Apple today introduced the new iPod nano. The updated nano features a new aluminum body, 24 hours of battery life and more than twice the music capacity for the same price as the previous generation.

The new iPod nano features Apple’s Click Wheel and a smaller, thinner and lighter design available in silver, pink, green, blue and black.

“iPod nano is the world’s most popular digital music player, and we’ve completely redesigned it to make it even better,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “The all-new iPod nano gives music fans more of what they love in their iPods—twice the storage capacity at the same price, an incredible 24 hour battery life and a gorgeous aluminum design in five brilliant colors.”

Apple today announced iTunes 7, which they are calling the most significant enhancement since it debuted in 2001.

iTunes 7 adds new album and Cover Flow views of music, TV shows and movies, letting users to quickly find titles in their library as well as casually browse through titles they already own. The iTunes Store is also now offering over 75 movies from Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films, that customers can purchase and download to watch on their computers and iPods, and soon on their flat screen televisions with Apple’s upcoming iTV* player.

Movies will become available on the iTunes Store the same day they are released on DVD, with new releases priced at $12.99 when pre-ordered and during their first week of availability, and $14.99 thereafter, and library titles available for just $9.99 every day.

‚ÄúIn less than one year we‚Äôve grown from offering just five TV shows to offering over 220 TV shows, and we hope to do the same with movies,” said Steve Jobs, Apple‚Äôs CEO. “iTunes is selling over one million videos a week, and we hope to match this with movies in less than a year.‚Äù

For millions, music downloads and other intangible digital content are replacing CDs and other media. What happens if your iPod gets ripped off, though?

Most insurance companies will take claims on records or CDs, but, until recently, claims for lost music downloads, games, video downloads and ringtones fell on deaf ears.
Insurers are beginning to get with the times, though, offering coverage not just for our gadgets but the “intangible assets” held on them.

According to the Independent, “Nationwide has been the trail-blazer, including music and other entertainment downloads as standard in its home contents cover. The building society argues – and a lot of iPod users would agree – that these virtual music collections count as family valuables, just like CDs and old LPs. Other insurers are considering a similar addition to their home contents cover.”

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, along with a variety of individual podcasters and podcasting-related organizations, have released a joint statement opposing a new draft treaty being considered by the World Intellectual Property Organization, fearing that it could stifle innovation in podcasting and other forms of Internet distribution.

“The Treaty will stifle innovation in podcasting-related technologies because the Treaty would require signatory countries to provide legal protection for technological protection measures (TPM) and is likely to lead to technology mandate laws controlling the design of broadcast-receiving devices. The Treaty will also inhibit online communication by impeding access to and non-infringing use of copyrighted content.”

Full text of the statement follows below.

Senator Bob Dole today announced the launch of a podcast series featuring Medicare beneficiaries from across the country giving first-hand accounts of their experiences with the Medicare prescription drug benefit.

The weekly podcast, titled Success: The Benefits of the New Medicare Drug Plan, will be updated every Monday and can be found on Senator Dole’s Medicare campaign Web site.

The campaign is is being supported in part by a grant from Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company. Dole previously introduced another Pfizer-sponsored podcast, Ten Things Seniors Need to Know about Medicare‚Äôs Drug Coverage.

Leo Laporte, host and creator of podcast this WEEK in TECH (TWiT), announced the TWiT.tv Podcasting Network, featuring 10 technology podcasts. Each TWiT.tv podcast provides context and analysis of all the significant areas of technology, from the foremost authorities and personalities in the field.

TWiT.tv podcasts include: this WEEK in TECH, this WEEK in MEDIA, Security Now! Inside the Net, FLOSS Weekly, The Daily Giz Wiz, MacBreak, The Tech Guy on KFI, Futures in Biotech and Radio Leo.

“We are judiciously expanding our podcast content to cover each significant area of technology with authoritative information from the foremost experts and beloved personalities that you know and trust,” said Leo Laporte creator and host of TWiT.tv Podcast Network.

Guest Report by John Wall

PodCamp Boston, a free ad-hoc gathering of people interested in podcasting is underway at Bunker Hill Community College, just north of Boston in Charlestown.. The event, being held Sept 9-10, 2006, is an informal get together where people can organize discussions on any podcasting topic they are interested in.

Day 1 of podcamp has been a complete success, with more than 4 tracks of sessions and breakout groups running thoughout the day. Sessions covered everything from podcasting as a hobby to using podcasts for PR and corporate communications.

With well over 240 registrants and what appears to be around 200 attendees the event is very dynamic and filled with networking, education, and even live music. Attendees have come from as far away as the UK, and Natick, Mass.

Details on the schedule of events can be found at the PodCamp site.

A new genre of vlogs appears to be emerging – the time-lapse video self-portrait. Part art and part self-obsession, the videos combine images, typically taken daily over a long period of time, to create a video portrait.

One of the most interesting examples is by Noah Kalina, a New York photographer. Kalina has published a video called Noah takes a photo of himself everyday for 6 years that provides a unique self-portrait.

But Kalina is not the only person obsessively chronicalling himself. Similar projects include a woman creating video from daily self-portraits, full-body video portraits and even a time-lapse animation of a woman’s body as it changes during pregnancy.

Miglia Technology today announced the release of the Dialog Phone, a wireless phone that offers Skype and iChat AV integration. Skype and iChat are used by many podcasters for recording podcast interviews.

The Dialog Phone is specifically designed as a phone for your computer, doing away with traditional screens and buttons. Dialog features a call button and a volume control key, which can also be used to scroll through your list of contacts.

‚ÄúThe wire-free aspect of the phone finally breaks free of all USB cables to complete the true ‚Äòtelephone experience‚Äô,” said Emilie Marlow, Product Marketing at Miglia Technology.

Japanese robotics firm ZMP has introduced a new robot, Miuro, that turns iPods into dancing boomboxes-on-wheels.

The iPod locks into the top of the robot. The 14″ long machine, which features a Kenwood sound system, can then play music as it rolls and twists.

The $930 Miuro, short for “music innovation based on utility robot technology”, responds to a handheld remote control. It also can receive wireless signals from a PC to play music from iTunes and other programs.

“This is a robot version of music-on-the-move that’s so popular,” according to Miuro designer Shinichi Hara. “I designed it to have a gentle look because it becomes a part of everyday life by integrating robotics and music.”