Palegroove Studios - Podcast Production

Flafoo gets an update

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:55:58 -0600

Flafoo.com, a Palegroove Studios project, received a couple updates yesterday to keep it humming along.

We've got some more updates on the way to make it even more useful to for those always connected folks.

A little about flafoo:

Flafoo is a web service that allows you to find items quickly on Ebay. We've formatted Flafoo for fast loads on mobile devices like the iPhone.

Shiny and new? Or a whole lotta white?

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:34:23 -0600

Would you say that it is shiny and new or just a bit paler? My vote is for paler. I consider this version an experiment in user experience and negative space.

I posted a month or two back about a need for a redesign of the site and got around to starting that this weekend. I still have some more to items to add like client samples but that should do it so I can move on and get back to the real work.

Palegroove, full steam ahead

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:02:10 -0500

In January of this year I took the position, VP, New Media with Room 214, an internet and search engine marketing company. I brought with me Castlock, the podcasting and rss metrics platform that I developed in early 2006.

This was an exciting opportunity. I had built a solid relationship with the founders of the company over the previous year working closely with them to produce podcasting and new media campaigns for the Alltel Racing podcast (NASCAR driver Ryan Newman), four podcasts for NFL Pro Bowl players during 2006 season and many other client podcasts; all the while holding a position as Associate Director, e-Learning for another company. Many of you might remember us talking about this last January.

The last ten months working for Room 214 have been great, but the time has come for all of us to move on.

What will I do now?

I'm not sure. But I do have quite a few options . . . probably more than I realize. There are a couple that leading the pack right now.

My first option is to make sure my resume is up to the task of assisting me gain new full-time employment. It is pretty amazing how over the last three years podcasting and rss have transitioned to "new media" and are being welcomed into the corporate structure. All that bickering about every company being a media company seems to be coming true!

My second option is to put more energy into my podcast production company, Palegroove Studios, and get back in the saddle for podcast production, consulting and licensing of Castlock. When I started with Room 214 I put it on the back burner since I was doing the same work as my "day job".

My third option, and least viable as a solution, is to go all out Croncast. I would love nothing more than to be doing the show full time and bring video into the mix but this doesn't seem to be the right time.

That's it, that is what's been up around here.

Like any time of transition this is an interesting and exciting time. I am already wondering which path I will end up going down and where the choice(s) that I make will lead my family next.

If you've got any thoughts send them to me from the contact page, email kris[at]croncast.com or send them the old fashioned way and give me a call on my GrandCentral line (thanks Rick!) at 630.445.1719.

Update: I should have added this the first time around (it was in the show notes from Monday!)

Feel freed to check out my Linkedin Profile

Kris's session from the Portable Media Expo 2006 is on GigaVox

Wed, 30 May 2007 14:37:27 -0500
My session from the Portable Media Expo 2006 (renamed for 2007 to New Media Expo), "Leveraging Your Knowledge as a Successful Podcasting Consultant" is up now over at GigVox.

So if you want to hear about the fun stuff I was doing in 2006 and the state of podcast consulting and production head on over.

This is what Mark had to say about my session:
"Kris with Palegroove Studios gave the most honest, non sales pitch presentation on podcast consulting. He shared real world numbers, which is rare in this day and age. More power to you."
Mark is a good guy and I didn't even have to pay him or beg for the review last year. Maybe this year ;-).

Listen to Kris on ROI Radio

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 17:59:11 -0500
You can hear Kris hit his nerd groove on with friend and fellow podcaster Greg Cangialosi, President & CEO of Blue Sky Factory, Inc. on the most recent ROI Radio.

Greg asked me, "What's next?", and I roll on from there. I hit the biggies on my radar, moderated media feeds (the burden of the publisher) and Apple TV.

Thanks for having me on!

Podcast Academy 5 Presentations now online

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:47:29 -0500
Thanks to Steve Fisher tipping me to the release of the Podcast Academy 5 presentations, mine included. Get them here(mine's toward the bottom): Podcast Academy 5 Schedule
iTunes

The Duke folks have links to our presentations in audio and video. Woot! You can see me in all my glory and gesticulations.BTW, in the very beginning of my presentation . . . you might think I am crazy but the voice that I am talking to is nearly inaudible.

