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The BBC is reporting that its iPlayer software is now available for the iPhone. This is an interesting development given the huge controversy over the corporation’s initial decision to produce it for Windows users only.

iPlayer is a new development that allows users to watch TV programmes on demand via the internet for a limited period of time - but not to save programmes for later playback.

Unfortunately the issue of whether the Digital Rights Management (DRM) software that stops users doing this is still in place is now very confused - it may have been removed, possibly inadvertently, in the player’s latest release in order to produce the MP4 files that the iPhone can handle.

And what on earth is the point of DRM from a publicly-funded broadcaster when users are perfectly free to make copies of programmes using VCR or DVD recorders anyway?

Read a BoingBoing article on this subject >>

Here’s what the corporation has to say about the latest developments;

BBC iPlayer comes to the iPhone

…it is the first time the service has been available on portable devices.

The iPhone and iPod touch are able to stream shows from the iPlayer website over wi-fi networks. The iPhone cannot stream BBC video over the cell network. A BBC developer said that the corporation was currently working on other versions of the iPlayer for “many more” devices.

Anthony Rose, writing on the BBC internet blog, said: “We started with iPhone because it is the device most optimised for high quality video currently available.

“It displays the BBCiPlayer site and BBC programmes nicely.” Read full article here…

Learn more about the iPlayer here and about digital rights management issues here.

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Interesting story on the BBC’s dot.life blog about potential challengers to Apple in the music download sector. The correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones has been looking at the chances of a new entrant into the market called 7digital:

Taking on iTunes

Could a tiny business based in London’s Shoreditch take a bite out of Apple’s digital music empire? It seems unlikely and even 7digital will admit that it’s a David facing a Goliath. But this week’s deal between the download service and Warner Music could at least make Apple sit up and take notice.

The seamless integration between the iPod and iTunes – and the manner in which the Apple ecosystem makes rival devices and services less useful to music fans – has made Steve Jobs the most powerful figure in digital music, with Apple commanding around 80% of the market. The big four labels – who saw iTunes as a saviour when it arrived promising users a viable alternative to pirated tracks – are now chafing at the bit.

They don’t like Apple’s insistence on a single price for tracks and albums, and they’re waking up to the fact that they’ve handed the retail end of their digital business to one player.

So Warner is striking a blow for the whole industry by offering its catalogue DRM-free and in MP3 format to 7digital. Read full article here…

Interesting times…

Can’t resist buying sexy bits and pieces for your iPod or iPhone? Then Currys iShop is the place for you.

And this retailer, which specialises in accessories including speakers, cases, FM transmitters, Bluetooth-powered gadgets and chargers, has just made itself even sexier than ever.

It has recently been offering a discount code which entitled you to 10 per cent off. Unfortunately, as tends to happen, the code was close to running out.

But now those nice people at Currys iShop have extended it until January 14 2008. So you can continue to get a healthy discount on your Christmas purchases, for yourself and for others.

And you can even use it to make any Christmas cash you might receive go a bit further.

Just enter afwc10 at the checkout after shopping…

All the geeks you know are probably off somewhere sulking and pretending they don’t want anything to do with Christmas. But we know better.

As an opportunity to acquire sexy new toys it can’t be bettered. So, if you want to make sure you’re buying the right thing (or making sure your loved ones are buying you the right thing) then look no further.

Here’s 10 things that we’ve spotted guaranteed to appeal. Or maybe you just want an excuse to spend money on yourself…

Whatever the case, we hope you enjoy the list.

