Reiter's Wireless Podcast Report

Speaking at Corporate Podcast Summit, near San Francisco in June

I’m going to be moderating a panel at the Corporate Podcast Summit in Redwood City, Calif. at the Sofitel Hotel, June 20 – 21, 2006 (see below).

My panel in the afternoon on June 20 is about — not surprisingly — wireless podcasting.  One of the speakers is John Mayerhofer, the CEO of VoiceIndigo.  I recently wrote about the company (no, not because Mayerhofer is speaking!).

I think VoiceIndigo’s ability to automatically download podcasts to a cellular phone is a great service although, as I wrote, not everything is perfect with some other features.  It will be interesting to listen to near developments from Mayerhofer and others to be announced at the panel.

Verizon posts second podcast

Verizon Wireless has just posted its second podcast (see below) — about its V Cast music service.

Verizon’s first podcast was about the features of the LG 9800 1xEV-DO phone.  I thought the first podcast was somewhat better than the second, that’s just an advertisement for the V Cast music capabilities.

There’s so much interesting and useful information about wireless music that Verizon could present in a podcast — information that would help with sales of music but also include valuable information.  It’s a shame the V Cast podcast is such a blatant commercial.

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.

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.

Motorola to launch podcasts for ROKR, advertise on The Podcast Network

Motorola this Monday (October 17) will launch the first in a series of podcasts for its new Apple iTunes-based ROKR cellular phone sold via Cingular Wireless as well as becoming an "anchor" advertiser for The Podcast Network, according to an article in Macworld, a press release on The Podcast Network's Web site and a Motorola "ROKR Booth" Web site (see below).

Macworld says, "Motorola will release a podcast for its ROKR iTunes phone next week -- one of the first podcasts on the planet to feature legally-licensed music from big name music acts....Recorded in New York in September 2005, the podcast features hip-hop innovator Common speaking with DJ Gilles Peterson. It features songs chosen by the pair to illustrate the conversation....

"In addition to the Common/Peterson recording, two speech podcasts complete the Motorola series: Music journalist Robert Elms and DJ Bobby Friction take the listener on a guided walk around the venues that shaped London's music scene and DJ/actor/MC Ramon Rodriguez and journalist Tom Terrell host a tour of New York's five most important nightspots."

Advertising

Motorola Mobile Devices will be the first site-wide advertising tenant, for three months, of The Podcast Network.  Motorola will use banner ads and audio commercials to promote the ROKR and possibly other products and promote "the edgier side of the Motorola brand," according to a press release from The Podcast Network.

In addition -- and what's interesting to me -- Motorola will "offer podcasts with senior Motorola executives on a number of topics from handset design to mobile music," according to the release. 

Moreover, "Motorola will give podcast listeners the opportunity to interact with Motorola executives by allowing them to submit their own questions to be posed in upcoming podcasts."

Submitting questions?  That could be very interesting.

Insider's view

For an insider's perspective on The Podcast Network/Motorola deal, check out the weblog entry of Cameron Reilly, CEO and co-founder of The Podcast Network.

Reilly writes, "Motorola is a major-league player and hopefully their entrance into podcast advertising signals the beginning of the big guys taking an interest in reaching out to the podcast-listening audience."

(I'm a fan of The Podcast Network and I especially like the "G'day World" podcast interviews where Reilly is one of the two hosts.)

inCode Wireless posts its third podcast

Eventually, a wireless company that posts a podcast about, well, wireless, won't be a big deal.  But for now, I think it's useful to promote the few wireless companies that are employing podcasts.

The wireless consulting company inCode Wireless today posted its third podcast about wireless industry trends.  I previously mentioned the company's first and second podcasts.

Pod2Mob posts podcast featuring company head, Brad Zutaut

Pod2Mob, the first company to offer a wireless podcasting service, has posted a podcast about -- surprise! -- wireless podcasting and its own offerings (see below).



The podcast features Brad Zutaut, the former president of Xingtone, who now heads Pod2Mob.

It certainly makes sense for a company in the podcast business to do podcasts -- and to do them on a regular basis, not as an afterthought.  In fact, I'd be somewhat skeptical about the commitment of a company in the podcast business that didn't do its own podcasts.