I'll hip you non-nerds to something that might save you some time. I get way nerdy about authenticated and personalized RSS feeds for 38 minutes. So you might want to pass.

Thanks to the Duke team and to GigaVox Media for making this event happen and letting me be a part of it.

Check out the sessions from these other guys too.

Tim Bourquin, Greg Cangialosi, Noah Bonnett and Michael Geoghegan at Podcast Academy 5

Using RSS Feeds, Podcasts to Deliver Distance Education

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 12:25:22 -0500
Slides from my presentation at eLearning 2007 March 27th, 2007 Chicago.

Download the slides: PDF - Flash - PowerPoint - Zip (images)

Podcast Academy 5 - February 14th and 15th

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:50:36 -0600

I'll be speaking with a cast of great characters including Tim Bourquin, Greg Cangialosi, Noah Bonnett and Michael Geoghegan at Podcast Academy 5 Feb 14-15, 2007 sponsored by GigaVox Media.

This time it is being held at Duke University . . . so any east coasters interested in academic podcasting, podcasting production or the technical side of podcasting should come out to the event. So don't think that if you haven't defended a thesis you're not welcome.

Feel free to read the schedule for more information.

My presentation will be on authenticated and personalized RSS feeds. 'Authenticated' meaning password protected feeds and what they are good for and 'personalized' meaning that the content delivered through the feeds is specific to the individual receiver. I'll also dabble a bit in the importance of being able to track individual RSS usage.

And since this is being held at an academic institution a portion of my presentation will come from my work with JCAHO delivering professional development (sort of academic) with RSS as piece of a low-threshold Learning Managment System (LMS).

PME Proposal Requests

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 09:28:34 -0500
It has come to my attention that many of you haven't received the proposal template that you requested after my Portable Media Expo session. I tried to respond to all emails and requests and have sent them out on numerous occasions.

Here are my thoughts:

1) When I sent the emails I sent them in bulk with all recipients in the BCC field and messed something up.
2) The emails were blocked by spam filters or stuffed in a junk folder. My email host is a bit lax on who they host and quite often our IP range is added to black lists. Maybe it is time to switch.

My remedy to this problem is going to be to resend to everyone, individually, the proposal template. They will all be sent within the next hour. If you emailed me for the proposal and don't receive it for the first time or again on October 17th then please forward me another email address to try.

Update: I've emailed everyone that requested a proposal template. Again, if you emailed after the Expo and haven't received it let me know.

LYK as a SPC - Portable Media Expo Slides

Sat, 30 Sep 2006 15:22:05 -0500
Update: The formal evaluations on my session are in

Below you will find my spartan slides from my "Leveraging Your Knowledge as a Successful Podcasting Consultant" (LYK as a SPC) session at the Podcast and Portable Media Expo.

Thanks to everyone who attended the session!

Palegroove lands 4 NFL Pro-Bowl podcasts

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 13:28:41 -0500
Much like the news item prior to this where I posted about Castlock being used as the RSS manager and site engine for these podcasts - we're also producing them.

For the enitire 2006-2007 NFL season Pro-Bowlers Larry Fitzgerald, Joe Jurevicius, Joe Horn and Steve Smith sit down and talk about last week's game, the upcoming game and then get personal with a co-host familiar with the team.

The podcasts are available every Wednesday during the NFL season to Alltel Wireless customers who receive a special passcode each week and released Friday mornings to the public.

Larry Fitzgerald - www.alltelcirclepodcast.com/11 - subscribe with iTunes
Joe Jurvicius - www.alltelcirclepodcast.com/84 - subscribe with iTunes
Joe Horn - www.alltelcirclepodcast.com/87 - subscribe with iTunes
Steve Smith - www.alltelcirclepodcast.com/89 - subscribe with iTunes

More information about Castlock:

Castlock allows for robust RSS usage statistics, authentication for enterprise clients and integration with payment gateways for use as a pay-for subscription manager. Castlock is also licensed to health care accreditor JCAHO for enterprise use in employee training and distance education.

