Dave’s response to my why question.

I agree that blogging from a handheld via email is not a perfect solution either, which is why I rarely do it. For one thing, I don’t trust the email post to show up on my blog the way I intend it to. Plus, like Dave, I like to edit my posts, add links, etc. It’s hard to do that via email on a handheld. I suspect it’s also pretty hard to do it via blogging software on a handheld (maybe that’s why Dave didn’t link back to my post when answering my questions). In sum, neither posting via email nor posting via a handheld is anyone’s idea of a great time.

With one notable exception, I don’t generally share the need to blog in line at the store, on ski lifts, in restaurants, cabs, buses, etc. Having said that, if Blackberries had decent cameras, I can imagine posting interesting photos from time to time.

The bottom line is that I’m all for increasing the internet and blogging functionality of my Blackberry. I’m just not convinced that it’s something I’ll use much.

On the other hand, anything that can be done to allow easy access to text based content via a handheld will be appreciated. Getting quick, text based content via a handheld is a lot harder that it ought to be.

I’m sure Dave is hard at work on a Newsome.Org river. We’ll see how that looks and take it from there.

Two more questions for Dave:

First, I note that at 2:06 p.m. (EST), the most current story on the NYT river is from 10:38 a.m. Is this a time zone thing and, if not, is there a way to make the news river update faster?

Second, the top two posts are links to audio content, which I’m pretty sure you can’t play on a Blackberry. Is this just because those items happen to be in the NYT feed that feeds the river or are you adding audio content by design?

Om Malik talks about Dave Winer’s recent obsession with surfing the net, setting up news river feeds for his buddies and doing blog posts on Blackberries and other handheld devices. Dave even has a video that shows how he does it (sort of).

I’m now on my third Blackberry, so I know Blackberries. They are great phone/PDA combinations. And my new one doubles as a wireless broadband modem. I use it all the time to access the internet- with my laptop. Blackberries are woefully behind the curve as far as media goes, but there are new models on the horizon that will hopefully close the gap a little.

So I understand how to do a blog post on a Blackberry. Well, actually, you simply do it via email. But it’s certainly possible to do it the hard way like Dave shows in his video. I’m OK with all of that. Really.

What I don’t understand is why you would want to surf the net, read your news and write blog posts on a Blackberry?

I assume no right thinking person would if they were at home or at work, where there’s always a big, visible computer nearby. With a screen you can read, a keyboard, and a fast internet connection.

When traveling? Well maybe, but wouldn’t anyone who has a blog also have a laptop with them?

The true mobile computing value of a Blackberry is its ability to serve as a wireless broadband modem and allow you wider access without high hotel and airport day rates. But oddly that angle isn’t part of the new push.

I think people are treating this Blackberry as a web surfing and blogging tool the way mountain climbers treat a mountain. They move right past the why and just start climbing. Because they can, because it’s cool, or because they’re bored. Or maybe so they can try to convince more people to use their mobile computing products.

Perhaps it’s just that Dave has a new toy and he’s putting it through its paces. Like the way we used to make choppers out of our bikes.

People will fall all over themselves trying to rationalize it away, but everyone who is actually trying to get content, as opposed to push content, knows that other than text based headlines and the occasional weather forecast, surfing the net on a Blackberry is sort of like running a race in wooden clogs. You can do it, but it’s slow and painful.

Creating web content on a Blackberry? Surely you jest.

Until someone addresses the why, I’m going to sit here in front my computer and watch- with amusement.

Tags: blackberry, handhelds

Following the trail blazed by Kiko, Stowe Boyd has put the podosphere.com internet domain up for sale on eBay.  Domains have been available on eBay for years, but thus far eBay has not really achieved any traction as a domain auctioneer.

In the wake of the Kiko buzz, that might change, at least as it relates to techy sounding domains.  Stowe’s experiment will be interesting to watch.

At least one savvy podcaster has already bid $17.95 🙂

Tags: podcasting, domain name