KempMullaney.com

In this lovely Web 2.0 example of how one little sound file made public can result in user generated content. On a post dated Jan 29, the San Francisco Chronicle podcast, 'Correct me if I'm wrong...,' included a reader's phone call complaining about the use of the term 'pilotless drone.'

Since releaseing the mp3 of the call, users have remixed, added video and even created a ringtone from the call. The video below as well as other remixes can be found here, and at Engadget. Kudos to the Chronicle for sharing this gem.

 

Posted by kempblog at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Martina at Adverblog posted about mobile advertising and the promises that have not yet materialized. I agree that the hype spread back when I started in the mobile industry in 2000 hurt the industry to this day, but there have been some important successes recently that should be recognized.

Time, BusinessWeek and Reuters have launched mobile versions of their sites. Now this in itself is not impressive, but there are two BIG differences right now. The first is they are doing this outside of any aggregator or carrier. Second, they all have monetization strategies in place and currently have or have had sponsors.

Why the shift now? There was a time when the mentality was ‘our competitors have mobile so we must as well.’ But now the number of devices that support browsing and more importantly, the number of people using them is starting to tip.

Who are these users? Business users own/use the majority of Treos, Balckberrys and the like. In most cases, these users never see a phone bill, and most of them travel. It does not take long for one of these users to get bored enough and start to play with these devices and start to find their favorite sites. Time, BusinessWeek and Reuters have jumped on this.

I know I am not the first to propose these ideas. You can find some of them published in an article by a former co-worker of mine, Crystal King and in press releases by my former employer, AvantGo. But marketers realize that the mobile market is moving beyond ring tones and wallpapers and media companies are stepping up to deliver rich mobile sites.

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After a long break I have finally gotten my site back up and re-published my old posts. They should be dated correctly as well as all further posts. Thank you for stopping by.

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Originally posted on 8/26/2006
In the race to adopt new technology and use it correctly, NPR is near the top of my list. Not only can you catch the shows live on the radio, but they also make most of them available as podcasts.

NPR embraced technology that allows their listeners to enjoy the show at their convenience, and some shows, like Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, have also scored a sponsor (currently Acura) exclusively for their podcast edition.

Best Quote from the 8/20/06 show.

While discussing the new list of items not allowed on flights, Tom Bodett added,

“Well, you know what you can still bring? I flew today and you can still bring those exploding Dell laptop computers.”

Posted by kempblog at 04:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Originally posted on 3/5/2006
The opportunity is now.

As RSS gains popularity, a blogger, Matt Brett, has taken it upon himself to push for a standard icon to represent the availability of a feed. FeedIcons.com now offers several versions of the Mozilla Firefox icon for RSS. The impetus for this site was a December 14th post on an MSDN blog announcing that the Internet Explorer team was integrating the same icon in to IE 7. The following day the Outlook Team announced that they were using the icon as well in Outlook 12.

Matt’s effort is one to help a new technology, commonly used by early adopters, take root amongst the masses. Take a look and if you offer any content in RSS/XML I encourage you to use Matt’s icons. I have.

Read more about FeedIcons.com and Matt’s reasons for starting the site on his blog.

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Originally posted on 2/22/2006
This post may stray from my mission to discuss new media, but it is an important way to look at the changes taking place in business, and the flexibility needed to address the challenges of technology.

In an article titled Geeks in Toyland, WIRED recounted a problem that Lego faced when their intellectual property was threatened. The code for the software that controled their new robotics kit appeared on the Internet and soon hacks were being published to make the robotics act in ways that were never imagined by the original product designers. The following quote comes from that article.

Lego's Danish brain trust soon realized that their proprietary code was loose on the Internet and debated how best to handle the hackers. "We have a pretty eager legal team, and protecting our IP is very high on its agenda," Nipper says. Some Lego executives worried that the hackers might cannibalize the market for future Mindstorms accessories or confuse potential customers looking for authorized Lego products.

