RealNetworks today announced the consumer availability of its new RealPlayer v11 for Windows after a five-month public beta period and announced a beta of its Mac version; in addition, the company said the newest version finally bring support for transferring downloaded video content to Apple's iPod nano, iPod classic and iPod video. iPod owners who previously only had access to video content available through Apple's iTunes now have access to non-DRM protected videos from thousands of sites on the Web after upgrading to the paid version of its product. The new Mac beta allows the downloading of non-DRM protected Web videos from thousands of sites for playback online or offline and is available for Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" and Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard," offering support for both Firefox for the Mac and Safari.

GPS devices growing more popular with runners, hikers

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — After a race through 15 miles of rock-laden, hilly trails in Wyandotte County Lake Park, Byron Rieper went online to discuss the competition with other runners.Many already were sharing their experiences online. Some blamed heat and humidity for their slow times, others recalled unforgiving hills. Rieper, a seasoned marathoner and cyclist who lives in Overland Park, used his watch to offer them a detailed look at the course.Millions of athletes are using watches like Rieper's Garmin Forerunner 305, which maps his path and records his distance, speed, pace and heart rate. Other devices that use the Global Positioning System are geared at athletes competing in long-distance events, including cyclists, triathletes and hikers.The popularity of these devices has spiked as more people discover the Web sites where all this information is being uploaded and compared, including SportsTrack, Garmin Ltd.'s MotionBased.com and Nike Inc.'s Nikeplus.com.Many companies, including Nike and Garmin, have organized running groups people can join to test the gadgets.“I just think all these free Web sites where people can upload their data has really contributed to their popularity and people are just more aware of GPS either on cars or on phones,'' said cyclist Jeff Englert, 48, of Shawnee, Kan., who has switched from a handheld GPS to his Garmin watch to compare elevation climbs during his training.Englert, who has ridden for 25 years, said he logs on the MotionBased Web site to find the best local routes when he travels.Other fitness monitoring systems include Nike and Apple Inc.'s Sports Kit, which enable iPod Nanos to measure distance without GPS, and Timex Corp.'s Bodylink system, made in partnership with Garmin, which uses a GPS transceiver to transmit data wirelessly.Timex plans to come out with a new series of GPS watches to compete with Garmin, said Heberto Calves, the company's vice president of marketing.“The trend of fitness measurement as a whole is growing,'' Calves said.

WSJ: new Zune targets old iPod, not new

Microsoft's new Zune line is good but meant more to compete against the last generation of iPods than the new models, according to a new review by Wall Street Journal technology columnist Walt Mossberg. While the new flash- and hard drive-based players are definite improvements over the original version released a year ago and work well, the devices are said to only truly excel when compared to Apple's 2006-era 5th-generation iPod and second-generation iPod nano. For every feature absent from comparably priced iPods, Apple has another of its own: the Zune's FM radio and larger screen (for the 80GB model) are countered by interface touches such as smart playlists, much better battery life, and a better-quality screen, Mossberg claims.

The edge in software goes to Apple again despite clear improvements, as the Zune's improved jukebox is criticized for focusing too strongly on whole albums and the absence of an interface such as Cover Flow.

OtterBox rolls out new iPod, iPhone cases

OtterBox today rolled out two new series of cases for Apple's iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, and iPod nano. The company's Defender series includes slim, rugged cases designed to keep Apple gadgets out of harms way without compromising style. The cases provide complete interaction via polycarbonate shells that snap together to safeguard the device within, while membranes protect the screen of every device as well as the iPod's click-wheel. A silicone skin encompasses the entire case as well, providing additional protection from drops and bumps. Defender cases are priced at for Apple's iPods, while Armor cases are priced at $50 for iPod touch and iPod classic vs. $40 for third-generation iPod nano (pricing for iPhone cases was unavailable).

A second set of cases, dubbed the Armor series, are designed to safeguard iPhones as well as iPods against rain and dirt.