TalkShoe Company Blog

The TalkShoe Blog has MOVED

2007-07-03T14:06:00.000-05:00

The TalkShoe Blog has MOVED to a new location. The new blog has many different categories including announcements, what's new, podcast host information, press, etc.

Go to the New Blog
http://www.talkshoe.com/blog/

Pod-Planet and TalkShoe Partner

2007-06-19T10:46:00.000-05:00

Be sure and check out Pod-Planet, TalkShoe's new directory listing partner. When TalkShoe hosts create a new podcast, it will be listed on Pod-Planet, along with the 900+ already listed.

Kiva.org Microloans Made on Behalf of TalkShoe

2007-04-27T10:16:00.000-05:00

As a result of the Kiva microload Talk-a-thon, TalkShoe raised $1,200 + lots more though direct contributions. So far, Kiva has made 7 loans on our behalf.
$100 to Nomg Sophead, Cambodia
$100 to Pech Hou, Cambodia
$100 to Phen Ravy, Cambodia
$100 to Sem Samoun, Cambodia
$100 to Namig Farzaliev, Azerbaijan
$100 to Chea Sotheary, Cambodia
$100 to Fiapaipai Grey, Somoa
We'll keep you posted as we here other information from Kiva.org

New Barcelona Software Release

2007-03-21T11:43:00.000-05:00

TalkShoe has just released a new version of its website and software called Barcelona. It's jam packed with new, different and powerful features. There's something for everyone. Many thanks to all those users who've contacted us with suggestions. If you have any issues, as always, contact us at info@talkshoe.com.

Upload Episode to easily upload your previously recorded podcasts and earn money with TalkShoe Cash. Click the "Upload Episode" tab on your Talkcast pages.

TalkShoe Player & Badges to list past, live and upcoming shows on your blogs and web pages. You can get a badge to link to your Talkcast page, or play all of them right on your website - And it's updated dynamically. Go to "Create a badge" on a Talkcast page.

New TalkShoe Cash. We're continuing to write checks monthly but it is now based upon # of downloads instead of number of hours. This was done to make it more fair for short shows, and how many ads can be placed in a show. See the Forum for more details.

TalkShoe Cash Referrals are now shown in detail on your reports. They're listed for each referral. Why not contact those people who haven't yet hosted a show.

Detailed Statistics on downloads and hours are now available for each episode for each week. The stats button is now on your myTalkShoe page.

More Featured Shows are now listed. 10 are shown, and more can be randomly rotated. Making it to the Featured List is based on show popularity, # of episodes, show topic, and show rating.

PSST... We have a SECRET!!!

2007-03-16T07:53:00.000-05:00

If you are REALLY into Podcasting, you must know Paul Colligan - Internet strategist, author and speaker, CEO of Colligan.com and numerous popular Internet properties. His passion: The Business of Podcasting and eMedia. And if you've ever looked for the How To books on Podcasting, undoubtedly you have run into a book he has co-authored with Alex Mandossian: The Business Podcasting Bible. Alex Mandossian is considered one of the top 10 freelance direct marketers in America today.

So what do you get when bring a top 10 direct marketer and a top Internet strategist turned podcasting guru together and converge teleseminars, podcasts, and the Internet?

Podcast Secrets Live and Interactive on TalkShoe.com – a seminar series by Paul Colligan & Alex Mandossian

Podcast Secrets is the premier seminar series on podcast monetization, a six-week course being held over the phone and Internet for podcasters worldwide. This course is exactly the kind of instruction that TalkShoe hosts need to learn to better promote their podcasts.

Join the Podcast Secrets Talkcast, where Paul & Alex will reveal:

The identical Podcast monetization tactics that have generated 10 to 1000 times the profits of other Professional Podcasters!

If you are currently a hobbyist - why you may want to turn your podcasting hobby into a business…

Proven Podcast secrets that can dramatically boost your sales and profits WITHOUT making you spend a single dime on advertising or production costs...

Success in monetization requires knowledge and promotion. Paul and Alex will lead you through the information to arm you with the knowledge, they will impress you with their results in promotion techniques, and you’ll get a first-hand feel for how they combine telesales seminars, podcasts, and the Internet to succeed.

