QuickTime 2 RSS to aid professors

Apple's education department is developing the QuickTime 2 RSS technology, which will allow university professors to record their slides, notes, and details to student assignments while they are delivered to the students in the lecture hall, according to a new report. The technology in QuickTime 2 RSS can turn the "performance" into files suitable for podcast and automatically upload them, according to the Guardian Limited. The technology is similar to the system currently used at Stanford University, which provides "downloads of faculty lectures, campus events, performances, book readings, music recorded by Stanford students and podcasts of Stanford football games" via Stanford on iTunes. Despite the advancing technology, many fear the lack of student lecture attendance, as more and more content is posted online.

This week: iTunes, podcasting, iPods...

This week heralded the broken $1 billion barrier for digital music sales, and Apple's iTunes Music Store is still leading the way. With 83 percent of the industry, iTunes currently reaches 90 percent of the global music market. To aid the many consumers who use iTunes with iPod, several companies have released utility programs for iPod and iTunes. Podworks ($8), CopyPod ($20), PodUtil ($18), and Libra (free, $10 registration fee) all offer utilites to make iTunes/iPod use easier. Expanding the massive iPod user base, an Arabic version of the iPod will soon be available. Another increase in iPod use could be expected if analyst Charles Wolf is right, and the "real" video iPod is released this year.

Hand-crafted iPod cases from Orbino

Orbino has released new iPod cases for iPod video, nano, and shuffle. The cases are hand-made in Italy of various leathers and precious metals. iPod Cambio for iPod video is available in five leather colors for $65. The iPod nano Roadster case comes in nine leather colors for $40; iPod nano Sportivo case is also available in its own nine colors for $40. The Orbino Precious Metal and Leather case for iPod shuffle comes in 19 colors and costs $40-60. All Orbino iPod cases come with its patented spring loaded belt clip.

BassBuds earbuds for iPod deliver bass

Chwang Yi today announced its new BassBuds bass enhanced in-ear buds. Designed for use with the iPod, BassBuds are intended to address the issue of low bass quality, of which many users complain, according to the company. Frequency response is between 12Hz and 22KHz, with an input sensitivity of 40mW for 114dB SPL. BassBuds are available in white or black and and can be returned for any reason within a year of purchase. The price of BassBuds is $30.