FeedCycle has introduced a new web service that manages cyclic web feeds – feeds that let subscribers receive, on a scheduled basis, sequential episodes from within a series of episodes.

For example, if you have a 10 part training course in a cyclid web feed, on day 1 you would receive the first topic, on day 2 you would receive the second topic, and on day 10 the cycle would be complete.

The site suggests a variety of uses for cyclic web feeds:

• Podcasts – deliver series of podcasts to “replay” in a specific order
• Tip-a-day information feeds
• Audio book publishing
• Delivering training

A free service plan is available that is limited to 30 stages per feed cycle. Paid plans offer additional services, including longer feed cycles, higher limits on number of items per feed cycle, hosting with custom domain names and password-protected and encrypted feeds.

Behringer has announced Podcastudio FireWire, described as a complete podcast studio with FireWire interface.

The podcasting kit comes with a studio-grade FireWire audio interface which includes the Behringer Edition of Ableton Live Lite 4 music production software for PC and Mac computers. The package also includes an 8-input mixer, high-quality headphones and a studio microphone plus cable.

Pricing is expected to be $269.99.

via Synthtopia: Behringer Intros Podcasting Studio

According to Matthew Inman, “Every iPod owner passes through seven distinct phases.”

This illustrated guide depicts the journey all iPod owners must undertake.

A new podcast from Opera News promises to take listeners To Hell and Back.

This week, San Francisco-based period-instrument orchestra Philharmonia Baroque presents the world premiere of a new mini-opera by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer. Written specifically for PBO and its Baroque instruments, To Hell and Back is a modern-day telling of the tale of the goddess Persephone, evoking destiny, love and survival.

The first episode of Opera News (MP3) offers a preview of the new work.

KCRW, a Santa Monica, CA public radio station, has doubled its audience using podcasting and other Internet audio technologies. KCRW is aggressively pushing live streaming of programs, podcasting and other Internet audio technologies, and in the process, demonstrating the potential the Internet may hold for all radio stations, public or commercial.

KCRW online had 760,000 unique visitors in October, well over the terrestrial audience of almost 600,000.

“They have less to lose,” says David Bank, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets. “They’re all about delivering their content to the audience, without worrying about how [new technologies] might displace the audience and the advertiser.”

Radio is “in the process of morphing and becoming something else,” says KCRW station manager Ruth Seymour. She predicts more changes to come. “What if, suddenly, with WiFi, you could hear Web broadcasts in your car? What will that do?” she asks. “One of the things we know is how much we really don’t know.”

via WSJ

YouTube’s acquisition by Google $1.65 billion appears to have made it an appealing target for lawsuits. Universal Tube & Rollform Equipment, whose site is Utube.com, is suing YouTube, according to a news report on WTOL-TV in Toledo, Ohio.

The lawsuit alleges that YouTube.com is confusingly similar to Universal Tubes’ UTube.com, which sells tube, pipe and rollforming machinery. Universal Tube said its Web site traffic jumped from 1,500 users a month to more than 2 million, paralyzing the site.

Alexa’s traffic graph for the site shows a huge spike in the last month:

Most iPod owners planning to buy another MP3 player will consider Microsoft’s Zune, according to ABI Research.

ABI says that many prospective MP3 player buyers‚Äîeven owners of iPods‚Äîwould be likely to choose Microsoft’s Zune player.

“Our conclusion,” says principal analyst Steve Wilson, “is that iPod users don’t display the same passionate loyalty to iPods that Macintosh users have historically shown for their Apple products.” Only 15% of iPod owners said they were “not very likely” or “not at all likely” to choose Zune.

On the other hand, some might conclude that ABI asked loaded questions to come up with a controversial answer that would help them sell some research reports.

“Let us all take a moment to laugh,” says Ars Technica’s Jacqui Cheng. “Does anybody believe this?”

Focus on the Family has launched a new podcast, The Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast. While the organization publishes several other podcasts, this is the first one featuring content developed specifically for podcasting.

The podcast will feature interviews with actors and producers from Adventures in Odyssey and previews of upcoming shows.

“We’ve always tried to make Adventures in Odyssey relevant to kids, both the stories and how we deliver the show,” said Executive Producer Dave Arnold. “This podcast is an exciting step for us, as we use new technology to reach today’s tech-savvy generation.”

Apple today announced the launch of iTunes Latino, a dedicated area within the US iTunes Store (www.itunes.com) featuring Latin music, music videos, television shows, audiobooks and podcasts. iTunes Latino offers hundreds of thousands of Latin and international music tracks, including exclusive tracks and albums available only on iTunes.“Latin music has been a huge hit on iTunes and now we’re bringing music fans even more of what they love in a dedicated area on the iTunes Store,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes.

Apple’s new iPod shuffle, the world’s smallest digital music player, will be available in Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers this Friday, November 3.

Nearly half the size of the original, the new iPod shuffle is half a cubic inch in volume, weighs half an ounce and features a minimal aluminum design with a built-in clip, making it the most wearable iPod ever. The new iPod shuffle contains one gigabyte of flash memory which holds up to 240 songs, and is priced at just $79.

‚ÄúWith its ultra-compact design and built-in clip, the new iPod shuffle is the most wearable iPod ever,‚Äù said Greg Joswiak, Apple‚Äôs vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. ‚Äú The new iPod shuffle completes our all-new lineup of iPods for this holiday season and beyond, and we hope it’s going to be a huge hit.‚Äù