During this episode of Talkshoe Support LIVE!, we discussed a little known and little used feature called the Instant Call Feature! This is a feature that any host can use to start a show, yes, even an unscheduled one, direct from your phone WITHOUT having to log into a computer and setup the show!

The following video explains how to use this feature. If you have any questions, let us know at support@talkshoe.com and we will be happy to assist you!

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During our premiere episode of Talkshoe Support Live!, we will discuss the various methods for connecting to the Talkshoe Service. Each week, we will discuss another feature or aspect of the Talkshoe Service and will bring the hosts and listeners of Talkshoe a variety of recorded training sessions that will last from 10 to 15 minutes. Immediately following the recorded training sessions, we will open the phone lines up for a Q&A session. All questions, suggestions and comments will be noted by the Talkshoe Support Staff and we will attempt to answer your support issues during each show.

The Talkshoe Support Live! shows will be held at Show ID 875 every Monday Night at 7:00pm EST. Hosted by support reps, Dr. Robert White and Josh Budde. The recorded training sessions will be available at http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/875 as well as playable here with each show notes post.

With regards to connecting to the Talkshoe Service, there are several methods available.

Land Line or Cell Phone by dialing into the (724)444-7444 number
Skype Out dialing into the (724)444-7444 number
Using Shoephone, XLite, SJPhone, Gizmo or other SIP client
Or just simply logging into the chatroom and interacting with the service by chat.

Listen to the recorded session in the player below to get the full details of how to use each of these methods.

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Last week, we discussed the Basics of Talkshoe and continuing with that line of thinking, this week, we will discuss Broadcasting on a Shoestring.

Everyone has the ability to produce a good sounding, professional style show, and most everyone has the inclination to do so. Sometimes, your financial situation, especially during these hard, economic times, can get in the way of allowing you to do this.

Tonight, we will discuss different hardware, equipment and software that you can use to setup your home studio to produce a more professional style podcast. You may need to spend a few bucks to do this, however, we will attempt to show you the most inexpensive way to get yourself setup.

To begin with, when using Talkshoe, of course, the service itself is free. The service is free, but consider that your Internet connection is not! Look at your current provider or ISP and see what package you are subscribed to. If you are wanting to do just audio broadcasting, then you can easily get by with a lower end package of say 1mb down and 128k up. However, if you are wanting to do audio AND video broadcasting, then you will want a higher end package with at least 1mb to 3mb up and maybe 3mb to 6 mb down. When broadcasting, your upload speed is more critical than your download speed. Check with your ISP or Internet provider to see what packages they offer and you might even be able to upgrade for only a few dollars more a month!

Now, once your Internet connection is worked out, you will want to look at how you are connecting to the Talkshoe Service. Talkshoe allows several methods of connecting including landline or cell phone by way of 724-444-7444 and of course this may be a toll call depending on your phone service, so expect long distance charges when calling this number, especially if you don’t have a good long distance plan on your land line or cell phone. Another way to connect is by the SIP Interface using Gizmo, SJPhone or XLite and of course, don’t forget the Shoephone that is built into the Talkshoe Pro Client. And then of course, there is Skype. With Skype, you can purchase an outgoing plan for around $36.00 US per year and you will have the ability to dial into Talkshoe using the 724-444-7444 number WITHOUT long distance charges! We’ll talk more about these alternate methods of dialing in shortly when we discuss some of the equipment you will need.

Ok, one quick comment about dialing in before we move on, remember, depending on how you are dialing in or connecting to the Talkshoe service, will greatly affect your audio quality and your recording quality. If you dial in using a cell phone, for example, then you quality will be lower as this will be an analog or phone quality audio. When you connect using Skype or SIP, then you will have a higher quality, because your connection is a higher quality connection. Again, we’ll talk more about quality when we discuss the equipment later.

Talking about equipment, a good microphone and headset will go a long way to helping you to have a great quality audio and recording. Most places such as Radio Shack, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples and even Wal-Mart carry quality products at low prices to get you started.

