Yahoo Podcasts, a comprehensive podcasting search, directory and listening service that launched in October 2005, is closing at the end of October, a fraction past its second birthday.I think this would be a great time to mention Mefeedia just rolled out OPML import. You can now import all your subscriptions from yahoo podcasting, Fireant, Miro, and of course iTunes. Best of all you can not only use mefeedia with video and audio podcasting aggregators like Fireant, Miro and iTunes but mefeedia's services greatly enhance the experience because you can access, manage, view, and listen to your subscriptions anytime and anyplace, not just when you're at your home computer.
There is no official word from Yahoo as to why the site is shutting, aside from a message at the top of Yahoo Podcasts that reads “Yahoo! apologizes deeply, but we will be closing down the Podcasts site on Oct. 31, 2007.”Other podcast directories have struggled as a medium that years ago held so much promise was surpassed by the rise of video. Odeo was acquired from investors, then sold off, then acquired another podcast directory called FireAnt; and more recently the podcast provider/ directory Podshow is rumored to be closing a third round of funding this week as they run short of money.
Yahoo Podcasts joins the ever growing Yahoo graveyard along with Yahoo Bill Pay (announced in July for Sep/ Oct shutdown) and the hat trick of closures in May of Yahoo Auctions, WebJay and Yahoo Photos. Yahoo Podcasts joins the TechCrunch Deadpool.
Showing posts with label videoblogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label videoblogging. Show all posts
Thursday, September 27
Yahoo Podcasts Joins The Deadpool
Re: Yahoo Podcasts Joins The Deadpool
Thursday, May 17
The revolution will not be televised
The first videos of students using the OLPC "$100 laptops" has come out today. Appropriately on a videoblog called OLPC.tv.
While the true utility of these laptops for teaching in developing countries has yet to be proven (critics say more fundamental needs like lighting, text books need be addressed) the saying "the revolution will not be televised" does come to mind.
The silent and distributed revolution of knowlege, education and power does not suit itself to primetime TV. It's not something you can point to like a riot or a mas demonstration. In this case, if it works it's going to be happening in tens of thousands of tiny little school houses all over the developing world. If this does work the change in the next 10 or 20 years could be far more dramatic.
Original post: olpc.tv - Students playing music
While the true utility of these laptops for teaching in developing countries has yet to be proven (critics say more fundamental needs like lighting, text books need be addressed) the saying "the revolution will not be televised" does come to mind.
The silent and distributed revolution of knowlege, education and power does not suit itself to primetime TV. It's not something you can point to like a riot or a mas demonstration. In this case, if it works it's going to be happening in tens of thousands of tiny little school houses all over the developing world. If this does work the change in the next 10 or 20 years could be far more dramatic.
Original post: olpc.tv - Students playing music
Saturday, April 7
Videoblogging in Second Life
As part the Videoblogging Week 2007 theme "crossing borders", Lisa Rein has done an excellent series of posts on videoblogging in Second Life. As part of the series Chicago based videoblogger Davide Meade has created this amazing video of an interface he's created for videoblogs in Second Life. Complete with a channel changer and multiple screens. If you have second life installed you can check it out by visiting the below SLURL... that's a Second Life Uniform Resource Locator or Second Life URL for you geeks. :)
See it in Second Life: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gyeongju/113/158/74
Original post on April 05, 2007 from DavidMeade.com: (RSS feed)
(Click the image above to watch the video!) It’s Videoblogging Week 2007! The week where all sorts of people all over the world crank out one new video every single day … just to do it. Witness the maddness at MeFeedia. Tags: videobloggingweek2007
(Via Mefeedia)
DavidMeade.com - VBW07:Day 5 - Second Life
Friday, April 6
Youtube coming soon to an iPod near you!
So, in the last couple days I've come to the realization that Google Video has started putting iPod and PSP compatible MP4 videos in their RSS feeds. Google has always had downloadable MP4 videos for free content though they haven't always put them in their feeds.
This is no minor thing. In fact it's pretty amazing what you can aggregate directly to your iTunes, iPod, PSP or media center.
For example, you can get compatible RSS feed of the highest rated documentaries (RSS feed / google page) or the latest Machinima videos (RSS feed / google page).