Castlock powers 4 NFL Pro-Bowl player podcasts

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:59:01 -0500
Palegroove is proud to announce that Castlock, our in-house RSS, podcast management and tracking platform, is now being used for 4 NFL pro-bowl players' podcasts.

The podcasts are available every Wednesday during the NFL season to Alltel Wireless customers who receive a special passcode each week and released Friday mornings to the public.

Larry Fitzgerald - www.alltelcirclepodcast.com/11 - subscribe with iTunes
Joe Jurvicius - www.alltelcirclepodcast.com/84 - subscribe with iTunes
Joe Horn - www.alltelcirclepodcast.com/87 - subscribe with iTunes
Steve Smith - www.alltelcirclepodcast.com/89 - subscribe with iTunes

More information about Castlock:

Castlock allows for robust RSS usage statistics, authentication for enterprise clients and integration with payment gateways for use as a pay-for subscription manager. Castlock is also licensed to health care accreditor JCAHO for enterprise use in employee training and distance education.

All good things (NCQ Talk) must come to an end

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 06:23:01 -0500
We are sorry to announce that Palegroove Studios will no longer be producing or hosting NCQ Talk. The show has run its course. We have received quite a few emails over the weekend regarding its status.

There were some things in the works that would have kept the NCQ Talk podcast name, two of the hosts (Dan and Susan) and library active but unfortunately they didn't come to fruition.

In the near future we will offer a RSS feed that contains the entire library of podcasts but for the time being the shows are offline.

Croncast 300 by 300th listener drive and contest

Sun, 20 Aug 2006 17:35:37 -0500

We kicked off the 300 by the 300th listener drive and contest today! Though very quickly it became apparent that we should clear up the prizes. It is better, we think than we mentioned earlier.
At first it was going to be a pair for listener number 300 and the person who recommended them with their Croncast Handle (something we made up for this and a bit cheezy but we have to call it something). We realized that there's really no incentive besides the humor to sign up before new listener #299.
So the solution . . . give away two more iPods. Everyone that enters the contest by the end is entered into a drawing for the other two. They will go to the "set" the newbie and the recommender (is that a word?).
So if you're new go fill out this form and follow the steps. If you are current listener and want a Handle to get some more entries fill out this form.
The live counter should be up later tonight. Yeah yeah.
Update: We have the live counter on the home page. Good luck!

Palegroove Launches ID3 Podcast Magazine

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 11:18:11 -0600
We are proud to be the publisher of the first print podcast publication aptly named, ID3 Podcast Magazine, after the data tag embedded in all podcasts, is an international trade magazine dedicated to serving podcasters with extensive editorial coverage about all things podcasting. Starting with the first May/June 2006 issue, a full color print edition of ID3 Podcast Magazine will be delivered bimonthly.

In addition to the print edition, subscribers will also gain access to online, electronic (PDF) and podcast editions. The podcast edition will feature content from the proverbial cutting-room floor, including full-length interviews, outtakes, behind-the-scenes magazine discussions, etc.

Inside the pages of ID3 Podcast Magazine, subscribers will find feature stories, trend articles, podcast profiles, tips and tricks, podcaster Q&As, podcast reviews, equipment and software reviews, industry lists, news analysis, sector updates, reader polls, podcast excerpts, business solutions, trend stories, expert commentary and much more.

The magazine was the brainchild of seasoned podcast host and producer Kris Smith and marketing professional Todd Andrlik, who both serve as the magazine's co editors in chief. The magazine and its content are supported by an editorial board of podcast pioneers from around the world.

MTV Networks Business Podcasting

Sat, 10 Dec 2005 09:46:59 -0600

Palegroove Studios has completed a promotional custom Flash player for an email blast by MTV Hits.

