You know times have changed when a college sends out acceptance letters as a podcast.

[via Wired Campus Blog and Podcast Free America]

Here's a chance to listen to the developers behind some of the tools we use everyday such as Del.icio.us, Google Maps, Flickr, and more.

The Future of Web Apps Conference

I noticed that although these are called podcasts, that there is no feed that you can subscribe to in iTunes. So, I created for myself a quick podcast in Podcast Maker using the external link feature. You too can access it here:

Subscribe to Podcast Feed in iTunes

UPDATE: They took it down and moved it to a different server without setting up any redirects. Feed has been modified. Please update the podcast in iTunes if you are subscribed already. On the upside, it no longer takes 3 hours to download one mp3.

Technorati Tags: futureofwebapps

A click is worth a thousand words.

Click here!

Surprised? I was too when I discovered that iTunes lets you access password protected podcasts.

Oh, by the way, you can use the username guest with the password guest to access that podcast.

Why?

At first, password protecting a podcast might sound counterintuitive, but there are actually many reasons why you might want to do such a thing.

Doogtoons by Doug Bresler is living proof that podcasting can empower the creative individual to be heard and seen in front of a massive audience. While most of the top 100 podcasts at iTunes are based on repurposed materials from big organizations such as ABC and NPR, Doogtoons is just one guy producing the whole shebang and still being ranked up there with the giants. He is also a long time Podcast Maker user. Check out his funny podcast, especially, the very first episode.

Check out Doogtoons

Magnatune is a record label with the motto We Are Not Evil. Based in Berkeley, California, it is the perfect antithesis of the trigger happy lawyer toting RIAA label. It is a strange one, as far as record labels go, but in a very good way. Some of many interesting facts about Magnatune:

• You can preview all of the music in its complete entirety without paying a single dime for as long as you want. In fact, you can use it as an online radio while you work.
• When you do want to buy the music, you can choose the price.
• Half of what you pay goes directly to the artist.
• You can get the music in one of these DRM-free formats: WAV, MP3, OGG, FLAC, AAC, and in a rootkit-free CD.
• Good Music.
• You can podcast their music without paying a cent. Use it as an intro, outro, or segway music.

The last bullet-point is the raison d'être for this post. It may be old news to some of you, but all of the 5487 tracks by 206 different artists under Magnatune are Creative Commons licensed. This is a good deal for both the podcaster and the artist. Magnatune is an underdog in the music industry, but it is a company that totally gets the changes coming with the digital era and this podcast loving attitude is just one example of many.

There is an IT Conversations interview that I recommend with the Magnatune founder John Buckman

here. He explains in depth how Magnatune is different from traditional labels and gives us his insight on how the music industry is changing in this digital era. It was interesting for me because I am also a producer of digital content and his perspective on things is refreshing. I sincerely hope that ventures like his succeed in taking a huge chunk of the business away from the crap pushing greedy cartel of the Big 5 record companies.

At this point I would like to do a shout out. Mr. Jade Leary
is a Magnatune artist and a Podcast Maker user. His album The Lost Art of Human Kindness is the 9th highest valued Magnatune album of all time. So if you are into alt. rock you should definitely listen to Mr. Leary's music
here and check out his podcast
here.


Magnatune -- Podcast Our Music!