Mashable:7 Tips for Launching a Successful Podcast

By Brian Casel

Brian Casel is a web designer and co-host of Freelance Jam, the live web show for independent professionals who build the web. Connect with Brian on Twitter @CasJam.

Full version on Mashable

“Podcasts are among the oldest types of syndicated content on the web. Yet the format remains a popular choice among content producers looking to connect with a wide audience. Audio podcasts were the norm for many years, but video has taken the podcasting world to new heights.”

“In this article, Brian will walk you through the steps necessary to ensure your video podcast gets off to a great start. We’ll cover everything from conception to technical set up, promotion, and monetization. Every podcast is different, but this guide should help you navigate your way through the process and hopefully spark some broadcasting inspiration.”

“Skype — All of our shows start with a Skype video chat. Now that Skype 5 includes the ability to have video conference calls, it’s a perfect choice for having a three-way conversation. Plus, the sheer popularity of Skype makes it easy on our guests who are already comfortable using the platform for online conversation.”

Full version on Mashable

You can Still Record Skype video calls using Skype Recorder Supertintin.

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Qik released new version for Android and iPhone

Qik just announced its new version for Android and iPhone. The Video Connect Plus app for iPhone/iOS is free this week. It’s normally $2.99!

Qick video connect

“Qik Video Connect is the only mobile video calling solution that also enables video mail. Can’t connect live? (Because that never happens, right?) No problem. Send a video mail and say—or show—it live and in person.”

“And when you want to share something with more than one person, Qik Video Connect offers some cool ways to share videos with your Facebook friends, Twitter followers, on YouTube or your blog. And you don’t even need a front-facing camera on your phone—just show them what’s happening around you.”

I guess it has the same functions as Skype Recorder SuperTinTin have.

Read more …

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VoIP calls included in latest Skype Android upgrade

The majority publicity about the (practically non-existent) security threat in Skype for Android means that the big push to get user to upgrade was based on security concerns.

However, it also included an important, though less publicized upgrade which allows Skype users to make VoIP calls over 3G. So if you are on a plan with a large data allowance and costly (or limited) call minutes you can now make them using VoIP on your 3G connection.

The most exciting part of course is that this is a step towards the really big upgrade that we Android users are waiting for – Skype Video calls over Android. This has been expected to appear at some point ever since Skype bought Qik, which was a mobile video calling company. Skype Video over 3G will finally give us the reality of the “Video Phone” that we have been seeing in sci-fi movies for decades. Sounds like fun!!

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A New Version Skype is available

A New Version Skype 5.3.0.111 is available.

What’s new in this version 5.3.0.111:

Group video calling (beta)
Skype Home
Integration with Facebook
Offline instant messaging
New contact search and improved contact adding
Enhanced call quality experience
User interface refresh.

You can Record Skype video calls using Skype Recorder SuperTinTin.

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Skype release fix for Android Security issue

So, after all the scare-mongering that followed the puclicizing of a security issue in Skype for Android, a fix is quickly in place without any users being affected! Sayings about mountains and molehills immediately spring to mind. Here is what Skype had to say:

After a weekend of developing and testing we have updated a new version of the Skype for Android application onto the Android Market, containing a fix to the vulnerability reported to us on Friday. Please do update to this version as soon as possible in order to help protect your information.

We have had no reported examples of any 3rd party malicious application mis-using information from the Skype directory on Android devices and will continue to monitor closely. Please rest assured that we do take your privacy and security very seriously and we sincerely apologise for any concern this issue may have caused.

Adrian Asher
Chief Information Security Officer
Skype Information Security

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Skype teams with LifeSize Passport for room based video conferencing

“LifeSize, a division of Logitech has qualified its LifeSize® Passport™ HD video conferencing product to be the first room-based, business-class video conferencing solution to be plugged into Skype™, adding the ability for LifeSize Passport users to now conduct video calls with Skype users around the world.”

