Reiter's Wireless Podcast Report

Better late for me than never: MSpot offers podcasts on Sprint

I have been writing about how cellular operators haven’t been doing much in the way of offering podcasts to their subscribers, but Sprint has been offering podcasts through MSpot (see left) for at least couple of months.  I don’t know exactly when MSpot began offering podcasts for their wireless service, although the company has a press release dated November 14, 2005 (without a URL so I can’t link to it; dumb move on MSpot’s part) that mentions the podcasts.

On my Sprint Samsung MM-A920 “Power Vision” (i.e., 1xEV-DO) phone, MSpot offers a podcast channel that features eight offerings.  Most of them — current events and technology — are from Public Radio International.  There’s also “Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know? podcast.

With thousands of podcasts available, this is a pretty paltry offering.  But at least it’s a start.  Are any other cellular operators in the United States or abroad offering podcasts?

And shame on me for not knowing about this sooner.  However, I just got to play — all expenses paid courtesy of Sprint — with the A920.  I like the phone a lot.  More on that in another entry.

M:Metrics examines wireless podcast business

M:Metrics, a relatively new and aggressive wireless research company, discussed the wireless podcast business and the music industry’s role in a weblog post on November 12, 2005.

I know, this is more than two months old, but (1) it still contains useful information and (2) I’d like this weblog as a resource that provides as much information as possible.

Here’s a large excerpt (with a few spelling errors I corrected) of the post by Mark Donovan, the vice president of products and senior analyst at M:Metrics:

“Pod2Mob is aggregating podcasts via a WAP site, users select content and it downloads and runs in a devices on board media player.  This approach is reminiscent of the first multimedia apps that hit the market a couple of years ago.

“Last week I clicked to listen to podcast and it didn't appear to work so I just shrugged, went into a meeting, and then was surprised (as were my colleagues) when some ten minutes later my phone sprang to life and began playing audio.  Clunky and not very satisfying.

“Mobile music company Melodeo has taken a much more impressive step with their mobilcast application, which provides a very slick, self-contained catalog of updated podcasts, allows you to preview content.  The Melodeo folks have quickly repurposed the technology they've developed for OTA music for this emerging area; good on them.

“Other mobile music companies that could move into this space who have includes Musiwave (recently acquired by Openwave) and Groove Mobile, each of which is pursuing an ASP strategy which doesn't fit as neatly into a space where content is created and published in such a decentralized fashion.

“How people are going to make money here is much less clear, particularly in the mobile space where data tariffs are still an issue.  There's been lots of talk of ‘the business model coming later’ and "pursue your passion, the money will follow" and of course ‘advertising advertising advertising.’

“As the Internet bubble was growing everyone made a mad dash to aggregate eyeballs; here I suppose people are in pursuit of . . . earballs?

“Our data, derived from our very large month survey of mobile subscribers indicates that this is still very much an early adopter thing:

“*  Just over 6% of the mobile subscriber population has personally subscribed to a podcast,
“*  40% have never heard the term "podcast"; 27% have heard it but don't know what it means
“*  Of those subscribing to podcasts, two-thirds are male (classic tech early adopter pattern) and 56% are under 34 years old

“While the mobilcast business card suggests there are 700 million phone worldwide that could access podcasts today, that's grossly overstated.  Depending on what technical solution you implemented, in the US the number is likely closer to 40 million.

“The fact remains, though, that the mobile phone is positioned to be the dominant and ubiquitous device for accessing portable multimedia content.

“More interesting than the hype around podcasting is what the phenomenon tells us about the potential for user created content or, to use a phrase coined by Noah Glass and his colleagues at Odeo ‘casual content creation.’  This is an area where the mobile phone will shine, whether it's photo/video messaging, blogging, or podcasting.

“Glass gave a passionate talk yesterday that beat one of my favorite drums: technology that helps people create content that helps them communicate and connect with others is sticky, meaningful, and a huge business opportunity.”

My thoughts

I’m surprised that Pod2Mob has been so low key.  No press releases, no weblog and no regular podcasts from the company.  There’s no doubt that Melodeo has been doing a much better job of promoting wireless podcasting, as I mentioned in the previous entry.

I also agree that relatively few people have heard of podcasting, let alone wireless-enabled podcasting.  I also mentioned that in my previous entry, where I suggested Melodeo/Mobilcast provide much more information on its Web site to educate potential wireless podcast users.

So far, the cellular operators have done virtually nothing in the wireless podcasting space, although Verizon Wireless has dipped the very tip of its little toe into the water, as I previously wrote.

Just the start

I certainly can see people doing spur of the moment podcasts, such as while attending a conference, walking in the park, etc.  Some people prefer to write their thoughts, some prefer to speak them and some people learn more by reading and others by listening.

