From the Ashes of Podcaster Comes RSS Player

RSS Player

If you remember back in September there was an application announced for the iPhone called Podcaster that was denied from the App Store. The developer of Podcaster later released the application through Apple’s Ad-Hoc system essentially allowing him to sell the application without the App Store.

Recently Almerica resubmitted Podcaster, under a different name (RSS Player) and with some slight modifications (he removed the podcast directory from the app). And, suprisingly, it was accepted. The application still does essentially the same thing but now you have to input the URL for either an RSS feed or an OPML file to set up which podcasts it will follow.

RSS Player is now available from the App Store, it is currently $1.99 but the price will be raised to $4.99 shortly.

I don’t know if Almerica (the developer of the app) did this for everyone who purchased Podcaster but he did send me an email with a beta version of the application (a newer version then what is available in the App Store). So, if you purchased Podcaster ou might want to check your email and see if you got a beta copy before you head over to purchase it from the App Store.

Rss Player: Native iPhone App: Rss Player – Native iPhone App.

More Confirmation of Podcast Downloads in iPhone Firmware 2.2

Some more screenshots have hit the web that seem to confirm that iPhone firmware 2.2 will in fact enable downloading of podcasts directly to the device.

These new screenshots, published on “Flo’s Weblog,” show the ability to download these pocasts even over the 3G network.

The new functionality will let users browse podcasts from within the iTunes application and download them to the device but I don’t see any signs of being able to actually subscribe to those podcasts, which means it might be very similar to the way the Apple TV deals with podcasts. On the Apple TV you can save a podcast as a favorite but those podcasts don’t have new files automatically download (which would be ideal).

So, I don’t know how much I’m actually going to enjoy this feature, when it was added to the Apple TV it didn’t change any of my previous habits of downloading to my computer and syncing to the Apple TV so I would guess that this being in the iPhone won’t change my habits either.

According to the rumors though Apple will be limiting podcast file downloads to 10MB or less if downloaded over 3G but it is unclear as to whether or not these downloads can be performed over the EDGE network.

Podcast Aggregator for the iPhone

10 days ago I wrote about the lack of a podcast aggregating appliction for the iPhone. At the end of the post I said “So developers get to work, podcast enthusiasts are waiting” and I guess there was at least one developer working on one.

The application is called Podcaster and it is from the maker of Podcaster.fm which is a web app that lets you aggregate podcasts (with obvious drawbacks). Podcaster.fm doesn’t allow you to listen to podcasts when you are offline but the native application Podcaster will allow you to download podcast episodes directly to the iPhone to listen to/watch while you are offline.

The application was still in beta testing last week and the last time I knew was going to be submitted to the App Store last Friday, which means hopefully it will be available to all some time this week.

The native podcaster streams] just like the web app but it also allows you to download podcasts and listen to them when your offline (iPod Touch) or on edge(Old iPhone).

The interface is broken out in 3 sections.
My Podcasts – Displays all your podcasts. This screen also allows you to refresh your podcast list to see if there are any new items.
Unplayed – Displays unplayed podcasts.
Downloads – This is where you can see all your downloaded items.

Initially all sections have no items. It is up to you to subscribe to podcasts. We have provided several ways to subscribe. The easiest of which is to search our Podcast Directory. You can search by podcast title. If you cant find what you are looking for, you can use 1 of the other 3 methods to subscribe. Import from podcaster.fm account. Import by feed url and import by opml url.

After you have setup your podcast list. You are ready to listen. Simply select the item you want and click play. The podcast starts streaming in the media player. You also have the option to download the podcast. We have put a max limit of 40 MB for this current release but that is temporary and will be lifted in future updates. You can download as many podcasts as will fit on your iPhone or iPod Touch. –almerica.blogspot.com

UneasySilence

A Podcast Aggregator for the iPhone, Developers Get Working

One of the most important applications that I was excited about (and figured it would be a no brainer for someone to build is a podcast aggregator for the iPhone. One that would automatically check for podcasts on the feeds I gave it and ask me if ibwpupd like to download them to my iPhone.

What I would like to do is take my computer out of the podcast consumption equation essentially putting the podcast directly where It is going to be listened to.

