The podcast is a radio-style show that is distributed over the Internet. Podcasts have caught on like wildfire since they first emerged nine months ago. Listeners can pick from roughly 10,000 shows on topics ranging from religion to wine to technology, and media companies and advertisers are taking note.

BoxWave announced the release of the Active Case for your Dell Axim X50/X50v. The Active Case line provides you the protection of a crystal-clear hard shell and the accessibility to view your Calendar and Contacts without opening the case. It’s contoured to fit your handheld perfectly and has all the necessary cutouts to access all the buttons without removing the Active Case.

If you think video games are engrossing now, just wait: PlayStation maker Sony has been granted a patent for beaming sensory information directly into the brain. The technique could one day be used to create video games in which you can smell, taste, and touch, or to help people who are blind or deaf.

Senforce announced a new remote access and Wi-Fi security software product called Senforce Connectivity Control. Senforce provides the most complete protection and enforcement of wireless security policies. This solution is geared primarily for organizations that have a lot to lose if digital information is compromised

A federal judge in Maine sentenced a man to more than six years in prison for conducting Internet scams on eBay. U.S. District Judge George Singal rejected on Monday a plea bargain from Charles Stergios, 21, because of the man’s failure to attempt to make restitution with his victims, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank, who represented the state of Maine in the case. Stergios, who has been in jail on related charges since May 2004, admitted in earlier court proceedings that he had defrauded 50 individuals of at least $200,000 in cash and purchased goods through schemes executed over online auction site eBay.

Wireless operator Clearwire was one of two broadband providers causing traffic problems for Internet phone operator Vonage, a Vonage spokeswoman said Wednesday. Vonage said last month that a cable operator, along with Clearwire, was suspected of blocking calls and not letting some home-phone adapters work appropriately. While identifying Clearwire, Vonage has not provided the cable operator’s identity nor the exact cause of the problems. Vonage calls over Clearwire’s network are now going through uninterrupted, but an issue remains with the cable operator, according to Vonage.

Verizon Communications has unveiled a new Net phone plan designed to lure price-conscious customers. Dubbed Verizon VoiceWing 500, the plan offers 500 minutes of outbound local and domestic long-distance calls per month, along with unlimited inbound calls and free calls to other VoiceWing subscribers. The service, unveiled Wednesday, costs $19.95 a month.

Duke University students will be able to get a free iPod next year, but only if they enroll in certain courses, the school said Wednesday. Last fall, Duke handed out the iconic white digital music players to all 1,600 incoming first-year students. For next year, the school plans to hand out devices only to students who enroll in classes that use the iPod as part of the curriculum.

Scientists at the University of Manchester in England are trying to develop a technique through which inkjet nozzles will spray live human cells onto a patient. Ideally, this would speed up the healing process because doctors could seed a patient with replacement tissue that would grow to the size and shape required. The seed cells could also be grown from a previously harvested sample from the patient, thereby reducing the chances of donor rejection.

Greenlight Wireless’ Skweezer service, which optimizes Web content for handheld devices, has been incorporated into the “Toyota Hub” mobile computing portal created by Toyota France. Toyota Hub is a telematics service that combines mobile computing with the latest Toyota models, enabling consumers to access exclusive content including entertainment, roadside assistance, and GPS navigation.