RSS readers are small, compact, intelligent agents. iPodder is also an agent with similar characteristics. The agents are becoming more and more critical in the daily management of information flow for the individual. These agents can become truly intelligent by keeping track of our usage of the data that they collect and providing us feedback on our usage. How often do I read all of the posts from a specific feed? Please rank my RSS folders in Outlook by usage. Things like this make me more efficient. Intelligent agents should make us more efficient, not simply add another source to our already saturated information pipeline.

posted: 11:39:47 PM  permalink  trackback ()  comments ()    

I don’t do not wish to demean the work that has been put into iPodder and the iPodder revolution. A small group of very talented people are changing the way we think about audio on the web and the web in general. This is very important stuff. The functions iPodder provides should be worked into all RSS readers. Some RSS readers have iPodder like functionality already built in. For instance, in Radio UserLand's New Aggregator I can specify where to store enclosures. The same goes for Newsgator. I would say that these RSS readers don't take enclosures seriously in that they don't treat audio and text content equally. iPodder makes the content extremely easy to use. What could be easier than plugging my iPod into my laptop at night, leaving my laptop on with iPodder running, and waking up the next morning to find that what I am looking for is ready for me to use? iPodder reads the same thing as other RSS readers. However, its focus is on different elements. Other RSS readers need to include a focus on the same elements as iPodder with the same ease of use.

posted: 11:32:55 PM  permalink  trackback ()  comments ()    

A colleague, Steve Holden, and I are going to try our hands at a Podcast very soon. We discussed the format today and making our arrangements to do the recordings. I'd like to think the format is going to be a technology version on of CNN's Crossfire. We are going to use voice over IP from Vonage to connect us and Audio Hijack Pro to record the conversation. I'll edit the recordings on my Mac and then post them to a new blog that will support the Podcast. More on this experiment in the coming week.

posted: 11:17:20 PM  permalink  trackback ()  comments ()