In short, I believe this is just the beginning of a medium that will continue to expand and provide an extremely important method for obtaining information as well as for entertainment.

Mobilcast debuts revised Web site...that needs work

Melodeo, the wireless music/wireless podcast platform company, recently updated its wireless podcast Web site, “Mobilcast” (see below).

Stan Sorensen, senior director of product management and marketing at Melodeo, writes in his interesting “Mobile Podcasting” weblog that he’d like feedback.  Well, I think it could use a bit of work.

Here’s one problem:  Podcasts are still esoteric for the majority of cellular subscribers and wireless podcasts are even more esoteric.  The site’s home page is designed with the assumption that you know what podcasts and wireless podcasts are all about.

Too advanced

I believe the first Web page a person sees should very clearly provide information about the value of podcasts. 

Ideally, I think there should be another link that stands out from the rest — or perhaps a box with information — that says something like: “Podcasts: What They Are, Why You Want To Listen To Them.”

There should be more information about the wireless aspects of podcasts, including usage tips.

More education

People need to be educated.  You can’t assume everyone or even most people who visit the Mobilcast site will immediately understand the value of podcasts via a cellular phone.

Also, I’m afraid I don’t like the site's navigation.  In order to see what podcasts are available, you have to first go through several steps, including indicating your cellular operator, your type of phone, type of data plan, etc.

Nope — you should see what you can get, or at least see a great representative sampling — before going through an onerous process.  (I used "onerous" in a relative sense.)

Poor navigation, poor education

I think people could be turned off by having to fill out all that information in order to learn more.  Potential wireless podcast listeners should get more information upfront.

Another point:  In order to find out that Verizon Wireless and Sprint do not yet support Mobilcast, you have to go through the process I mentioned above — and that process isn’t well done, either. 

I have other issues with the site, too.

A rethink in order

Sorry, but in this situation I believe the Mobilcast Web site needs more information, a more hierarchical navigation structure and more customer education on its home page.  The site’s design and content need to be revised.

I certainly am pleased, however, that Melodeo is doing something to enhance the visibility of wireless podcasts.  Unfortunately, I haven't heard much from any company about wireless podcasts.

"ID3 Podcast Magazine" to publish in paper, pdf, online, podcast editions

From J.D. Lasica's "New Media Musings" I see there's a magazine devoted to podcasting, "ID3 Podcast Magazine."

The editorial calendar for the bimonthly publication doesn't seem to include any articles devoted to wireless podcasting.  However, there are a couple of articles about the Portable Media Expo & Podcasting Conference that perhaps includes wireless.

inCode Wireless snares Steve Wozniak for wireless-related podcast

The consulting firm inCode Wireless has snared Apple Computer's co-founder Steve Wozniak for an "InCrowd" podcast discussing his use of wireless technology.

Wozniak discusses the cellular phones he has used, the phones he has now and the features he uses.  What's the No. 1 he'd like on a cellular phone?  Quick and easy forwarding to another number, he says.

Worth listening to if you're interested in Wozniak's non-technical discussion of his wireless us, but you won't get any insights.

Verizon Wireless tests podcasting with program about LG 9800 1xEV-DO phone

Verizon Wireless has dipped a toe into the podcasting waters with a broadcast (see below) about the features of and services for its new LG  9800 cellular phone (branded as "LG The V").

The 15-minute podcast was created by Greg Cangialosi, who calls himself "The Trend Junkie" and writes a weblog with the same name.  He is president and co-founder of an e-mail marketing company, Blue Sky Factory. 

I assume Cangialosi was paid to do the podcast (that he discusses in his weblog) and he also produces his own tech podcasts.

Podcast details

In the LG 9800 podcast, Cangialosi interviews John Johnson, a Verizon Wireless executive (who I met during the launch of Verizon's 1xEV-DO service in Washington, D.C.), and also students at the University of Maryland.

As a way to learn about the phone and some Verizon services, including EV-DO and VCAST, the podcast is fine, as long as listeners know the difference between a commercial and an unbiased podcast.

(I'm a big fan of feature-rich QWERTY-based, high speed data phones, although I haven't tested the LG handset.)

More to come

Cangialosi will do at least one more podcast for Verizon.  He writes in his weblog, "I am very excited to see that VZW received such  positive feedback on the first podcast, that they have asked me to come back again."

A public relations spokeswoman for Verizon confirms there will be more podcasts to come.  Verizon is looking for ways to inform its customers and podcasting is one way, she says.

Two suggestions to Verizon:  Your first podcast is about the "V," so why not include a link to information about the handset?  There's nothing wrong with providing this type of information.  Podcasters often include URLs of products mentioned.

Also, how about some "how-to" podcasts that help consumers use their phones, such as how to take good camera phone photos, how to easily download music to handsets and computers, how to use Bluetooth, etc.

