasting quoting Feedburner's VP Business Development, Rick Klau. Klau quoted a figure of 41,000 for our subscribers. This is in direct violation of Feedburners stated privacy policy, and I consider it a real breach of trust," notes Laporte. "This information is proprietary and they don't have my permission to disclose it to any third party. It also damages us materially since he severely understated our subscriber base. We have 100,000 downloads per show from AOL alone." Feedburner Responds Feedburner's Rick Klau responded that "Leo didn’t realize that by turning on the feedcount chicklet (which shows people on your webpage how many subscribers you have) he was turning on the awareness API. We’ve alread updated our approach to this - see here for more details - but the bottom line is that we’ll never share information that’s private, and from now on we won’t share public info unless a publisher has asked us to do so." After corresponding with Klau, Laporte has posted an updated message that explains that he actually enabled the option that made public information about his podcast. "I've corresponded with Rick Klau at Feedburner and he's explained what happened," writes Laporte. "He merely quoted numbers that were already available publicly through the Feedburner Awareness API - something I had turned on months ago when I was playing with the feed count badges. I didn't realize having that on made the information public, even though Kevin Rose had shown me the "secret" URL that reveals the information a few weeks ago. I should have been paying more attention." The controversy raised by Laporte highlights several issues. Feedburner provides a valuable service to podcasters, one that has proven to be very popular. Podcasters that rely on services like Feedburner, though, are adding an additional step into their process. This has the potential to be an additional point of failure, outside individual podcasters' control. Feed translation services also provide a myriad of options that podcasters need to understand to avoid issues like those encountered by Laporte. Misunderstanding what an option does may mean that information about your podcast, that may or may not be meaningful to you, may be public information. Finally, current approaches to measuring subscriptions to podcasts are meaningless without understanding the assumptions and limitations of the method. Laporte notes that Feedburner measures 41,000 subscribers for his show, while he knows that he has "100,000 downloads per show from AOL alone." It's important to understand that subscriptions and downloads are not the same thing, and can't be compared apples-to-apples. Feed subscription counts can be skewed by the existance of proxies on the Internet. Proxies at large Internet providers may cache your newsfeed and deliver it to dozens or even hundreds of end-users. Similarly, download counts tell nothing about the numbers of listeners. It's common for podcast users to subscribe to and forget about podcasts, creating significant load on podcaster's servers, even though the end user may never listen to the show. Posted by jlewin at 10:33 AM | Comments (0) Popular Electronic Music Podcaster Venturing into Video-PodcastingBeatfreax, publishers of a popular Dutch electronic music podcast, Beatcast, is expanding its offerings into video-on-demand. Beatfreax has introduced a new section called Beatcast TV, that will feature video podcasts. "In the beginning we'll dive into our archive and bring you movies of the coolest parties we've been to," according to Beatfreax' announcement. "In the near future, you can expect interviews and much more being vodcasted as well. First up is a short movie of Michael Mayer at Love Family Park 2005. Coming up soon are longer movies of the SonneMondSterne Festival and 10 Days Off." Posted by jlewin at 09:53 AM | Comments (0) September 03, 2005Are iPods Killing the Scottish?Scotsman.com, a site that features "Scottish news direct from Scotland", reports that "dozens of Scots road users are being injured or killed as a result of MP3 mania." Traffic collision expert Mike Irwin said: "The potential here is for scores more accidents, particularly among cyclists and pedestrians. Drivers using their earphones will not hear vital traffic noise and warning signs, such as emergency sirens." Researchers at the United States' National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute have warned that digital distractions are becoming a menace on the roads. The researchers found that 80% of the crashes and 65% of the near crashes were a result of driver distraction. Source: Scotsman.com Posted by jlewin at 07:37 PM | Comments (1) Podcasts from Podcast ExpoPodcastPickle.com, a podcast community and directory, plans to host a "semi-live" podcast on both days of the Podcast Expo, being held in Ontario, Califonia, November 11-12. Podcasters will record 20 minute segments from 11 to 4 on both days of the event. Podcasters planning to participate include Red Bar Radio's Mike D., Eric Rice, Gabber Jaw's John & Wendy, Podcast 411's Rob Walch, Soccer Girl and many others. Source: PodcastPickle Posted by jlewin at 07:57 AM | Comments (1) Indie Podcasts Fight Back
