MWGblog

Ever since the advent of the iPhone, I’ve always tried to have an iPhone optimized theme for my sites. For the last 2 plus years I’ve been using the iWPhone plugin for WordPress. It did the job with a simple straight forward approach. However recently, I switched to WPtouch. This plugin is a power house. It also provides a feature I’ve always wanted for my mobile themes – Google AdSense integration. More on that in a minute. (Click on images below to see close-ups.)

To start it lets you set up a simple theme and then, when you are ready, you can really dig in an customize all types of features. As you can see, the home page displays a simple chronological listing of your most recent posts (I chose calendar display – it also has thumbnail view), allows for a number of menu functions and a feature to read the first few lines of the post before committing to the next screen.

The post screen displays the whole post and allows for both the submission and display of comments.

This is also where you’ll see the Google AdSense, it dislpays between the title bar and the post content. The Adsense is optimized for mobile content and has a rollover display that pages through the advertiser title, link address and copy elements. If you are curious to take the theme for a spin and see it in action, I’ve set it up on MWGblog.com, PodcastAcademy.com and ReelReviewsRadio.com.

Another nice feature is the theme works for iPhone, iPod Touch, Android smartphones, Palm Pre and BlackBerry Storm.

As for podcasting, it worked just fine playing audio tracks straight from the sites. Perhaps in a future version some intelligence can be built in to display a small “play” symbol next to the file link. I’d also like to see the ability to add AdSense to the main page perhaps after every 2 or 3 post titles.

I’ve just scratched the surface here. Make sure to check out WPtouch’s great gallery of Features and the whole host of Admin options.

My wife wants the timer used on Top Chef for Christmas. I figured, easy enough, I’ll just go to Google and find it. Turns out it really takes some digging to get from “Top Chef Timer” or “Top Chef Red Clock” to the actual unit but if you are looking for one as well, here it is on Amazon.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has added the VoloMedia podcast patent to it’s “Most Wanted” style list for its Patent-Busting Project.

I wrote about this patent back when it was first announced. As expected, there is now some movement in challenging it. Specifically, the EFF is looking for examples of prior art: “evidence that the podcasting methods described in the patent were already in use before November 19, 2003.” You can read the whole story over at the EFF.

(I was only half joking when I said I was “adding podcasting/episodic media expert witness to my resume.”) We’ll see what happens.

The new beta retweet feature showed up in my Twitter account today. Here is a quick rundown.

Retweets using this function show up with a small square arrow icon and the profile picture from the person who originally posted the tweet. Nice feature, the original tweeter “gets credit.” The retweeter is listed along the bottom.

When you want to retweet, the option is provided in the bottom right corner. Twitter asks you to confirm this action.

For people who also have the beta retweet function enabled they will see the retweet in their timeline with icon display as shown above. In the meantime, others will see the tweet prefaced by the standard “RT” we are all accustomed to.

Your main page also provides a tab for you to see all Retweets by others, Retweets by you and Your tweets, retweeted.

OK, I’m tweeted out…

We’ve started posting more content to the Podcast Academy site. If you’re looking for great presentations about all things podcasting and new media be sure to check it out. Recent episodes include Automating Your Podcast Workflow, Podcasting in Higher Education, Building a Television Studio in your Basement and one from Steve Garfield entitled: Videoblogging in 5 Steps.

BTW if you in need of a great podcasting microphone check this out. Auction ends todays.

Nick left, Jack center and Will right.

I forgot to post this news story about my assistance in setting up the Orange County Sheriff Department’s Twitter feed. Good coverage, part of what I do (in addition to Search and Rescue) as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff.

Via the Association for Downloadable Media (ADM) website, VoloMedia (formerly PodBridge) explained the patent just issued to them for “podcasting.” I use quotes because they say it is for “podcasting.” Patent #7,568,213 actually covers a “Method for Providing Episodic Media.” You know, like TV and soap operas. My guess is they posted it to the ADM website because no one noticed it on the VoloMedia website. Reading about this recent success just takes me down memory lane.

Remember when…

Adam Curry, Dave Winer and VoloMedia came up with that crazy idea about enclosures in RSS?

Or the time Winer, Christopher Lydon and VoloMedia really put it into practice?

Or when Doug Kaye and VoloMedia chatted and IT Conversations was born?

Or how about when Dave Slusher and VoloMedia spotted Dannie Gregoires’s RSS aggregation software using the agent name ‘podcaster’ and chimed “Podcasting! right on!” and podcasting got its name?

Wow! The memories…

I know when early on Todd Cochrane, Dawn & Drew, Dan Klass, myself and many others were trying to sort out how to podcast it was always the folks at VoloMedia who came to our aid to explain episodic media done right. Heck – they invented it!

All that initial media attention: NY Times, Wired Magazine, USA Today, CNN etc., etc. It was always our basic crew – plus the great guys & gals from VoloMedia.

You couldn’t help but bump into the VoloMedia team in the green rooms at conferences. In fact, I can’t think of a podcast conference I went to where I didn’t see their banners or leave without them forcing a VoloMedia branded shirt and pen on us.

Those VoloMedia folks are awesome! They always covered the bar bill. The stories I could tell.

Those were the days…

How about the time an overly VC funded company tried to carve out an island of potential IP defensibility and future for litigation based revenue via a broad patent?

Good times, good times….

VoloMedia can claim whatever they like, good for them. IP claims like this can be used in many ways. Nuisance litigation, acquisition value etc. etc. Prior art from many listed above will be an issue but it comes down to dollars and sense.

The big loser in my opinion is the ADM. Who in the world agreed to post this to their site? Recent “notes”, “updates” and “clarifications” aside they gave it credibility under their name as an organization, an organization supported by the very people who will likely take issue with it and litigate it. No one paid this any notice until it was on the ADM site. Well played VoloMedia. The ADM folks are all smart people, how they allowed this to happen baffles me.

What am I doing about it? I’m adding podcasting/episodic media “expert witness” to my resume. When in Rome…

My parents kept everything! When they retired they were kind enough to send it all my way. I’m overwhelmed with nastalgia.

Via Facebook and other social networks I am still connected to many grade school/high school friends. For those that took Latin at Miramonte high during 85-87 here is a relic. My guess is, thanks to my parents, I have the only existing copy of out Latin Class Cut Out trip t-shirt. Best I can remember it was artfully designed by Mitch Gardener and Chip Beal.

We Came. We Saw. We Left.

I don’t talk about it much but back in 2000, I ordered a 550 Maranello from the Ferrari factory. Membership in the 12 cylinder club is unique. It was a life goal and I felt good about achieving it. At the same time, some friends bought me an infant size racing suit for my first born. As an F1 fan it was a perfect gift. The car has since been sold, but each of my 3 boys has had his picture taken in the Ferrari driver’s suit. For Father’s day I received them all mounted with the suit – awesome!

Thank you to my wife and children.