Getting more podcast action

August 26, 2007 at 2:00a.m.

If you have a telephone, chances are you already have some kind of voice messaging service. Answering machines are still widely available. Some are even built right into the phone itself. But with the increasing flexibility of the telephone companies’ voice mail messaging services, I really think that the clunky answering machine will go the way of the telephone dial.

The other technology that’s in danger of obsolescence is the way our conversations travel from one phone to another. That’s the traditional telephone switching service that’s been in place for so long now. Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP has most industry pundits saying that the Internet holds the future of telephony as we know it. Granted that’s a ways off as VoIP really isn’t ready for Prime Time just yet. Anyone who’s listened to the quality of a VoIP call knows that while sometimes it can be crystal clear, it’s not always that way.

VoIP reliability isn’t there quite yet as well. I can’t remember the last time I dialed a number and either couldn’t get through or the quality was so poor I had to hang up and redial. Yes I know that can still happen with the switched service but compared with how often VoIP failures occur, it’s still the method of choice when you rely on dependable telephone services. Still, VoIP can offer things you just can’t get with traditional phone service such as a phone number that follows you wherever you go. For the sake of this column, I’d like to focus on Voice Mail, more specifically the one you get with Skype.

A popular choice

Skype is a VoIP service that was born on the personal computer platform and continues to be one of the most popular choices of computer users. Skype recently added a voice mail ability to its service. It became apparent to them that this was something most of its users desired since there were a number of third party add-ons created just to give Skype users a voice mail option. And now that it’s here, you can use Skype Voice Mail and your computer for some really interesting applications, especially in the podcasting arena.

Podcasting is time shifted, not live. One big advantage live broadcasters have over podcast productions is that they can offer open phone lines to their listeners so that they can call in and interact with the show’s host and guests throughout the program. And while Skype still can’t overcome that limitation, its voice mail ability offers an interesting option. Using the free Skype software, listeners can call in for free, 24/7 and leave a message. The podcast host can then play those messages back on their show and deal with it. Now podcast listeners can hear themselves on the podcast albeit a delayed interaction.

Live broadcasters can use this mechanism as well. On my own Computer America radio show, I recently introduced this podcast voice mail service. That’s because Computer America is also available as a podcast to those who can’t be around for the live broadcast. In fact, most radio talk shows are now available as podcasts. I wouldn’t be surprised to eventually see more of this on other radio talk shows.

One other nice touch is that Skype now offers a SkypeIn service that lets people use their telephones to access Skype accounts. For $60 a year, you get to choose your own phone number. When dialed, you can either accept the live call or as in my case, have it diverted to the Skype voice mail service. Listeners to the podcast of my show can now leave voice messages. Until this was set up, podcast listeners could only interact with the show via email. Skype gives these time-shifted listeners a really great way to call in and make comments, ask questions and interact with the program.

XCraig Crossman is a national newspaper columnist writing about computers and technology. For more information, visit his Web site at www.computeramerica.com.