Listen to this episode in the player below to hear what some of the listeners had to say about this topic!

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Earlier this week, I announced, by way of a blog post, of changes coming to the format of the show. Tonight, I will be implementing these changes. Even though they aren’t real big changes, they are changes none the less.

First off, for those of you that catch my videocasts each week, I am now streaming live (and recorded) on Mogulus instead of uStream.tv. I have revamped my live page at http://www.newmediapro.tv to reflect these changes to the video streaming.

Now, most of the show will remain as it was, such as the segment hosts will still come in an deliver their segments each week. The main change to the format is in the Main Topic area. I will choose a topic for the episode to discuss, however, the floor will remain open for anyone, and I stress anyone, that wants to come on and discuss other things, like how to use Talkshoe for example. This will allow the new hosts to Talkshoe to come in and to learn, like a hands on approach (thanks to the video) how to do the things they are wanting to learn how to do.

Anyway, the topic for tonight is What is REALLY important to your podcast. Now, since I am a Support Rep for Talkshoe, I see some really strange requests sometimes that are bugging people about the service or their shows, and so I have come up with a list of things that a podcaster should be looking at and not sweating the small stuff.

You can add to this list if you like, as there may be things that you feel is important to your podcast and I may have overlooked. This is NOT an all inclusive list!

Important things to a podcaster:
1. Make sure your equipment is working BEFORE you go live!
This is probably the most important item in the whole list. Now I know, better than anyone, that technical difficulties can happen after you press the Record button. However, it is extremely important that you mak sure your mic is working with your VOIP program (Shoephone, Gizmo, Skype, etc.) and that you know how to use the aformentioned VOIP program to log into Talkshoe to do your show. If you are using a landline or cell phone, again make sure your batteries are charged (like for a cordless phone or cell phone) and that you know the shortcut keys to use in case you need them. Remember, *2*1 to start and stop the recording, *8 to Raise Your Hand (For listeners) and *6 to mute and unmute.

2. Before you start the recording, and if you have someone else in the chat room with you, make sure your audio is functioning properly.
There is nothing worse than to go into your show and then find out that your mic was muted or turned off and that no one can hear you. If you are in doubt, then take an extra minute to double check BEFORE you start your show!

3. Decide how to handle hecklers during your show, BEFORE you begin!
Make sure you know how to mute the chat room users and how to mute the live phone in listeners. When you get that ever present podcrasher, and you will (we all do) be ready to mute them both in the chat and on the phone. To do this, as a host, simply click on the computer icon next to their name to mute/unmute their chatroom and click on the phone icon next to their name to mute/unmute their live conversations. And if you get someone that is being persistant in wanting to be unmuted, think twice unless you know the person and know that they aren’t wanting to disrupt your show.

4. If you are inviting someone in for an interview, make sure they know how to log into Talkshoe on the phone (at the very least) and that they have an account. This way your invited person isn’t coming in as a guest and you are trying to second guess yourself as to who or where they are.

5. After your show is finished, don’t rush right out and “hope” that the recording is there. It most likely won’t be. You may have to wait for up to 30 minutes or more before your recorded show will appear. Also, the recording will not appear until AFTER you have terminated the show and exited your chat room.

6. Going along with number 5, don’t look for the stats to be immediately updated. They most likely won’t be. The stats are usually updated daily and they aren’t updated on the fly. If you want to check your stats, that’s ok, but don’t make this a priority and then generate a support ticket when they aren’t there 10 seconds after your show if finished!! Wait until the next day and check them, if 24 hours have passed and they still haven’t updated, then go to GetSatisfaction and let Talkshoe know. There may be an issue with the Stats Server that needs to be looked at.

7. When scheduling your future shows, take a few minutes to learn how to use this interface. It’s not too complicated and once you learn it, you can schedule a show within a few minutes and send out your invites and be done. Again, don’t just jump out and generate a ticket because you don’t want to take a few minutes to learn how to do it right!

