Online Expos, Reality TV,
& Radio Shows!
Will Talkcasts Be Talk of the Town?
A startup is looking to make Web conferences more accessible to more people through a greater range of devices.
TalkShoe, a small company in Pittsburgh, has created a Web service that allows users to create and join real-time voice conferences that can be extended to thousands of participants using cell phones, regular telephones or VOIP (voice over IP) devices.
Unlike existing Internet conferencing and chat services, TalkShoe's Talkcasts incorporate both live and recorded telephone-quality voices, are accessible via a full range of phone connection types, integrate voice and chat, and can be made public or private, according to company officials.
The service also is unique in its ability to support thousands of participants who can join, listen to or stream a live Talkcast. In addition, any number of users can download recorded podcasts, said Mark Juliano, senior vice president at TalkShoe.
One early user, a radio talk show host who's experimenting with Talkcasts, said the service offers much greater flexibility and better reach than traditional radio.
"You have so much more power, because you have so many more choices. Now you have people that can take your show on demand from anywhere," said Ron Morris, who hosts the Pittsburgh-based talk show "The American Entrepreneur."
The service draws on a mixture of VOIP, conference bridging, telephony and Web 2.0 technologies to enable hosts to create Talkcasts.
A Web-based user dashboard allows hosts to control the conferences using functions such as muting, censoring or request-to-talk. The dashboard also indicates who is talking by flashing that participant's name, Juliano said.
Hosts can choose the topic of their Talkcasts and schedule them on the TalkShoe Web site. In addition, they can invite any participants they wish to engage. The TalkShoe Web site allows hosts to have their Talkcasts listed in a directory for browsing and searching.
At the same time, custom dedicated Web sites can be developed with TalkShoe for private Talkcasts, which are recorded and available on the private site.
Public Talkcasts are also recorded and made available on the TalkShoe Web site for downloading or podcasting.
TalkShoe is targeting small and midsize businesses as well as consumers for its general service, and the company plans to attract larger businesses with its customization capabilities.
"SMBs don't have any conferencing infrastructure. What they like is that they can record it, there is nothing to buy—they just dial in," Juliano said.
For consumers who want to create their own conferences, TalkShoe is recruiting "specific hosts who already have a base, such as a radio talk show host who has 3,000 listeners in their database," Juliano said.
Talkcasts can be used for company meetings, discussion groups, user forums, training and external marketing.
Available now, the service is built on a high-quality, hardware-based conferencing bridge linked to the Internet via an ISP and to the phone network. On the back end are several servers that perform Internet functions and support the user dashboard.
"This is not easy because it takes people who really know telephony and Internet technology. Combining both is complicated, but we have that expertise," Juliano said.
Although the general conferencing service is free, TalkShoe will collect telephone access fees, take a percentage of whatever customers charge for the content they are creating on conferences and offer ASP (application service provider) services for custom Web pages.
The company also plans to generate advertising revenue from the Talkcasts.
"There are multiple ways to make money with this," Juliano said.
Morris, who is a professor of entrepreneurism at Duquesne University in addition to being a radio host, said he believes the potential for generating advertising revenue is significant.
"We're finding hosts in esoteric niches," he said. "That's where this gets its rocket fuel. You get people listening who are as passionate as you are. The advertising should just flow from that. Time will tell. I think there will be real gems on esoteric topics. This is a giant trading post of esoteric information. I think that's the genius of this thing—it is simple and egalitarian," Morris said.
TalkShoe™ Launches Website For User-Generated Live And Recorded Voice Talk Shows And Discussion Groups
TalkShoe (www.talkshoe.com) has launched a unique website for user-generated live and recorded voice. People can host and join live voice talk shows, discussion groups, and conversations -- called Talkcasts™ -- using telephones, cell phones or Internet voice (voice-over-IP).
All Talkcasts can be recorded for later listening, downloading or podcasting. What's more, people can make money hosting Talkcasts. Example uses of TalkShoe include talk shows, sports discussion groups, political debates, small business meetings, friends and family chats, book clubs, and education and training. The possible uses are endless.
What Makes TalkShoe Different?
The main differences between TalkShoe and other Internet conferencing and chat services are: 1) both live and recorded voice, 2) use by any of hundreds of millions of telephones, cell phones, and voice-over-IP (VoIP) connections, 3) paying hosts for every talker and listener, and 4) ability to create both public and private Talkcasts. In addition, up to 1,000 people can talk and/or listen to a live Talkcast, and unlimited people can download the recorded podcasts.
Content is King
TalkShoe expects good-quality content to be created on the website. TalkShoe is continually seeking both professional and amateur hosts to create useful and topical voice content. Current TalkShoe hosts run the gamut from everyday people to two Pittsburgh Steelers players, Brett Keisel and Max Starks.