I thought that was what Apple was going to do with the Apple TV when news came out that it was going to support podcasts. If the Apple TV automatically checked for podcasts every morning at say… 4am then I wouldn’t have to tie up my computer downloading 3 HD videos everyday and I wouldn’t have to waste more time waiting for those podcasts to sync to the Apple TV.

But what I really want is for an application like NetNewsWire to download enclosures to the phone and stick a badge on the home screen icon telling me how many are still unlistened to, let me manage them (delete them) just build a media player into the app so I can listen to them right there.

It doesn’t seem like this application would be that complicated to build and frankly I would even pay upwards of $5 to have it. So developers get to work, podcast enthusiasts are waiting.

Local News Websites Could Destroy “Traditional” Local News Sources

A few days ago I was having a conversation with my girlfriend and we were talking about how weird it is that the internet has the power to basically destroy all types of business, such as magazines, newspapers, television providers (cable and satellite), telephone companies, television stations, the Postal Service, radio, etc.

We were discussing how no other medium in history has been able to do this, television couldn’t kill radio, radio couldn’t kill newspapers, etc. But, the internet could kill all of these.

What’s odd though is that our conversation somehow morphed into the idea of making a news website for the city we live in. We live in a small city of 30,000 people but there are many other smaller towns neighboring us where a few writers and a few podcasters could get a considerable amount of those peoples eyeballs.

Right now there are only three ways of getting news in this city, the newspaper that seems to be printing more and more Associated Press articles lately, the local NBC affiliate which can only be viewed by watching it when it broadcasts, 6:00pm and 11:00pm or recording it to watch later, and the local radio stations which seem to be getting all of their news from one of the other two sources.

But the strange thing is that a single website with podcasts and written news on the website could destroy at least two of these three (when it comes to news at least). The advertising could easily be done by either billboards or even ads on the newspaper/NBC affiliate.

What I think would really get people is incredibly different approach to the news, not only would you be watching the news but you could be engaged in the news by leaving comments on the website, maybe on an audio podcast you could call in and leave a voicemail with differing opinions. Podcasting and blogging could change local news like no one had ever thought.

This idea of taking a small number of people and a few thousand dollars and turning it into a business that could rival the traditional news sources has been a dream of mine for a couple of years now, I think that we will finally see it in the next year or so in many of the cities across the country. Not only because the technology has become easy enough for the average Joe to do it but also because podcasting is becoming much more mainstream.

I can’t wait for it, I’d love to be able to just go to a website (that has a decent design) and be able to easily view/listen/read the news whenever I want, and commenting on the news through voicemail and comment forms would be nice to.

Just as an aside I was going to write a few paragraphs on how easy it would be to monetize but I’m sure you could figure it out, you approach a few local businesses, you tell them that you have X number of people listening/viewing/reading the content on a regular basis and you KNOW that they live in this area could easily monetize the whole business.

Podcast of the Month – CNET Live


CNET Live

“CNET live features hosts Brian Cooley and Tom Merritt sharing their expertise and having fun doing it. The two tech experts take calls, emails, and video questions, in order to help viewers get the most out of their technology. The show also features regular segments like Insider Secrets, Free Download of the Week, and best of the Web, helping viewers keep on top of the latest tech trends.”

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Podcast of the Month – this Week in Tech


this Week in Tech

“Your first podcast of the week is the last word in tech. Join Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, Kevin Rose, John C. Dvorak, and other tech luminaries in a roundtable discussion of the latest trends in high tech. Winner of People’s Choice Podcast and Best Technology Podcast in the 2005 People’s Choice Podcast Awards. Released every Sunday at midnight Pacific.”

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Podcast of the Month – Jordan, Jesse, GO!


Jordan, Jesse, GO!

“An irreverent, no-holds barred conversation with occasional psuedo-celebrity guests. Your hosts Jesse Thorn, “America’s Radio Sweetheart,” and Jordan Morris, “Boy Detective,” talk about the latest in their worlds, present original comedy and characters, and regular guests. From maximumfun.org, the producers of The Sound of Young America, one of the world’s most popular arts & entertainment podcasts.”

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Podcast of the Month – May

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Diggnation – “Diggnation is a weekly tech/web culture show based on the top digg.com social bookmarking news stories. Hosted by Kevin Rose & Alex Albrecht.”

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