CES 2008, Day 3: Podcasting

The company also has a JuiceCaster player that users can "add to your personal webpage or social networking site to share your favorite content with friends and visitors." In addition, the accounts created at JuiceCaster.com can be set up as the 10-digit mobile number@juicecaster.com so that content captured on the mobile handset can be emailed directly to a discrete email address. While there’s no automated way to capture images or video and upload it on a consistent recurring basis, the ability to email captured video, audio, or stills directly to a unique email address somewhat automates the process of creating a short podcast or video blog.

Qualcomm is also an investor, which makes sense as Juice Wireless leverages tools that Qualcomm licenses to handset manufacturers.

Hold The Phone
Another company that’s using the phone for podcasting, but in a completely different way, is a company called Phonecasting.com. This company uses the phone as a way for people to listen to podcasts, which could be helpful in situations where you have cellular access but no internet access. Maybe it’s Saturday and you’re on the lake waiting for the fish to bite, and realize they bite better if they hear a particular podcaster’s voice over the speakerphone on your mobile handset (just don’t try it with Jose and I on the official Streaming Media podcast).

The company’s website generates a phone number once it’s given a proper podcast RSS feed; the phone number can then be distributed to listeners who can call the number and hear the most recent podcast. The company occasionally goes through and deletes phone numbers for podcasts that not received any phone calls.

Another service the company offers is the ability to create a podcast by calling the company’s toll-free number in the United States (a phone number is also available for the United Kingdom). The website also offers a web-based recording system that allows anyone with a microphone plugged into their computer to record and upload a podcast of up to 30 minutes in length. See www.phonecasting.com/create/record.htm.

Mic Check
Speaking of microphones, Samson Audio, a company who has made microphones for quite some time and introduced USB versions of its professional microphones two years ago, is back with more innovation. The original C01U and multi-patterned C03U have been augmented by the G-Track USB condenser microphone. Like its earlier USB microphones, this mic replaces the XLR connector with a USB connector and most computers can use the microphone without loading additional drivers. The G-Track, also called the GM1U, has a key extra feature: a built-in 1/8" (3.5mm) audio interface that allows an iPod or musical instrument or even a CD player to be connected and mixed with the microphone’s inputs, directly on the microphone.

Yes, you heard that right: the microphone has a volume knob for the line input 1/8" jack as well as a volume knob for the microphone, plus a volume knob for the headphone jack that’s also built in to the microphone. This allows recordings of podcasts, with music bumpers being fed in via the 1/8" line input, with both being recorded to the computer via the USB port. Samson includes Cakewalk’s Sonar LE software for Windows machines and recommends GarageBand for Mac users, which comes free with all Macintosh computers.