Microsoft today announced the release of the Podcasting Kit for SharePoint (PKS), a free, open source podcasting kit that offers organizations a centralized solution to create, manage and distribute podcasts. Built on the SharePoint Server and Microsoft Silverlight platforms, and compatible with the Zune, PCs and other devices that play podcasts (ie., iPods & iPhones), […]

In a wide-ranging interview with the Washington Post, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer offers his views on upcoming changes in technology and media. His outlook for the future of traditional media is bleak: In the next 10 years, the whole world of media, communications and advertising are going to be turned upside down — my opinion. […]

Microsoft Zune podcast guru Rob Greenlee brought our attention to a little-known feature in the latest Zune firmware – wireless podcast sharing:

You can now send video podcast episodes to other Zune devices using its built-in WiFi radio. This means that if you have found a cool episode from the Best of YouTube podcast that you can send it to a fellow Zune user and then that user can watch that episode on their device and subscribe to it all in the Zune device software.

While the video podcast episode is playing – just click and hold the middle of the Zune touch pad until the subscribe screen pops up. Then click on “subscribe” and when you next sync your Zune it will add a new subscription to your “Collection” area.

Microsoft has announced that it is expanding its video offerings through the Zune Marketplace. Here’s a list of what’s coming.

Microsoft is still struggling to come up with a Zune platform that competes with Apple’s iPod/iTunes juggernaut, reports Electronista: Microsoft has revealed that it has sold two million of the music players since their launch in November 2006, revealing relatively flat growth for the device lineup. The results leave Microsoft with just a fraction of […]

Speculation is running wild on the Web about Microsoft possibly building a content censor into the Zune software. It comes as a result of a New York Times article that looked at why NBC pulled its TV content from Apple’s iTunes store and is now distributing it for the Zune. NYT’s Saul Hansell writes: Late […]

Microsoft today announced new Zune software and online features. Here’s the official info an the updates: Zune Software Updates Responding directly to customer feedback, Zune has updated and added features and functionality to address better integration between the software, the online music community and the store. In addition, the updates include frequently requested features such […]

On May 6, the Zune Spring 2008 update will be made available to all Zune owners. Here’s what’s in store: Television On The Zune More than 800 episodes of television series to download and watch (on the desktop and to sync to the Zune) including “South Park,” “Afro Samurai,” “Witchblade,” “The Hills,” “The Office,” “Heroes,” […]

Molly Wood has a great take on the state of the Zune over at Crave, offering 5 reasons she’s leaving the Zune behind and a scary tale about how her Zune erased thousands of her songs: About two weeks ago, I was going on a trip. My Zune’s battery had run out, so I plugged […]

It’s tax day in the US, and it looks like that’s not the only bad news. Here are a few news items related to new media that aren’t exactly making my day: Twitter is adding advertising. Would you like spam with that tweet? Google’s “Don’t Be Evil” motto is sort of optional; they run new […]