Aztec Media

Updated MP3 Player Market Survey & Analysis

I continue to be interested in tracking MP3 player prices in print advertising (Google spreadsheet) as a potential indicator of a growing mobile podcast capable audience.

This last couple of weeks has really seen a big increase in non-tech stores selling very low-end 1-GB devices: Sears, Mervyns, CVS, Kohls, etc. (but most of the prices include having to do a mail-in rebate).

Price per MB for flash can be as low as $16.50 a GB for some of the one-day Holiday related sales.  Also a lot of older hard drive based players (soon to be discontinued?!?) have really come down in price (less than $2.50 a GB).

Prices for Apple iPod and Microsoft Zune (~$249) devices really haven't seen much price differences between advertisements, and even Apple, Microsoft, or Amazon's own online prices seem to be all very close together.  Some places like Fry's & CompuUSA are selling iPods with bundles of 'free' 3rd party accessories which is about a big a deal as can be found on iPods.  It is either that or a couple of bucks off retail by WalMart or Costco which apparently has enough clout to sell iPod products below Apple's retail pricing.

There does seem to be a trend of 40-50% less $ per GB on flash based MP3 Players over the last month.  My gut tells me that this will more than likely increase the number of potential mobile podcast listeners, but given the lack of a good integrated Windows podcasting client from Microsoft, I don't see many immediate Holiday podcast listener increases from these devices.  These will more than likely be used as music listening devices.

Apple iPod near-term Holiday sales though will continue to be very strong, and after Dec. 25th I think there will be a host of new potential listeners coming from iTunes since that integration is significantly easier than others.

Podcast Growth Analysis

There is a new study (PDF) from the Pew Internet and American Life Project that has some interesting U.S. Internet user stats based on their analysis and survey data with regards to podcasting:

• 12% have downloaded a podcast for listening
• 1% download podcasts on a daily basis
• 15% of the downloading is done by men; 8% by women

This Aug. 2006 survey also tracked ages, income level, technical capabilities, and Internet connectivity; with each area pretty much showing growth since the last survey in Feb-Apr. 2006.

I wonder if the number of daily downloads is low because users of tools like iTunes don't realize that everyday by default, iTunes will do an update?

The good news is that awareness of podcasts continues to grow and listener growth across the medium is increasing.

 

In addition, the coverage of this report has been pretty widespread: PC Advisor, BizReport, smh.au, DigitalPodcast, Playfuls, BBC, SeattlePI, and JordanFalls.

 

Podcast Tool for Microsoft Zune

Download Squad has a pointer to a tool that enables the Microsoft Zune and Windows Media Player to support podcasts.

Wolverine Players Get myPodder Software

Podcast Ready and Wolverine Data have announced that Podcast Ready's myPodder software will be preloaded on the Wolverine ESP, Wolverine MVP, and Wolverine FlashPro multimedia players.

This will enable the Wolverine devices to automatically synchronize podcast subscriptions without a tradiditonal computer middleware software package.

Podcast Advertiser Watch #03

This is my informal podcast sampling (#1, #2) of who is advertising on which podcasts I have listened to over the last two weeks ending on 11/14/06:

• Bitterest Pill: Cigarrest
• Security Weekly: Astaro, Syngress, Core Impact
  
• Engadget: AT&T
• VentureCast: Cachefly
• Windows Weekly: Cachefly
• Roadhouse Podcast: eMusic, SameDayMusic

I have decided to only mention podcasts that have a new sponsorship message or have a new advertiser since any of the previous reports. So this list above is not the only podcasts I listened to over the last two weeks, just those with new information on the topic.  Also, I'd say at least two-thirds of the podcasts I listen to have no advertising.

If you keep a list, or want to contribute to this 'semi-weekly' list via transparent disclosure, let me know at: sholden@pobox.com and I'll link you in.

New 2nd Gen Nano Clear Plastic Case Looks Good

Marware has announced the upcoming release of their 2nd Generation Apple Nano clear case calls Slyder.  Features that appeal to me as a Nano owner: clear case, click wheel access, snyc in case, hard shell, and access to the hold button (which I use all the time while I'm on a run). 

Price is suppose to be around $25 and they should be shipping in late November 2006.

Portable Devices The Target Of Many InfoSec Plans & Policies

Portable media devices definitely have a mainstream purpose of enabling consumption of new media, but within business and government organizations they can be a real threat to information security, especially the infiltration of vulnerabilities and exfiltration of propriety or confidential data.

Here are two links of potential interest on this topic: contractoruk.com, and infosecnews.org.

The growing trend from an information technology (IT) management perspective is that more and more enterprise systems will be locked down to dis-allow personal portable devices from being hooked up, and to some degree maybe all personal portable devices will be physically banded completely from work environments.

Podcamp NYC Is In Planning Stages

Podcamp NYC is in the planning stages.  This will be a volunteer and DIY podcast gather to learn more about podcasting and to socialize with other podcasters tenatively scheduled for Spring 2007.

November 2006 Orange County (OC) Podcasters Meetup

The next Orange County (OC) Podcasters Meetup is going to be Wednesday, November 8, 2006 at Corpus Christi of Aliso Viejo (27231 Aliso Viego Pkwy, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656) starting at 6:30 PM.

I am not sure if my schedule will let me make this months meeting from San Diego given that I have a late afternoon meeting on Wednesday and traffic is always so joyful going up the I-5 coastal route.

GoFish Not Playing Around In The Video Marketplace

Online user-generated video provider GoFish Technologies has announced a new consolidated business operating naming strategy, finalized leadership appointments, a stock-for-stock merger, and $12 million in private placement stock and warrants financing.

GoFish reports having hundreds of millions of videos watched over the last two years, and is also producing and distributing their own original series called "America's Dream Date" (which after watching for a few minutes you might want to hurl like I did).

There is definitely some value in these online video sites ... or Google would not have purchased YouTube.  But at some point, there can only be so many because frankly if the Internet has shown us anything is that we have a low attention span, and attention (ie. via ad revenue) is all that matters for those trying to make revenue.