In fact why don't you try and pop the below RSS feed into iTunes now.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&q=duration%3Along
+is%3Afree+genre%3ADOCUMENTARY&so=3&num=100&output=rss
*Please make sure to turn off "auto downloading" in your iTunes podcasting preferences so you don't swamp google or your computer with multiple downloads.
If this is still not *digg worthy* enough for you, don't worry there's more.
You can also access MP4 feeds on pretty much all youtube users.
That's right, let me say it again... you can get iTunes/ iPod / PSP compatible RSS video feeds for pretty much ALL youtube users.
So for example here's the latest youtube videos from spectacular comedian Mark Day.
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=MarkDayComedy
And here's the corresponding ipod/PSP compatible RSS feed from google video.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&
q=MarkDayComedy&so=1&num=20&output=rss
Note the syntax. All I did was pop Mark's username from youtube, "MarkDayComedy", into the google query url.
You may notice there are a few other youtube users videos in the query. These videos are responses from other users to Mark Day's videos. Many might consider this pretty cool. All the same I tried to find a way to filter them out but I cannot find a way to limit the query to a single youtube user. So... to bad I guess. Deal with it. ;)
This does bring to mind, the next big question.
Does this mean we'll see video podcast feeds on Youtube soon?
I certainly can't tell you that, but now that the question has been posed, maybe if enough people *digg it* or blog about it youtube will listen. :)
I can say this. There are really no legal implications, but there are some important business considerations for Youtube regarding video podcasting. Youtube's business model is predicated on adding value through distribution with it's very nice, but arguably very controlling, Flash based player. This added value includes such things as links back to youtube, links to related videos others have found interesting, and above all such "social networking" features as the ability to comment, blog about and email the video.
That said it would certainly appear all the content is already available through google video so does it really matter when youtube gets around to promoting their video podcasting feeds in the youtube interface? If you're reading this then you have everything you need to start using youtube with your favorite video aggregator, handheld video player, media center, set top box, or even cell phone today.
While I'd love to see youtube take some development initiative and take that final step for the sake of all youtube users... I'm not going to sit around and wait for it. I'm already plugging my favorite youtubers videos feeds into my favorite aggregators like iTunes, mefeedia.com, Fireant and Democracy Player.
While some aggregators and players do support youtube's Flash based video feeds there are certain obvious things you can't really do with flash videos.... like store them on your hard drive... play them back in preferred video players... or media players... and many more obvious things... like playing them on your iPod. While MP4 is a proprietary video format and is not freely licensed it is quickly evolving as the MP3 of the video world. Most new handheld video players, set top boxes, and many new cell phones (such as the Nokia N95) support MP4.
With the recent announcement by EMI and Apple to sell non-DRM mp3's the big question is will video based distribution evolve in a parallel open fashion as music with mp3's or does the overhead of video based distribution and production require such digital crutches and controls as Flash based players, or even DRM?
What I very much believe is that youtube doesn't need to use Flash like DRM to create an artificial "speed bump" around youtube to force youtube users to keep coming back. Quite the contrary, the use of only Flash is discouraging use of youtube and encouraging the creation of a cottage industry of tools for cracking youtube and alternative "open" solutions.
I think there's enough love of youtube that if they did open up and allow MP4 downloads and video podcasting... along with some improvements to their EULA... that the good graces will cement them in a favorable light with many of their users.
There is also TREMENDOUS opportunity around these features for users to start offering proverbial "pro level" services, and advanced demographics and statistical information, the removal of caps on video length and resolution (HD VIDEO!) and even offerings for video based advertising, and optional paid subscription offerings on video feeds.
This is to say nothing of the opportunity for youtube to create standards and promote partnerships with set top box manufacturers, cell phone, and other hardware makers to bring the entire videoblogging space beyond the desktop computer and out into the world. It's also important to note that these aims would correspond directly if not be complimentary to the aims of google video whom is already offering paid downloads, and the web based distribution of high quality and feature length content.
It's time for youtube to set the video free.
Some tips for the uber users.
As far as googles video podcast feeds you might also note the variable "num=20" this is the number of items in the feed. If you like you can easily increase that number to 50 or even 100 items. Just us this power sparingly or your hard drive and iPod will be full of videos, google will disable this feature and I'll have to come and personally kick your ass. ;)
So for example if you wanted to download ALL youtube user Mark Day's videos to your iPod you might change the variable "num=20" to "num=100".