*** EXCLUSIVE BACK-STAGE OPPORTUNITY ***
ONLY ON TALKSHOE

TalkShoe members have an exclusive opportunity to join a non-public Talkcast of the seminar - to be able to chat during the event, and then meet Paul immediately following the seminar for a private discussion and Q&A!

So come join us at the Podcast Secrets seminar and…

Be sure to CLICK HERE to save $79 by using this TalkShoe Discount link!

Off to PodCamp Atlanta

2007-03-15T13:42:00.000-05:00

TalkShoe is sponsoring another PodCamp in Atlanta, March 16, 17. By the way, the PodCamp sessions are always recored as audio or audio/video podcasts. The video podcasts from PodCamp Toronto are excellent! Mark Juliano from TalkShoe is giving 2 sessions -- one on live interactive podcasting, and another on monetizing podcasts.

Kiva.org Charity event on TalkShoe

2007-03-15T13:40:00.000-05:00

A 24-hour live interactive podcast charity event for Kiva (http://www.kiva.org/) is being held starting Sunday, March 18th at noon on TalkShoe (http://www.talkshoe.com/). The event will raise awareness and money for Kiva, web-based microfinancing organization which enables individuals to lend money to people in developing countries for starting small businesses.

Please help us spread the word.
More information at http://Talkathon.org/

PodCamp Tornoto

2007-02-22T10:07:00.000-05:00

How about taking a trip up North to Canada and join TalkShoe and hundreds of others at PodCamp Toronto from Feb 23-25, 2007. Sure to be fun for all. TalkShoe folks will be there.

Can You Digg It?

2007-02-13T11:48:00.000-05:00

Digg now allows you to post your Podcasts and Talkcasts on its new podcast directory. It's easy to do. You just need a Digg account and your RSS feed link (go to your Talkcast page under RSS/Podcast to get the link address). Several TalkShoe hosts have already done it.

So go list your podcasts (www.digg.com/podcasts)

And remember to Digg your fellow hosts' Talkcasts!

Just search for "talkshoe" to see all Talkcasts that have been listed.

Host Linda Pate Featured in Richmond Times Dispatch

2007-01-24T10:47:00.000-05:00

TalkShoe host Linda Pate is featured in an excellent article in the Richmond Times Dispatch. Her new Talkcast, The Talking Book Show, airs at 7:00 EST on TalkShoe. The program features book reviews, authors, workshops and advice. Linda also owns the book store Precious Memories & Collectibles in Richmond, VA.

Podcast User Magazine features TalkShoe

2007-01-04T16:46:00.000-05:00

TalkShoe was featured in a story in this month’s Podcast User Magazine - PUM Issue #12. Read the TalkShoe Article or go to the Podcast User Magazine website

Quote from the article: “Back in 2005 when I started my podcast, Skype was the main accessory that every podcaster had to use. In 2006, it was MySpace. Now as we enter the New Year, I believe that TalkShoe will be the podcasters tool of choice for 2007.”

The story was written by Lance Anderson, who among other things is the head of the LA Podcasters group, and uses TalkShoe. PUM is the largest podcasting magazine on the web.

Lance interviewed about a dozen TalkShoe hosts to gather information for his article. We’d like to publicly thank those hosts. Their names and Talkcast links are listed below.

Lance Anderson (Podcast User Magazine: Interview) – full host interview

Art Blanchet (Your Home, Your Money)

John Buehler (Rebuilding Eden)

Victor Cajaio (Typical Mac User Podcast Live)

Carter Harkins (Conversational Podcasting)

Philip Gatlin (BBN: Growing Business and Making Money)

Kain (Tech Bytes)

Scott Kurtz (PVP Live Podcast)

Leo Laporte (net@ nite)

Mike Connor (Connor's Corner - EMC2 and Santuary)

Paul Stanton (Home Business Radio Internet Talk Show)

Don't be a Scrooge - Chime In on Friday December 22nd at 21:00 EST / (Saturday 02:00 GMT)

2006-12-18T20:25:00.000-05:00

When TalkShoe was launched, many of us thought about lots of applications for the service: Connecting people with like interests, Live Interactive Podcasts, Experts answering questions, Radio talkshows with lots of people in the discussion, Online book clubs, Multi-person conversations, Podcasting for newbies, and more.

