Warning: A bit of a ramble and maybe not fully thought out but I thought I’d share the beginning of these thoughts with you my readers and see what you think/say.

I was watching this fascinating documentary on Vongo last night (”The Pixar Story) and something hit me …

Now, mind you, it hit me as I was streaming this from my Windows Media Center computer to my Xbox to my television.

But, Paul, aren’t you the big fan of Apple TV?

You bet I am - but … I can get all you can eat rental movies on my Apple TV like I can on my xBox via Vongo.

Yes, neither of the players are totally there yet.

But I compare Microsoft to Apple.

I love Microsoft.

Passionate people.

Smart people.

Life changing technology.

And talk to any of these passionate smart people making the life changing technology and … something is keeping them from doing what it is they love to do.

Red tape?

Being the largest target on the planet?

Oh the stories.

Remember Disney?

Remember what they used to be?

If you watch the Pixar story you’ll learn that everyone there LOVED Disney - many even worked at Disney.

But Disney was just too large, too fat, too stuck in their ways.

And they started producing crap.

Bloated cartoons.

See the parallel?

But then, there was Pixar, changing animation.

Great movies, yes.

But full of passion.

Full of love.

The heart of animation.

Done by passionate people who loved every aspect of what they were doing.

And, most importantly, SMALL ENOUGH TO PULL IT OFF.

Disney teamed with ‘em and when they compared “Toy Story” to “Tarzan” and “Invincibles” to “Brother Bear” and … they realized what they were missing.

They ended up acquiring Pixar.

But it breathed new life into them.

Disney is bigger than ever, but you bet they’re giving Pixar the room to do things right.

“Wall-E” is going to be huge this summer - bigger than “Iron Man” (or, blech, Indy IV).

Small team - doing what they love - without the system in their way.

Even though the system paid their way.

Xbox has pretty much been let go to do their own thing. See how well they’re doing?

Vista was designed, marketed, service patched, and damage controlled by committee. See how well they’re doing?

Zune has some elements of brilliance. I’ve written about it before. We luv the Zune.

Heck, my wife can have any media player she wants (this digital family can’t be accused of having no clothes) yet her choice is her Brown Zune. The wireless sync on the charging/player doc is the killer app for her.

But, an episode of Office purchased for the Xbox can’t be played on the Zune - and vice versa.

HUH?

But, although launched in November, they still don’t have their Podcast database caught up.

WHY?

And it still insists on placing a John Cougar Mellencamp album cover on more than a dozen cds in my collection no John Cougar in any form.

COUGAR?

Too many people.

Too worried about legal.

Too entrenched in their ways.

Not enough autonomy.

I’ve met the Zune team.

Passionate.

Brilliant.

They LOVE music.

The love what they can do with music and this little infrastructure.

I love that I can get a few choice tunes from Cesar automatically sent to my Zune so that as I run around town I can get some new music - chosen by someone I dig. So very cool.

But let’s admit it, Microsoft is on the brink.

Her only hope is that someone inside will produce something so brilliant (because they have the freedom to do so) that Microsoft realizes the power of embracing the small and doing big things with it.

Microsoft needs her Pixar.

I vote Zune.

Technorati Tags: microsoft, pixar, zune

On June 10 I have the honor of making a presentation to Google about this wacky world of New Media that we all live in.

It will be recorded for later broadcast on YouTube (already signed the release) and sent via satellite to a number of Google offices.

I couldn’t be more thrilled or excited about this.

But it would be wrong for me to make such a presentation without something about the world of response via this New Media I dig so much.

So, my simple question to you is this,

If You Could Tell Google Anything About New Media, What Would It Be?

Technorati Tags: google, new media, youtube.com

I think by far the most powerful example (from my stuff) of what blogging can do was shown at the OMMA 2006 event when eMarketer CEO Geoff Ramsey showed a slide of my blog in a discussion about the world of blogging and the “dialogue” that comes from it. You can read all about that moment in this past post.

Turns out Geoff with be in Portland for the Internet Strategy Forum 2008 event. He’s the morning keynote - and a smart guy.

And yes, I would have said that before this happened.

