iPods improve doctor's skills...

Doctors can improve their skills using an iPod, according a new report. The time-tested stethoscope is being replaced more and more by high-tech (and high-cost) diagnostic scans to learn more about their patients' internal condition. The iPod or other listening device can help train doctors to use their stethoscope more and be more efficient, according to TIME. Dr. Michael Barrett of Temple University in Philadelphia, in a study published today in the American Journal of Medicine, concluded that medical students improved their stethoscope skills dramatically if they listened to certain digitally recorded soundtracks that mimic the distinctive vibrations produced by various valve problems and other cardiac conditions.

PumpPod fitness regimes for iPod video...

PumpPod, a personal training program, is now available for the iPod. Also compatible with the Treo, Tungston, Zire, iPAQ and other image-ready handheld devices, PumpPod provides consumers of varying fitness levels and needs with step-by-step workout instructions and color images to ensure proper form and execution. PumpPod is a collection of over 40 workouts (i.e. total body, abs and core, yoga, Pilates, etc.) in JPEG- formatted images that can be downloaded to a photo-ready handheld device and played while you listen to music. The PumpPod Individual Trainers come in four categories-- TotallyPumped, Pumped2Go, PumpedforLife, and PumpedMama- ranging in price from $20-30 each, with packages available.

Fox cautious about iTunes, digital media...

Fox television is being cautious with its move to the digital distribution age. The company told Reuters that it is taking a more cautious approach than rival networks in making its most popular TV shows available for new distribution outlets, such as iTunes: "It's been our strategy not to try to go out first with announcements but to go out with our best strategy. We're taking a more measured approach to what works and would not work," Fox Entertainment President Peter Liguori said during a presentation to TV critics in Pasadena. Earlier this week, both NBC and ABC agreed that making digital episodes available via iTunes had helped boost TV ratings, despite caution offered by some analysts.

KeynotePro debuts EP Edition Themes...

KeynotePro has launched its all-new EP Edition Themes for Keynote. EP Edition Themes enables users of Keynote, Apple's presentation software included in the iWork application suite, to create presentations optimized for video or slideshow use on the fifth-generation iPod video. The EP Edition Themes, short for Elevator Pitch, updates three of its most popular Keynote Themes for enhanced readability on the iPod's screen-- with each slide also Title-Safe optimized to ensure that presenters using the iPod AV Cable to connect their iPod to a television do not lose important details. The EP Edition Themes are available for immediate download for $10 or in a "Launch Event Bundle" that offers three EP Edition Themes for $25.

Free video content channels for iPod

FUSA today announced the availability of video iPod channels at its searchforvideo.com service. With the recent surge in iPod video sales, many users search for free video content and find the search challenging, as the popular iTunes service requires payment for most of its content. Searchforvideo.com video iPod channels offer various videos for download specifically onto an iPod for free. All videos downloaded from searchforvideo.com iPod channels are compatible with the video iPod and are updated frequently.

Cover art, skins for iTunes

Two new applications were released today that help users work with iTunes. WuffWuffWare released the CoverScout for Mac OS X ($8), designed to help the iTunes user incorporate missing artwork into their library. CoverScout searches various websites to find missing album artwork, allowing the user to pick the correct version. Menuet 1.0 is a skinnable iTunes controller, adding support for iTunes users to control the application in a variety of ways. The application includes hot keys, click controls, a full browse menu, smart browse options, and a skinnable remote. Menuet 1.0, available for $13, requires Mac OS 10.4.

Arabic version of Apple's iPod due soon

An Arabic version of Apple's iPod will soon be available, according to a new report. GulfNews.com reports that the localized version of the iPod could be launched in the Middle East within the coming months. "Apple is working on this. A prototype has already been made available to us," said Elias Abou-Rustom, general manager of Arab Business Machine, Apple's independent marketing company for the Middle East. According to the report, Rustom's company is working closely with Apple to launch the Arabic version of the iPod, as well as a localized version of the Mac OS X Tiger operating system. "Apple's growing product line has also seen significant success in the Middle East through 2005. While the iMacs continue their traditional popularity in the region and worldwide, the iPods have become an iconic product for people of all ages across the Middle East."