10at10 Club
Main Discussion Area => Stream of Consciousness => Topic started by: mshray on March 30, 2007, 03:11:52 PM
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Starting a new thread here now that I have a new job with a new startup company, called Casgle. I have already talked about this at length with & enlisted the aid of Urth & Alicat, and have also talked to Geoff about it briefly. I'll be surprised if there isn't something that I will ask each of you about at some point the longer this goes on.
Short version: Casgle was founded by my wife's best friend's husband Alan, whom I have known ever since moving here in '96, and another guy named Fu Yong. The idea started as essentially a TiVo device for podcasting, and at this point the device (called PodiumTM) is fully formed and we're negotiating our first orders. But in recent months the business plan of the company has broadened to include the software that Alan developed to run the device and interact with their webserver, and it is this area that shows real growth potential.
In the meantime my job at Worldmark became untenable, largely due to the fact that the company is full of back-stabbing assholes. So here I am. I will, as they say, keep y'all posted.
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The idea started as essentially a TiVo device for podcasting, and at this point the device (called PodiumTM) is fully formed and we're negotiating our first orders.
Pronounced POE-dium or PAWED-ium?
Wishing you much luck in the venture, and eager to learn more about it (though I'm not up on the latest developments in podcasting)!
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Pronounced POE-dium or PAWED-ium?
the former, like it is in the dictionary.
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Indeed, congrats and good luck on the new venture. And sorry to hear about the previous job ending so crappily -- we all remember how excited you were at the beginning.
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quick update - spent the last 3 days (yes, starting on Sunday) at the Web 2.0 Expo in the Moscone Ctr, with one day to go. Fascinating stuff. Met and spoke at length today with Rafe Needleman (thks due to Urth).
back on the streaming audio come Thursday.
Gazoo, if you see this please call me when you can, there are A LOT of ideas percolating (in my head and out in 'the cloud' generally) that we should chat on.
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quick update - spent the last 3 days (yes, starting on Sunday) at the Web 2.0 Expo in the Moscone Ctr, with one day to go. Fascinating stuff. Met and spoke at length today with Rafe Needleman (thks due to Urth).
back on the streaming audio come Thursday.
Gazoo, if you see this please call me when you can, there are A LOT of ideas percolating (in my head and out in 'the cloud' generally) that we should chat on.
I definitely want to! But with loads of work, apartment, and financial demands, time's been a tough thing to find. I'm still largely living out of boxes. But will hopefully give a call this weekend. Thanks! Very glad to hear that the new gig's exciting and thought-provoking.
PS: The Web's still in iteration 2.0?
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Hey Gang, I really need y'all's help. I am pasting below a first draft of my first press release for my startup. I need any and all feedback/critcisms/suggeestions you can collectively give. This thing doesn't really have to set the world on fire, but it at least ought to be above average. thanks!!!
BRINGING ‘BROADCATCHING’ INTO THE HOME
Casgle Internet Content Catcher Debuts
MOUNTAIN VIEW CA, May 22
What if you could turn on your TV, and right there among all the channels you get from your cable or satellite provider was a list of channels of internet-only content, and you could surf them just as easily as the TV channels? What if it didn’t cost you anything or take any extra time to set up? There are now hundreds of thousands of podcasts on the internet, many tens of thousands of which are video. Some of the programming is from sources like CNN, NBC or National Geographic, while some is from a guy with a digital video camera down the block from you. This is just the beginning of the Web 2.0 content revolution. And now you don’t have to be a complete geek to start enjoying it.