Ron Morris, a professor at Duquesne University and host of the radio talk show, The American Entrepreneur, commented, "TalkShoe's concept is groundbreaking. As a radio talk show host, I only have access to a regional audience. TalkShoe allows me to reach a worldwide audience, and gives me better interaction with live participants."
"With TalkShoe, hosts are in control," said Mark Juliano, TalkShoe's Sr. Vice President. "While voice and text chat rooms also support live conversations, uncontrolled rooms can quickly degenerate into jabberwocky."
Hosts Make Money
"One of TalkShoe's goals is to enable an entrepreneurial community, like eBay, where individuals and professionals alike can create voice content, build their own listener base, and get paid for their efforts," commented Dave Nelsen, president and CEO of TalkShoe.
Hosts can earn money for each person that listens to, downloads or podcasts their Talkcast. Money is earned from text and banner advertising (i.e. Google AdSense), audio ad insertion, and video ads. In addition, hosts can choose to charge a fee for their Talkcasts.
A Difference in Quality
TalkShoe uses the same high-quality teleconferencing technology that supports today's business conferencing services. Users can dial in via telephone, cell phone, or voice-over-IP (VoIP).
How TalkShoe Works
Hosts choose the topic and schedule their Talkcast online, and can easily invite anyone. Once the Talkcast starts, hosts have control with features such as 1) muting, 2) censoring, 3) see-who's-talking, and 4) request-to-talk queuing. The Talkcast can be recorded on the TalkShoe website where users can listen to, download or podcast the Talkcast. The Talkcast can also be listed on podcast directories including iTunes and others.
Private Talkcasts are also available for friends and family talks, internal business communications, or other closed groups.
The TalkShoe website is currently free.
About TalkShoe
TalkShoe is located near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and can be reached at 724-935-TALK (8255) or by email at info@talkshoe.com. The website address is www.talkshoe.com.
Large Account Reseller to Sell iLinc Conferencing World-Wide
iLinc Communications, Inc. (Amex: ILC - News), developers of Web conferencing software and audio conferencing solutions, today announced that the Company has signed a distribution agreement with Softmart, one of the top ten large account resellers in the United States. Softmart will now offer the iLinc suite of Web conferencing and collaboration and iLinc audio conferencing services as part of their product portfolio.
Headquartered in Downingtown, PA with more than 200 employees, 36 US regional offices, a London UK office and 10 international reseller partners, Softmart provides software, hardware, and services to Fortune 500 and mid-to-small size businesses, government and academic customers. Softmart focuses on providing exemplary service through knowledgeable and well-trained teams that assist and advise customers on purchasing and managing software and hardware for their organizations.
"Our customers relate and trust us to provide best of breed solutions from all major and emerging IT vendors and guide their organizations through the evaluation process and purchasing," said Jay Nilson, Softmart's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Increasingly more of our customers are inquiring about Web conferencing and collaboration solutions. iLinc's growing market presence and suite of products for online meetings, Web conferencing, e-Learning and remote support makes iLinc an ideal solution for our customers."
"This partnership enables iLinc to increase distribution of our software by leveraging the great relationships that Softmart has already built with their customers," noted James M. Powers, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of iLinc Communications. "The Softmart sales team is excited about the iLinc solution and they are already presenting it to their clients. We are very pleased with how quickly this relationship has come to fruition and the opportunity it represents to both organizations."
Softmart will offer the full iLinc product suite of Web conferencing software and audio conferencing solutions. The iLinc Suite includes four components designed for different types of online meetings. The MeetingLinc component facilitates online team meetings and presentations; LearnLinc provides a virtual classroom experience, online testing, and collaborative interactive learning scenarios; ConferenceLinc is suited for Web casts and large-scale meetings; and SupportLinc is used in customer support, where issues have to be resolved from remote locations. Softmart customers can choose between a concurrent-user licensing model or the Enterprise Unlimited option, which is a fixed fee for unlimited, organization-wide conferencing.
"Softmart is one of several partnerships that iLinc will secure this fiscal year to improve the indirect channel portion of our business," added Powers. "This is part of our overall strategy to continue our positive trend of increasing revenues and improving operational performance."
About iLinc Communications, Inc.
iLinc Communications, Inc. is a leading developer of Web conferencing software and audio (phone) conferencing services for highly secure and cost-effective collaborative meetings, presentations, and training sessions. The Company enables customers to purchase and own iLinc Web conferencing software, which can be installed inside of a customer's network or hosted by iLinc. Our products and services include the iLinc Suite of Web Conferencing software (MeetingLinc, LearnLinc, ConferenceLinc, and SupportLinc); Audio Conferencing Services; On-Demand Conferencing; and EventPlus, a service for professionally managed online and audio conferencing events. iLinc's products and services are used by organizations worldwide in sales, HR and training, marketing, and customer support. More information about the Phoenix-based Company may be found on the Web at www.ilinc.com.