Five of the top positions were held by indie podcasters. As recently as June, public radio podcasts and commercial podcasts dominated the list. "Early in the summer, several trends pushed public radio podcasts and commercial podcasts into the Top 10 Podcast list," notes Podcasting News' Elle Webb. "Indie podcasters, though, are proving to be contenders and are fighting their way back to the top." The arrival of mainstream media in the podcasting world led to a surge of interest in commercial and public radio podcasts. "There was a lot of pent-up demand for public radio podcasts. This unmet demand generated interest and activity for public radio shows when they finally appeared," said Webb. "The release of iTunes, along with media coverage of commercial podcasters, also generated a lot of interest for commercial podcasts." "Interest in indie podcasts, though, looks like it's as strong as ever," adds Webb. Top 10 Podcasts for August 1. Tiki Bar TV
"The Podcasting News Top 10 ranking is based on the number of requests each podcast in our directory receives," said Podcasting News' Elle Webb. "To the extent that Podcasting News visitors reflect podcast listeners as a whole, the Top 10 list should be a reflection of what podcasts people are interested in." Posted by jlewin at 07:15 AM | Comments (0) Anapod Explorer Lets Windows Users Browse iPodsRed Chair Software has released an updated version of Anapod Explorer, a Windows application that offers full iPod management through Windows Explorer, drag and drop iPod transfer and iPod backup, PDA function support, web page interface access to your iPod through a built-in web server and powerful search and reporting capabilities using a built-in SQL database. After opening Anapod Explorer, you can browse it using the familiar Explorer folder structure and get an overview of your iPod player.
New Features:
Requirements:
Posted by jlewin at 05:38 AM | Comments (0) Free Noise Control Booklet
The author, Bruce Black, is a twenty-year veteran of post production sound engineering and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The booklet outlining methods used by major studios that he has adapted for use in the home. Tips include:
The booklet also includes an explanation of why you should be concerned about noise intrusion, sources for soundproofing materials, and a description of how sound penetrates into unwanted areas to help readers understand how sound works. The booklet is free (registration required) as a public service. This booklet is available by visiting the 1st Sound Outfitters site and scrolling down to the Noise Control Tricks link. Posted by jlewin at 05:17 AM | Comments (0) Deutsche Welle Podcasting German Election Coverage
"Internet users and radio listeners can now put together a personal program and listen to selected DW-RADIO reports whenever and wherever they want to," says Guido Baumhauer, Editor-in-Chief of DW's online editorial department. DW is planning to expand podcasting services in the weeks to come. Uta Thofern, Editor-in-Chief of DW-RADIO, states, "The new podcasting service is the result of collaboration between DW-WORLD.DE and DW-RADIO. We are certain that new listener groups will become interested in our radio programming." Podcasting has been integrated into the international broadcaster's coverage of the German elections. This includes DW-TV and DW-RADIO reports. DW-WORLD.DE has been providing Internet users and radio listeners downloadable MP3 files for a long time. One of the most popular services has always been "Slowly spoken news reports," a program specifically tailored for the German language course offering. Election 2005 | Deutsche Welle Podcast Details Posted by jlewin at 04:32 AM | Comments (0) September 02, 2005Nintendo Tests Podcasting Waters
"I can't guarantee anything," notes Franklin, "but it looks like this is the first of a whole series of podcasts that Pwop is going to do for Nintendo." Nintendo doesn'have a podcast page or news feed yet, but the show is available as an MP3 download. The Girls' Gaming Event was held Aug. 28 at the Nintendo World Store in New York. It helped launch Nintendogs, with community gaming in “Barka Lounges,” frenetic “bark mode” play dates in the virtual dog park, giveaways and other activities. Posted by jlewin at 08:12 AM | Comments (1) Griffin Announces New iTrip for iPod
The new iTrip retains the same industrial design as its predecessor, visually and functionally complementing the iPod. The iTrip sports a large, easy to read backlit LCD screen to make setting its digital tuner easy. A knob on the side of the iTrip makes it easy to select broadcast frequency: turn to the frequency and click the knob to set it. The iTrip remembers its settings for convenience. One of iTrip's innovative new features is selectable LX or DX modes of broadcasting (an FM transmitter first). This allows the user to adjust for the absolute best possible audio under real-world conditions. Even in the toughest situations, such as large cities with lots of radio stations crowding the dial, iTrip's DX Mode delivers a noise level that's below that of a cassette tape