iLounge

By Charles Starrett

Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Thursday, May 7, 2009
News Category: Mix

Ebay CEO John Donahoe, speaking at a retail conference in Barcelona, has revealed that roughly ten percent of all iPhone and iPod touch users have downloaded the Skype application. According to the Wall Street Journal, Donahoe said that within 24 hours of its launch, Skype was the top application on the iPhone in 40 countries. Ebay purchased Skype in September 2005, and plans to spin the VoIP service off as a separate company with an IPO announced for 2010.

The University of Missouri School of Journalism has added the iPhone or iPod touch as a requirement for incoming freshman, reports the Missourian. Brian Brooks, associate dean of the school, hopes to turn the devices into learning tools. “Lectures are the worst possible learning format,” Brooks said. “There’s been some research done that shows if a student can hear that lecture a second time, they retain three times as much of that lecture.” Brooks went on to explain that while the devices are listed as a requirement, the rule will not be enforced, and students will have the option of listening to lectures on their laptops instead. “The reason we put required on it is to help the students on financial need,” Brooks said. “If it’s required, it can be included in your financial need estimate. If we had not required it, they wouldn’t be able to do that.”

A new Apple patent filing suggests the company is working to develop an iTunes kiosk which would allow users to wirelessly purchase and download media to their device. According to the application, the system would establish a virtual physical connection between the kiosk and the device to reduce wear and tear on the device, and avoid the possible calamities—eavesdropping, hacking, and overloading—to which a standard Wi-Fi connection would be susceptible. The filing indicates that the kiosks could be placed anywhere the user might not have wireless service, including airports, hotels, stadiums, train stations, shopping malls, ships, stores, planes, and more. As with all Apple patents, this filing does not necessarily represent any future product release from Apple, but offers evidence of the company’s research in this area. [via AppleInsider]

Audrey Charm has introduced its line of decor frames for the iPhone 3G, iPod touch 2G, and iPod nano 4G. Made from silver, gold, or chromium plated metal, each frame features protective neoprene inner lining, cutouts for access to all ports and controls, as well as holes for attaching a lanyard or decorative charm, and either pink, clear, or black Swarovski crystals on the front. Audrey Charm’s Swarovski decorative frames for the iPhone 3G, iPod touch 2G, and iPod nano 4G are available now and are priced at $66, $56, and $46, respectively.