But no one here thought of a use that we learned about today, which is not only unique, but really really cool and just in time to get those of you out there of the Christian faith into the Christmas spirit. So unless you are Ebenezer Scrooge, check this out...

Freelance writer, L.A. Podcaster and TalkShoe host
Douglas Welch is hosting on his WelchWrite Specials Talkcast a LIVE reading of Dickens - A Christmas Carol. Welch invites call-in listeners from around the country and world to join him and read a section of this Christmas classic aloud LIVE! Douglas will be using Dicken's own condensed verison of the story that Charles Dickens used during his own LIVE readings.

Really cool Douglas! Have fun this Friday and beware of the
Ghost of Christmas Past.

Douglas Welch's other Podcasts on TalkShoe are
TechnologyIQ with Douglas E. Welch & Career Opportunities Live.

TalkShoe Swarmed by DiggNation

2006-12-04T16:57:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, Dec 3rd Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur did their latest live net @ nite show with guest Kevin Rose of Digg. The show was the largest live show on TalkShoe to date. Over 930 people participated, which was a 10x growth over the largest show a month ago, and a 2x growth over net @ nite’s previous record. TalkShoe has also seen its web traffic grow by 10x over the past month.

net @ nite show with guest Kevin Rose
930 Total live participants:
608 Streamers (listen-only)
322 Active talkers and chatters
80 Talkers (phone, Skype, VoIP)

The show began at 8:00 pm and continued for an hour, and the recording started at 9:00 pm. At 9:25 pm, people who were in listen-only streaming mode (not dialed in via telephone) experienced a drop in their audio for the remainder of the show. People on the phones were not affected at all, and the chat room was always available. (Note: you can listen to a recording of the net @ nite show on TalkShoe anytime.)

Our engineering team isolated the root of the problem to a network interface card in the audio streaming server at the ISP. The problem was diagnosed and resolved, and shows after net @ nite experienced no problems. Please see previous TalkShoe Traffic and Performance post below for more details.

We sincerely apologize for this problem and will continually improve the performance of our system.

TalkShoe Traffic and Performance

2006-12-04T16:07:00.000-05:00

Over the past 6 weeks, the usage of TalkShoe has grown by leaps and bounds. Over the past month alone, TalkShoe has seen both its web traffic and live show participants grow by a factor of 10x. On Sunday, Dec. 3rd, we had the largest live Talkcast show with 930 participants, which was a 2x increase over the previous record. It is safe to say this was the largest interactive podcast ever.

Some users have experienced performance issues with the TalkShoe website, and the live software interface.

Here’s the scoop:
- Bandwidth for traffic & web audio streaming is more than sufficient, and our ISP partner has more where that came from.
- Tomcat, Apache and database access servers are being added along with clustering software.
- The linux operating system is being upgraded.
- The TalkShoe application and database software are being continually optimized.

We’re racing to improve performance and provide a high level of service. Onward and upward.

And the winner is... Daniel Thor, Täby, Sweden

2006-11-29T16:51:00.000-05:00

You may have read below about TalkShoe's live contest following Leo Laporte & Amber MacArthur's Talkcast (net @nite) debut a couple of weeks ago - and a winner named Daniel. So Daniel who? you might say...

Meet Daniel Thor, a Masters student from Täby, Sweden.

Daniel is sporting the first prize - TalkShoe gear - together with one of the rune stones in Täby, Sweden. "We have a lot of old rune stones here that date back to the middle ages when Vikings roamed the land." Daniel told us. "Each stone tells a story through their inscriptions and this particular stone was raised by "Torbjörn" and "Ingetora" as a tribute to their father sometime in the 11th century according to a sign near by."

Perhaps Daniel should hold a Live Interactive Podcast about the ancient Nordic magical alphabet of 24 symbols, which are used for divination of the future, performing magic, or evoking Norse deities?