Podcast channels

I've written (and broadcast) previously that podcasts hold great promise for the wireless industry.  I can't imagine that cellular operators won't offer podcast channels to their subscribers.

I also have a variety of articles about wireless podcasting in the CTIA Wireless Internet Caucus Weblog.

Motorola iRadio interested in podcasts, music for its "Get Heard Network"

Motorola is soliciting content for its iRadio service, including podcasts.  The iRadio Web site includes a form for submitting a "webcast/podcast" to be considered part of the new computer-to-cellular-phone service (see below), as I wrote a few days ago.

The form also may be used for submitting your own regularly scheduled -- daily, weekly or monthly -- music channel.

Motorola's Web site says, "The goal of any musician, independent label or podcast is exposure.  Join the iRadio Get Heard Network and a nationwide audience of Motorola iRadio-enabled mobile phone users will have access to the radio station you create."

Motorola's iRadio to enables "radio" via phone but no wireless downloads

Motorola's new iRadio service -- that it has been talking about for a year or so -- will allow subscribers to download (not stream) hundreds of "channels" to their computers for transfer to iRadio-enabled cellular phones, but won't offer downloads via cellular.  I discussed iRadio yesterday in my CTIA WICWeblog article, and today notice that Stan Sorensen, senior director of product management and marketing for Melodeo (a wireless podcast and music software platform company), disparages iRadio for the lack of wireless downloading capability.

Sorensen writes in his excellent wireless podcast-oriented weblog:

"Radio doesn't require going through a PC.  But because Moto is using the ROKR as it's [sic] primary iRadio phone they have no choice.  Personally I don't see myself sifting through 435 channels using the Moto UI, downloading my choices to a PC, then tethering my phone.

"Why does this supposedly leading edge mobile phone company continue to ignore the mobile part of the equation?

"Oh, and with Mobilcast I have access to more than 400 stations, we call them podcasts, and I can download directly to my phone.  Over the air.  The way a phone was designed to be used."

Motorola's philosophy

Motorola obviously sees the revenue opportunities for wireless music, but has a "political" problem entering the business of wireless downloads because the cellular operators are getting into that market, and the operators don't want competition from a hardware supplier.

I certainly do see cellular subscribers transferring their music -- and podcasts -- to phones via computers.  With Apple iTunes charging $.99 for songs and other Internet-based music portals charging similar prices, subscribers are used to downloading music to computers and then into their iPods and other digital music players.

It's no great stretch -- no stretch at all, actually -- to substitute a cellular phone for a music player.  This assume consumers will want to listen to music on their phones.  I believe they will.

Questions

A big question is:  How many music portals will subscribers use? 

iTunes already satisfies the needs of many iPod users and the service also includes downloads of videos, audiobooks, television programs and free podcasts.  Consumers who aren't in the iTunes camp use a variety of other music portals.

Will consumers pay $7 a month -- the price Motorola has named -- for iRadio, in addition to other cellular services?

Also, I wonder what role -- if any -- podcasts will play in the iRadio mix.

Podcast/music platform firm Melodeo begins podcasting

Bill Valenti, the executive vice president of Melodeo, that offers a software platform for wireless music and podcasts, has begun the company's first podcast....about Melodeo.

FYI:  I got the link to the podcast from Melodeo's excellent weblog and copied it into a program (iTunes, in my case) that can open an RSS.xml file.  You can't just click on the URL in the weblog and automatically begin downloading or listening to it.  (At least, I couldn't)

Note to Melodeo:  I suggest you create a specific page on your Web site for podcasts that (1) includes a brief introduction to your corporate podcasts, (2) discusses how to download and listen to podcasts via portable devices as well as on a computer and (3) then include a variety of links, including an MP3 file, that enables automatic downloading of an MP3 file.

Inaugural podcast

Valenti's first podcast, running 8:42 minutes discusses the history of Melodeo and its podcasting ("Mobilcast") philosophy.  Valenti says it will be the first, and only, podcast that focuses on the company itself. 

Future podcasts will focus on podcasters who really understand the new medium of wireless podcasting.

Valenti's podcast is more than just an advertisement for the company (although it is!).  It's a bit more interesting, including the "sponsors" and some poetry.

Well "versed"

A "sponsor" for the podcast is the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and the "word" for the podcast is "sesquipedalian" (it means a long word and, surprisingly, I not only know it but have used it in presentations).  Valenti is a poetry fan and he's asking listeners to write a poem where sesquipedalian is used in context and rhymes with it.

The winner will "win" the ability to pick the next word for his podcast.  I'd prefer cash!  To send Valenti your poem or suggest topics for his podcast, send e-mail to maestro@melodeo.com.

Valenti ends his podcast with a poem he composed, "Infertile Crescent," about the war in Iraq.