About Softmart, Inc.
Softmart is a global business-to-business supplier of software, hardware and technical solutions with sales operations throughout the United States. The company provides management services to help businesses gain maximum value from their information technology investments. Headquartered in Downingtown, PA, Softmart services the global corporate arena. For more information about Softmart, call 610.518.4000 or visit www.softmart.com.
iLinc, iLinc Communications, iLinc Suite, MeetingLinc, LearnLinc, ConferenceLinc, SupportLinc, EventPlus, On-Demand, Web Presenter, and its logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of iLinc Communications, Inc. All other company names and products may be trademarks of their respective companies.
LetsGoExpo.com to Provide Webcast of ICCHP Accessible Computing Conference in Linz, Austria
The 10th Annual International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs (ICCHP) announced today that it has entered into a webcast partnership with LetsGoExpo (www.letsgoexpo.com) for the July 12-14, 2006 conference held in Linz Austria. The webcast will be free to attendees thanks to LetsGoExpo’s support of the event. Keynote sessions will be video webcast, (archives of video presentations will be captioned) with other sessions being webcast with live audio and visual media.
The 10th Annual International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs (ICCHP) announced today that it has entered into a webcast partnership with LetsGoExpo (www.letsgoexpo.com) for the July 12-14, 2006 conference held in Linz, Austria. The webcast will be free to attendees thanks to LetsGoExpo’s support of the event. Keynote sessions will be video webcast, (archives of video presentations will be captioned) with other sessions being webcast with live audio and visual media.
Since its beginning, the ICCHP has offered an international platform for visionary researchers and practitioners in “e-Inclusion.” ICCHP’06 once again assembles experts from around the world to exchange ideas, discuss common approaches and develop interdisciplinary programs to contribute to present and future challenges. The conference will explore Information & Communication Technology (ICT) and Assistive Technology (AT) for people with disabilities, the aging population, and with learning difficulties. “We’re thrilled with our relationship with LetsGoExpo, and the ability to share our conference proceedings worldwide. The live webcasts as well as recorded archives make the conference both a global event and an ongoing resource for those interested in accessibility,” states Klaus Miesenberger, chair of the conference.
“LetsGoExpo was created to allow organizers of “on-location” conferences to expand their reach to the online visitor, or to be a feature-rich venue for online meetings or events,” said Dr. Lou Lipschultz, CEO of LetsGoExpo’s parent, OcuSource.com. “We couldn’t think of a better venue to showcase the strengths of our online conferencing service than the ICCHP’s conference on accessible computing,” Lipschultz stated.
General Sessions will be webcast live and can be accessed through links at the LetsGoExpo’s Event Calendar page (http://letsgoexpo.com/index.cfm?p=2) or at the ICCHP website (www.icchp.org). The accompanying slide presentations, transcriptions, and support documents will also be available. Archives of the webcasts will be made available following the meeting at www.letsgoexpo.com under the same Event Calendar, and then following the links to the ICCHP event schedule.
ICCHP webcast start times:
Wednesday, July 12 - webcasts begin:
--Austria Time - 9:00 AM
--GMT - 7:00 AM
--EST - 1:00 AM
--PST - 10:00 PM
Thursday, July 13th - webcasts begin:
--Austria Time – 8:30 AM
--GMT – 6:30 AM
--EST - 12:30 AM
--PST - 9:30 PM
Friday, July 14th - webcasts begin:
--Austria Time – 8:30 AM
--GMT – 6:30 AM
--EST - 12:30 AM
--PST - 9:30 PM
About OcuSource & LetsGoExpo
California-based OcuSource, LLC (www.ocusource.com), the parent company of LetsGoExpo (www.letsgoexpo.com) assists the low vision and blindness industry with essential online services. OcuSource’s mission is to expand access to products, information, and services to individuals with vision impairment as well as the professionals who assist them through a set of integrated web services. OcuSource maintains product and information search tools, auctions for used low vision and blindness equipment, bid management services for organizations, and self-assessment tools such as visual acuity tracking. The privately held company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Placentia, California.
About ICCHP
From the early ages of assistive devices, the field has grown and established itself, and is now known as Assistive Technologies or “eInclusion”. eInclusion has become a major driving force for an open information society. If the 21st century is the first of the "information or knowledge age," eQuality has to be seen as one of its fundamental human rights. The equation "equality = eQuality", the motto of ICCHP 06, symbolizes how much equal access and therefore equal chances in society are dependent on eQuality, the quality of systems and services in taking the needs of all users into account including those with disabilities.