• New Apple iPod Touch, 16GB, Black from John Lewis - £269. Because you can’t really argue with this (as reflected by its price tag). Sleek and black, only 8mm thick with a 3.5in widescreen suitable for watching movies. Touch-screen navigation allows you to browse items by cover art then flip it to view track listings. The 16GB hard drive stores up to 3,500 songs, 20,000 photos or 20 hours of video. Enjoy five hours of video or 22 hours of audio playback from a single recharge. Also includes wi-fi capability for internet use or iTunes store connection.
• Bounty Bay MMORPG subscription from Yusho - approximately £16.94 depending on the exchange rate, as it’s priced in euros. Massive multi-player online roleplaying games are currently among the coolest things in geekdom. As pirates always have been, for some reason (we think it dates back to Monkey Island). Think World of Warcraft or Second Life, except every day can be Speak Like A Pirate Day! And with this one you have the chance to be in from the beginning. We faithfully assure you that this has the potential to be the geek gift of the season.
• USB Podcast Kit from IWantOneOfThose.com - £89. Everything you need to podcast to the planet. Behringer have bundled a studio-grade USB audio interface with comprehensive DAW and podcasting software, and also thrown in a professional 5-input mixer with 2-band “British” EQ, high-quality headphones and a dynamic broadcast-style microphone plus cable and stand. All you need is something interesting to say…
• Tux Droid from Firebox - £89.95. For the Linux aficionado in your life, a piece of kit that can be programmed to tell you about your appointments, or convey any other kind of information you need to know about. It also doubles up as a wireless VoIP phone, an MP3 speaker and an alarm clock that rouses you with any sound you fancy. And it has the power of speech too, apparently, or at least speech synthesis. Exclusive in the UK to Firebox. Did we mention that it’s a felt-covered penguin?
• I Am the Eleventh Timelord T-shirt from Shot Dead in the Head - £18. Comes in almost any colour your heart could desire, from Tardis blue to Rose pink. Or, if The Doctor doesn’t hit the spot, try one with a Sinclair or Commodore 64 logo. Another of our favourites reads: Jack Bauer wouldn’t stand for this shit. In case you can’t decide there’s a two for £30 deal on offer.
• Samsung Digimax i7 Digital Camera from The Digital Camera Company - £181. Boasting a frightening array of features including a rotating LCD applied to a digital camera for the first time. The new user interface allows the Samsung i7’s mode to switch automatically depending on the angle of the LCD screen. The 3in LCD incorporates a wide touch screen and the thoughtful design ensures a firm grip and while the dynamic SVGA quality iMovie Clip function and the Flash animation GUI will melt the heart of every geek that encounters it.
• WiFi detector from Firebox - £59.95. A pocket-sized device that sniffs out the presence of WiFi without the necessity to boot up your laptop. As well as detecting a signal and indicating its strength it also displays essential network information including network ID (SSID), encryption status (WEP and WPA) and channel. And when multiple networks are present you can scroll through info for each individual network.
• Tardis USB hub from IWantOneOfThose.com - £19.95. This four-port Tardis USB hub may not whisk you off to another dimension but it will cause a diversion during your working day. Every time you use a port the light on the top flashes and it makes that classic Tardis noise that geeks everywhere know and love (you can turn it off if colleagues start to object, then refuse to get a life). Rest easy, knowing The Doctor stands between you and oblivion.
• Desktop Defender from A1 Gifts - £11.99. For those days when the rest of the world will insist on intruding. Don’t they realise that coding takes concentration? If not, keep them away from your desk with a few well-placed foam missiles from this neat desk-mounted, battery powered, fully aimable missile launcher with a 10ft range and sleek red and silver casing. And a big red button.
• Pirates of the Caribbean DVD player from PC World - £49.99. Yo ho, me hearties! Let Captain Jack Sparrow entertain you with this official Disney product featuring CD, CDR and CDRW playback, on-screen display and NTSC encoding standards. So now you can watch all your favourite pirate movies and not get eaten by ghosts. Arr!

Currys i-shop is the first stop for iTouch, iPod and iPhone accessories. Shop there before November 30 and you can get a discount code that’ll net you 10 per cent off.

So, what’s on offer? More than 400 products, including all the leading brands. Its range includes speaker systems, home docking stations, cabling, cases, and the latest in FM Transmitters and bluetooth iPod devices.

We liked the following:

• iPhone gadgets and gizmos - you know you want them! The latest accessories for the must-have gadget of the year, including docks, speakers, in-car, FM transmitters and power options.
• iPod Power - ways of charging your devices while on the go, whether it’s from a car cigarette lighter or a battery pack. Prices start from £7.49.
• FM transmitters - listen to FM radio stations via your iPod. Prices start from £14.99.
• Gear 4 Blu-Eye hands-free kit with FM radio - this clever little object allows you to take calls on your iPod. When a call comes through the music stops and a ringtone cuts in… Selling for £44.99.
• iFrogz - customise your new iPod Nano with these groovy cases from £8.49

If these, or anything else on the site, take your fancy then enter the code afwc10 at the checkout. Happy shopping