The player extends MTV Network's brand into the rapidly expanding world of business podcasting. The Flash player is used as a tool to lower the threshold for users who may not understand how to download a podcast or what to do with an RSS feed.

Utilizing podcasting for business purposes to drive sales is a very exciting development in podcasting. If you or your company would like to know how you can use podcasting for your business contact us for an idea or two.

Unfortunately, this Flash player is not for public release. It is currently available only to network affiliates. If this podcast, future podcasts, or promotions are released by MTV Networks to the public we will supply links to them.

Croncast DVD Release

Wed, 16 Nov 2005 06:27:16 -0600
Press Release: PDF, FlashPaper

Palegroove Studios is proud to release, "We're Coming Over", the entire Croncast podcast archive on data DVD and a special bonus audio CD, "The Best of Croncast Year One", only available in this set.

This release includes an entire year of Croncast. It is a chronicling of the changes both in the lives of Kris and Betsy and a testament to the power of humor and the ability to laugh at oneself.

This two discs set is the entire Croncast catalog, 95 hours 45 minutes and 15 seconds on a data DVD, over 4 days of Kris and Betsy.

We will begin shipping "We're Coming Over" on Monday, November 21.

For international purchases please send us your address and we arrange to ship the set with added shipping costs.

Visit www.werecomingover.com for more information and additional DVD art work.

Croncast in The New York Times

Thu, 28 Jul 2005 06:28:55 -0500

Croncast, a Palegroove Studios production, was highlighted in the July 22nd, 2005 New York Times article "The Podcast as a New Podium" by Virginia Heffernan. Congratulations Croncast!

The article appeared in the arts section and was a positive reflection not only on Croncast but on podcasting in general for those who have been involved early in its growth.

Croncast was the first Palegroove Studios production that started in November of 2004 and is hosted by Kristopher and Betsy Smith. The show is a comedic look at the trappings of the suburbs and the daily lives of two individuals and their family.

We plucked a more accurate description from the show's website, "Once cool, Kris and Betsy are now living on a cul de sac and breeding. This is not your typical husband and wife show. Betsy really should be on the road making mad cash but that would interfere with breastfeeding."

Croncast is available for download M-W-F by 3:00 P.M. CST from www.croncast.com.

MTV Jams chooses Palegroove Studios

Fri, 22 Jul 2005 13:41:40 -0500

Palegroove Studios has completed development on a promotional podcast, original beats and custom Flash player for an email blast by MTV Jams.

The podcast is focused on bringing attention to up and coming hip hop artists by letting them speak their minds about their musical influences, lifestyle, upbringing and other exclusive content.

It is also the first in a series of podcasts featuring the Fab 5 of Summer '05 artist Da Backwudz. This is the first major podcast release for Palegroove Studios and MTV Jams together.

Unfortunately, this podcast is not for public release. It is currently available only to network affiliates. If this podcast, future podcasts, or the promotion are released by MTV Jams to the public we will supply links to them.

Palegroove and Croncast On NBC 5 Chicago

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 08:35:37 -0500

Palegroove Studios and Croncast were both part of a news segment produced by Charlie Wojciechowski on Chicago's NBC 5 News.

The NBC 5 crew came out and interviewed Palgroove Studios founder Kristopher Smith about podcasting, the studios and about Palegroove Studios' popular podcast, Croncast.

The co-host of Croncast, Betsy Smith, made sure to assert her smart wit, excellent timing and comedic sense to put on a great podcast while the two were being taped.

We would like to thank NBC 5 again for their positive presentation of podcating to the public!

Links:

Video
Podcast with Charllie and Vince

Top 25 podcast show, Croncast

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 08:35:37 -0600

Palegroove Studios continues producing successful Top 25 podcast show, Croncast, according to the readers and voters at PodcastAlley.com.

Croncast has maintained a position in the Top 25 at Podcast Alley for the past 3 months.

Palegroove Studios would like to thank the listeners and those who have helped to keep Croncast and Sledhead Radio in the Top 25.

