The Blog of Mike Beckham
Archive for July, 2006
Podcast Acquisitions
Jul 17th
PodTech, a technology podcasting network, has announced that it has acquired Geek Entertainment TV, a technology video podcast. Geek Entertainment TV’s Irina Slutsky and Eddie Codel will be joining PodTech and working with Robert Scoble. “We’ve been talking for a few weeks and actually signed the contracts today,” according to PodTech.
I am suprised at this, not the particular acquisition but that acquisitions are happening at all in the podcasting world. I guess I never thought podcasting reached a stage where this sought of business would take place yet. I mean think 12 months ago, could you imagine a podcast network buying out a podcast. Not to mention this podcast network has “the” Robert Scoble as part of the management.
That alone could not be imagined 12 months ago. Yet a recent report from Nielson has found podcasting is still a niche market and has not hit the mainstream yet. It found that just 6.6 per cent of the U.S. Adult online population or less than 10 million users have recently downloaded an audio podcast (in the last 30 days before the survey took place).
Oh my VOX!
Jul 13th
Well the latest popular blogging tool around lately is VOX. It offers a community based service where you can add a “neighborhood” and the intergration other sister blogging tool TypePad. So basically it is Blogger with some web 2.0 features with the whole “social networking” fad to it (which by the way was patented by the fledgling social networking siteFriendster, thats right they patented “social networking”). One of the things I believe is helping it become so popular like many web 2.0 companies is the invitation system. Only letting some in and giving out invites to users to give out. Look how well it worked for Gmail, it worked so well for them that more than 2 years after launching it is still “private” although invites are extremely easy to recieve.
I have a account (click here to take a look), however I use it only for commenting on others VOX Blogs like Leo Laporte’s.My blog page just has one post linking to here. Some of the big downsides to this service is Google ads at the bottom of pages and VOX internal ads at the top. Much worse than Blogger’s toolbar and non-removable unlike Bloggers. You cannot edit code, or use themes other than the ones offered by VOX. It does a good job implementing services like Flickr. However really doesen’t offer much more than Blogger and MySpace combined. I personally will stick to WordPress and what I like is controlling my site entirely and hosting it myself (with help from Ben May). You may like it, however I do not.
NPM Redesign
Jul 9th
Well the Negative Penguin Media website redesign is up, thanks to our web designer Ben May! Although right now not completely done, with some content absent. It looks alot better than previous versions and adds functionality for non-network podcasts to access help with production and listening through our new “labs” section. With Podcasting tips and more and our new forums.
I think it is a huge step forward and when all content is completed and it is running 100% I believe it will be a very good site for the network, shows and a awesome resource for all podcasters and podlisteners.
