After all of the news coverage of the iPhone, I would suspect that the average American would seriously consider seppuku with a rusty butter knife at the thought of going through another article centering on the miracle device.

However, painful as it might be to you, I’m going to mention the iPhone in this article; but I promise to minimize my references to Apple’s new device to only 2 from this point on. You may count them if you’d like.

First up this week on my iTunes freebie review is an audiobook interview with George R. R. Martin, author of the acclaimed fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. I’ve been reading this series and it is every bit as complex, as engaging, and as rewarding as J. R. R. Tolkien’s works. Mr. Martin has published four books of the planned seven in the Ice and Fire series thus far, and readers are anxiously awaiting the fifth.

Oddly, only three of the four Ice and Fire audiobooks are available at the iTunes Store; A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, and A Feast for Crows. A Storm of Swords, arguably the best book in the series, is missing.

The interview will be of interest to Martin fans as well as aspiring writers curious about how the ’pros’ became pros. Others might find the interview fun to listen to. Mr. Martin is a character.

Next up we have the pilot episode of a new ABC Family show, Greek. Imagine a story about kids at college; lots of shallow, vapid sorority girls, an abundance of dim witted fraternity jocks, and there, tucked in the corner next to the picture of Albert Einstein poking out his tongue is the group of geeky brainiacs whose idea of fun is watching robots destroy each other. Against this backdrop put an older sister, Casey - queen of the vapid sorority chicks, and younger brother and freshman, Rusty - geek poster child.

When Rusty decides to join a frat against the express wishes of his sister, it’s madcap mayhem of the college kind.

Don’t expect John Belushi’s Animal House in this tepid Disney offering. If someone is having fun at college it definitely is not at this Unknown U. Still, if you are looking for pabulum to feed preteens this might do the trick. It’s cheap enough. Still, I wouldn’t use it to show others how well your iPhone works.

Speaking of pabulum, might I direct your waning attention to yet another reality show. This one centers on the previously watchable Paula Abdul and is called Hey Paula.

If you’ve read any of the other Free on iTunes articles then you’ll know that I’m not a fan of reality shows. Even so, I’m discovering that there are different types of reality shows, some less offensive than others. We have the ’put a bunch of strangers in a box, shake well, and see what happens’ type, the ’please make me a better person’ type, the ’let’s trick Billy and see what happens’ type, and the ’camera follows you everywhere except in the bathroom’ type. There are probably other types as well, but this pretty much covers it.

Hey Paula is of the last type; we get to see Paula act silly, and Paula cry, and Paula laugh, and... I think you get the idea. The question is; Do you care? I don’t.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Paula Abdul. I think she is talented and pretty and I’m sure she leads an interesting life. It just doesn’t interest me. You, on the other hand, may find Ms. Abdul’s daily goings-on fascinating. If so, go grab the free episode and enjoy.

Finally, before your attention is completely spent, please check out Weird America, a reality series that focuses the strange, the eccentric, and the just plain weird.

Weird America

"Wait a minute, Vern," I hear you saying, "didn’t you just get finished lambasting reality shows?"

Well, Sparky, you caught me. My only excuse is that along with the other types of reality shows I’ve mentioned earlier, there is also the ’take a camera and go interview real people’ type, and that happens to be the type I like. I didn’t include this type with the others because, in reality, this type is more like news or a documentary, and Weird America just happens to be fun. The best combination.

Each installment of Weird America offers a glimpse into some oddity in this great land of ours. Be it a ukulele playing comedian who lives in a pig sty, to a place where junk is turned into whimsical art for all to enjoy.

There are 12 episodes so far, enough to keep your new iPhone busy for a week or so.

Other freebies at the iTunes Store (with direct links):

Vern Seward is a writer who currently lives in Orlando, FL. He’s been a Mac fan since Atari Computers folded, but has worked with computers of nearly every type for 20 years.