8. Speaking of scheduled shows, once you schedule a future show, make sure you actually show up to do the show! When listeners see you are live and they go into the chatroom and no one is there, especially the host, then they will tend to quickly migrate to another show and not want to come back. Now, I understand that sometimes life can get in the way, so take a second to go out and reschedule the show to another day or time and in this way, you will be able to retain more listeners when you can’t make it.

9. Take some time to update your profiles.
When you are hosting a show, make sure your show profile is updated with a proper name and description. This will help new listeners decide whether or not they want to come in and check you out. If your profile is incomplete or blank, they will most likely keep moving along and won’t stop in. Your personal profile is especially important to make sure you have it updated. There is nothing more frustrating to a host to click on a listeners name to find nothing, just a blank profile. Also, include your proper age. If you are a teenager or pre-teen trying to act like an adult, believe me, adults can tell the difference. The more honest you are in your profile, the more respect you will earn from your fellow hosts and listeners.

10. If you don’t know how to do something, just ask someone!
Whether you are just starting out or have been doing this for a while, you may see something new or hear of something new that you would like to incorporate into your podcast. If you can’t figure it out, don’t get upset just because someone else if making it work, ask someone. Usually the host that is using the new technology will be more than happy to explain what they are doing and how they are doing it. If all else fails, come onto a show like Podcaster Training or submit a support ticket to Talkshoe and ask how to do this. You might be surprised of the amount of information you will get back in return!

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40. Go Generic

When buying food, try some of the generic items. Unless you or your guests are connoisseurs of fine dining, they will not know if the green beans were generic or a top name brand. Once you add some butter, salt, and pepper, no one will know the difference except you – $79 per can versus $33 per can! People do not realize that many generic brands are actually manufactured by name brand companies, just branded with a different name. In fact, companies such as those that make snack foods will have conveyor belts that run side-by-side – one for the name brand and one for the generic brand. This is quite common and the only difference is the label and price.

41. Refinance

With interest rates being so low, consider refinancing your home and/or securing a debt consolidation loan. You might have to come up with a new closing cost but once paid, you will have lower payments, better terms, and save thousands of dollars over the years.

42. Stock Up

As you shop, if you notice that a brand you and your family use on a consistent basis is on sale for a great bargain, stock up. As an example, if you use a particular type of shampoo costing $4.50 per bottle and you find it on sale for $2.50, go ahead and buy two bottles. You should only do this on items you know will be used.

43. Shopping for Clothes

There are many secrets relating to saving money on clothing. As a perfect example, rather than buy a matched suit for $450, buy the pieces separate. This will save you about $100 to $150. Additionally, buy several pieces that can be mixed and matched, giving you six outfits out of four pieces.

44. Carpool

In some larger cities, carpooling is required in order to reduce smog. However, regardless of where you live, carpooling can also be a big money saver. Check with co-workers and determine who lives close enough to share a ride. By the end of the year, you will have saved several hundreds of dollars.

45. Trendy Fashion

Most people love to dress in the most up-to-date fashion but for those fashions, you pay big bucks. Consider dressing with basics and then emphasis them with trendy accessories. This will save you money on the clothing that is less expensive while allowing you to dress it up.

46. Free Entertainment

If you are tired of being bored, you will be pleased to learn that there are hundreds of things to do that do not cost a dime. For example, if you want a little Friday or Saturday night excitement, sign up at your local police department for a “ride-a-long” where you can go on duty with an officer as they respond to real calls. Community colleges are always offering free exercise classes, or coffee shops have poetry readings. Entertainment and having fun does not have to cost anything. Some cities have special areas that are popular on the weekends where you can find free concerts. Check your local paper and college to get a list for your area.

47. Telephone / Mobile Phone

First, shop around for the best deals. Second, stay away from all the fun bells and whistles and just stick with the basic plan. Some people have turned to shutting down their home telephone and are now using their mobile phones in place. Since most wireless carriers offer free long-distance, call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID, voicemail, and more, it can do the same as a regular phone but for less. Why have two phones when you can have just one?