Anyway, looks to be a very cool event and I’m pretty sure I’ll show up this year.

You can never complain when the cool stuff happens in your own back yard.

Technorati Tags: internet strategy forum summit, geoff ramsey, emarketer

Microsoft’s Zune is becoming, more and more, and important player in the new media space.

And, by player, I mean the physical player and their status as “player” in this space.

Love ‘em or loath ‘em, Microsoft is serious about the Zune and the Spring 2008 update (launching sometime tomorrow) helps to better solidify their place in our space.

I got a chance to play with the updated devices a few weeks back and am impressed with what Microsoft will be making available tomorrow.

There are three big areas worth examining: television content in the marketplace, an expanded social element (complete with friend’s Zune Cards on the your device), and some enhancements (or bug fixes) in the software that should clean up some power user’s complaints.

Nothing new for the Podcast at this point, but an impressive update none the less.

Follow our Spring 2008 Update coverage at ZuneLuv.com.

Technorati Tags: zune, zune spring update, zune 2008 spring update

We’re just 100 days away friends …

Yes, you read this right, reasons why you shouldn’t attend.

7 reasons why you shouldn’t go to New Media Expo 2008:

#7 - You’re pretty sure that the reason Tim didn’t ask you to be one of the 60 sessions is because he wants to announce you as a keynote.

#6 - You can’t believe the Hilton has an 8 people per room limit.

#5 - You’re hoping Jason Calacanis gives up hope on Vlog Idol and tries again at the Libsyn Party.

#4 - Your #1 New Media Expo Las Vegas Business Goal - Cher Tickets.

#3 - You think 99 cents is too much for a foot long hot dog.

#2 - You liked things better when the DSC was only double-digits.

#1 - You honestly think there is another event anywhere this year that makes more strategic sense for you and your business.

I’ll be there, we bought a booth.

And business will be done.

The industry is maturing, finally.

My presentation is on going pro. Join me?

A fun video from last year embedded below.

I’m feeling pretty good about Premiumcast.com right now.

We did a lot of good with it with the iYule.tv project (and wait till you see what we got planned Christmas 2008).

One of my favorite Podcasters in the world moved over to it and is seeing not just revenue from his Podcast, but getting a chance to better understand who and what his audience really is.

The PMPrepcast has, and I’ll say it, changed the face of online training and has already let Cornelius “quit the day job” too. I love it when folk go pro like that. I couldn’t be more thrilled that Premiumcast was the tool that made it possible.

Podcast Secrets 2008 is actually running hundreds of students and alumni in the private member site features of this system and I’d dare say we haven’t had a hiccup yet. You’ll be hearing a lot about this option for premium medium delivery in the future I’m sure.

Yeah, growth is good enough that we’re grabbing a booth at the New Media Expo. Should be fun. Come by and say hi!

But between now and then, I’ve got something worth mentioning.

Next Thursday (May 8th) at 5p Pacific / 8p Eastern, I’m going to be hosting a special webinar -

The Seven Secrets Of Premiumcast.com That Change Media Distribution And Sales Forever

Yes, I believe Premiumcast.com is that powerful.

I’m going to be experimenting with some very cool Webinar technology that night.

I’ll also be giving away a few prizes for people who are able to attend live.

Your ticket price?

An account a Premiumcast.com.

And, yes, the free account at Premiumcast.com is fine.

See you next Thursday night?

Technorati Tags: premiumcast.com, premiumcast, premiumcasting, free webinar

This will be of interest to Pacific Northwest people only.

I’m gonna try something wacky - an Internet Marketing Happy Hour here in Portland.

May 22, John Barlycorns.

Here’s the invite on Facebook.

Hope to see a few PDX Internet Marketers there.

Technorati Tags: internet marketing portland

A quick post before I get online for Module 4 of Podcast Secrets.

Got an iPhone? Check out RingtoneFeeder.com.

You know of my fondness for Geoff Smith. You know how much I love ecommerce by RSS.

This combines them both.

$2 a month to have fun little ringtones on my iPhone. I’m in … I’ve subscribed.