Congratulations Daniel! You look smart in AND magical in that TalkShoeSuit :)

Cliff Ravenscraft of Generally Speaking Podcast Network uses TalkShoe

2006-11-28T17:10:00.000-05:00

Cliff Ravenscraft, producer of the Generally Speaking Podcast Network
http://www.generallyspeakingpodcast.com/, is now using TalkShoe to create several live interactive podcasts. He's been podcasting since December of 2005 and has more than 8,000 subscribers from all over the world.

Cliff' was TalkShoe's #1 host in term of downloads the past 2 weeks.
Search for "Cliff" and Chime In on his Talkcasts!

Did we survive Leo's Army?

2006-11-06T16:02:00.000-05:00

In the first episode of the (tongue twister for sure) Talk to the TalkShoe Team talkcast - "Did we survive Leo's Army?" which was held immediately following the Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur net@night inagural netcast http://www.twit.tv/natn1 we had ~40 participants - both streaming to just listen and more than a dozen on the phones and in the TalkShoe Live! interactive environment. We honestly didn't think any of you would want to talk to us no-names :)

We introduced a couple of the guys who were manning the battlestations at TalkShoe and what they did to prepare for the onslaught of the net@night premier. And we talked about how Leo's Army and Amber's net@night loyal following were successful in overtaking the TalkShoe fortress in Wexford. While we didn't crash (as Leo mentions) , our website and back-end servers certainly lost the battle and we surrendered to the "No (soup) Shoe for You" page.

Near the end, we moved the discussion to our first TalkShoe contest. I challenged the participants to estimate the force of Leo's army on the live show. The contestants were told if they won, they must adorn themselves with the TalkShoe garmets they would win as the prize and send us a picture for our website... and we would do our best to make them famous! The guesses were:

Chuck_PA: 2001
Daniel: 736
EndUser 101: 1750
Jeff Chan: 2001
Joel_O: 898
Julian: 900
Musclemacman: 6533
Mike B. : 1250
Nation: 3140
Paulius: 1500
Robert: 2400

So results are in and Daniel wins!!! There were 165 participants in TalkShoe Live! (109 streaming and 56 on the telephone) and 264 participants streaming from the website - for a grand total of 429 participants. We'll be sending Daniel a TalkShoe shirt and TalkShoe hat (beta limited editions!) as soon as we get a shirt size and mailing address.

And ftr, TalkShoe had 3447 unique visitors that day, with at least one other very well-attended show immediately prior to net@night {The Andrews-Reiter Epilepsy Research Program} and several other shows with ~100 participants. So our best estimate is ~1888 showed up for the Leo & Amber inagural net@night netcast. And if we were better at this scaling game, Chuck_PA & Jeff Chan would have had a TalkShoe Shootout... so consolation prizes (Promoting Your Podcast books by Jason Van Orden) to them as well.

Hope you will join us on our next Talk to the TalkShoe Team talkcast!

The 1st net@nite show on TalkShoe

2006-11-03T14:13:00.000-05:00

The new 'net @ nite' Talkcast with Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur will be premiering this Sunday, November 5th, at 9:00 PM. We expect this even to be extremely well attended, and will certainly exceed TalkShoe records for number of people listening, talking and chatting.
Here are a couple of tips:
1. Sign up as a TalkShoe user Now
2. Download the software Now
to avoid the rush of last minute downloaders when the website is busy.
3. If you receive a busy signal on the live phone conference, that means the TalkShoe Live phone conference is at capacity. You can then:
- Open TalkShoe Live and Listen along and text-chat
- Go to the 'net @ nite' Talkcast page and Listen-only (stream)
4. Host your own show after the show (you can make money doing this)
5. Tell your friends about TalkShoe

PodCamp Pittsburgh - Sponsored by TalkShoe

2006-11-01T13:08:00.000-05:00

Join us at the next PodCamp -- Pittsburgh: November 10-12 2006
www.podcamppittsburgh.com
TalkShoe was a sponsor of the 1st PodCamp in Boston earlier this year. It was great!
We're delighted to also be a sponsor of the Pittsburgh PodCamp.
Come talk to fellow professional, amateur and newbie podcasters.

