New & Noteworthy: Limbaugh on Apple; iPod Knock-off; RealNetworks a Threat; JPEG Patent Dispute

Limbaugh on Apple Radio personality Rush Limbaugh has posted a commentary on Apple's business decisions over the past 20 years and offered his opinion on current factors affecting the company's market position - including Steve Jobs' political views. An excerpt:

"The economy is not in a 'downturn.' Maybe Apple is, and if it is there's one stand-out reason: they have a 5 percent market share. If they would have shed their politics ten years ago, they could be at 10-to-12 percent. How? They could actively participate in my program." More.

iPod knock-off e.Digital has introduced a new portable MP3 player that bears striking resemblance to Apple's iPod. The new device has a 20 GB hard drive capacity, uses USB 2.0 connectivity, and claims a minimum of 13 hours of playback time. Called the "Odyssey 1000," e.Digital's new player also includes limited voice navigation capabilities, iTunes compatibility, and a $350 price tag. More.

RealNetworks a threat to Microsoft RealNetworks has announced a new version of its software that can distribute audio and video in a range of formats, including Microsoft's own proprietary Windows Media. The open-source program is intended for large media companies and other corporations that need to send audio and video data to customers and employees in a variety of different formats, but the New York Times suggests the initiative may pose a legal threat to Microsoft. More.

JPEG patent disputed A small videoconferencing company is laying claim to the JPEG format, widely used on Web pages and in large-scale image distribution. Forgent Networks posted a press release to its site earlier this month claiming to own a patent covering the technology behind JPEG. The Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) committee has responded harshly, while Forgent has already signed licensing deals with Sony and another unnamed corporation. More.