Kim Jong-il is reported to have his access to iPods and other desirable gadgets cut off as part of US efforts to target sanctions directly at the North Korean leader and his power base.

Even more interesting, though, is Al Jazeera’s take on the news:

H2O Audio announced today that it has begun shipping the H2O Audio for iPod nano Gen 2, a case designed to let users combine their passion for music with water sport activities, regardless of outdoor conditions or recreational environments.

“H2O Audio is the first company to come forward with a truly waterproof solution for the Gen 2 nanos,” according to said Kristian Rauhala, CEO of H2O Audio. “We are delighted to offer it along side our popular waterproof Gen 1 housing to keep nanos dry and in the thick of the action this winter.”

The Gen 2 housing ships with a ready to wear armband and H2O Audio offers accessories including its patented (and industry standard) waterproof headphones as well as a swim belt for off the arm extended water wear. Both the headphones and housing are compatible with all major brand gear.

Yale University has introduced an official podcast, the Yale Podcast, that features lectures and speeches given at the University by professors, alumni and other notable guest speakers.

According to Yale spokeswoman Helaine Klasky, the podcast has received over 50,000 hits in its first week and has been met with much excitement throughout the Yale community.

“We have been thinking about launching this type of feature for some time,” Klasky said. “Once we started approaching faculty about participating, they were very excited ‚Ķ and alumni have long expressed an interest in this type of program as a way to stay connected with the University.”

A recent podcast featured Madeline Albright discussing public service in the age of globalization (MP3).

Universal Music wants you to pay an iPod tax – a royalty fee that would be levied on every iPod sold.

Universal recently cut a deal with Microsoft to get a cut of the sales of the Zune portable music player in exchange for closer ties with the label. The move raised concerns that it could lead to higher prices for portable media players, as manufacturers are forced to share profits with the major record labels in order to get access to content.

The company now wants to get a similar deal signed with Apple Computer.

‚ÄúIt would be a nice idea,” Universal Music Group Chief Executive Doug Morris said. “We have a negotiation coming up not too far. I don‚Äôt see why we wouldn‚Äôt do that.‚Äù

Four major studios, Universal, 20th Century Fox, Paramount and Warner Bros, are reported to be pressuring Apple Computer are pressing Apple to make changes to iTunes before they will agree to make their films available via the iTunes Store.Currently, content on iTunes can be synced to an unlimited number of iPods. The studios want Apple to limit the number of iPods that can be used by iTunes on a particular computer. Limiting the number of video iPods used by any one computer to four or five will, they believe, will limit illegal copying.

“The question is whether Apple is willing to be a little compliant in order to move the movie business more rapidly into digital distribution,” said one executive involved in the talks.

Goombah is a free desktop application, launched today, for Mac or Windows that provides music recommendations based on your tastes and the interests of other Goombah users.

Goombah analyzes each user’s iTunes collection and listening behavior and connects them to people and music that match their taste. Users can sample recommendations and purchase them from various online sources, download free, legal MP3s, and browse entire music libraries of matching members and friends.

Goombah offers a wide variety of free, legal MP3s from established and emerging artists that are targeted to users based on their taste. Users can download these tracks to play on their iPod or other music player and keep them forever. This promotional music is sourced from record labels and third-party distributors, vetted for quality, and updated weekly on “Free Music Fridays.”

Users can control the range of Goombah’s recommendations with an “Adventurous” slider, changing from popular recommendations to fringe artists with a click. Personalized recommendations, matching members and free music can be easily generated by iTunes playlist, genre, artist or any combination of tracks.

Unconfirmedsources.com reports that Mythbusters co-hosts Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage have found a use for Microsoft’s much-ridiculed Zune portable media player.

They’ve assembled a Zune firing air cannon with a muzzle velocity of over 800 MPH.

According to Hyneman “We selected the Mircrsoft Zune as a projectile because it’s what our viewers really wanted to see.”

BitTorrent has announced a slate of partnerships with a wide variety of leading film and television companies. Fox, G4, Kadokawa Pictures USA, Lionsgate, MTV Networks (including COMEDY CENTRAL, Logo, MTV: Music Television, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Nicktoons Network, SpikeTV, The N, TV Land and VH1), Palm Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Starz Media will publish movies and TV shows on BitTorrent.com.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with world-renowned entertainment companies and TV networks,” said Ashwin Navin, President and Co-founder of BitTorrent. “Our audience has a voracious appetite for digital content and by offering the titles they want with a solid user experience; it’s a win-win situation for both content providers as well as our users.”

Microsoft’s highly anticipated Zune introduction has turned into a debacle.

• The Chicago Sun-Times says Avoid the loony Zune. “Microsoft’s new Zune digital music player is just plain dreadful. I’ve spent a week setting this thing up and using it, and the overall experience is about as pleasant as having an airbag deploy in your face.”
• Microsoft hasn’t built any brand recognition for the Zune. According Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, only 8% of retailers recommended Microsoft’s Zune, while 75% recommended Apple’s iPod. More alarming are some of the responses when Munster’s team asked salespeople about the Zune. “I’ve never heard of the Zune,” one clerk said.
• The Inquirer notes that the Zune is getting laughed out of the US.
• The Christian Science Monitor says Microsoft’s muscle hasn’t helped Zune.
• Reviews of the Zune have largely been negative, with some going so far as saying the Zune zucks.
• The Zune’s wireless features violate the spirit of Creative Commons licenses.
• Windows IT Pro says that consumers are uninterested in the Zune. “To hear Microsoft tell the story, youd think its recently released Zune MP3 was doing just fine. Reality, however, is a bit more cruel: After appearing in the top 10 on Amazon.coms list of best-selling electronics devices for about a week after its debut, the highest-charting Zune model today can only be found if you scroll quite a ways down the list: The black Zune is currently nestled at number 95.”
• The Zune has been savaged in two popular videos uploaded to YouTube. In one of them, late night talk-show host Craig Ferguson wisecracks, “It has all the features of the iPod, only it’s not as good, and it’s five years too late.”

What went wrong with Microsoft’s Zune introduction?

The recent news that YouTube is working with Verizon to bring a selection of YouTube content to cell phones is striking some as more evidence that YouTube as you know it is dead.

YouTube’s phone-based version will require a $15-a-month subscription to a Verizon Wireless service called VCast. VCast users will be able to view a selected number of videos approved by the companies.

To many, the idea of paying for a censored version of YouTube is unappealing.

“The thought that Verizon would decide what YouTube video gets shown on the mobile makes me shudder,” said Om Malik.