In conjunction with Pittsburgh Filmmakers and Three Rivers Film Festival!

Dates and Locations!
Friday, Nov 10, 2006: Evening Meet-n-Greet, 6-8 PM @ The Art Institute of PittsburghSaturday, Nov 11, 2006: 9 AM - 5 PM @ Pittsburgh FilmmakersSaturday Night Dinner: @ Bossa Nova (Time TBA)Sunday, Nov 12, 2006: 9 AM - 5 PM @ Pittsburgh Filmmakers

TWiT Podcasters Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur are using TalkShoe

2006-10-27T11:49:00.000-05:00

Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur who currently host the most popular podcasts on the Internet (including TWiT and Inside the Net) have started to use TalkShoe.com. The new show is net@nite. www.natn.tv

From Leo & Ambers webpages: "Amber and I are proud to announce the first live TWiTcast (Click to web page). We’re reinventing Inside the Net, and renaming it net@nite. You’ll still be able to listen to the show as a podcast every Tuesday, but you can also listen live as we record it Sunday nights. Even better, you can participate. "

We’re using the Talkshoe client to do the show...if you want to participate in the chat, or as a caller, download the Talkshoe client.

Lastest TalkShoe Software Release - Paris

2006-10-25T10:08:00.000-05:00

TalkShoe's latest software release "Paris" includes a number of key features for listeners, talkers and hosts. New features include:
1. Host statistics for # of Talkcast downloads and content hours consumed
2. Ability to download/edit/upload recorded Talkcast episodes
3. Host can change/upload photo
4. TalkShoe Live chat sorting by latest chat, name, and whether user is on the phone or computer
5. Featured Talkcasts on the Home Page

About.com Interviews TalkShoe

2006-10-25T08:48:00.000-05:00

John Havens from About.com has written and article based upon and interview with Mark Juliano and Brian Schuliger of TalkShoe.

John summarizes, "this remarkable service [TalkShoe] allows for "live interactive podcasts," a service that I think will help encourage overall podcast adoption since it allows for so many applications as well as revenue models."

Check out the full article: TalkShoe - Live Interactive Podcasts

Steelers Keisel and Starks use TalkShoe for Live Talk Show

2006-10-04T17:44:00.000-05:00

Steelers players Brett Keisel and Max Starks will be hosting a live talk show at the Fox & Hound restaurant/bar in Pittsburgh at 7:30 on Monday, October 9th. They will talk and chat to people using TalkShoe as well as people in the audience. It's a great way to take advantage of both live and Internet talkers and listeners.

Fox & Hound
8000 Mcknight Rd # 2002
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
(412) 364-1885

Lynn Swann for Governor Campaign using TalkShoe

2006-10-04T17:38:00.000-05:00

The Lynn Swann for Governor campaign of Pennsylvania is now using TalkShoe for in-person and virtual Town Hall meetings. Click Here to listen to the meetings.

Squidoo Lens Creation & TalkShoe

2006-09-28T10:01:00.000-05:00

Using Squidoo (www.squidoo.com) is a great way to create a web page and integrate with TalkShoe. In Squidoo, you create a "Lens" which is a web page with lots of information about you, your topic, interests, etc. You can link to your Talkcast in a couple of ways.

1. Under any Links module. Name the link -- maybe the title of your Talkcast -- and copy/paste the URL of your Talkcast page into that link.
2. Go to your Talkcast page and select "Create a Link" and copy/paste that HTML code into your Lens somewhere. A TalkShoe logo should appear when you Publish your lens.

Check out www.squidoo.com/italyjules/ to see an example.
By the way, Squidoo is a great way to also list Talkcast and episode notes, info, etc.