Today Casgle LLC., a Silicon Valley startup, is launching its Casgle Internet Content Catching software. Casgle ICC functions like a DVR for internet content. The content can be audio, video or anything else that can be sent on an RSS feed. After a simple account setup, whatever content the user would like to receive is automatically downloaded all the way down to the place where the user wants the files to reside, whether it is a Portable Media Player (PMP), the hard drive on their computer or a Network Attached Storage (NAS). Casgle is partnering with NAS manufacturers because the addition of ICC software enables their static storage device to be transformed into an active entertainment distribution channel. “We feel <quote>,” said Jae Yang, VP Technology for Quad Micro Works. “Our Square One Personal Internet Server, which is debuting today, is the first device to feature the Casgle ICC software service.” In a home where the computer network has already been connected to the television, a customer will be easily able to watch internet programming on their TV as soon as their Square One is plugged in. “Our goal is to make the content that’s coming on the Internet available to everyone,” says Casgle CEO Stewart Wu, “We want to make ‘broadcatching’ a reality.”
Long before the technology for it existed, the term ‘broadcatching’ was coined to describe the scenario where a software agent would be able to collect, or aggregate, content from the internet and deliver it to the end user for consumption. Today there are many aggregator programs that can bring content together in one form or another, but the consumer is still several steps away from being able to enjoy it. “It’s the difference between having to go into the next room and get a record down off the shelf and popping it into the player and cueing up the track you wanted, versus just turning on the radio and your favorite song is already playing,” says Mark Schroeder, Casgle Business Devel. Director. And unlike all the other content aggregators on the market, only Casgle validates the content to guard against corrupted, misidentified or unsupported files.
Quad Micro Works and Casgle are teaming up with StorLink Semiconductor as their technology partner and IC supplier. Casgle is also currently beta testing a base station for PMP’s using the same technology to automatically download audio & video files directly onto a PMP without needing to be connected to a computer.
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Hey Gang, I really need y'all's help. I am pasting below a first draft of my first press release for my startup. I need any and all feedback/critcisms/suggeestions you can collectively give. This thing doesn't really have to set the world on fire, but it at least ought to be above average. thanks!!!
BRINGING ‘BROADCATCHING’ INTO THE HOME
Casgle Internet Content Catcher Debuts
MOUNTAIN VIEW CA, May 22
What if you could turn on your TV, and right there among all the channels you get from your cable or satellite provider was a list of channels of internet-only content, and you could surf them just as easily as the TV channels? What if it didn’t cost you anything or take any extra time to set up? There are now hundreds of thousands of podcasts on the internet, many tens of thousands of which are video. Some of the programming is from sources like CNN, NBC or National Geographic, while some is from a guy with a digital video camera down the block from you. This is just the beginning of the Web 2.0 content revolution. And now you don’t have to be a complete geek to start enjoying it.
Today Casgle LLC., a Silicon Valley startup, is launching its Casgle Internet Content Catching software. Casgle ICC functions like a DVR for internet content. The content can be audio, video or anything else that can be sent on an RSS feed. After a simple account setup, whatever content the user would like to receive is automatically downloaded all the way down to the place where the user wants the files to reside, whether it is a Portable Media Player (PMP), the hard drive on their computer or a Network Attached Storage (NAS). Casgle is partnering with NAS manufacturers because the addition of ICC software enables their static storage device to be transformed into an active entertainment distribution channel. “We feel <quote>,” said Jae Yang, VP Technology for Quad Micro Works. “Our Square One Personal Internet Server, which is debuting today, is the first device to feature the Casgle ICC software service.” In a home where the computer network has already been connected to the television, a customer will be easily able to watch internet programming on their TV as soon as their Square One is plugged in. “Our goal is to make the content that’s coming on the Internet available to everyone,” says Casgle CEO Stewart Wu, “We want to make ‘broadcatching’ a reality.”
Long before the technology for it existed, the term ‘broadcatching’ was coined to describe the scenario where a software agent would be able to collect, or aggregate, content from the internet and deliver it to the end user for consumption. Today there are many aggregator programs that can bring content together in one form or another, but the consumer is still several steps away from being able to enjoy it. “It’s the difference between having to go into the next room and get a record down off the shelf and popping it into the player and cueing up the track you wanted, versus just turning on the radio and your favorite song is already playing,” says Mark Schroeder, Casgle Business Devel. Director. And unlike all the other content aggregators on the market, only Casgle validates the content to guard against corrupted, misidentified or unsupported files.
