The New York Times has a great look at the state of the Zune today, that suggests that the Microsoft’s portable media player has found a niche:
Microsoft hasn’t made much effort to match the iPod’s universe of functions. The Zune store still lacks movies, downloadable programs, gift certificates, monthly allowances or any way to rate podcasts [...]
Microsoft today released a free software update that will bring new features to all Zune portable media players.
The new software will allow Zune users to:
wirelessly stream and download music from the Zune Marketplace store on the go;
tag and purchase songs directly from the built-in FM radio; and
tap into new, personalized music recommendations and programming.
Microsoft also announced [...]
MTR Podcast Recorder is a free WordPress plugin that lets you record real-time podcasts and save them on the server where your WordPress blog is installed.
Recordings are saved into the MP3 format. The plugin also lets you manage your playlists and recordings from the WordPress administration, and it lets you add a Podcast Player widget to [...]
Almerica reports that Apple has rejected the hotly anticipated Podcaster iPhone application from the App Store:
Today I finally got a reply from Apple about the status of Podcaster.
Apple Rep says: Since Podcaster assists in the distribution of podcasts, it duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes.
That’s right folks, it duplicates the functionality of [...]
The new features in iTunes 8 haven’t impressed me. Genius is mainly a way for Apple to sell you more music, and the new views in iTunes are very slow, compared to the older list views.
Something that is very useful in iTunes 8, though, is its support for individual podcast settings:
This is a great feature, [...]
Take Control Books has published a new ebook, Take Control of Podcasting on the Mac, 2nd Edition.
The ebook, by Andy J. Williams Affleck, covers what you need to begin your first podcast, without spending much (if any) money.
Changes in the book include coverage of WireTap Studio and Übercaster; updated Garageband coverage and tips on getting great interviews.
Take Control of [...]
The University of Utah’s Classical Guitar Podcast (iTunes link) features classical guitar audio and video podcasts.
The podcasts feature performances of works by Tárrega, Torroba, Berkeley and others, as well as original compositions by Tully Cathey, a classical and jazz guitarist who teaches at the College of Fine Arts.
Image: ycguitar814
MTV jumped the shark, at least when it comes to music video, years ago.
But a video podcast - Blogotheque’s The Take Away Shows - is making music videos relevant again.
“Every week, we invite an artist or a band to play in the streets, in a bar, a park, or even in a flat or in [...]
Celtx is a free multi-platform media pre-production program, designed to help you not just do scriptwriting, but to pre-produce all types of media - film, video, documentary, theater, machinima, comics, advertising, gaming, music video, radio, podcasts and videocasts.
It’s a very deep application, with support for creating scripts, storyboard scenes and sequences, develop characters, breakdown & [...]
The US National Parks Service is getting into podcasting in a big way, and now offers 18 park service podcasts and virtual tours, offering hundreds of audio and video programs that you can get from park websites or iTunes.
The podcasts include:
Acadia NP
Antietam National Battlefield
Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP
Canyonlands NP
Clara Barton National Historic Site
Curecanti National [...]