Skype Journal: Audioblogging via SkypeOut
May 4, 2005 11:48 AMFabrizio a reader from Italy wrote me with problems using SkypeOut with Audioblogger. He wanted to get audioblogging and using low cost SkypeOut minutes realized he could economically make his submission to audioblogger. Audioblogger is a service offered by Listenlab and requires you to have a blogger account. I thought I'd try it out.
How's it work. You simply register and call the audioblogger number +16617162564 using Skype key in your registered number using Skype's dialpad, press# enter your pin # and at the beep begin recording. Your blogger blog is updated with an audioblogger icon. You can see it here. I also uplifted the html from entry and added it to this post below. It's nothing special just a test.
Audioblogger is free, except for your SkypeOut minutes. Maximum duration is five minutes. See also Audioblog, which has more services and features and charges.
I'd note that for me it worked first time. I then tried it again and had some trouble logging in. Skype's DTMF tone execution still fails at times. It's why I don't trust Skype for calling into important conference calls. In this test Skype failed to submit my tone number correctly everytime. That's frustrating and wasting SkypeOut minutes. Fabrizio used a number containing all the same digit, I'd recommend using a number that is well mixed up.
This is also another service that Skype could bolt on. I can upload a voicemail already. A voice message to my blog isn't going to be difficult. There's a storage or FTP issue to resolve. It could be made / done relatively simply. Benefit? I no longer have to log-in to a service, no pin number required, can audioblog then from anywhere.
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Comments (3)
Hi Stuart, I like your many efforts to find ways of skypecasting, Im interested in seeing that. And this last item on the audioblogging service was interesting.
I have to ask a silly question, isnt it possible that one day soon, skype may start thinking how they could do well by adding blogs into the mix?
Im totally in agreement with your thinking on Skype ( ege.. "Whats your Skype Strategy"), I see skype as well positioned to become THE personal infocom Manager, they have the comm side well in their sights, but they could also wrap up the info side (ie personal info management - content/knowledge management). To do so really needs them to add an rss aggregator/blog tool. I believe that when a single tool combines the info management with the communications management the synergy will be tremendous. I see several players positioned well to develop this because of their current competencies - Google, Yahoo, MS, and Skype. People may laugh today at comparing skype with these 3 giants, but things can change fast, look at google after just 8 years! skype may do better in shorter time still.
Anyway, of those mentioned, Skype is the only one coming from the comm angle and their unique position maybe a big advantage, they are better placed to build or buy up one of many blog tools and integrate into their service, Google/Yahoo/MS may find it harder to build a good skype capability as quickly.
Basically i dont see it would be hard for skype to incorporate a blog, along with a skypecast option into the mix. If they do that (and do a deal with an alternative adsense style player ) they could aslo find a ready platform for gaining a good slice of ad revenues from skype bloggers/casters.
But reall I dont see revenues from blog/casting as the driver. Basically I see that all the players are in a race , whether they realize it or not just yet, to become our single unified infocomm interface to the world, what Marc Canter calls the digital lifestyle aggregator, what Dave pollard calls our personal proxy, etc .. at the end of the day, we are all looking for a single interface that neatly integrtaes and synergises the various elements of our personal interaction and knowledge management needs. Skype for me would start getting damn close for little extra effort with a simple blog integrated in it.
Posted by: mark ranford at May 4, 2005 8:01 PM
I have also tried audioblogging but using regular VoIP not SkypeOut. Seems to work well and is on my blog at http://voipbuzz.blogspot.com/2005/03/audio-post-using-voip.html
Sorry to comment so late on your post but I have only just discovered your excellent blog
Posted by: Richard at May 12, 2005 12:41 PM
Finally!
This will be a great feature, I know...
Posted by: SoftBox at December 28, 2005 11:19 PM