After a few months of wait-and-see, Lego concluded that limiting creativity was contrary to its mission of encouraging exploration and ingenuity. Besides, the hackers were providing a valuable service. "We came to understand that this is a great way to make the product more exciting," Nipper says. "It's a totally different business paradigm - although they don't get paid for it, they enhance the experience you can have with the basic Mindstorms set." Rather than send out cease and desist letters, Lego decided to let the modders flourish; it even wrote a "right to hack" into the Mindstorms software license, giving hobbyists explicit permission to let their imaginations run wild.

Lego embraced the eagerness and enthusiasm of their users as opposed to trying to control their product too tightly. Though intrinsic values of a decision like this can be difficult to measure by traditional metrics, it is reassuring to see more and more companies working with their customers rather than forcing their products down their throats.

Media companies need to keep these ideas close at heart as users adopt technologies like DVRs, RSS, and portable media players. Users know what they want - how best can you serve them?

Posted by kempblog at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Originally posted on 8/24/2005
Here is a quick break from my podcasting posts to provide an update on the business model associated with new media.

First, there is the money.

• RSS Investors, launched with $100 million to invest in RSS-based businesses.
• Odeo, a business focused on Podcasting announced funding (undisclosed sum).
• Podshow, also focused on Podcasting, announced they had received $8.85 million in funding.

So the money to get start-ups focused on launching new media companies is out there, but how will these new companies make money? The traditional stream for media is in advertising and Pheedo, Google and Feedster are already putting ads in RSS. Odeo and Podshow hove both shown an interest in putting ads in podcasts.

Then there are the buyers.

Big advertisers are getting involved. Lexus is sponsoring KCRW's podcast for one year. Even better news may be that ad budgets are including new media as a major component. A new report from Veronis Suhler Stevenson states that advertising spending is expected to grow 6-7 percent per year through 2009, and the majority of the growth is expected to be spent on New Media.

But will this reach out into the Long Tail of blogs and podcasting? Time will tell, but if Google's AdSense has taught us anything, it is that targeting is king when it comes to new media and any successful strategy should have targeting as a key component.

Posted by kempblog at 04:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Originally posted on 8/12/2005
Podcasting is one of the latest media formats spurred from the increase in portable media players (MP3 players) and the distribution capabilities of RSS. From the Wikipedia entry on podcasting:

"Podcasting enables independent producers to create self-published, syndicated "radio shows," and gives broadcast radio programs a new distribution method. Listeners may subscribe to feeds using "podcatching" software (a type of aggregator), which periodically checks for and downloads new content automatically"

Once downloaded* this content can then be listened to on a laptop, desktop, digital music player, PDA or any other device that can play MP3s. The file is stored so the user can listen when it is convenient - time shifting for audio content.

Like Web logs, podcasting is giving the individual the opportunity to create and publish their own content. The first efforts were primarily enthusiasts, but as the medium has grown in popularity, more tradtional media companies, like CNN, ABC News and others, have begun to podcast their content. At this time, the monetization of this new medium is unclear; premium subscriptions, insertion of ads and tracking are issues several companies are currently tackling.

In the next few posts I will review how iTunes, Odeo and other companies are taking podcasting to the next level.

*If you are using a device with a live Internet connection, you can stream some podcasts without downloading them.

Posted by kempblog at 04:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Originally posted on 8/2/2005
Note: I am currently employed by iAnywhere, the parent company of AvantGo. For this reason, this will be a brief, factual overview of the product without any editorial content.

The last few posts have centered on RSS in a mobile environment. Now we will move to a tool that moblized HTML pages for mobile devices - AvantGo.

The AvantGo Mobile Internet Service was launched in 1999 as an offline Web browser for PDAs. Since then the service has evolved to include more operating systems (Palm OS, PocketPC and Symbian) and additional wireless features. Here is an overview.

When the first Palm Pilot PDAs were launched in 1996, most had no way to connect to the Internet. They would sync your calendar, address book and some additional data for you to carry with you in a small, simple package that started instantly. AvantGo created an application that added an additional step to the synchronization process that would take advantage of the user's desktop or laptop's Internet connection. During a sync, the AvantGo client would connect to AvantGo servers and download handheld formatted content to the PDA. This model grew to include wirelessly connected devices and AvantGo named it the Dynamic Mobility Model.