Boston PodCamp Sept 9-10

2006-09-07T11:51:00.000-05:00

TalkShoe will be attending the upcoming Boston PodCamp on September 9-10, 2006. Mark Juliano, TalkShoe's head of marketing, will be attending and presenting.
Below are the details - check out the website. http://podcamp.pbwiki.com/

Sept 9-10, 2006 Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, 9 AM - 5 PM
PodCamp is a FREE BarCamp-style meetup for podcasters and listeners, bloggers and readers, and new media types of all stripes. Our first PodCamp is PODCAMP BOSTON: SEPT 9th-10th, 2006 at Bunker Hill Community College (sponsored by the Museum of Science, Boston). You do NOT need to be a podcaster to attend. If you're interested in podcasting, if you're a listener, if you're a podsafe musician (or want to be), or just someone curious, WELCOME!
Check out the PodCamp Boston Schedule of Events to see what's happening!

TalkShoe Introduces "TalkShoe Cash" Program

2006-08-30T15:29:00.000-05:00

TalkShoe has introduced its TalkShoe Cash™ program which pays people to host podcasts (Talkcasts™), and to refer hosts. Users are paid for creating podcasts as well as for the number of people who listen to, download, or subscribe to their Talkcasts. In addition, people are paid to refer hosts.

TalkShoe Cash Program details
Hosts are paid up to $5.00for each Talkcast episode created (up to 10 episodes) plus up to $4.00 for every 100 times people listen to, download or podcast.

People who refer hosts are paid 25% over and above each host’s earnings.

KDKA Sports Anchor John Steigerwald to host Football Show

2006-08-30T15:22:00.000-05:00

John Steigerwald, a Pittsburgh sports anchor on KDKA-TV, will host a new football talk show on TalkShoe’s website. A recording of all shows will also be available on the website for later listening and podcasting. It will also be listed on iTunes.

"Talkin Pittsburgh Football" show
On the show, John will cover Steelers and University of Pittsburgh football, including interviews with players, coaches, former team players, as well as other sports journalists. John will give in depth coverage throughout the regular and post seasons.

About John Steigerwald
John is a sports anchor, and hosts several sports shows including KDKA’s Steelers Pre Game Show. He has followed local Pittsburgh sports teams for almost 20 years. John, his brother Paul Steigerwald, Bob Pompeani and the KDKA-TV sports team were awarded The Associated Press “Best Sportscast” three times in recent years.

ex-Nittany Lion to Host Penn State Football Talkcast

2006-08-30T15:15:00.000-05:00

Former Penn State and pro football player Bill Contz is hosting a new Penn State sports talk show. It will feature live listeners who can talk and chat using TalkShoe. The show will be on Wednesdays from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Recordings of all shows will also be available on the TalkShoe website and iTunes.

PSU Football Insider – A Lion’s ROAR
The show promises in depth analysis, insight and lively dialogue. It will also offer post-game analysis, discussion and commentary from current and former Penn State players and coaches. Topics will include a review of past week’s game, previews of Penn State’s upcoming opponents, online Q&A as well as a special “where are they now?” segment.

About Bill Contz
Bill Contz (Penn State '83) was a Nittany Lion and NFL player. He was a starter on Penn State’s first-ever national championship team in 1982. He spent seven years in the NFL, and has served as a guest host on Steeler post-game talk shows.

Solo Podcasting

2006-08-08T10:42:00.000-05:00

TalkShoe now allows host to recorded a Talkcast/podcast without needing any active listeners. This is a great feature for those who just want to record an easy standard solo podcast. The podcast can then be listed on iTunes, Yahoo, etc. as well as the TalkShoe directory.
To start podcasting click here: http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/Create.jsp

New Live Streaming - Listening

2006-08-08T10:34:00.000-05:00

Streaming audio is now supported on all live Talkcasts. While a live Talkcast conversation is in progress, anyone can listen by clicking "Listen In". If you also want to talk and chat with others, you'll need to run the TalkShoe Live! software application, and call into TalkShoe using your telephone or VoIP phone.

eWeek.com News Article

2006-07-11T08:45:00.000-05:00

Check TalkShoe out on eWeek.com
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1986838,00.asp

Radio Talk Show Host Simulcasts using TalkShoe

2006-07-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

On July 6, 2006 Ron Morris, a professional radio talk show host, created a live Talkcast of The American Entrepreneur radio show using TalkShoe. The weekly radio show used the TalkShoe website for Live Talking and Chatting with his audience. A podcast recoding of the show is on the website.
The show will air each week live on Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
To listen to Ron's recorded shows go to:
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=139

“TalkShoe’s concept is groundbreaking. It gives me the ability to reach a broader audience, and to better interact with live participants,” Ron Morris, commented.

