Spin-my-Blog Post Fails!

Hey Rizzn-ites,

I'm testing out SpinVox today for an article I'm working on at Mashable. Here's what I actually said (as best as I can decipher from the text it spit out) to the SpinVox system:

Hey folks. This is Mark. Testing out SpinVox again because I'm about to write an article about them on Mashable. Don't know what updates or change to the system they've done since the last time I used them.

Last time I was on here, the record time was quite low and it was probably close to 60% recognition of what I was saying. Maybe they have improved a little bit, we will see.

It's staying on and letting me talk and so I'm just gonna talk into this thing kicks me off.

Ok, well, see what am I talking about? Oh! Actually I put a new article up on Mashable.com today. I talk about, well, it's about the reality of user generated content. I saw a couple of other articles up on the net I came across in my feeds. They were something about how that there is ... basically we're talking about the 1% rule and that there is no real new user generated content coming out of like YouTube and stuff and it is really just talented folks that found their way through the system. But will rise to the surface anyway.

It's that youtube or whatever may have helped them get there quicker, citing the new Apple UGC ad that came out as an example. I begged to differ, I explained a lot of my positions there, using Twitter and Facebook and other seamless integration tools that I've talked about before on Mashable, as example as to what works and what doesn't work. And really, truly taking the value of what you plan early and moving a step forward in terms of user generated content. [ed: this sentence is so garbled I'm not sure what I was saying there] I it let me go on for what looks to be at least a minute or two. So I guess I'm going to close this out, to see what comes out of the other end. Talk to you later. Bye.

This is what SpinVox thinks I said:

Hey Folk, this is Mark. Testing out SpinVox again because I'm about to write an article about them on nash(?). Don't know what is your update to change of the system they've done since the last time I used them. Last time I was on here, the record time was quite slow and it was probably close to 60% recognition of what I was saying. Maybe they had improved a little bit. We will see. It's sticking on let me talk and so I'm just gonna talk into this thing puts me off. Ok well, see what I'm talking about oh actually put a new article of nashville.com(?) today. I told you well, it's about the reality of user generated contents. I saw a couple of other articles up on the net, across I came across my feeds so there were something about how that there is no, they, that they basically we're talking about the 1% rule and that there is no real new user generated content coming out of why I think like youtube and stuff is really just talented folks that well found their way to the system. But will left to the surface anyway. It's that youtube or whatever may have helped them get their quick or setting the new apple UGC ad, they came out as an example, I begged to differ, I explained a lot of my positions there using footer and face book and other seamless integration tools that I talked about before nashville(?) as example just to what works and what doesn't work in really, truly taking the value of what you plan early and moving a step forward in terms of user generated content. I'll see, let me go on, look for at least a min or 2. So I guess I'm got a closer shout, to see what comes out of the other end. Talk to you later. Bye.

The more I use SpinVox, the less I am pleased with it. It's a great idea, with really crappy execution.

By the way, the editorial I'm talking about in the SpinVox segment can be found here.

/rizzn

BlogRush: Get an Axe! It's a Trick!

Hey, Rizzn-ites,

Tamar Weinberg at technipedia was axed from the BlogRush network, along with around 10,000 other bloggers this weekend, according to an email I recieved from CEO John Reese:

We've just completed a massive SWEEP of our entire network. We've removed over *10,000* blogs (Yes, ten thousand) that did not meet our new Quality Guidelines.

We have done a huge "quality control audit" of our network and have reviewed all the blogs one-at-a-time. We will continue to review each NEW blog that is ever submitted to our network.

You will notice the HUGE DIFFERENCE in the quality of blogs that now appear in your widget. This major *sweep* of our network will also increase the click-rates across the entire network and you will start to receive more traffic.

The email I received from him also promised MOAR HITZ and BETTAR TRAFFIK, presumably because all these spam blogs are no longer on the network. It boggles my mind, and is almost a waste of time for me to attempt to construct what possible scenarios must be at play over at BlogRush HQ that causes them to delay any type of meaningful stat reporting this long and removing "spam blogs" like Tamar's.

Essentially, all this to say what I've said before: ditch BlogRush. They're not a scam, but they certainly don't have their act together. As someone said down in the comments on Tamar's blog: "I think a ban from Blogrush may be a badge of quality as I note some the quality of some of the blogs that run it. In fact, when I see a blog with the blogrush widget my opinion of the blogger takes a tumble."

See ya on the show tomorrow. Deuce.

/rizzn



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How To: Effortlessly Maintain a Link Blog

Hey Rizzn-ites,

Apparently, I've made a couple converts with last night's quick commentary on tech blogging being bent on the concept of maintaining a link blog, judging from comments and emails. Jeffr0, for instance, asked for an easy way to create a linkblog, as I described. It's actually quite simple, barely warranting a blog post on it, so I'm going to take it a step further, and show you how to create a custom river (ala Techmeme) as well.

First, you need to be using Google Reader. I'm not sure why you're not using it to begin with, if you're not. It's just hands down the best reader utility for the power blogger.

Second, take note of two particular features - the shared items feature, and the tagging feature. The beauty of these features is the fact that you're able, with a couple of keypresses, very quickly add items to an RSS feed. Here's how mine are set up:

I use my shared items button to generate the Rizzn Network Link Blog. I simply took the RSS feed that gReader generates (which can be found under the tag settings link, in your gReader Settings), and threw it into a FeedBurner setup. What you do with that feed, after that, is up to you. I personally ran it through my HTML display scripts to integrate it with my website, but you could also do what Robert and Todd do, and simply link it in your sidebar for others to subscribe to.

If you want to take it a step further, and provide a "River" of source material you use, you can make use of a Yahoo Pipe I set up today (or you can use any other number of feedmixers out there).