Videoconferencing Comes of Age
Developments in the videoconferencing industry from 1996 to 2006 are analysed in four major articles as www.vcinsight.com celebrates ten years of specialist Newsletter publication.
Videoconferencing has come of age, according to online newsletter www.vcinsight.com. To celebrate ten years of publication, the online newsletter has surveyed developments in videoconferencing over the last ten years in four articles: 1. Now ready for mass deployment; 2. Who is using video meetings; 3. Complying with standards for inter-operability; 4. The 20 most important technology innovations.
Most observers who see or use videoconferencing for the first time today are impressed with its realism and the “in the same room” meeting experience. Video meetings between four to six different sites located anywhere in the world are the most common. They are saving time and the need to travel for the busy executives and others who attend them. Video meetings, by reducing travel, are both improving their quality of life and helping to improve the environment. Most users find having a video meeting is a win-win proposition for all concerned.
How did we reach this point where anyone can have video meetings? The Videoconferencing Insight, a free weekly online newsletter which has just celebrated ten years of publication, tells us the answer in a series of four articles. The articles survey the development of the industry from 1996 to 2006 and confirm the technology of video meetings is ready for widespread use. They provide a fascinating insight into a technology that has attracted the interest of Cisco, IBM, HP and Microsoft as well as the specialised companies that founded and developed the industry.
VC Insight, the weekly online newsletter that describes the positive experience of users of video meetings is read around the world by thousands of readers. A reader in Mexico wrote: “VC Insight is an important resource when I need to know trends in video conference technology.” A reader in the United Arab Emirates said: “I get everything I need to know about video conferencing around the world, be it products or applications; I do not need to look elsewhere. That’s a great service.”
Market leader, Polycom, says: “VC Insight provides a good resource for users and potential users of video communications technology ...” Another of the industry leaders, TANDBERG, says “We appreciate the customer focus you and your team bring to your readers through applications and customer stories.”
The first major article in the series in the 30 May 2006 issue explained why, after many false dawns, videoconferencing is now ready for mass deployment.
The second article considers who uses video meetings; it lists a selection of 45 out of the many thousands of user stories that have been published. The largest categories of users are: corporate users, hospital and doctors (telemedicine), schools and universities (distance learning), and financial services. Government and military, Broadcasting and entertainment, Recruitment Consulting, The deaf, Law courts and prisons, and conferencing service providers are also major users. Some of the more recent user application stories are archived on the web site www.vcinsight.com.
The third article lists 17 milestones in the development of international standards to ensure the inter-operability of videoconferencing equipment from different vendors. Although the vendors compete fiercely for customers, they collaborate when it comes to defining technical standards and testing them to ensure inter-operability. Today, all the large and successful vendors comply with these standards and those who do not comply risk creating little islands of connections not linked to the majority of videoconferencing users.
Industries thrive as a result of technology innovation. The fourth article lists 70 milestones in the development of videoconferencing industry technology over the last ten years. This innovation is created and supported by heavy expenditure on developing technology to improve the video meeting experience. The industry’s six leading spenders on R & D - Polycom, TANDBERG, Aethra, Sony, RADVISION and Lifesize - together spent an estimated U.S $170 million on R & D (Research and Development) in 2005, or about 15% of sales revenue.
The 20 most significant technology innovations over the period 1996 to 2006 are identified and analysed. Half of these facilitate the development and operation of video conferencing on IP-based networks, the most important development of the past 10 years. Two more relate to automating the scheduling of video meetings and remote control/management of videoconferencing equipment on a network through a web interface. Other innovations have improved the quality of the audio, video and data sharing experience in a video meeting. High Definition video conferencing is seen as the next big growth area.
About Videoconferencing Insight Newsletter
Videoconferencing Insight is a well established newsletter for the user of video and unified conferencing systems which has reported on the industry from a user perspective since May 1996. To increase access to the Newsletter, Videoconferencing Insight became a webzine in August 2002. It is published on Wednesday of each week at www.vcinsight.com. It is accessible free of charge thanks to generous support from six companies: Aethra, LifeSize, Polycom, RADVISION, Sony, and TANDBERG.
In addition to the user application case studies, interviews and industry news published weekly, the web site contains a reference data bank of over 100 user applications in 23 user vertical categories such as manufacturing industry, financial services, telemedicine and education. Potential users of videoconferencing are invited to examine these in order better understand the benefits of using videoconferencing for themselves.
Contact:
Richard Line, Editor
Videoconferencing Insight Newsletter
Telephone: 44 (0)1273 381 300