“This initiative enables Skype to be part of the room-based enterprise video conferencing market. LifeSize is known for its HD telepresence-quality solutions in the enterprise. Now, LifeSize Passport users can easily connect using face-to-face video conferencing with other Skype users worldwide,” said David Gurle, vice president and general manager of Skype Enterprise. “With the ‘consumerization of IT’ whereby people are bringing Skype into the workplace, more enterprises are looking for synergistic solutions like this that include Skype. We’re delighted that LifeSize is helping them address customer demand by delivering enterprise-class video conferencing with Skype.” Read more…

Terry Brock: LifeSize your Skype experience

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How to Record Skype Conversations on Linux

Record conversations with skype into mp3’s on Linux(Ubuntu)!


sudo apt-get install vsound sox sox-dev lame build-essential

Ok. We now have installed lame for mp3 encoding, and vsound, sox, and sox-dev for the program’s dependancies. We have also installed build-essential, which will supply all the programs needed to compile programs. Cool, eh?


cd
wget http://www.twistedlittlegnome.com/skype-rec-kraken.tar
tar xvf skype-rec-kraken.tar

Now, we have “made” the program.


cd skype-rec-kraken
make

Now, we have “made” the program.


gedit skype-rec

Now we are editing the program. Scroll down until you see “my $SKYPEREC” edit the value to something like this: /home/yourusernamehere/skype-rec-kraken/libskype-rec.so
(you may have to change that, depending where you installed the program!)

If you run skype using a command other than “skype” edit my $SKYPE to the command you use to start up skype.


./skype-rec

That will run the program, and open up skype (make sure to close down skype before using this). You call your person, then you can hang up with them, and close skype. Then, the program will convert the file to mp3.

The .mp3 file will be in the folder you installed the program to. (In my case, it was “/home/majikstreet/skype-rec-kraken/xxxxx.mp3”.

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Skype, Skype recording and freedom

I was just reading this article on the Epoch Times website, which tells how the military junta which rules Burma (although they like to call it Myanmar) have cracked down on the use of Skype by Burmese citizens to communicate, especially outside the country.

In a country where ordinary people are poor and oppressed, the ability to make cheap phone calls using VOIP technology via Skype can be the only method available for communicating outside the country. If speaking to a relative abroad (or even to media, or carrying out business) the ability to record these rare conversations becomes even more important, because you are unlikely to just be able to call back and make sure you understood everything correctly.

I am grateful to live in a country where access to communication is unrestricted, and I hope that for those living without such freedom, internet technologies such as Skype VOIP calls and the ability to record them using Supertintin is some help in coping with such circumstances. SuperTinTin is best Skype Recorder from many years.

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Skype for Android Security issue – Update: Email from Skype

Like any responsible software manufacturer who becomes aware of a possible threat to their customers’ data, Skype sent me- and presumably all other registered users of Skype for Android – an email today. It confirms what I reported yesterday regarding the threat only applying if you had installed Skype and a piece of malware. They are also promising to push a patch out ASAP. Here’s what they had to say:

Thank you for downloading and using the Skype for Android software. Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that if you were to install a malicious third-party application onto your Android device, it could access the locally stored Skype for Android files. These files include cached profile information and your instant message chat history.

We take our users’ privacy very seriously and are working quickly to protect you from this vulnerability, including securing the file permissions on the Skype for Android application. This update will be available shortly and as always we urge you to install updates to benefit from our continuous fixes and improvements.

Until the update is released, to protect your personal information, we advise that you as always take care when selecting which applications to download and install onto your device from the Android Marketplace.

For more information see our Security Blog at blogs.skype.com/security or our security section at skype.com/security.

Adrian Asher
Chief Information Security Officer
Skype Information Security

A nice, professional and clear message. So hopefully the opportunistic “Skype is dangerous – installl our VOIP software instead” posts I’ve been seeing will stop now!

Two thumbs up to Skype for the prompt reaction. It would be much better if they adjust Skype Recorder as SuperTinTin in it.

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Skype security threat on Android is being overstated

First: as the late great Douglas Adams said: “Don’t panic!”

This story, while it is of course true, is being reported in a rather alarmist way in many places. Have a look at this article on Mashable.com for a clear explanation of the very limited number of users at risk. If you want to read a more alarmist version with very little detail, visit TGDaily.