Client News: SledHead Radio to Feature Host of Snowmobiler Television

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 08:35:37 -0600

NAPERVILLE, Illinois (February 28, 2005) - SledHead Radio (SHR) a weekly podcast show devoted to the snowmobiling community, today announced it's next podcast show will feature Snowmobiler TV Host Taera Samis. The interview will be available for download on www.sledheadradio.com by 6:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday, March 2.

Snowmobiler TV (STV), which airs on The Outdoor Channel, is a traveling snowmobile-focused television program. The show has visited snowmobile trails in places like Finland and Alaska. Samis, who organizes all STV travel destinations in addition to hosting the program, will discuss several topics with SHR, including her television show experiences, her various travel destinations, and emerging snowmobile trends.

Since launching on January 19, 2005, SleadHead Radio has featured several big names in the snowmobile industry. Each interview provides snowmobile enthusiasts with a rare glimpse of the daily lives and talents of industry experts.

Previous SledHead Radio guests included Jim Czekala of DynoTech Research, a state-of-the-art snowmobile engine testing and tuning facility, as well as John Dee, a private Midwest meteorologist who is highly regarded in the snowmobile community for his snowmobile weather reports. The podcast also featured interviews with Dan Dumont, owner of show sponsor The Outdoor Shop, an authorized Arctic Cat dealership and custom performance product developer. An upcoming show will feature Tim Lessard, a snocross racer and founder of Grip N Rip Racing Products, as well as several other big names that are yet to be announced.

"This Wednesday will be our seventh show, but we've already generated a dedicated listenership of several thousand 'sledheads,'" said Nick Piazza, founder and host of SledHead Radio. "Podcasting technology as a whole has only been around for six months, so the fact that we're already welcoming snowmobile industry guests of this caliber is a testament to the growth and potential of podcasting."

About Taera Samis

Taera Samis is the host of Snowmobiler TV (STV), a traveling snowmobile program airing on The Outdoor Network. In addition to hosting the show, Samis organizes all STV tours, destinations and snowmobile experiences. The Outdoor Channel is available to cable and satellite customers across the United States.

Naperville Sun Gives Us A Nod

Sun, 27 Feb 2005 08:35:37 -0600

Palegroove Studios and one of our productions, Croncast were featured in an article on the front page of the Business Section in two affiliates of the Sun Publications Network, titled "Podcasting? New recording studio banks on hottest media wave." PDF version with photos.

"Although it sounds a lot like radio, he says(Kris), podcasting represents a whole new way of thinking about audio entertainment. Right about at that point in the explanation, Smith starts . . . "

The entire interview can be read in the Beacon news archive.

Scanned copy in PDF format.

Palegroove Studios Launches NCQ Talk

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 08:35:37 -0600

NCQ Talk, where a Nerd, a Canadian and a Quaker talk about the Intersection of Technology and Learning. NCQ Talk is a podcast focused on bridging gaps, sharing ideas and thoughts about new technologies produced in partnership with the Learning Times Network.

If you're here on launch day (February 22, 2005) or anytime shortly thereafter, it probably means you were given a special invitation and belong to a world of people who teach with technology. You might be part of one of Susan's classes. Or you might be someone we know who embraces new methods for your own professional development. That's what this is professional development in portable pieces that you can take on the road. We're not "fast food" for educators; we want to make you think while we feed your mind with a few nutritious ideas. Think of us as whole grain.

NCQ Talk came about through a typical kitchen-table discussion among three friends. We used to talk like this all the time at work, but life split us up. Now when we get together, we generally share the latest tools and trends and try to figure out what that will mean for our lives as educatorsor nerds. Most importantly to you as a listener, we're the kind of people who take the tools and try them out. What you're hearing is genuine praxis.

You'll hear us focus on one main idea in each show. Most of the shows are 12-15 minutes long and can be downloaded and listened to on your computer, an mp3 player or an iPod. Burn us to a CD and take us in the car! But don't let it stop there. We really want you to come back to this site and interact with us after you listen. The dialogue we create will continue to sustain and enrich us all.