Quad Micro Works and Casgle are teaming up with StorLink Semiconductor as their technology partner and IC supplier. Casgle is also currently beta testing a base station for PMP’s using the same technology to automatically download audio & video files directly onto a PMP without needing to be connected to a computer.
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Mark, sorry it's taken so long to reply to this. I think it's a strong idea and you've explained it very well. The press release could be a bit punchier with shorter sentences and shorter paragraphs; let me know what you think of these small edits (noted in red) :
BRINGING ‘BROADCATCHING’ INTO THE HOME
Casgle Internet Content Catcher Debuts
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, May 22
What if you could turn on your TV, and right there among all the channels you get from your cable or satellite provider was a set of channels of Internet-only content that you could surf just as easily as the TV channels?
What if it didn’t cost you anything or take any extra time to set up?
There are now hundreds of thousands of podcasts on the Internet, many tens of thousands of which are video. Some of the programming is from sources like CNN, NBC or National Geographic, while some is from a guy with a digital video camera down the block from you.
This is just the beginning of the Web 2.0 content revolution. And now you don’t have to be a techno-geek to start enjoying it.
Today Casgle LLC, a Silicon Valley innovator, launches its Casgle Internet Content Catching [is it "Catching" or "Catcher"? you have the letter in the dek] software. Casgle ICC functions as a DVR for Internet content—audio, video or anything else that can be sent on an RSS feed [I'm not sure the layman knows what an "RSS feed" is; any way to simplify?]. After a simple account setup, any content the user would like to receive is automatically downloaded to the place where the user wants the files to reside, whether it is a Portable Media Player (PMP), the computer's hard drive or Network-Attached Storage (NAS).
Casgle is partnering with NAS manufacturers because the addition of ICC software enables their static storage devices to be transformed into active entertainment distribution channels. [Would it be misleading to tighten this as "the addition of ICC software transforms their static storage devices into active entertainment distribution channels"?] “We feel <quote>,” said Jae Yang, VP Technology for Quad Micro Works. “Our Square One Personal Internet Server, which is debuting today, is the first device to feature the Casgle ICC software service.”
In a home where the computer network has already been connected to the television, customers will be easily able to watch Internet programming on their TVs as soon as their Square One is plugged in. “Our goal is to make the content that’s coming on the Internet available to everyone,” says Casgle CEO Stewart Wu. “We want to make ‘broadcatching’ a reality.”
Long before the technology for it existed, the term “broadcatching” was coined to describe the scenario where a software agent would collect, or aggregate, content from the Internet and deliver it to the end user for consumption. Today there are many aggregator programs that can bring content together in one form or another, but the consumer is still several steps away from being able to fully enjoy it. “It’s the difference between having to go into the next room and get a record down off the shelf and pop it into the player and cue up the track you want, versus just turning on the radio and your favorite song is already playing,” says Mark Schroeder, Casgle Business Development Director. And unlike all the other content aggregators on the market, only Casgle validates the content to guard against corrupted, misidentified or unsupported files. [I don't like the presence of "unsupported" here -- what files are supported, and why shouldn't the consumer expect ALL file types to be supported? sugg. just "corrupted or misidentified files"]
Quad Micro Works and Casgle are teaming up with StorLink Semiconductor as their technology partner and IC supplier. Casgle is also currently beta testing a base station for PMPs using the same technology to automatically download audio and video files directly to a PMP without needing to be connected to a computer. [I have no idea what a "base station" is; will the average reader of this?]
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thanks Joe, good stuff.
I think I have a much better metaphor, let me know what y'all think:
Today there are many aggregator programs that can bring content together in one form or another, but the consumer is still several steps away from being able to enjoy it. “It’s the difference between having a personal shopper stock your pantry and having a personal chef serve you dinner,” says Mark...
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thanks Joe, good stuff.