adapter. Another new feature (and another FM transmitter first) is the ability to set the iTrip to either US or International tuning modes. International mode allows access to all available frequencies throughout the world. US mode limits tuning to those frequencies relevant to US stations. The result: no unnecessary scrolling through channels. The new iTrip features volume enhancements as well, with an auto volume control that works with the iPod's volume level to automatically avoid distortion. If the iPod volume is set too high, iTrip recognizes and corrects it by lowering the volume to its optimum level, assuring clean, clear, dynamic sound. The iTrip requires no batteries to operate, it draws its power directly from the iPod. Technical Specifications • Dimensions: 2.45" x 1.43" x 0.9" (62.5mm x 36.5mm x 22mm) Made For • iPod Photo Pricing & Availability The Griffin iTrip MSRP is $49.99 USD, and is now available. Posted by jlewin at 08:06 AM | Comments (0) September 01, 2005NPR Makes Podcasting Splash
Featured podcasts include Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?, NPR's daily news summaries, and topical podcasts on books, health and science and music. NPR Notes: This service is our first step in podcasting and we are experimenting with a number of program formats. Among other considerations, many NPR member stations incorporate local stories as they air national programs; we are currently unable to integrate local and national content into a combined podcast, and thus cannot reflect the radio experience listeners enjoy — and expect — in their individual markets. Additionally, podcasting full-length programs such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered could be extremely expensive. Over the next several months, NPR and its public radio partners will be experimenting with a number of formats and offerings, and we invite your feedback. Source: NPR Posted by jlewin at 04:32 PM | Comments (0) Creative MP3 Players Loaded with Viruses
Creative reports that the virus affects players with serial numbers between 1230528000001 and 1230533001680. According to a report at F-Secure.com, the filesystem on the players contains a file that is infected with the Wullik.B aka Rays email worm. The worm won't infect PCs unless user browses the player files and clicks on the infected file. The worm in case is over two years old and spreads by emailing copies of itself and dropping itself to shared folders. Posted by jlewin at 04:19 PM | Comments (0) RapidSolution Intros New Windows Podcast ClientRapidSolution Software has introduced PodSpider, a new Windows app that lets users access what the company calls "the world's largest directory of US and international podcasts". PodSpider provides access to over 13,000 podcasts in various languages, organized into 25 subjects and more than 300 categories. System Requirements Windows XP, a DSL or broadband internet connection and 250 MB of available hard drive storage. The software is available via free download via PodSpider.com. Posted by jlewin at 04:10 PM | Comments (0) Tagosaurus Recommends Music Based On Your MP3 CollectionTagomatic has introduced a new software tool, Tagosaurus, which lets users automatically search their MP3 collections and find similar, recommended, bands stored in the Tagomatic recommendations database. Tagomatic calls itself a Community-Built Recommendation System and hopes to create an open community-developed information site for entertainment recommendations. Tagosaurus is an application that runs in the browser and has two major features for MP3 music file users. The main purpose of Tagosaurus is to search a user's MP3 collection, gathering band names, and return an interactive list of similar bands that the user might also like. This feature automates the usage of the Tagomatic search engine, which is also searchable on the Tagomatic web site, allowing a user to find music recommendations in bulk. The second feature in Tagosaurus acts as an automatic genre playlist creator. This feature can create playlists from the user's MP3 collection, consisting of groupings of all similar bands. The playlist feature will make a playlist of the "web" of bands that are related to one another through the "tagged" relationships of similar bands. Tagosaurus can be found on the Tagomatic web site in the Music section. Posted by jlewin at 04:02 PM | Comments (0) Creative Awarded Patent on Zen