World's First Podcast Studio Opens

Thu, 17 Feb 2005 08:35:37 -0600

Chicago, Illinois (February 17, 2005) - Palegroove Studios today announced the opening of a podcast production studio, the first of its kind in the United States.

Palegroove Studios, based 35 miles west of Chicago in Naperville, Illinois, is a turnkey podcast production company.

Founded in February 2005, five months after the birth of podcasting, Palegroove Studios provides clients with all the essentials for custom, high quality, and creative podcast productions. With portable production equipment also available, Palegroove Studios can make "house calls" and turn any office or room into a temporary podcast studio.

Developed in late 2004, podcasts are regular, pre-recorded audio shows posted on the Internet for anyone to download and listen to, whenever and wherever. Podcasting is considered "evolutionary" because it harnesses a new audio subscription technology that allows consumers to set up automatic and regular audio downloads to portable digital audio devices, similar to what TiVo does with television broadcasts. Originally conceived by former MTV VJ Adam Curry, podcasts turn iPods, and other portable digital audio devices, into customized radio stations filled with talk shows, rare music, news, etc.

Embracing the podcasting technology, Palegroove Studios has set up the first physical one-stop shop for those interested in creating a podcast. The experience is quick and easy. Palegroove Studios provides on-site technology, equipment, space, and know-how for anyone and any company to develop a regular podcast show. The studio's experienced staff will also consult clients on show content, format, and musical accompaniment. A studio engineer will record, edit, and master the show. Finally, the engineer will encode the show to mp3 format and uploaded it to server space, which is also provided by Palegroove Studios.

With portable production equipment also available, Palegroove Studios can make "house calls" and turn any office or room into a temporary podcast studio.

"Palegroove Studios' business plan is to help technology novices utilize this exciting new technology, and build a roster of podcast shows that help populate the podcast world," said Kristopher Smith, president and founder of Palegroove Studios. "The more podcast shows available to consumers, the better. We are already working with lawyers, rock bands, industry associations, and others to develop custom podcast shows for their own target audiences."

Each show requires approximately two business days of start-to-finish production. From A to Z, Palegroove Studios is the new solution for those interested in podcasting. Instead of having to make expensive equipment and time commitments, corporations, politicians, industry associations, and individuals can now use Palegroove Studios to develop an affordable and listener-friendly online talk show.

Kristopher Smith embraced podcasting early. By November 2004, two months after the world-wide introduction of podcasting, Smith had studied enough about podcasting to begin his own regular show, Croncast (www.croncast.com). According to PodcastAlley.com, a review website based on listener votes, Croncast is consistently ranked in the top 25 podcasts.

Since late 2004, several thousand podcast shows have hit the online airwaves. A wide range of show topics are available, including husband and wife banter, technology news, talk shows, etc. Major corporations are also starting to realize the impact and importance of podcasting. On February 10, 2005, General Motors launched its first podcast to keep customers informed of company news and product information.

Podcast, a name combining "iPod" and "broadcast," is audio, typically in mp3 format, distributed over the Internet by an RSS, or Really Simple Syndication. A TiVo-like experience is created by integrating mp3, which compresses audio files for shortened download times, with RSS, which syndicates content. Consumers can subscribe to shows and, whenever new shows are posted, they automatically get saved to computers or portable digital audio device (i.e., iPod). More information can be found in the "about podcasting" section at the end of this release.

"With nearly 700 million Internet users and tens of millions of portable digital audio device users, consumers are constantly craving the 'next best thing' in communication and technology and podcasting is that 'next best thing,'" said Smith, an expert in all-things-technology and freelance multimedia designer. "Unlike traditional media, podcasting gives freedom of choice to the consumer, allowing them to read, listen to, and watch anything they want, anytime they want."

Palegroove Studios is located in Naperville, a suburb just 35 miles west of Chicago. With portable production equipment on hand, Palegroove Studios currently services a three-hour radius. For more information, or to schedule a podcast production consultation, please visit www.Palegroove.com or call (630) 615-0238.