Fun thing on the math behind something like this - a year subscription will make them more than a CD sold through iTunes would.

And yes, they use a system different than Premiumcast.com to do it.

Technorati Tags: ringtone, geoff smith, iphone

What a great time to be a new media maker.

How can you not make money if you got a great product?

Distribution is getting easier and easier and everyone is fighting over the chance to distribute your content.

We hear that 40% of all music will be distributed digitally by 2012. Let’s put that into perspective:

Click on this link. It’s the direct link to my CD at iTunes.

Don’t worry, it’s spoken word - not music.

How did I get that in there? CDBaby.com. Not only do they sell my CD directly but they are the ones who put it at PayPlay, Inprodicon, GreatIndieMusic, AudioLunchbox, Tradebit, MusicIsHere, Apple iTunes, GroupieTunes, BuyMusic, Verizon, Napster, Ruckus, Pocketgroup and Amazon. Total cost to me was $35.

40% of all access to that kind of media and I’m in at $35. YES!

Speaking of Amazon, I’m working on getting some titles in the Kindle. Here’s how I’m going to do it. It’s even easier than getting them to sell your book in their bookstore.

I’m also seriously considering their fulfillment services. As any of my readers know, I’m not usually one to sell my stuff for ten bucks. This should let me fix that issue.

Boooyah!

But I sure won’t be pressing discs around here with a company like Kunaki to do that kind of work for me.

When I caught Battlestar Galactica last night on my Xbox via Amazon Unbox, I remember the piece I wrote over a year ago about publishing your video content via that channel (which means Tivo and some other cool options as well). That option is still there.

And if you don’t think some sort of option for getting into the iTunes Store for video producers is coming, you haven’t been connecting any dots as of late.

So, physical fulfillment, digital delivery, protected video content, disc production and more can all be outsourced and made very possible and very doable today.

But Paul, I want a piece of that advertising budget I keep hearing about. No fair that us indies can’t get a piece of that.

Uh, … first of all I have to insert my token “I don’t know if that’s the smartest path to go down” statement … but if you want to go down that path, I have to point to Ninja.

You can’t get much more indie than Kent and Douglas yet rate card says they’re getting $40 CPM for their pageviews and that they’re getting 730,000 page views a month (yes, that’s more than 29K a month for the banner ads). If you got the audience, you can get the green without getting bought by someone else.

And, yes, I know that’s rate card and that Federated certainly gets their piece but … this is very doable is my only point.

And yes, you have to have the numbers which is A) the marketplace - deal with it and B) the reason I think selling for higher to a smaller audience is a better move all together. But I digress.

So while others bicker about the meaning of the word Podcasting and more money gets spent in streaming pipe dreams remember this dear friends …

Those with the content are the winners when distribution becomes a commodity.

And we’re already there.

Technorati Tags: amazon unbox, amazon kindle, itunes, cdbaby, kunaki, media maker, media distribution

First, please watch this embedded clip from YouTube to put you in the proper mindset.

You can’t handle the truth!

I’d rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you tell me how your plan on streaming to millions of users at the same time. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think our future is!

As much as I just enjoyed watching 30 Rock on Hulu a few minutes ago, …

Streaming won’t scale.

DRM won’t scale.

Devices that dial home with my watching habits won’t scale.

Oprah tried, and fell flat on her face, and then released everything she had via Podcast.

Did her impact change? Did she make any less money? Did they sell less copies of that “New Earth” book?

Do we have something to learn from Oprah?

Yes, we can track everything - but at some point it all falls apart. I point to the USSR and East Germany as recent examples.

Yes, we can stream video right now but it is simply nothing compared to a few million people watching American Idol on a Wednesday night. If you want the numbers television provides on our glorious Interweb then, dear friends, you’re going to have to find something that scales - something that “works.”

Podcasting can scale.

Without the need to call back home, without the need to worry about where every 1 and 0 is located, without the need to own it all, this can work. Podcasting can scale.

Streaming can’t.

DRM can’t.

You can’t handle the truth about Podcasting.

Thoughts?

Technorati Tags: bit torrent, podcasting, oprah, time-shifted portable media