“The first portable media player based upon the user interface covered in our Zen Patent was our NOMAD Jukebox MP3 player," notes Creative CEO Sim Wong Hoo. "The Apple iPod was only announced in October 2001, 13 months after we had been shipping the NOMAD Jukebox based upon the user interface covered by our Zen Patent.” The patent covers the user interface that enables users of portable media players to efficiently and intuitively navigate among and select tracks on the players. Creative applied for the "Zen Patent" on January 5, 2001 and it was awarded on August 9, 2005. Creative's interface enables selection of at least one track in a portable media player as a user sequentially navigates through a hierarchy using three or more successive screens on the display of the player. One example would be the sequence of screens that could display artists, then albums, and then tracks. When the user selects an artist, the player displays a list of albums for that artist. Selection of one of the listed albums then displays a list of tracks on the album. The full text and images of the patent are available at www.uspto.gov. Source: Creative Posted by jlewin at 03:38 PM | Comments (0) Duke Podcasting Symposium to Feature Wizards of TechnologyMarc Asturias and Bill Douthett, also known as The Wizards of Technology, will be featured speakers at Duke's academic podcasting symposium, taking place September 27th and 28th. "I'm glad that Duke sees value in bringing in real-world podcasters, and not just high-profile favorites, but the guys like us that are in it for the fun and enjoyment of our audience, " commented Douthett, aka DigitalBill. "As a former educator, podcasting has its place in the digital classroom," adds Asturias, aka MisterMarc. "After all, they are digital students, what better way to reach them?" The Wizards of Technology podcast has been featured on NPR. Guests on the show have included Wil Wheaton, Amanda Congdon, Leo LaPorte, David Pogue, Andy Ihnatko, and Steve Wozniak. Posted by jlewin at 08:31 AM | Comments (0) |
|
Copyright 2004-5 Podcasting News
Disney has launched a new digital audio MP3/WMA player designed for kids and teens. Disney Mix Sticks allow for standard digital downloading or copying from a CD to its built-in digital memory. 
Tatuz International offers a design service to companies and organizations interested in having iTatus, custom "tatoos" for iPod shuffles, made with logos or specialized designs.
Simon & Schuster has introduced a new podcast, 
Apple has announced that it will replace iPod nanos with defective screens, but does not plan to do anything about reports that 
SupportPlus has introduced what they are calling the world's smallest MP3 player. The Q-Be measures just 2.4 cubic centimetres square, and weighs 18 grams.
NOVA's E = mc2 podcast celebrates the one-hundredth anniversary of Einstein's famous equation. 
iPod nano owners are filling Apple's discussion board with complaints about scratches appearing on the portable music players' screens.
Reporters Without Borders has published a handbook to help blogging and podcasting journalists work without fear of censorship or government pressure. 
Tekkeon has introduced myTune FM, an FM transmitter and car charger for iPod built into a cradle that holds an iPod at eye level for access. 
Griffin Technology is shipping the iFM, an iPod add-on that integrates FM radio tuning, recording and remote control functionality to the iPod.
OnePlace.com, part of the Christian and family-themed Salem Web Network, has announced the addition of podcasting services to its content distribution platform.
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs suggested that record companies are getting greedy, and vowed to resist pressure from them to raise prices though iTunes. 
Oreilly's Derrick Story has posted a review of the Samson CO1U, a USB-powered studio condenser microphone. 
iPort has introduced five new free standing iPort music systems that let iPod owners stream audio and photos to their home entertainment system and sync with iTunes, switching between the functions at the touch of a button. 
Belkin has introduce TuneBase, a device that lets you mount, power and charge an iPod shuffle in your car. The TuneBase features an flexible neck that positions an iPod shuffle for convenient use.
Apple has updated .Mac, its online service for Mac users. New features include: .Mac Groups, a service that helps members communicate, coordinate schedules and stay in sync with private groups of friends or colleagues; an updated version of .Mac Backup software that makes it easy for members to archive their iLife and other important files; a four-fold increase in combined iDisk and email storage to 1GB for individuals and 2GB for families; and full French and German localization.
The Motorola Rokr, the first phone with iTunes support, appears to be falling short of some buyer's expectations. 
Erikson has announced four new Harman Kardon A/V receiver models, all of which incorporate an iPod interface. When a compatible iPod is connected via The Bridge (HK’s iPod docking station), menus are displayed on a connected TV or video display and the receiver’s front-panel display, and the iPod can be operated via the receiver’s remote control.
The Bridge, available for an SRP of $99, provides a direct audio and control link between the iPod and the receiver via a single, proprietary cable; and also functions as a charging station. The Bridge, docked iPod, and remote control operate in conjunction with exclusive HK-developed software built into the receivers, which interprets the data from the iPod and formats it so that the multi-line messages on the iPod screen are converted for viewing as two-line text displays on the receiver’s front panel, and as a two-line on-screen message shown on the connected TV or video display. The remote controls can operate all iPod music playback functions. 