The current version of AvantGo includes their latest user interface (UI) and client that supports DHTML. The new UI is tabbed and takes most of the functionality that was previously Web-based and allows you to control it on the device. It also includes wireless features for user who have a live connection (Wi-Fi or cellular).

Users of non-connected PDAs can update their AvantGo account and then access and interact with content when they are away from their desktop or laptop. Wireless PDA and Smartphone users can store a great deal of content on their device, selectively update that content, and have access all of AvantGo's channels wirelessly (currently around 1,000.) All users benefit from being able to access content when they do not have a connection (planes, underground public transportation, etc.)

The difference between AvantGo and a PDA RSS reader (like the one I mentioned in this post) is that the content AvantGo features is formatted for mobile device, always includes complete articles and in many cases includes graphics. Content providers include CNET, Reuters, USA Today, Accuweather, RollingStone.com, WIRED, Sporting News and many others.

AvantGo has positioned themselves in the Occasionally Connected world with their use of the Dynamic Mobility Model. The AvantGo Client is free and can be downloaded here (requires registration).

Posted by kempblog at 04:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Originally posted on 8/2/2005
Here is a quick definition of RSS and associated terms.
MarketingStudies.net.

Posted by kempblog at 04:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Oringinally posted on 8/25/2006
On August 1, USA Today published an article on students using RSS feeds to conduct research.

"It saves me a lot of time and energy," says Ediriwickrema, an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania. "I can quickly find what I'm looking for without having to go from Web site to Web site, and I get the most up-to-date information."

Apply this to the mobility aspect I commented on in regards to laptops and PDAs and the benefits grow exponentially.

Read the full USA Today article here.

Posted by kempblog at 04:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Originally posted on 7/26/2005
My last post on RSS and Mobility focused on the Laptop. Here are a few thoughts on doing the same with a Pocket PC PDA.

To start, you will need an RSS reader or news aggregator. Check out Handango and search for 'RSS' for a good selection. For these screen shots I am using NewsBreak by Ilium Software. Selecting feeds works in one of four ways.

• Choose from a list of known channels
• Search online for channels
• Import from a file or URL (OPML), and
• Insert the channel's URL (RSS).

This is a very complete list that shows the developer understands the challenges of using PDAs (like entering text) and wanted to make adding RSS feeds as easy as possible. Once you have added your channels, the software will use your Internet connection (your PC' connection via your cradle, Wi-Fi or cellular) to look for updates to the feeds. The data is then cached and can be viewed with or without an active connection. This application puts an update for new articles on the 'Today' screen of your Pocket PC (see the screen capture to the right).

When you open the application you get a list of your feeds. The numbers to the right of the feed's title tell you how many of the articles have not been viewed. In the example, Brighthand has 13 unread articles. At the top of the page there is a folder hierarchy so that you can organize your feeds into folders. This can be customized to any grouping you choose. When you are ready to read, simply tap on any of the news sites to open their feed.

Once you are in the article view, you can tap on any feed to read more. Once you have viewed an article, the title changes from Bold to regular font. These are the same feeds you view on a laptop so the amount of content is determined by the publisher. In any case, each article does contain a hyperlink back to the full-length, online article, so if you have a connection you can read the rest of the content.

Because RSS is mostly text, the PDA experience is almost identical to the laptop experience. You can mark articles as unread to revisit them, and choose how often the software searches for updates. Obviously you will be dealing with a smaller screen but on the whole this is an easy way to check for news updates in place of using a laptop.

Posted by kempblog at 03:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Originally posted on 7/22/2005
One of the most beneficial technologies/applications I have found in the Occasionally Connected world has been RSS and RSS readers.

