Initial Thoughts on the Rojas-Winer-Calacanis Podcast Device

I’ve been pondering the dedicated podcast devices tossed around by Rojas-Winer-Calacanis. The power and simplicity of it are quite attractive.

I’m on board with the following:

  • Data Input/Output: Wifi. No need for anything else.
  • Supported Media Formats: MP3, Ogg Vorbis, anything else open & cheap.
  • Pre-selling a small initial run as financing.

As an interface designer and podcaster, the biggest challenge I see in this device is the interaction to discover and subscribe to podcasts.

Even today, this process is fairly complex . The attempts I’ve seen to simplify it only add to the problem (TiVo, iTunes, etc) by creating a proprietary, artificially restricted silo.

Some initial thoughts:

  • A default link to the podcast.opml.org directory and Share Your OPML on some
  • A custom keypad specialized for RSS subscription. Maybe keys for ‘org/com/net’, etc. I’d be unfortunate to see a full-size keypad or a constrained phone keypad – neither of those work great for mobile devices.
  • Since we’re using WiFi, this device could have a web server baked-in and subscriptions managed through a web browser accessed from another computer. Even remotely – so others could recommend podcasts to their friends (via OPML?).

What Price iPod?

Interesting conversation last evening about the price of iPods specifically, and ecommerce differences in general between the States and Belgium.

Check this:
80 Gig iPod: $350 or €399
With the current exchange rate, that makes the European price tag: $529

Dang.

For that price, it’d be worth flying to the States and loading up a suitcase. I saw a post earlier this week about people in England doing just that. If you saw that post as well, could you link it up in the comments. Thanks.

UPDATE: We spent the afternoon walking around the main shopping districts. The prices for clothing or grocery items with global brands seemed on even with the prices I’d see at home (post currency conversion). So, assuming the H&M at the Mall of America has the same inventory as the one in downtown Brussels – it doesn’t matter where you purchase it. Same for Pampers.

The biggest price distinction I’ve seen is on beer and wine. The quality and selection at the price point I’m most comfortable with – ~$10 – is far higher and wider. That’ll get you one Belgian beer at my neighborhood St. Anthony Village Liquors and a case of it here. Oh, and the cases are sturdy, plastic, and returnable.

Reminds me of the giant, community recycling bins for plastic, metal, and glass. We totally need them in the States.

UPDATE: Gas prices here run between €0.90 and €1.40 ($1.20 – $1.80) seems just a little lower than the prices at home…until you remember this price is per liter. Making the per gallon price: $3.40 – $5.60. Road congestion is just as bad in Brussels as any significantly dense city – even with the diversity of transit options (tram, subway, bus).

ELSEWHERE:
At Marginal Revolution, Tyler Cowen compares the price of an iPod Nano across 26 countries

Old World Smells

The first breath of air as I stepped off the plane brought a big smile to my face. The air here is a little mustier. A little earthier. A little more natural. The increased intensity of the smell are one of my favorite things about Belgium (and the Netherlands and Germany). The onions chopped for dinner – smell even more delicious.

We went for a long walk around Brussels’ city center last night on the way to dinner. A walk I’ve made a few times before. The first being a decade ago. Of course, the architecture that’s stood for hundreds of years is still here, but so is “Pita Street” – a small side street off the main plaza lined with gyro and falafel shops. Pita to pita. The smell of greasy lamb kabob followed us a couple more streets further to Babeko on Sint Katelijnplein. A tiny, African/French fusion restaurant where I discovered Ostrich steak with plantin banana in a cranberry and sweet onion sauce. Wow. Red, like a beef steak, with lighter, subtler flavors.

The service was impeccably French – with the expected Belgian lack of pretense .

Unlock-in

“The US copyright office will permit mobile phone subscribers to unlock their phones, allowing them to be used by rival network providers.” – Andrew Orlowski, The Register

“The exemptions become effective on 27 November 2006 and will only remain in effect for three years.” – Tim Finn

“This is really only applicable to Cingular and T-Mobile customers” – Alex Zaltsman

This is really good news for handset makers and the geek set. Opens up a new world of higher-end handset options (the choices today are pretty bad).

If any of you Apple-geeks missed it, the rumored iPhone is rumored to be unlocked. Just as you supplied the keyboard, mouse, and monitor with the Mac Mini, this means you’ll bring your own mobile phone service provider for the iPhone.

Seems like a smart, customer-centric decision. Since not all providers have decent coverage where there are Apple Stores (US or worldwide) not tying the handset to a provider means Apple (or any other handset maker) can sell to the greatest number of customers.

UPDATE:

“An Apple phone wouldn’t do more than a Treo or a BlackBerry or a Razr — it would do less, and what it would do, it would do really well.” – John Gruber

Exactly. Today those are the options for decent voice + internet handset. As I wrote last April – we don’t need more of the same – we need the opposite. While my previous write up is pretty geeky – the underlying principle is valid – phone as peripheral. Not stand-alone device.

Conversion Rate on Joy

We caught the “Heretics” episode of the This American Life last week on the drive back from Wisconsin. A superb listen – about Reverend Carlton Pearson and his New Dimensions church – best I’ve heard from public radio in quite a while (not that I’ve been able to stand listening that much). Pearson’s philosophy of inclusion is the closest I’ve heard something sounding like a Post-Scarcity Christianity.

I don’t remember a church service where the offering plate wasn’t passed around. Donations – dare I say – commerce – is baked into religious gatherings. Same goes for street performers and hat passing.

Outside of those two contexts, I’m drawing a blank on where same gather-entertain-donate model has been successful – especially not in the online realm. Hmmm – what would a successful model look like?

While commerce is baked into religion – the inverse can also be true:

“You see, the customers (and I am one) who make Apple what it is don’t purchase products. They (we) accept and enter a myth — a cult.” – Rex Hammock

Reminds me of my favorite L Ron Hubbard quote:

“I’d like to start a religion. That’s where the money is.”

Keep on eye Pearson – he’s out to prove joy can be as financially lucrative as fear.

Oh, and I think there is a distinction between building a religion and building a cathedral.

First Crack 92. Curbly.com – The Home Improvement Social Network

Curbly - The DIY Design Community

Bruno Bornsztein, Ben Moore, and I talk about their recently launched project – Curbly.com – a social networking site for sharing DIY projects, tips, and finding help.

After we run through the site, we talk about;

  • Using agile web development processes and what Ben calls WWIBAN (What Would I Bitch About Next) to be “one day behind the future”.
  • The Ruby on Rails framework and the Ruby.MN developer group.

The follows my original profile of Curbly.com at MNteractive.com.

Listen to Curbly.com – The Home Improvement Social Network [23 min]