iBeeb promises iApple iPlayer this iyear

THE MAN FROM Aunty said its popular Iplayer will soon be available for users of Apple computers.

BBC director-general Mark Thompson said in his bog that fruit fans will be able to download programmes using Iplayer by the end of 2008.

The Iplayer currently only works with Voleware which has miffed many, including Macolytes and open saucers. These poor folk have to stream the content instead.

But Thompson said Fireferret users can now download Iplayer programmes too.

Thompson confessed he had, "(quite properly) taken quite a grilling from MPs representing the views of constituents deeply concerned that on launch, BBC Iplayer focused on a Windows-based solution."

Was it wet, we wonder?

He said the, "issue of download of programmes to Mac and other platforms has always been more complex for technical and rights reasons."

Can no-one say anything these day without using the meanlingless dribble of issues and solutions? Bah! [Note to PRs: Press releases arriving with us that have either word in the title go straight in the bin.]

It's all about the DRM, of course. Though we're not sure why British licence fee payers shoud be DRMed up to the eyeballs, or not be allowed to keep digital copies of the programmes in perpertuity. We paid for them to be made in the first place, gor blimey. When it comes to that, why allow pesky foreigners to view this stuff for free. Flog it and give us a refund.

Anyhow, the BBC Trust expects the Iplayer to be platform neutral within two years -µ