48. Home Remedies

Before rushing off to see the doctor for a sore throat, try some home remedies or over the counter drugs instead. For a sore throat, butter mixed with ginger and sugar makes a soothing healing pate. A hot toddy before bed is great for a cold. Simply ask your family for their home remedies and try it. Sometimes a simple over the counter medication or herb will do the trick without costing you an expensive doctor’s office visit.

49. Pay on Time

For every payment you pay late, you are charged a late fee, which can range from $25 to $50 or more depending on the company. Therefore, if you just made a $50 payment but it was paid late, nothing was paid toward the debt. Instead, the entire $50 went toward an unnecessary fee. To avoid spending unnecessary money, be sure you mail your check in time to avoid these fees.

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Or How to take your show on the road!

Tonight, we will discuss how to do a remote podcast. First, you may ask, what exactly is a remote podcast and I beleive that if you think about it for a second, you will understand. However, think of it like a terrestrial radio station doing a remote broadcast from a local business, a remote podcast is very much like that. You are simply producing your live show from a different location.

Right now, look at how you produce your current live show. You are usually sitting at home, at your PC (or Mac…didn’t want to assume everyone has a PC) and you are calling in on the phone, Skype or SIP, and you log into Talkshoe and do your show, right? Now, think about taking your show to a local coffee shop, bookstore or other location that has WiFi access and armed with your trusty notebook and cell phone, you can easily setup, log into the WiFi and place your call to Talkshoe and you are now ready to do a remote podcast.

Of course, like anything else, this may take some planning on your part as you may not have a notebook or a local business with WiFi access and so now what? Let’s look at some other ways you can also do a remote podcast without having to tote around a notebook and other equipment.

Let’s assume for the sake of argument that you are just wanting to interview a local business person and then play that interview on your show. The easiest way to do this, especially if you can’t get them on a phone call on your show, is to take a Digital Voice Recorder or some other type of recording device, and then go to the local business and ask them if it would be ok to record your interview with them. Once you have their permission, press Record and do your interview. Once completed, you can take it back to your computer and then work it into your show,

There are other ways to do remote podcasts and I have a couple of hosts that are doing that right now! Bruce Turner, whom most of you recognize from being on this show and even guest hosting a few weeks ago for me, does a remote podcast, including video, from a local coffee shop in his town called “The Muse”. Bruce couldn’t be with us tonight due to a prior committment, however, he has sent me a pre-recorded segment explaining what he does for The Muse.

Patti Serrano, my segment host here for The Business of Podcasting, has done remote podcasts before and she will now come on and explain a new project that she is currently exploring that will be a new kind of remote podcast.

BTW, we will be bringing Bruce Turner on the show next week for a live segment talking more about this subject.

With Talkshoe’s remote functions over the phone, such as *2*1 to start and stop the recording, you can also use the new feature of starting your call right away over the phone (make sure this is activated in your profile for your show), and you can be at a local business, coffee shop, where ever and start a call and do a remote podcast and of course, you won’t have the chat room in front of you, but you can still easily do a remote podcast in this manner.

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This week, we will breifly discuss the second type of identity theft, Social Security Number Identity Theft.

Everyone has a social security number. Even though we are not to use it as identitification, most businesses will require this as a form of ID and some will use it as the only means of verifying who you are.

The main problem with this is, when someone steals your social security number, they can effectively open new accounts at utilities, cable offices, cell phone accounts, and even some financial institutions. The bottom line is, as always, it will be you who gets these bills, not the identity thief.

You should always protect your social security number by not carrying your card in your purse or wallet, keep it secured at home, and when required to verbalize your number or write it down, do so in a manner that others around cannot hear you recite it or see you write it down.

Medical practitioners will normally require your number in order to match your medical records. This is ok, however, keep an eye out to insure that they do not leave your information laying on the desk or counter, thus exposing you to the World. Also, if they are throwing away some written information about you, ask them to shred it in front of you to insure that your information will stay secure.

