Apple – Love The Products, Hate The Lawyers

In it’s ever aggressive march to protect the iPod trademark, Apple has done something incredible stupid. It was obnoxious enough when they started going after any products or companies with the term “pod” in it, but now Apple has released the hounds upon Podcast Ready, a service for podcasters. This has led many to ask, is Apple now trying to lay claim to the term podcast? Podcasters around the globe have exploded upon hearing this news. Some have suggested changing the name while others want to fight. I think it’s way to late for the name change and how can podcasters really fight this? The answer is we fight with the power of the social network, the blog, and the podcast itself. We have our own little pr machine and it’s time we turn it up to 10.  Apple has always stood for freedom, creativity and a different way of doing things. In 1984, the famous Macintosh ad centered around taking down “the man”. Who’s “the man” now?

The Connected World Podcast

I have started a podcast as a companion to this text blog. It will cover many of the same topics, but expand upon them. I may also add some topics not covered here.
Visit the website at http://connectedworld.podshow.com

Get the feed: http://www.podshow.com/feeds/connectedworld.xml

There is also a direct link to the shows on the right hand sidebar.

Microsoft Wants To Eat Everyones Lunch

It looks like Microsoft will indeed launch a digital music player to rival the iPod by Christmas. With the exception of the Xbox, Microsoft hasn’t had the best luck with hardware. This also spells bad news for all the other Microsoft compatible players because:

“They’re proposing an iTunes model approach,” the first source told Reuters. “They’re now interested in controlling the whole vertical stack of technology from the device to the service to the software.”

So, they understand the power of what Apple is doing with iPod, controlling end to end the entire system. I also wonder if they will finally build in Podcasting to their new software that will be pared with this device. I cannot believe they would not. Also, good news for Microsoft is they have put J. Allard, vice president of the Xbox team on the project. This guy definitely knows how to get things done. Xbox has been a huge success.

In the end, this is good for everyone as it will keep Apple honest and keep both companies innovating like mad to gain the advantage. The bad thing is that consumers will likely have to choose between two closed systems. At least the iPod goes cross plat form. I wonder if Microsoft’s will?

Help! Too Many Podcasts

I just counted and I have 107 podcasts in my iTunes. The first step is admitting you have a problem.

Happy Birthday To Podcasting on Itunes

Apple is celebrating the 1 year anniversary of podcasting on iTunes. My God, has is been that long already? Well we haven’t gotten very far in a year. Most of the top programs listed are corporate and old media. Completely lost are the smaller indie podcasts, just as was predicted. I still use iTunes as a podcast client only because it can bookmark any podcast as you play it. But I don’t usually find new podcasts via their directory.

Senate committee approves broadcast flag, about to nix net neutrality

There goes the neighborhood. The Senate Commerce Committee has approved the broadcast flag and it looks like net neutrality is going down. Well, it was fun while it lasted. Bend over and say ahh.

read more | digg story

Lost – More than a TV Show

I love the tv show Lost. It's an intelligent, fun and exciting show full of mystery and suspense. But what is really amazing is how Lost is becoming much more than a tv show. By the second season, more than 5 podcasts were regularly being produced from fans. These shows garnered tens of thousands of listeners. Weblogs and Internet forums followed. A huge Internet community has sprung up around Lost. It's not the first of this phenomenon. Star Wars, Star Trek, Alias and other sci-fi and fantasy shows have similar fans who meet and mingle on the Net.

But with Lost, the producers have embraced the new media and are using it themselves to extend the brand. First was the official Lost podcast with two of the main writers. It's a well produced show with some behind the scenes reflections from the actual writers themselves as well as exclusive interviews with the cast. Then, producers created a website for the Hanso Foundation, a fictitious company that plays an important role in the show. On this website are more clues to the overall mystery. Now, this summer, they are going all out. A brand new Hanso website along with other specialized sites are creating what is being called a "Lost Experience". Clues lead to more clues that lead to other websites. They have linked this on-line experience with the show itself producing a Hanso Foundation ad that runs on tv and directs people to different websites. One ad contained a phone number that connected fans to a voicemail system that provided many tasty clues to the show.

From a marketing perspective, producers and advertisers are getting together and fans will find various sponsors cleverly included in the Lost Experience. Monster.com, Verisign, and Sprite have been early participants. These sponsors are so well integrated into the experience, they hardly seem like ads.

Starting next season, Lost producers will embrace the mobile market and produce special "mobisodes" or special short episodes for mobile phones. This is absolutely brilliant and will be yet another avenue to interact with and market to viewers. NBC now is asking that all their future shows have interactive elements to them as well. Maybe these new on-line, interactive elements for tv will finally break the couch potato mentality of many Americans.

Love For The Scobleizer From A Network Of Friends

I have been following the dramatic story of Robert Scoble's mother. She has congestive heart failure and has also had a massive stroke. She is in very critical condition in the hospital. I immediately connected with this story as my father has had CHF for quite a while now and also had a stroke about six months ago. He has had an up and down time with his health and last week was admitted to the hospital once again. His kidneys were failing and he was dying. The doctors were able to get is kidneys going again and he is now in ICU and somewhat stable. I don't know what the future hold for him and our family, but we take it day to day.

What is amazing is the huge outpouring of love and compassion for Robert and his family as expressed in his blog comments. Robert, being one of the most popular tech bloggers, has thousands of people reading his blog daily. But we rarely get a look into his personal life. This is a business and tech blog after all. But when this kind of crisis comes, business shuts down and everything is focused on family.

Many people commenting on Scoble's blog know him personally and have met him. Others, like me, don't know him from adam. It's just a blog we read. But somehow, regardless of the blog subject matter, if you read a blog long enough, you do get the feeling that you know the person. And a community of regular readers and commenters appears.  

The same thing happened when popular podcaster Derek from Skepticality was struck with a severe brain ailment and spend many weeks in ICU. Podcasters and listeners rallied around and followed almost daily updates from his co-host Swoopy. They poured in their well wishes and prayers. It was a beautiful things to see and it's happening again for Robert. With all the attention being paid on the Internet being a dangerous place for kids, here is a shining example that it can also be a wonderfully beautiful place full of love and hope. A blessing for at least two families.