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&
q=MarkDayComedy&so=1&num=100&output=rss
Again... try turning off "auto downloads" in your podcast preferences in iTunes so as not to overload google or iTunes with multiple downloads and instead browse the podcasting tab in itunes and download ONLY those posts which you want on your iPod.
So what else can you do with this knowledge.
Well, to start with you can go look up your favorite youtube personality, and try putting their USERNAME into the following query. Disclaimer: results vary depending on the uniqueness of the username.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&
q=YOUTUBE_USERNAME&so=1&num=100&output=rss
Or... you could create any sort of complex query you like. For example... How about the last 50 machinima videos?
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search
&q=MACHINIMA&so=1&num=100&output=rss
Or... how about using google's advanced video search to find THE highest rated documentaries (RSS feed). I highly recommend "Revolution OS" about the advent of GNU, open source and linux, it's right there in the top 10 highest rated documentaries on google video, and it's available in it's entirety at 1 hours 25 minutes, for FREE. I already own the DVD, but I appreciate it all the same. :)
Obviously not everything on google video is available as a freely downloadable mp4. In order make sure you only get freely downloadable MP4's a highly recommend selecting "is free" in the "price section" when using Googles's Advanced Video search settings or adding "+is%3Afree" to your query string.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&q=duration%3Along
+is%3Afree+genre%3ADOCUMENTARY&so=3&num=100&output=rss
This is no minor thing. In fact it's pretty amazing what you can aggregate directly to your iTunes, iPod, PSP or media center.
For example, you can get compatible RSS feed of the highest rated documentaries (RSS feed / google page) or the latest Machinima videos (RSS feed / google page).
In fact why don't you try and pop the below RSS feed into iTunes now.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&q=duration%3Along
+is%3Afree+genre%3ADOCUMENTARY&so=3&num=100&output=rss
*Please make sure to turn off "auto downloading" in your iTunes podcasting preferences so you don't swamp google or your computer with multiple downloads.
If this is still not *digg worthy* enough for you, don't worry there's more.
You can also access MP4 feeds on pretty much all youtube users.
That's right, let me say it again... you can get iTunes/ iPod / PSP compatible RSS video feeds for pretty much ALL youtube users.
So for example here's the latest youtube videos from spectacular comedian Mark Day.
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=MarkDayComedy
And here's the corresponding ipod/PSP compatible RSS feed from google video.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&
q=MarkDayComedy&so=1&num=20&output=rss
Note the syntax. All I did was pop Mark's username from youtube, "MarkDayComedy", into the google query url.
You may notice there are a few other youtube users videos in the query. These videos are responses from other users to Mark Day's videos. Many might consider this pretty cool. All the same I tried to find a way to filter them out but I cannot find a way to limit the query to a single youtube user. So... to bad I guess. Deal with it. ;)
This does bring to mind, the next big question.
Does this mean we'll see video podcast feeds on Youtube soon?
I certainly can't tell you that, but now that the question has been posed, maybe if enough people *digg it* or blog about it youtube will listen. :)
I can say this. There are really no legal implications, but there are some important business considerations for Youtube regarding video podcasting. Youtube's business model is predicated on adding value through distribution with it's very nice, but arguably very controlling, Flash based player. This added value includes such things as links back to youtube, links to related videos others have found interesting, and above all such "social networking" features as the ability to comment, blog about and email the video.
That said it would certainly appear all the content is already available through google video so does it really matter when youtube gets around to promoting their video podcasting feeds in the youtube interface? If you're reading this then you have everything you need to start using youtube with your favorite video aggregator, handheld video player, media center, set top box, or even cell phone today.
While I'd love to see youtube take some development initiative and take that final step for the sake of all youtube users... I'm not going to sit around and wait for it. I'm already plugging my favorite youtubers videos feeds into my favorite aggregators like iTunes, mefeedia.com, Fireant and Democracy Player.
While some aggregators and players do support youtube's Flash based video feeds there are certain obvious things you can't really do with flash videos.... like store them on your hard drive... play them back in preferred video players... or media players... and many more obvious things... like playing them on your iPod. While MP4 is a proprietary video format and is not freely licensed it is quickly evolving as the MP3 of the video world. Most new handheld video players, set top boxes, and many new cell phones (such as the Nokia N95) support MP4.
With the recent announcement by EMI and Apple to sell non-DRM mp3's the big question is will video based distribution evolve in a parallel open fashion as music with mp3's or does the overhead of video based distribution and production require such digital crutches and controls as Flash based players, or even DRM?
