Good day/week for interesting RSS news stories, developments and commentary, it seems. Some pickings for the day ...

Customizable Video RSS Feeds
Blinkx just launched an innovative service that allows internet users to search for online video and pocast content, and then provides the results of each search as an RSS feed. A great way for keeping up with multimedia content on your key interests. Additionally, Blinkx offers some interesting features, such as Smart Folders that "learn" from you and provide you with the content perceived as most relevant to you. More information here.

Future of RSS is Not Blogs
My friend Sharon Housley, who I envy for putting out so much original content every week, explores one of my favorite subjects: how RSS is not at all limited to blogs, but is in fact much better suited for versitile corporate communications, as well as advanced content & collaboration services for end-users. Read her article here, and then go back to my Defining the Relations Between Blogs, E-zines, RSS and E-mail article.

Annoying RSS Ads?
Adrants argues that RSS ads done incorrectly annoy readers and suggests a 1:10 ration of ads:content, meaning 1 content item containing 1 ad per every 10 items, and furthermore believe that full-text RSS feeds are a much better advertising platform than summary feeds. We're certainly in agreement about the full-text feeds, but I'd reconsider doing just 1 ad (in an article) per every 10 items ... won't generate much revenue. For some RSS advertising best practices nased on 18 months of RSS ad world experience, check out Bill Flitter's suggestions.

Is confusion over RSS audience metrics holding back online media?
Tom Forenski, as a comment to the RSS Average Daily Readership Explained article, views RSS metrics fundamental to the entire online media world, helping publishers finding a way to recover the value created by their work. The point being of course that publishers should be rewarded for creating high-quality content. "Google AdSense was an important step in that direction, and now RSS might provide additional opportunities."

AOL Launches Alternative IE Browser
eWeek.com reports that AOL just released the final version of AOL Explorer, an Internet Explorer-based web browser, which now also features full RSS integration. Another important step towards RSS mass adoption. AOL Explorer download link.