Briefly: iPod shuffle at ASDA, Mac OS X 10.3.8 build 7U15...

Following a report last week on Wal-Mart, which noted that the U.S. retail giant will soon begin carrying and promoting Apple's iPod shuffle, AppleInsider has caught word that the deal between the two companies will extend slightly further (away).

According to tipsters nestled in precisely the right places, ASDA, Wal-Mart's U.K. subsidiary, is also expecting a substantial quantity of iPod shuffles. Like U.S.-based Wal-Mart stores, ASDA is expecting the first shipment of the players in mid-April.

The overseas retailer operates 274 stores (England 227, Scotland 34 and Wales 13) and 24 depots throughout Britain, and has been part of the Wal-Mart family since 1999.

It's unclear whether ASDA is planning to feature the iPod shuffle in its circular upon roll-out.

Back in Cupertino, Calif., sources say that in recent days Apple has provided its developers with a couple of new software seeds to diagnose.

Mac OS X 10.3.8 build 7U15

Mac OS X 10.3.8, a forthcoming maintenance and stability update for Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther," is reportedly at build 7U15. Since our previous report, the system update has swelled, slightly, to 26.7 MB, while gaining several audio-related corrections. A previous build, which apparently went unreleased to the majority of developers, packed some video and audio driver performance enhancements.

Mac OS X 10.3.8 is rumored for a release sometime later this month.

WebStart and Java Plugin Update

Earlier this week, Apple also began testing WebStart and Java Plugin Update 1.4.2. The combination update for Mac OS X 10.3 is being developed specifically to address an issue introduced in Java 1.4.2 Update 2 that caused problems with signed applets using Live Connect, sources said.

This update is currently being primed for release and is said to be in the Final Candidate stage.