Unfamiliar with the concept of a "River?" Well, if an RSS "Stream" follows one blog, what do you call a bunch of "Streams" combined? A River, of course. One of the things that makes TechMeme useful to tech journalists is that as TechMeme discovers a new post in one of it's seed streams, it posts it shortly thereafter to the River. As far as I know, TechMeme doesn't have a monopoly on the concept of a River, though. I'm working on a River interface for the Rizzn Network, but using my pipe, you can chain together ad infinitum multiple RSS feeds, and display or use them how you like on your own website.

Just some starting points. I'm tired, little baby Jacob kept me up late last night, so I'm gonna go take a Sunday nap. This ought to keep you busy for a minute though. :)

/rizzn

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No, Tech Blogging is only Bent

Hey Rizzn-ites,

Even though Todd Cochrane and I technically work together under the RawVoice and Tech Podcast umbrella, it's rare that I agree with his various positions on what is 'right' in the New Media world (as many listeners to the show will attest to). I do, however, agree with him somewhat on his stance with the TechMeme being somewhat broken. Somewhat.

And I don't mean the way Steven Hodson mentioned with sites like TechCrunch or Mashable or Read/WriteWeb being paid to profile certain companies. As much as TechCrunch and others have railed against PayPerPost, if they were found guilty of paid posting, it would be the end of the Arrington Empire.

I mean the evolution of "penetration coverage" of stories that takes place in tech blogging simply because of TechMeme (yes, penetration coverage, the sort of stuff that blogging was supposed to supplant because the world was tired of that type of coverage on CNN MSNBC and Fox).

I've been involved in A-List blogging (over at Mashable) for about a minute now, so I'm probably not the best expert to consult on this, but I know what I see. The top blogs all cover a lot of the same stories. For the high post rate blogs, they see a story show up in the River at TechMeme, they know they gotta cover it, or look like they're missing important news. The truth is that there's a lot of high tech being missed because a lot of the A-List is centered around Silicon Valley and the companies around the world that function within the Silicon Valley mindset.

Companies outside that mindset (i.e. those that don't work well within the blogging world, companies that don't have RSS feeds, companies that don't know to send their exclusives to TechCrunch or Mashable) arguably have only themselves to blame, but are also a real part of what is going on in developing tech, and deserve to be covered.

What is it I think about TechMeme that really bends the boundaries of what good news is? The algorithm. The human element is needed. As much as I hate to agree with Jason Calacanis (and his definition of Web 3.0), and barring a much better AI than I've seen implimented in anything yet, the human element applied to a much larger set of source material in terms of scanned RSS feeds than what TechMeme does would be able to provide the random element of news bubbling up organically in the web.

Robert Scoble's shared list is a great example of this. I'm beginning to be of the opinion that all bloggers who want to impact the blogosphere positively should maintain a link blog. I love that I get a good set of niche stuff, but also the random things off niche from Robert's list. Robert, for the massive feed munching machine that he is, is only one man. He deviates off niche occasionally, but it tends to stay around his niche. I'd like to see a Jeffr0 shared items list, an Arrington shared items list, one from my buddy Art, one from Todd... I want to see what stuff they think is cool but not quite cool enough to write a whole blog post about.

It's all about inspiration, but the A-List, because of TechMeme, is becoming a bit too monoculture for me. Spice it up a bit. I think this is the best way to make it happen, given the technologies at hand today.

/rizzn

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New Addition to the RizWords Podcast.

Hey Rizzn-ites,

This is just a quick post to announce that we're welcoming Jeffr0 of Jeffro2pt0.com, well known Web 2.0 journalist and blogger, to the show starting Friday. From here on until Jeffr0 gets too big and popular to be seen consorting with the likes of us, he's going to bring us a special Web 2.0 segment of the show to play on Fridays, either reviewing a new Web 2.0 product/service/website or giving us a good week in review.

If you haven't checked him out, head on over to his site, and send him a message welcoming him to the show!

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New Directions For Mr. Rizzn!

Hey Rizzn-ites,

You may see a slightly decreased posting frequency here in the coming days. I've started writing this week at Mashable. I spoke with Adam Ostrow, the newly crowned editor of Mashable, Monday evening. I've always enjoyed Mashable's style and timeliness - as I talked about on the show (episode 151) Monday, they beat me on the Google + Jaiku story by about 15 seconds, and I really thought I was going to have a scoop on that one.

Why am I writing for another site? That's the question I've been asked a few times since I announced it on twitter Tuesday evening. Well, quite honestly, I've recently discovered that I do indeed love writing as much as I remember from the days of yore when I wrote around two or three five page diary posts a day (Super Fast Kel, you know what I'm talkin' about). I enjoy the pace and quality of what Mashable puts out, but I can't do that here on this blog. I have too diverse of a mix of readers to spam everyone three times an hour with a new tech story.

I'd rather keep Rizzn.com a place for really good scoops, a home for the podcast, and a place to really learn about and explore new media and politics.

In other words, writing for Mashable will allow me to do more of what I love without pissing all of you off with ten posts a day!

So definitely keep your RSS readers and podcast clients tuned to rizzn.com, but join me, if you will, in my foray deeper into the heart of social networking and Web 2.0!

(by the way, I've set up a feed of just my stories on Mashable, if you want to subscribe to that as well).

/rizzn

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Changes at Rizzn.com

Hey Rizzn-ites,

I've got several big things I'm working on here at the site and the podcast that I'll be announcing today and tomorrow, but for the mean time, you'll notice that I've got a diminished posting frequency ... do not fret, I've not disappeared. Just busy!

Stay tuned!

/rizzn

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