RSS (really simple syndication) is a great way to distribute content. Users subscribe to a feed and then update that content as they choose. All users need is a computer and a RSS reader or news aggregator. There are plenty of free aggregators out there, but not all of them are built to cache the data for off-line use. Yahoo and Bloglines both allow you to read RSS feeds using your browser, but they do not save the content so you can view it without an Internet connection. You can find a partial list of RSS readers here. Personally, I use Net NewsWire for Apple OS X.

So how does this work? For our example, we will use Reuters. On their Website, Reuters offers a list of RSS feeds. I can pick and choose which content I want update by clicking on the "XML" button. [RSS is built on XML standards and the initials are often interchanged.] This should launch your RSS reader and prompt you to add the feed. Then you are done.

Several sites will have an RSS section that will allow you to subscribe to feeds, and most news readers offer a directory. Finding content is not difficult.

Occasionally Connected Use
Each morning before I leave the house, I start-up my laptop and my RSS reader. Using the Refresh Now button, the 55 feeds I have selected are checked for updates and downloaded in less than 30 seconds. I close my laptop and leave for work. Once on the train, I then read through each of the feeds. Different sites have adopted different strategies when it comes to what is included in a feed. Smaller sites and most Weblogs provide all of their content in the RSS feed. Larger media sites generally provide the title of each story and the first few lines of text. From the synopsis, you can navigate to their Web page to read the entire article. Though I am disconnected I can determine from the briefs whether or not I want to read the rest of the article and flag it to be read the next time I have a connection.

By the time I get to the office, I have read/scanned the sites I like to check daily for news and editorials. On a usual day this will include 150 to 200 articles. My time spent browsing from site to site each morning has been severely reduced. Now, not only am I am better informed, but I am much more efficient. I only spend time online reading the articles I selected when I get to work.

My one complaint is that I cannot find a news reader that will cache the images attached to the feeds. This is a small price to pay for making my hour commute more productive and more fun.


Click on the image above to see a larger picture of Net NewsWire.

Posted by kempblog at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Originally posted on 7/22/2005
In order to set some guidelines, I want to explain my usage of the applications I will be covering. Before each trip (my daily commute or a business trip) I connect to the Internet and 'update' my occasionally connected applications. This applies to my laptop (Apple 12" G4 Powerbook), PDA (HP iPaq 5555 with Wi-Fi) and Smartphone (Palm Treo 650).*

All applications will fit the Intel definition of Occasionally Connected Computing (OCC) as worded in my previous post. There will not be a formal review per se, but more of an editorial overview of the features of these applications and how they benefit the mobile user and their ability to access and interact with media. The applications will be consumer-focused with some references to business use.

I have a few applications selected, but i f you would like to suggest an application, please let me know. My email address is in the right-hand column.

* Because my job is in the mobile sector, I carry more devices than the average person. My PDA and Smartphone are redundant, but necessary for my work.

Posted by kempblog at 03:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Originally posted on 7/19/2005
I commute an hour to and from work each day. During the trip I spend at least half my time underground (or under the San Francisco Bay) without an Internet connection.* Even when I am above ground and do have access to a cellular signal, I rarely use it since I have been spoiled by broadband speeds. I also fly from SFO to JFK several times a year. Each trip is five hours of 'isolation' from the Internet.

In walks Occasionally Connected Computing (OCC). According to Intel,

"In the OCC model, a connection is used but not always needed. That is, if the connection is severed, the application should still be functional to the highest degree that is reasonably possible."

More and more services are being based on this model. Perhaps the best known (and most widely used) application is email. Everything from Outlook to Blackberrys allow email to be cached and viewed offline. Responses can be written and held until the next time the device (in this case a laptop or a PDA/Smartphone) makes a connection.

Now, more and more services are offering this type of access to content, and users are adopting it quickly. The next few posts will deal with some of the applications that I use and how they benefit the occasionally connected lifestyle when it comes to accessing and creating media.


* Some carriers do have antennae at some of the underground stations in downtown SF, but your time is so limited and the data rates are so slow, that they are in effect useless for any significant Web functions.

Posted by kempblog at 03:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)