What I very much believe is that youtube doesn't need to use Flash like DRM to create an artificial "speed bump" around youtube to force youtube users to keep coming back. Quite the contrary, the use of only Flash is discouraging use of youtube and encouraging the creation of a cottage industry of tools for cracking youtube and alternative "open" solutions.
I think there's enough love of youtube that if they did open up and allow MP4 downloads and video podcasting... along with some improvements to their EULA... that the good graces will cement them in a favorable light with many of their users.
There is also TREMENDOUS opportunity around these features for users to start offering proverbial "pro level" services, and advanced demographics and statistical information, the removal of caps on video length and resolution (HD VIDEO!) and even offerings for video based advertising, and optional paid subscription offerings on video feeds.
This is to say nothing of the opportunity for youtube to create standards and promote partnerships with set top box manufacturers, cell phone, and other hardware makers to bring the entire videoblogging space beyond the desktop computer and out into the world. It's also important to note that these aims would correspond directly if not be complimentary to the aims of google video whom is already offering paid downloads, and the web based distribution of high quality and feature length content.
It's time for youtube to set the video free.
Some tips for the uber users.
As far as googles video podcast feeds you might also note the variable "num=20" this is the number of items in the feed. If you like you can easily increase that number to 50 or even 100 items. Just us this power sparingly or your hard drive and iPod will be full of videos, google will disable this feature and I'll have to come and personally kick your ass. ;)
So for example if you wanted to download ALL youtube user Mark Day's videos to your iPod you might change the variable "num=20" to "num=100".
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&
q=MarkDayComedy&so=1&num=100&output=rss
Again... try turning off "auto downloads" in your podcast preferences in iTunes so as not to overload google or iTunes with multiple downloads and instead browse the podcasting tab in itunes and download ONLY those posts which you want on your iPod.
So what else can you do with this knowledge.
Well, to start with you can go look up your favorite youtube personality, and try putting their USERNAME into the following query. Disclaimer: results vary depending on the uniqueness of the username.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&
q=YOUTUBE_USERNAME&so=1&num=100&output=rss
Or... you could create any sort of complex query you like. For example... How about the last 50 machinima videos?
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search
&q=MACHINIMA&so=1&num=100&output=rss
Or... how about using google's advanced video search to find THE highest rated documentaries (RSS feed). I highly recommend "Revolution OS" about the advent of GNU, open source and linux, it's right there in the top 10 highest rated documentaries on google video, and it's available in it's entirety at 1 hours 25 minutes, for FREE. I already own the DVD, but I appreciate it all the same. :)
Obviously not everything on google video is available as a freely downloadable mp4. In order make sure you only get freely downloadable MP4's a highly recommend selecting "is free" in the "price section" when using Googles's Advanced Video search settings or adding "+is%3Afree" to your query string.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&q=duration%3Along
+is%3Afree+genre%3ADOCUMENTARY&so=3&num=100&output=rss
Thursday, March 8
Major new Mefeedia release this week
There's a major new release of mefeedia out today. Lots of bug fixes, usability enhancements, and all around improvements like mefeedia playlists and guides!
One of my favorite new toys is the "What I'm watching" widget. It shows all the latest videos from your favorite vloggers and provides great link love to their blogs. It's the sweetest blogroll widget around.
You'll see mine on the right hand sidebar of my video blog at mmeiser.com/blog and on the left hand sidebar of my mefeedia channel. You can create yours by subscribing to you favorite video blogs and podcasts on mefeedia and copying the code from your own mefeedia channel and pasting it into your own blog or web page. Let us know what you think! We're always looking for ideas for making mefeedia better.
I'm really exited about mefeedia's renewed direction and vitality. This is just the start of some great things to come. A special thanks to Frank Sinton the new owner and Devlon who's been helping make Mefeedia great for almost two years now. Great job Frank and Devlon!
Below are the details Frank posted to the mefeedia mailing list. Be sure to join up and tell us what you'd like to see.
One of my favorite new toys is the "What I'm watching" widget. It shows all the latest videos from your favorite vloggers and provides great link love to their blogs. It's the sweetest blogroll widget around.
