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  #1  
Old 03-08-2005, 07:24 PM
Jason Dunn
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Default Front Page Experiment & Audio Broadcasting

Based on feedback we've received, the full front page stories has been adjusted from five to ten. We're going to watch what our server does, and hopefully it will be able to handle the increased load. We cache it quite aggressively, so our hope is that it will work out. Let us know what you think of the change. For subscribers, we're mulling over the option of having a static page that all subscribers would get with even more posts - say, 20. Is that something you'd like to see, or is 10 enough for you? Feedback welcome.

Now let's talk about audio broadcasting, or "Podcasting" as some call it (what a lame term for it). I listened to an audio broadcast from another Pocket PC Web site, and I have to be honest, 90% of it was navel-gazing: he talked about his own site, and himself, for almost the entire thing. I don't see the value in that. But it did make me think about what was possible using audio broadcasting as a medium - is that something you'd like to see here? If so, what would you like to see? Commentary? Reviews? Questions answered? Weigh in!
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Old 03-08-2005, 07:40 PM
Jerry Raia
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I think it would depend on how often you check the front page. If you are looking at it a couple times a day 5 is plenty. If you only look every few days then 10 or more is more useful. Could it be scaled based on the last time a person checked? So if I come back in 2 hours say, I'll only get 5. If I come back in 3 days I'll get 15 for example.
 
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  #3  
Old 03-08-2005, 07:40 PM
Bob S
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How about an audio version of the front page?

Read the top 10 stories of the day / week etc.

Add a couple of reviews. Some extra deep thoughts from Jason and crew.

That way I could hear the site during my commute.

Here is a link to a great newsreader for PocketCasting

http://www.feederreader.com/index.html

This would make it very handy to download and listen

Just my 2 cents worth
 
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Old 03-08-2005, 07:46 PM
Jason Dunn
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerry Raia
Could it be scaled based on the last time a person checked? So if I come back in 2 hours say, I'll only get 5. If I come back in 3 days I'll get 15 for example.
Unfortunately, no, because that would make it just as dynamic, if not more so, than what we had before. And hence the server load would be even more brutal. :-(
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Old 03-08-2005, 07:56 PM
Jon Westfall
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audio might be fun and good for commuting, etc. Probably wouldn't be to hard to implement - Editors could just record the audio when posting the story. I'm not sure how many readers really want to both read and hear my posts though....
 
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Old 03-08-2005, 08:03 PM
Jason Dunn
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Westfall
audio might be fun and good for commuting, etc. Probably wouldn't be to hard to implement - Editors could just record the audio when posting the story. I'm not sure how many readers really want to both read and hear my posts though....
Hmm...I'm not so sure - I tend to swear a lot when my post isn't going right. :lol:
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Old 03-08-2005, 08:09 PM
Vincent M Ferrari
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I'd have to say that my opinion on podcasting is very simple: It kinda sucks.

Most of it is exactly what you said here; navel gazing and self promotion. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING. I checked out a few podcasts I thought would be good only to find out they were really really boring, and these are people who are good writers.

I don't really see a value in doing it if you're PPC Thoughts. You guys knock the whole news community site thing out of the park daily; no need to add something that isn't really going to enhance the site for most people.
 
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Old 03-08-2005, 08:10 PM
rlobrecht
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I'm not at all interested in audio programming.

As for the front page, I'm ok with five or ten. I pull down the RSS feed a couple of times a day anyway.
 
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  #9  
Old 03-08-2005, 08:10 PM
Anjuan Simmons
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Default Re: Front Page Experiment & Audio Broadcasting

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
But it did make me think about what was possible using audio broadcasting as a medium - is that something you'd like to see here? If so, what would you like to see? Commentary? Reviews? Questions answered? Weigh in!

I suscribe to a few podcasts (Leo Laporte, The Daily Source Code from Adam Curry, CIO podcast, and IT Conversations to name a few), and I have to say they make my morning commute a more enjoyable experience. Instead of trying to avoid reading Avant Go while driving, I just plug my earphones into my PDA and listen to the content I've copied to my device (which allows me to keep my eyes on the road and both hands on the steering wheel).

I don't think regurgitating what is posted on the site would be interesting. However, I would enjoy hearing the thoughts from the editors about new devices and the consumer electronics industry in general. Furthermore, and audio broadcast allows more nuances of emotion and passion of thought than just the printed page.

In summary, I would definitely subscribe to the Pocket PC Thoughts audio broadcast if one was made available and presented new content at least once a week.
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  #10  
Old 03-08-2005, 08:11 PM
GSmith
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Westfall
audio might be fun and good for commuting, etc. Probably wouldn't be to hard to implement - Editors could just record the audio when posting the story. I'm not sure how many readers really want to both read and hear my posts though....;)
If you include the audio as an enclosure in the exact message you are posting, then users have the choice of reading or listening. Also, if you have a Text-to-Speech engine on your Pocket PC and want to try out using TTS to read an RSS post, I've added support in FeederReader for this. I'm looking for someone to help me test this functionality!

PocketCasting is great for commuting and great for being able to do other things, like program the next version of FeederReader (!), while soaking up information.

I posted on PocketPCAddict.com the following, which summarizes my experience:

I like podcasting because there is a wider variety of "shows" available than on local radio. I'm an avid NPR listener and a mild talk radio listener. Podcasts fit into my life the same way that NPR and talk radio do. I can listen while programming. With blogs, I can't do that. It's like time-shifting radio that I can listen to whenever I want.

Talk radio shows get boring to me after I figure out the "pattern" of the host. Unless the host is fair and reasoned. In my years of listening, I've found exactly one radio host that is fair and reasoned, listening to both sides of an argument.

If you're the type that doesn't listen to radio or new (to you) music at all, then I would think podcasting may not appeal to you. Well, except if you don't listen to radio because it's boring, trite, annoying, or too patterned. Then podcasting is *perfect*.

Talk radio pattern:

1) Get caller
2) Listen to first half of caller's statement
3) Cut off caller and pronounce stupidity of caller
4) (Optional) Make unsubstantiated and/or unreasoned arguments occasionally supporting superficial claims.
5) Repeat for one hour.

Music radio pattern:

1) Announce "The New 100.3" for the first 3 years of existance.
2) Left-ear, right-ear sweep with beeps, boops, and the echoey AM-sounding voice. Sometimes add siren.
3) Introduce and play brand-new song #1. Play song that sounds exactly like Britney Spears, but may or may not be.
4) Introduce and play brand-new song #2. Play song that sounds exactly like Matchbox 20, but may or may not be.
5) Introduce and play brand-new song #3. Play song that sounds exactly like Nora Jones, but may or may not be.
6) Play lound and obnoxious local automobile ad.
7) Repeat for six weeks with exactly the same songs.
8) Get three new songs. Repeat for three years.
9) Change format to talk, or country, or Adult Contemporary, or Urban. Repeat with three brand-new songs in new genre.

Of course, I prefer getting my podcasts directly downloaded to my Pocket PC using FeederReader. No need for a desktop and syncing and all that. Download on the road.

Videocasting is also coming soon (well, already here for early adopters). FeederReader already handles videocasts, too.

"The future of podcasting is so bright, I gotta wear headphones." - Greg Smith

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - The Pocket PC RSS, podcatcher, videocatcher
www.FeederReader.com - Download on the Road
 
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