SoundTech Professional Audio has announced the SoundTech Podcasting Kit, an easy-to-use podcasting solution. The SoundTech Podcasting Kit includes the LightSnake XLR Intelligent Microphone Cable, Sony Acid XMC software with 1-year Acidplanet Prozone membership, tripod microphone desk stand and a high-quality microphone.

The included LightSnake Intelligent XLR Microphone Cable plugs directly into the PC USB port, reducing the complexity of digital recording. The LightSnake features SoundTech’s patented “Live when Lit” technology cable ends that glow and flash indicating when sound is being transmitted.

The included 1-year subscription to Sony Acidplanet Prozone provides podcast hosting so anyone can subscribe and listen to the Podcast.

“We developed the SoundTech Podcasting Kit to provide an easy-to-use, high-quality solution to allow customers to record, edit and broadcast their Podcasts,” said Larry English, senior vice president of business development at US Music Corp. “This is a great addition to SoundTech’s line of products that allow more people to experience and enjoy digital recording and music creation with standard PCs.”

There’s an interesting article in the NYT today about people wanting more from their TVs.

Padmasree Warrior, the chief technology officer of Motorola, said consumers now demand more from their televisions, largely thanks to TiVo, which has forced the cable companies to ask suppliers for more innovative set-top boxes. “Enough people are experienced with time-shifting that there’s a demand that the industry dynamics change,” Ms. Warrior said.

People want more than TiVo. The success the TiVi has had is a result of the fact that it has gotten closer to delivering media on people’s own terms than other solutions.

People want to enjoy media when and where they want to, without arbitrary technological barriers. Podcasting is another major step towards this, and podcasting, combined with the emergence of devices that merge television with the Internet, like Apple TV, will get us closer to what people want than ever before.

via O’Reilly¬†

Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2007 first quarter, ended December 30, 2006. The Company posted record revenue of $7.1 billion and record net quarterly profit of $1.0 billion, nearly double last year’s profit. These results compare to revenue of $5.7 billion and net quarterly profit of $565 million, or $.65 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

Apple shipped 1,606,000 Macintosh computers and 21,066,000 iPods during the quarter, representing 28 percent growth in Macs and 50 percent growth in iPods over the year-ago quarter.

“We are incredibly pleased to report record quarterly revenue of over $7 billion and record earnings of $1 billion,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve just kicked off what is going to be a very strong new product year for Apple by launching Apple TV and the revolutionary iPhone.”

According to reports, Apple plans to open up the Fairplay digital rights management software that is used to control the use of music and movies content bought from the iTunes Store.

The iPod maker is expected to make two announcements, possibly as early as this week – the first will be to allow streaming of protected AAC content via USB; the second will be to license its Fairplay DRM to the company’s Made For iPod licencees.

The result of this change would be to let you play songs and videos purchased through iTunes on third party devices using digital connections. It may also mean that devices like iPod docks will be able to display more information – artwork and other track info, for example – which is stored alongside the protected audio.

There has been no official announcement from Apple, but it could be a move to limit the backlash over Apple’s dominance in DRM’d media.

Guys – if your partner seems a little less exciting since the recent iPod Phone announcement, there may be a reason why. Men are twice as likely to swap partner for the latest “must-have” gadget, according to a new survey.

According to the survey, one in eight men would consider swapping their partner for the latest “must-have” gadget. Of the 1000 UK adults surveyed, twice as many men as women (13% v 6%) said they would swap their relationship for cool gadgets like the latest iPod or a HDTV.

The survey’s findings found that young people were much more willing to swap their partner for the latest gadget. 17% of 16-24-year-olds would swap their partners, compared to only 2% of 55-64-year-olds and 3% of the over 65s.

via engadget

U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D) has announced the formation of an exploratory committee for a run for the White House with a three-minute Internet video clip.

“I’ll be filing papers today to create a presidential exploratory committee,” said Obama.”For the next several weeks, I am going to talk with people from around the country, listening and learning more about the challenges we face as a nation, the opportunities that lie before us, and the role that a presidential campaign might play in bringing our country together. And on February 10th, at the end of these decisions and in my home state of Illinois, I’ll share my plans with my friends, neighbors and fellow Americans.”

In December 2006, podcaster and former Senator John Edwards kicked off his presidential campaign with an Internet video.

The moves highlight the growing importance of Internet media to the US political process.

via Beet.tv

Sales of TV shows and movies via Xbox Live could reach $92.25 million in 2007, growing each year through 2011, when the aggregate revenue from the sale of both types of content could top $726 million, according to reports. This is expected to grow each year through 2011, when the aggregate revenue from the sale of both types of content could top $726 million.

The total revenue generated from the sale of video via XBox Live would still still be a small portion of Microsoft’s overall revenues. If video revenue reaches $726.50 million in 2007, that would represent only 1.6% of the total $44.2 billion that Microsoft generated in Fiscal Year 2006.

via HardwareGeeks

User-generated online video exploded in 2006. By the end of the year, user-generated videos made up 47% of the total online video market in the US. By 2010 more than half (55%) of all the video content consumed online in the US will be user generated, representing 44 billion video streams.

Although accounting for more than half of all online video content consumed – user generated videos will make up just 15% of total revenues, according to a new report from Screen Digest. These are the latest findings from Screen Digest, a media analyst firm.

According to Screen Digest, advertising will be the principal source of revenue for user-generated video sites. In the US, ad revenues will grow from $200m in 2006 to almost $900m by 2010. This represents only 15% of all online video revenues.

Added to podcast software list: Podpuppy is a free Podcast reciever for Windows.

You can use it to subscribe to podcasts and automatically receive sound and video files as they are released by the author. PodPuppy is easy to use, supports the major podcast formats and provides the basic functions of a podcast receiver.

The app requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, which is a free download from Microsoft.

Deutsche Welle, an English-language news site from Germany, has introduced a podcast, Beethoven Festival Bonn, that features Beethoven’s most famous symphonies performed by young orchestras.

A recent episode features a live recording of Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, performed by Istanbul’s National Conservatory orchestra at the 2002 Beethoven Festival in Bonn

Opus 68, dubbed the “Pastoral,” is a celebration of nature.