When writing checks at a retailer, they may ask for your Drivers License Number and Social Security Number to be written down on the check. Take the initiative to refuse to write down this information. Offer to show the clerk your drivers license and ssn, however, let them know that you are uncomfortable letting out that much personal information on one document. With just one check with all of that information, an identity thief will have your name, address, phone number, bank account information, drivers license number and social security number. This is way too much information to allow on one document, especially if that document is misplaced or misappropriated. If the clerk refuses to take your check, ask to speak to the manager and make your concerns known. Otherwise, you may be exposing your personal information to unknown persons and you should really stay away from doing that! Use a debit card for your purchases to stay away from using checks in this manner.

That’s it for today! We will discuss more about Identity Theft next week!

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Mobile devices, mobile phones and PDA’s are one of the last great frontiers of viral advertisement opportunities. However, we have become experts at filtering everything, our air and water, our e-mail and pop-ups, and our mobile devices as well. We are good at filtering.

The very idea of unwanted advertising streaming through our Blackberries is abhorrent. Mobile devices are the ultimate opt-in medium and, therefore, a great way for marketers to connect with users…if that’s what the users want. “WANT” is the key word here. How should marketers approach the medium?

There are three main ways to achieve this. They are:

1. Offer exclusive content. Anyone can offer ring tones. It’s the unique content, such as exclusive mobile images of new brand concepts, that drives interest and calls them out in other media like e-mail campaigns, newsletters, websites, etc. So a wireless campaign is most effective when it offers exclusive content for wireless devices.

2. Make it useful and timely. Think about what would be handy and helpful to have on a mobile device. Last year, for example, Food Network enabled Sprint customers to download shopping lists for their Thanksgiving dinners. There was a lot of “Sprint-envy” going around among non-sprint customers.

3. Clearly define objectives. Usually, one of two business objectives drives successful mobile experiences: incremental revenue of brand intimacy. On the intimacy factor, a text message usually takes priority over almost any other form of communication. Why? Because we haven’t yet been saturated with mobile spam, and this is what causes us to prioritize wireless messaging over voice.

Mobile marketing has been out there for a while but we marketers have new territory to explore. Video offers fantastic opportunities for engagement. Consumers already bypass their filters for highly useful or entertaining content and will do so for rich exclusive, compelling content.

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Blogging news stories as they unfold is one of the most exciting and controversial applications of technology that bloggers have discovered. One thing that makes the blogosphere so active is the fact that it is possible to update a blog instantaneously, so the news on blogs tends to be more current than the news in the paper, or
on television. Unlike news delivered by these other media, news that appears on blogs does not have to travel through a series of editors and administrators before it reaches the public eye. This has some
advantages, and some distinct disadvantages.

One of the most notable cases of news hitting a blog before appearing in other media took place in July 2005 when terrorism struck London. As passengers were evacuated from a subway car near an explosion, one man took several photographs of the scene with his cellular phone, and within an hour these images were
posted online. First-person accounts of the catastrophe began appearing on blogs soon after these photos appeared, and people all over the world learned about the events in London by reading the words and seeing the photos posted by bloggers.

The fact that these stories and images were being spread directly by individuals operating without the added filter of a reporter helped to make the crisis feel very immediate to people across the globe. When it comes to blogging, news often appears in a very personal context.
This has the potential to be the beginning of an exciting new era of reporting, one that takes “New Journalism” to it’s logical next step by putting the power to shape how the news is written and read directly into the hands of the public.

Many bloggers and cultural commentators who are champions of the weblog movement feel that this growing trend of individuals who getting their news from blogs is a good thing, because it makes the flow of information more democratic. By decentralizing the control of news, blogs allow more voices to enter the field of debate about important current events. However, many people are adamantly opposed to the use of blogs as news outlets, and there are plenty of
good arguments on this side of the debate. Unlike newspapers or television stations, few blogs have fact-checkers, and there is little attention paid to journalistic accountability on many blogs. This can lead to the rapid spread of misinformation, and more than one falsehood has taken the blogosphere by storm. The questions about whether blogging news as it happens is ethical or not are very complicated, but no matter where you stand on the topic of current events blogs you are almost sure to agree that this movement has the potential to revolutionize how modern people get their news.

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