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If you’re one of those counter-culture revolutionary types who’s been ignoring iTunes because it’s not cool enough, or because you want to stick it to the man, think again.

According to WebSiteOptimization.com, iTunes is on track to surpass RealPlayer in popularity.

Over the past year, the number of unique users of Apple’s iTunes player grew by 47.5%. Over the same time period, RealPlayer users grew by 9.1%, QuickTime by 8.7%, and Windows Media Player grew by 2.0% according to data provided by Nielsen//NetRatings. At current growth rates, iTunes should pass RealPlayer in unique users by the second quarter of 2007.

The report also shows that broadband connectivity is up in the USA.

Popularity: 16% [?]

When corporate clients come to me and ask for help producing a podcast, I have a series of questions that I like to ask them.

1) Why are you podcasting - what do you want to accomplish?
2) Who do you want to reach?
3) What standard will you use to decide whether or not you accomplished your original goal?

And that’s just a starting point. I think all podcasters should be able to answer these questions. Too many times, podcasters just put up a show because they can. If you plan and have a goal, know your audience and then check your progress, you’ll go much further.

In the next segment of this series, I’ll give you some more questions to ponder.

Popularity: 18% [?]

In addition to spotlighting certain podcasts on the iTunes Store, Apple has begun a new, modest effort to promote some shows on its website.

They call it iTunes Podcast Spotlight. It features pictures, brief descriptions and links to some podcasts that are either new or notable. There’s no obvious RSS link and there’s no word on what criteria is used to select the shows, but hey, it’s free publicity for those who are lucky enough to be featured there.

My pal and MacBreak Weekly co-host Merlin Mann is featured this month for his very funny show called, That Phone Guy.

Popularity: 19% [?]

The Internet is a strange place. I saw a posting about me the other day that made me laugh. It was written by someone who confused me with Scott Bourne, the world skateboarding champion.

Despite the very absurd picture that me on a skateboard should paint in everyone’s mind, it is amazing that people will hide behind a fake Internet identity, and take shots at someone they don’t know, while talking about something they know nothing about.

The person who posted this said, “Scott Bourne shouldn’t be writing about podcasting. He’s a skateboarder - not a podcaster. He’s full of ????.”

Well for the record friend, I am in fact NOT a skateboarder. I don’t own a skateboard, although I did when I was 10. But while we’re on the subject of skateboards and podcasting, my pal Michael Geoghegan from Gigavox is into skateboards.

But I digress. I do in fact podcast. I have been a guest on TWIT and TWIM as well as several other prominent podcasts. I am also host of the iLifeZone, currently working on the 26th episode. My co-hosts Derrick Story, Chris Breen and Colleen Wheeler will testify to this fact. I am a co-host of MacBreakWeekly, 30 episodes strong. Host Leo Laporte and fellow co-hosts Alex Lindsay and Merlin Mann will also testify on my behalf. Once in a while, I publish a podcast at PodcasGearGuy.com and here at PodcastingTricks.com. And I am a regular on a new video podcast hosted by Leo Laporte. It’s called GearMediaTech. I will appear on about 75% of the episodes on GMT.

And then there’s a new podcast I am working on called The Apple Phone Show. This will debut in late March and will be a weekly audio show about the iPhone. Chris Breen from Macworld will join me as a special guest on that show too.

You get the picture. I write about podcasting because I am a podcaster - not a skateboarder.

In case you were wondering that is.

Popularity: 17% [?]

My pal Leesa Barnes is one of the organizers of Podcamp Toronto. It’s my guess that this will be a great event. How do I know? Because Leesa is involved.

While I can’t make the trip to Canada, I am thrilled to hear that there will be live streaming available at the conference and that the sessions will be recorded. Check it out.

Popularity: 16% [?]