Here is the story: multiple sources are reporting that a security threat has been discovered in Skype for Android by someone calling himself (rather amusingly) Justin Case. I bet… reminds me of a girl I knew in school called Annette Curtin. 🙂

“Inside the Skype data directory is a folder with the same name as your Skype username, and it’s here where Skype stores your contacts, your profile, your instant message logs, and more in a number of sqlite3 databases,”

said Mr. Case, posting on the Android Police website.

As the happy owner of a HTC Desire HD on which I often use Skype, I find it rather comforting that there are Android Police out there who are protecting me. This is ethical hacking as it should work… with one small problem. Shouldn’t they have quietly told Skype and let them patch the hole before publicly describing it in detail?

However, this vulnerability can only be exploited if you downloaded a second, malicious app, such as the 21 that Google pulled from the Android store last month. Mashable puts it well:

To be clear, this only impacts Skype for Android users who installed malware from the Android Market or from various third-party app stores. Even then, it isn’t certain that this information was accessed. Still, any users who downloaded those apps should change their password, and check their Skype instant messages for sensitive information that could be used to access other accounts.

Also, for some reason this doesn’t affect Verizon phones in the US, presumably because they have some rigid form of lock that prevents such third party apps from being installed.

Since my Android apps are limited to backup, Antivirus, Kindle, Audible, Google maps and a little thing called Cache Cleaner, I think I’m safe for now. 🙂 But oh, how I wish I could uninstall some of the dozens of pre-installed apps that I never use! – and no, I don’t want to jailbreak it.  Actually I think the reason my phone is so slow is that I have over 800 contacts, all with 4-10 data fields. Or maybe the 3500 saved SMS messages…. I thought with smart phones you could keep all your stuff and not have to keep erasing old files.

But I digress… back to the Skype security problem.  I’ll keep an eye out and post on the blog here when Skype release a patch for this security risk. They must release some kind of Skype Recorder for Andriod phones as well.

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Skype is connecting classrooms and cultures around the world

As was widely reported on the web today (see CNet and THV) “Skype in the Classroom” was launched at the start of the month, and now being used to help students in different countries and cultures around the world to connect and learn about each other.

skype video in classroom

Given the globalized society in which we all live, and which today’s children in particular will have to navigate as they grow up, this new Skype connectivity is a great teaching tool. The children discuss food, weather, geography in their country, even comparing school uniforms!

Schools that are using this technology should definitely consider using a Skype Video recorder like Supertintin to record the calls so that the experience can be shared with other children. In particular, the ability to record the entire exchange in a single file – the video and audio of all participants in a side-by-side format – would make it very easy to share these cultural exchanges.

Who knows, these calls would no doubt be of interest to sociologists, ethnologists, psychologists and many other -ologists as well. I hope that the schools are aware that recorder programs are available.

To get your school involved, visit the Skype Education website. What a great initiative by Skype!

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Microsoft says Skype for Win7Phone by end of year

PC Magazine is reporting on its website that support for Skype will be among the multiple updates that Microsoft is planning to push out to its Windows 7 Phone OS this year.  They’re also promising that the update process will become more stream-lined, that multi-tasking will work better, and the end of world hunger.  Well OK not that last one, but it’s about as likely!

Apparently the Skype support is dependent on an OS update code-named “Mango”. Does Microsoft have someone employed to come up with code names, or is it just a random word selection process?

Just bear in mind that if you have a Windows 7-based phone, make sure that you either have a very robust data allowance or add-on. Otherwise, disable automatic updating until you get home to your wifi!

SuperTinTin Skype Video Recorder will work with the new Skype as well.

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Emma Roberts Auditioned For Scream 4 Over Skype

According to http://perezhilton.com/2011-04-13-emma-roberts-auditioned-for-scream-4-over-skype

Emma Roberts’ new movie, Scream 4, is set to debut this Friday, and the actress recently revealed that when she auditioned for the part of Jill for director Wes Craven, it was over a Skype session!

She explains:

“I get to his house and they told me it (audition) would be on Skype (internet video calling programme), which was so strange because his assistant was there, his casting director was there and he’s there on a laptop. I just went for it and I actually found out later that day that I got the movie and I was off to shoot two weeks later. It was the fastest job I’ve ever gotten.”

But before filming could start, Roberts had to be fitted with platform boots to make her character appear taller.