You'll see mine on the right hand sidebar of my video blog at mmeiser.com/blog and on the left hand sidebar of my mefeedia channel. You can create yours by subscribing to you favorite video blogs and podcasts on mefeedia and copying the code from your own mefeedia channel and pasting it into your own blog or web page. Let us know what you think! We're always looking for ideas for making mefeedia better.
I'm really exited about mefeedia's renewed direction and vitality. This is just the start of some great things to come. A special thanks to Frank Sinton the new owner and Devlon who's been helping make Mefeedia great for almost two years now. Great job Frank and Devlon!
Below are the details Frank posted to the mefeedia mailing list. Be sure to join up and tell us what you'd like to see.
We are very happy today - a new version of Mefeedia has been released! :-) Lots of improvements, bug fixes, and a nicer user interface. This was the work of a lot of people, mainly ideas from videobloggers and brainstorming sessions within the Mefeedia team.
Three main areas of focus for this release were:
Reliability / Bug Fixes - this was our#1 focus. Mefeedia has been very strong on creating great tools for videobloggers. We want to make those even better - not by adding more bells and whistles, but instead by making sure the current features work GREAT. Here is a list of some of the fixes (not comprehensive, but a good sampling):Usability / UI Update - really, making it easier for users to use Mefeedia!
- RSS - tons of fixes to account for special characters and others special cases. Your Queue, Guides, Favs, Tags, and other RSS feeds coming out of Mefeedia are now working very reliably. :)
- When adding a video to a playlist, the playlist uses the thumb from the playlist post.
- Each folder in a Playlist can now be exported via RSS and JSON formats directly from the playlist start/"Home" page.
- "Add to Queue" from a Playlist is working again.
- Adding individual videos to your Queue is woking again! This broke back when the new database schema was implemented. It is fixed now - add any video on Mefeedia.com to your queue now without having to subscribe to the entire feed.
- Your feed page - removed a number of broken links and overall, a bunch of clean-up.
New Features
- Home page - "latest/last 24 hours" theme
- Header change
- Navigation change (Guides and Playlists now get prominent placement in the nav).
- Sign-up on home page is now only shown on clicking the "yea baby."
- Full registration validation (with AJAX unique username and email lookup)
- Visibility and Rollover effect (rollover effect only on Firefox for now) when cruising through entries (favs, feeds page, etc.)
- Centering of "Entry" / Watch your video page - just nicer in general.
- Site-wide style sheet changes (non-underlined, nice blue for non-visited links, grey underlined for visited links, among others).
So, check out Mefeedia and let us know what you think! Enjoy. As always, use this forum to post suggestions, ideas, issues, and thoughts. :)
- "What I'm Watching" widget - put your Queue on your website or blog. :) Mine is on this blog in the right sidebar. To use your "What I'm Watching" widget, just login and click on the "My Channel" navigation link, and copy and paste the code from the left column textarea box. Looking for inputs on this… lots of cool widgets are possible with the use of great thumbs, so let us know what you would like to see with this widget and other possible widgets (maybe a "Who's vlogging" widget?).
- "Latest from [feed name here]" widget - see an example here: http://www.mefeedia.com/feed
_promote.php?id=6988 - lots of linky love. All thumbs link directly to your vlog post!- Videos, feeds, and websites count on the home page.
- Latest Tags (24 hours) on Home Page and Tags page
http://www.mefeedia.com
Thanks,
-Frank
Sunday, February 18
Youtube'r LisaNova goes to Mad TV
This just crossed the wires via the Yahoo videoblogging group. The Youtuber known as LisaNova has signed with MadTV. If I'm not mistaken she's the second youtuber to cross over to mainstream media. Youtube user "Brookers" was the first. She signed with Carson Daly Productions a few months back.Watch LisaNova's announcement
Original post on February 12, 2007 from YouTube :: Videos by LisaNova: (RSS feed)
Just wanted to make a quick video saying thanks to Youtube and everyone who watched my videos. My first episode airs on FOX on Saturday Feb. 17th @ 11PM Author: LisaNova Keywords: LisaNova MadTV YouTube Thanks Added: February 12, 2007I've started a guide on mefeedia for podcasters and videobloggers and youtubers who have crossed over to broadcast / mainstream media.
Cross-over - a guide to videobloggers, youtubers and podcasters who've crossed over to mainstream media.
I know there are quite a few podcasters and a few other videobloggers who've made the leap and would appreciate any reminders if you know someone I've missed.
(Via Mefeedia)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)