Also featuring EzSet+ functionality is the AVR 240 (October; SRP $899), delivering 7 x 50 Watts power output (into 8 ohms, 20Hz – 20kHz, <0.07% THD, all channels driven; 2 x 65 in stereo; and ±35 amps of high-current capability). It’s compatible with all popular 7.1-, 6.1- and 5.1- channel surround sound formats including Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Virtual Speaker, Dolby Headphone and DTS formats, and includes exclusive Logic 7 processing. Additional features include Quadruple-Crossover Bass Manager, A/V Sync Delay, an input titling function, and a Listener Preference System that allows users to set the surround mode and speaker-channel levels according to the program source selected. It provides a complete selection of audio and video connections, including multiple wide-bandwidth, HDTV-compatible component video inputs and digital and analog audio inputs. 
Sprint and RealNetworks have announced the launch of Rhapsody Radio on the Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Service. Available nationwide, Rhapsody Radio provides Sprint customers high-quality streaming radio stations from Real's online music service, streaming podcasts, "Beats N Breaks" (a new freestyle rap service), and music news and videos.
The Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) has unveiled Promonet, a promotional distribution network which will provide podcasters, bloggers, Internet radio stations, e-zines and other promotional music sites with thousands of pre-cleared, legal music tracks, videos, artwork, and other promotional assets from IODA’s roster of over 750 leading independent labels.
SendStation Systems has introduced the earBuddy carrying case for iPod earbuds.
Some Windows iTunes 5 users are experiencing problems with the update. Reported problems include:
Apple recently made two filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the trademark iPodcast.
Garmin International has announced the nüvi – a Personal Travel Assistant that combines a GPS navigator, language translator and travel guide capability, an MP3 player, an audio book player, a currency and measurement converter, a world clock, and a digital photo organizer, all in one device.
Encounter Technologies has introduced 
Potion Factory has introduced Podcast Maker v1.0, a podcast publishing application for Mac OS X. 
Podcaster Dana Greenlee reports that she has won the CBS Podcaster competition. CBS recently put out a 
Kiwali has introduced a new line of iPod cases in corduroy.
Author Stephanie Ciccarelli has published a book on podcasting, The Podcasting Ebook,available as a PDF download. The Podcasting Ebook is targeted to businesses wanting to produce their own podcasts. 
Alienware has announced a new line of Alienware CE-IV (Close Encounters-Fourth Kind) digital audio players that feature SRS WOW technology and provide up to 1GB of built-in memory. 
CBS has introduced a podcast for the long running television soap opera Guiding Light.
By selecting 'My Favorite Shuffle', the device automatically selects the most listened to 100 songs and plays them at random. The 'Time Machine Shuffle' function randomly selects a year and plays all of the songs from that particular year that are currently held on the device.
Apple has posted a 
WhiteRoofRadio is a podcast for owners, wannabe owners and fans of the MINI Cooper. Check your lug nuts, because it's time to Get Motoring....
PodShow, a leading podcasting network, has announced that it has acquired 
Apple has announced that the entire Harry Potter audiobook series is now available exclusively on the iTunes Music Store, the world’s number one online music service. Every audiobook in the series, including the latest release, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," is available as a digital download from iTunes. 
Philips Electronics has debuted a new range of GoGear hard disk drive jukeboxes, the HDD1630 and HDD6330.
Tech podcaster and author Leo Laporte has raised concerns over Feedburner's handling of information on his podcasts and their subscribers. Feedburner provides a free newsfeed enhancement service that is popular among podcasters. 
Indie podcasts made a comeback on the Podcasting News 
1st Sound Outfitters, a company specializing in sound isolation products, has released a free booklet on noise control, Noise Control Tricks Used By The Big Studio. The booklet offers tips that may be helpful to podcasters dealing with noise leakage problems. 
Deutsche Welle is podcasting coverage of the 
Nintendo appears to be testing the podcasting waters. Podcaster Carl Franklin reports that he's recorded a podcast on Nintendo's Dog Days of Summer: Girls' Gaming Event
Griffin has introduced a new version of the iTrip transmitter for the Apple iPod.
National Public Radio has jumped into podcasting in a big way, introducing a 