So how do you know if you are a candidate for a TalkShoe host?

2006-07-01T21:21:00.000-05:00

We think we’ll get both lots of casual talkers and on the other end of the spectrum professional Hosts. But we think the fundamental characteristic of any host will be PASSION – those who have a passion for something, be it a hobby, a sport, an occupation, or an ideal, often when people are passionate, they want to share that passion with others. When you hear passion perhaps you think of fanatical, avid, enthusiasm, and excitement! We hope so… Other characteristics of Hosts will be those that are entrepreneurial (you know we pay Hosts money), are knowledgeable about some niche topic. Perhaps you are a self-promoter or business builder and are looking for other avenues to markets yourself or your products & services though other channels.

New Release of TalkShoe website

2006-06-28T09:01:00.000-05:00

A new release has been loaded onto the TalkShoe website. New features include:

- Displaying Upcoming Talkcast episodes
- Ability to delete Talkcasts and episodes (contact support@talkshoe.com)
- Listening to recorded Talkcasts no longer requires Sign Up
- Completely revised About section
- Press Room (in About)
- Lots more recorded Talkcasts (food, news, sports, TV, religion, etc.)

Skypecasts compared to TalkShoe

2006-06-23T10:08:00.000-05:00

People have asked how TalkShoe compares to Skypecasts. Here's a comparison.

Similarities:
- Multi-person voice conferences
- Directory listing
- Searching and browsing

Differences - TalkShoe includes:
- Recording calls
- Talking via telephone, cell phone, and VoIP or Skype
- Paying hosts based upon number of listeners
- Inviting people to a specific show
- Integrated chat

Accessing TalkShoe using Skype

2006-06-23T09:40:00.000-05:00

Several people have asked about if/how they can use Skype to connect to TalkShoe.

Yes, you can use Skype.

However, some people have reported problems. In general, these are related to entering numbers (DTMF audible tones) for the Talkcast ID and 10-digit PIN. Skype has recognized this issue, and has stated great improvements in the latest version. We are not experiencing 100% success with the newest version, and neither are many Skype users across the globe. It seems like they are making progress but not all the way there yet. We recommend updating to the latest version if you have not done so already (Skype 2.5 beta version).

TalkShoe.com is now LIVE!

2006-06-16T11:58:00.000-05:00

It's an exciting day for us at TalkShoe! Our initial closed beta is over. We're now officially Live, though still in a beta state. So please use the website and email us your comments.
www.talkshoe.com
Check out TechCrunch to read about us.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/06/15/talkshoe-host-podcasts-by-phone-and-get-paid/

Great Pittsburgh Steelers Talkcast!

2006-06-08T19:28:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had two (2) Pittsburgh Steelers (Brett Keisel & Max Starks) on a Talkcast for over one hour. There were 20+ people on the Talkcast. We talked about the Steelers, T.O., meeting George Bush, the World Cup, Pitt Panthers, choosing colleges, and much more. Even Max's mom was on the call. That's the fun and power of TalkShoe.

Check out the recorded Talkcast on http://beta.talkshoe.com under Listen - Featured Talkcasts.

Officially in BETA

2006-05-22T16:06:00.000-05:00

TalkShoe has officially entered BETA (http://beta.talkshoe.com). We're now actively seeking people to join the Beta to try and test out our website. TalkShoe allows you to create both live and recorded conversations - Talkcasts - about any topic with other TalkShoe members, or your friends and family. You can speak (voice) and chat (computer) at the same time. Or you can listen to or podcast (soon) a recorded Talkcast. And when we go live in a month or so, you'll be able to make money hosting Talkcasts.

Interested in hosting a Talkcast?

2006-05-22T10:05:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed that TalkShoe wants Hosts – and we’ll pay for them, too.

We are looking for people who simply want to connect voice-to-voice with others… You could:

Just have a conversation with people you know
Join a discussion group
Talk to friends
Create a live podcast
Host your own talk show

And over the next few months, we will continue to build more and more features and functions. We want to provide top notch tools to make it easy for anyone who wants to host a Talkcast.