She tells WENN, “I’m really small compared to everyone else in the movie because I’m short, so I was literally running around in seven inch boots the whole movie, so I could be up to the right height to everyone else (sic). I almost ate it a couple of times. There was a moment where I was running up some stairs late at night and I almost really took a fall.”

If they had Record Skype call , that would be awesome so that whole world can see that.

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If working remotely is the new 9-5, Skype is the switchboard

From http://thenextweb.com/apps/2011/04/05/if-working-remotely-is-the-new-9-5-skype-is-the-switchboard/

“Oh, Skype, how we love you here at The Next Web, as our offices in Amsterdam are quite the commute for our U.S. and U.K. based editors. You host our water cooler conversations and allow me the pleasure of listening to Brad McCarty’s stunning radio voice even though I am in New York City and he is somewhere near Nashville, Tennessee.

Skype, we love you because AT&T’s service is bollocks and we often use you for conference calls with CEOs of multi-million dollar companies cause we know you won’t drop us. Skype, you are on my list of favorite new verbs alongside tweet, google and poke; and if working remotely is the new 9-5, you are the modern day switchboard for our international, always connected team.

Today, Skype launched its microsite “The Living Workplace” to celebrate this shift in telecommunication. The microsite includes many of the charts you see here, as well as videos, tutorials, a business blog and case studies of companies championing the remote working trend. One such company, ePromos Promotional Products Inc. (ePromos), one of the top promotional product and branding companies in the world, has headquarters in New York City. In total, their $25 million dollar a year company has 75 employees spread throughout the country each with a webcam and headset – and have been using Skype Manager to manage the allocation of subscriptions to their employees.

Read More …

Skype Living Workplace: A workplace transformation is happening

Successful businesses are embracing a new way of working that allows unprecedented flexibility while delivering results. Today’s workforce can operate from virtually anywhere: at a company or home office, at a coffee shop or convention center, in the air or on the road. With the right technologies, work can be done where workers need to be—achieving results and satisfying customers. We call this “The Living Workplace.” > more

To better understand the trends behind the transforming workplace, Skype commissioned a survey to examine how business is being conducted in more ways, from more locations, on more devices, and in more communication modalities than ever before. It’s a communications transformation, and the survey report explains it all. Compiled independently by Research Now and by analysts from GigaOM Pro, “The Future of Workplaces” report is available for free download here.

Joanna Brace from Skype says:

“Why do I call it The Living Workplace? Because the notion of work is being re-invented. How we communicate and collaborate is at the crux of this change, and is driven by new technology. This Living Workplace is open and flexible. It supports remote working, where it doesn’t matter if you’re at your office, home, an airport or a coffee shop. It acknowledges that your personal and work lives co-exist, and it understands that being able to bring your personal technology choices into the workplace can help you and your business achieve the best possible results.”

All these updates will not effect Supertintin Skype Recorder and it will still work with Skype.

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Skype 5.3 for Windows Released

Skype just released Skype 5.3 for Windows. We have run a full test and SuperTintin can work perfectly with Skype 5.3!

From Skype’s release notes:

  • Improved quality of video received from Skype on mobile devices
  • Skype shows users’ presence icons on collapsed contact profile cards
  • Conversation topic editing button is now always available on the conversation header
  • If a phone number is added to a profile after a failed call attempt, Skype starts a call automatically
  • Automatically switch to SMS entry after user adds mobile phone number to profile after failing to send SMS due to lack of phone
    number

Read more…

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6 top video chat services

Video chat services allow their users to talk to have an unprecedented level of interaction, and they’re especially popular among people with long distance friends and family members as well as business people. When you choose a video chat service, you’ll need to decide which features you’re looking for. There are many video chat services out there. You can check this long list from TopTenReviews.com. We checked six of the best video chat services for various uses and their advantages and disadvantages here.

SKYPE

Skype 5.0 allows video chats with up to 10 people. You can share your screen during calls and record videos using an add-on. Skype had the fewest dropped connections and smoothest calls during our test, but a bit confusing.

Google Video Chat

This free service works as a part of Google’s popular Gmail. It’s in the chat client, and it’s completely web based–very advantageous for anyone who needs to regularly schedule video chats between multiple computers. Google Chat is fast, dependable, and it doesn’t suck up a ton of system resources like some of the other chat services out there. It doesn’t hurt that it’s completely free and works with any webcam that your computer will recognize.

