First, Apple’s patent application on iPod interface has been rejected. Apple could still re-submit their application within 3 months. But it is obviously a setback to the company.
Second, Google submitted a patent application on “Embedding advertisements in syndicated content”, i.e. RSS. THAT would be a setback for other Internet Ads guys like Yahoo and Ask.com.
I have thought about patents around RSS, podCast, VODcast etc lately. If Google can patent embedded ads in RSS, why can’t I patent embedded ads in PodCast.