If a podcast falls in Redmond, and Microsoft isn't there to hear it - does it make a noise?Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting that some* Microsoft employees are refusing to use the term "podcasting," in order to avoid the reference to Apple's wildly popular iPod. Instead, some* Microsofties refer to it as "blogcasting". And you need Windows Media Player to listen in.
This behavior is in stark contrast with the report that Wired News published in February, which claimed that "about 80 percent of Microsoft employees who have a portable music player have an iPod." Don't actions speak louder than words? More importantly - did Microsoft uber-blogger Robert Scoble not get the blogcast memo?
In all fairness, Microsoft did not coin this term and they aren't the only ones using it. In fact, given our failure to post a "proper" podcast yet on this very blog, it would seem that "blogcast" would be a more appropriate name to call what we've been posting of late. Still, I can't help but picture the fire in Bill Gates' eyes and the way the little hairs on his arm must stand up every time one of his employees says "podcast."
*some added for clarification
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-12-2005 @ 9:26AM
Dave Schultz said...
Dateline Redmond -- For Immediate Release:
Microsoft Corporation announces the iBlog, a portable media device, about the size of a cell phone. Designed specifically to link seamlessly with Windows XP, the player features the exclusive "click square," enabling users to select their favorite audio blog with excruciating difficulty. Lord Chairman Bill Gates said "this is no fad. This is a solid piece of Microsoft hardware."
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7-12-2005 @ 9:48AM
Twist said...
After checking out a few dozen podcasts through iTunes I think we should re-dub it trashcasting. After checking out at least two dozen if not more I ended up with three in my subscriptions, two of which I already listened to before.
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7-12-2005 @ 10:46AM
Pat said...
WiMPcast?
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7-12-2005 @ 11:16AM
Tony said...
I heard somewhere that the "pod" in Podcasting stood for "Portable On-Demand" rather than representing iPod. Is that a myth? Because I can't find anything that supports that statement.
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7-12-2005 @ 12:17PM
Brian Tucker said...
I believe that both podcasts and blogcasts have two very specific differences. The podcast was developed based on audio only. The blogcast was developed for audio and video. Both have their uses and based on the use, each can be a very affective tool to get a message across. I use the blogcast method to show people how to use Microsoft products as a free service. The Blogcast Repository is not owned by Microsoft, it's owned by me.
Both are great vehicles either way you look at it. It just depends on whether you want the video or not.
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7-12-2005 @ 6:19PM
Derek said...
I think Microsoft only likes Apple in one way: Fit snuggly in their little pocket.
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7-13-2005 @ 12:11AM
Danny Choo said...
A collegue of mine at Microsoft was telling me how some top executive sent out flame mail to MS employees to the tune of....
"Why are our employees using ipods? we have a great product which people should be using blah blah"
I think the product he was babbling on about was Windoze Mediocre Player?
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7-13-2005 @ 2:46PM
mVPstar said...
I'm sorry but you are completely wrong. Check your sources again. Podcast is a term widely used in Microsoft.
This is a ridiculous entry.
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7-24-2005 @ 6:45AM
Pete Grondal said...
We call them "video podcasts" or podcast "STYLE" video now.. (With Respect) after my interview with Dave.
Dave Winer say's I cannot here:
http://videoblogcast.net/gnomedex/rss.xml
(18 other folks give me different answers.. Chris Pirillo, Steve Garfield, Steve Gillmor, Adam Curry, Eric Rice..ect)
If your curious how much we like the pod in podcasting.. see these fine examples.
TechED 2005 "Podcast" 2005
Podcast "Style"
http://www.microsoft.com/winme/TechEd/TechEdPodcast.xml
We "Style"
http://feeds.feedburner.com/TECHED
MEDC "Podcast" 2005
Podcast Style
http://www.microsoft.com/winme/MEDC/MEDCPodcast.xml
Web Style
http://feeds.feedburner.com/MEDC
AND Here's a LEVEL test of Steve Gillmor telling Robert Scoble it "IS" podcasting.
Please.. GROUP HUG. We can all love the scalability benefits of RSS media subscriptions without a war of the buzzwords.
Podcast is a Genre Now.
Check your portable device.. it's listed just below METAL. :)
Microsoft is podcasting. and doing podcast "style" stuff too.
Regards,
Who is Pete Grondal?
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