OOVOO

ooVoo’s business plan supports video chats with up to six people. It lets you share your screen, tweet invites, and record videoconferences. We liked the slick design and high-quality audio and video, but the interface was a bit confusing.

SightSpeed

SightSpeed is the one option on this list that costs money, but it’s worth it. The service offers full 30 frame per second video without any annoying delays. It’s like the futuristic video phones portrayed in old 80s movies, although you’ll have to decide how often you use video chat before paying for SightSpeed.

Wetoku

The beauty of Wetoku is in its simplicity. It’s designed for businesses and for interviews, and offers a recording element. You can easily record interviews on the web and post the results via embed codes. It’s fast, easy to use, and ideal for certain applications, particularly if you need to keep a video of a brief interview or if you need video chat that’s not necessarily in real time.

TOKBOX

This service, which supports video chats with up to 20 people, is easy to use and bug free. You can share your screen, tweet invites with a chat link, and send video e-mails to other users. The audio and video were crisp during our tests.

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Paltalk CEO Comments on Future of Online Video Chatting

Online video chatting has become more and more popular in recent years with Skype, Chatroulette and new social chat start up SocialEyes. Paltalk, an online video chat technology based in Long Island, has been around since 1998 and is the only technology able to accommodate the size of any chat room. Social Times talked with Paltalk CEO Jason Katz about the future of online video chat and the effect of Facebook possibly adopting video chat technology.

Katz said Paltalk and Skype have been so successful because they have been able to attract users independent of Facebook, which SocialEyes has relied on. He said there will always be a place for Paltalk because Skype only allows for a chat between ten users. Katz said as technology continues to become cheaper and high speed broadband connections increase, the presence of video chatting is becoming larger in people’s lives, both for fun and for work. In this regard, Supertintin will continue to provide its feature of Recording Video calls for Skype.

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Rumor: Skype and Facebook Video integration

Rumor says that Facebook and Skype have resumed talks about integrating the video conferencing technology on the social network.

The two companies first talked about a potential partnership in September 2010, but they could not reach an agreement, according to Bloomberg. When Skype 5.0 was released in October 2010, the new version offered voice calling between Facebook friends, but it did not include a video chatting feature.

What makes a potential deal even more interesting is that Skype now has group video calling that allows 10 people to videoconference together. Unfortunately, the feature is only available as part of the Premium package, which offers group video calling together with access to live chat customer support, but sets you back $4.99/€3.49/£2.99 per day or $8.99/€5.99/£4.99 per month. Still, if this option was available via Facebook, it could make Skype very popular amongst the social network’s 600 million users. You can also Record your Skype video calls using Supertintin after this integration.

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Launch of advertising in Skype

Skype announced launch of advertising in Skype, which will appear in the Home tab in Skype starting this week.

Continue reading in Skype official blog.

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A New Way to Save money on Skype Calls: Skype-To-Go


Skype To Go is an exciting new way to call friends, family and colleagues abroad at great Skype rates from any mobile or landline. Yes, that’s right, even your 10-year-old mobile or antique landline phone. You don’t need an Internet connection, and you don’t need to be in a 3G coverage area.

Here’s how the magic works. Let’s say your aunt lives in Australia and you live in New York.

Simply give us your aunt’s number in Australia, and we’ll convert it into a unique Skype To Go number with a New York area code.

Then, all you need to do is call this number from your mobile or landline, and you can talk right away to your aunt in Australia at Skype’s amazing rates.

With Skype To Go, you can use your Skype Credit or subscription and get the same low rates* that you enjoy when you call from Skype on your computer today. Except that there’s nothing to install – it’s a great way to use Skype when you’re away from your computer.

It’s free to set up a Skype To Go number, and you can have up to 9 of them. It only takes a few minutes, so get started now!

For those of you who are already in the know, here’s what’s new. You can now set up a separate number for each person you want to call, and save them directly to your phone’s contact list, meaning that your friends and family are even easier to reach. No more waiting around with voice prompts – the call just goes straight through.

I hope you will like Skype Recorder SuperTinTin as well.

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