TalkShoe Beta coming soon...

2006-05-08T19:13:00.000-05:00

We’re just about ready to launch the TalkShoe Beta website. We hope you'll sign up, and we'll value your feedback.

Until then, start thinking about live voice Talkcasts (conversations) you can create or want to join. Ideas include:
- Discussion groups
- Sports talk shows
- Family chats
- Political debates
- News commentary
You name it…

Remember to tell your friends and family to sign up for Beta too.

Blog, Podcast and RSS Advertising fastest-growing segment

2006-04-25T11:47:00.000-05:00

According to Podcasting News (April 10, 2006) "blog, podcast and RSS advertising are the fastest-growing segments of the alternative media industry, according to a new report."
The report by PQ Media said that "user-generated online media", expanded at an aggregate 198.4% to $20.4 million in 2005, and is expected to grow another 144.9% to $49.8 million in 2006.
Also, according to the report and Podcasting Media: Blog advertising accounted for 81.4%, or $16.6 million, of total spending on blog, podcast and RSS advertising in 2005, but will comprise 39.7% of the total in 2010 Podcast advertising, meanwhile, reached $3.1 million in 2005, and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 154.4% from 2006 to 2010, when it will be larger than blog advertising

PQ Media report:
http://www.pqmedia.com/blog-podcast-rss-advertising.html
Podcasting News link:
www.podcastingnews.com/archives/2006/04/fastest_growing.html

Internet Advertising Report

2006-04-25T09:26:00.000-05:00

Results are in… (from Interactive Advertising Bureau & PwC) … http://www.iab.net/resources/adrevenue/pdf/IAB_PwC_2005.pdf

Internet Advertising for 2005: $12.5B which is up 30% over 2004

Rich Media (advertisements that include some component of streaming video and/or audio and interactivity, in addition to flash or java script ads, and can allow users to view and interact with products or services) is 8% of the total.

What exactly is a Talkcast(tm)?

2006-04-21T16:19:00.000-05:00

A Talkcast(tm) is a new way to talk and communicate using the Internet and/or your phone, to connect with other people. Lots of people can simultaneously get on a Talkcast using the TalkShoe website. They can talk, listen, and/or text chat with each other.

Why would people want to do this?
There are lots of reasons to host or join a talkcast. At it's core it's a way to find other people who want to talk about the same thing.
Perhaps you've always wanted to be an amateur talk show host, and interview people.
Or talk with people after "the game" and voice your opinions.
Or talk and chat with lots of your college buddies about old times.
Or form a political or psychology discussion group.
Or learn about something.
Or discuss a book with a book club.
Or talk to a celebrity.
Or create a new dating game.
Or just talk.

So what's the difference between a Talkcast and a phone conference call?
Sure, you could use TalkShoe to create a free conference call with people you know. In fact, that's a good reason to use the website. But a talkcast adds lots of features you don't have in a conference call. First, every Talkcast has a host. Ever been on a multi-party conference call with nobody in charge? That's right, it's chaos. Having a host keeps the conversation on topic. The host of a talkcast can mute or even censor people who are taking over the conversation or using unwanted profanity. Second, a talkcast gets people together who want to talk about the same thing, and brings people together who probably don't know each other. Third, a talkcast visually shows who's talking, by flashing their name. Finally, a talkcast can be recorded so that you, or anyone else who visits the website can listen to, or download that talkcast to their iPod.

TalkShoe Beta update

2006-04-21T11:13:00.000-05:00

The TalkShoe beta will begin in the latter half of May, 2006. Beta users will get the first look at our new form of Internet communications. A beta tester should be curious about exploring and using TalkShoe and be willing to provide us with feedback to make the service better, while being tolerant of early bugs. If you’re interested or just want to learn more, please sign up at: www.talkshoe.com.

Intro Blog

2006-04-21T10:51:00.000-05:00

Greetings! This is the initial blog for TalkShoe. We're busy building a website to allow people to talk to other people with like interests. Please sign up for our Beta at www.talkshoe.com.