I think I have a much better metaphor, let me know what y'all think:
Today there are many aggregator programs that can bring content together in one form or another, but the consumer is still several steps away from being able to enjoy it. “It’s the difference between having a personal shopper stock your pantry and having a personal chef serve you dinner,” says Mark...
I'm not sure I get that metaphor. What your company is providing is actually more akin to stocking your pantry, it seems to me. But in stocking the pantry, they've scoured all your favorite stores for you in one errand, which seems the crux of the metaphor: You don't have to go several places yourself to get the content you want.
(Cue theme song: "URL U Want")
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I wrote a press release for my company & it went out yesterday, simultaneous with one from our partner - which I'd helped edit. One website immediately dispatched a writer to do a story on our stuff http://www.internetnews.com/xSP/article.php/3680021, and another website immediately put our partner's press release up on their front page http://dmnnewswire.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=144188.
Here's a story from yesterday (on the same website that features us today) http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3679866, which is notable because I have met & exchanged email with a senior guy at FeedBurner as well as the guy quoted in the article from Pheedo. In fact I have a meeting with Bill next Wednesday. It is also notable because of the $$ involved, these companies may or may not be worth $100M, but the point is - this is squarely in our industry, so it's kind of like the house down the street selling for a huge increase. A rising tide lifts all boats (fingers crossed).
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had the highest profile meeting of my life yesterday, with Mark Merrill, the CTO of Netgear. Back in my old job, Netgear was one of my customers, and a couple times I met Mark when he had a brief chat with the guy I was doing business with. But more importantly he has known our acting CEO for about 20 yrs & they have done business together many times.
So it was just the 3 of us for abut 90 minutes. All went well with the demo & the overall discussion, and in a few weeks he wants to bring us back to face a room full of mktg & product develpment guys.
So yay!
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had the highest profile meeting of my life yesterday, with Mark Merrill, the CTO of Netgear. Back in my old job, Netgear was one of my customers, and a couple times I met Mark when he had a brief chat with the guy I was doing business with. But more importantly he has known our acting CEO for about 20 yrs & they have done business together many times.
So it was just the 3 of us for abut 90 minutes. All went well with the demo & the overall discussion, and in a few weeks he wants to bring us back to face a room full of mktg & product develpment guys.
So yay!
This is really exciting news, Mark. You are working in a vital next wave for entertainment: the album, the network, and the magazine are fading as concepts (the former faster than the latter), to be replaced by multimedia playlists cherry-picked and designed by individuals with the assistance of tastemakers and aggregators. Live in the future.
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the album, the network, and the magazine are fading as concepts (the former faster than the latter), to be replaced by multimedia playlists cherry-picked and designed by individuals with the assistance of tastemakers and aggregators
Jeez, do you know how Orwellian you're making it sound? :wink:
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the album, the network, and the magazine are fading as concepts (the former faster than the latter), to be replaced by multimedia playlists cherry-picked and designed by individuals with the assistance of tastemakers and aggregators
Jeez, do you know how Orwellian you're making it sound? :wink:
I see the wink, but just in case you were at all serious -- this sceario is anything BUT Orwellian; it's liberating consumers from being tethered to any corporation's decision on how its content should be packaged. Steps toward an Internet of all killer, no filler.
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the album, the network, and the magazine are fading as concepts (the former faster than the latter), to be replaced by multimedia playlists cherry-picked and designed by individuals with the assistance of tastemakers and aggregators
Jeez, do you know how Orwellian you're making it sound? :wink:
I see the wink, but just in case you were at all serious -- this sceario is anything BUT Orwellian; it's liberating consumers from being tethered to any corporation's decision on how its content should be packaged. Steps toward an Internet of all killer, no filler.
and tethering them to "tastemakers and aggregators" who "cherry pick and design" playlists-- and just who might *they* be? Meet the new boss...
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the album, the network, and the magazine are fading as concepts (the former faster than the latter), to be replaced by multimedia playlists cherry-picked and designed by individuals with the assistance of tastemakers and aggregators
Jeez, do you know how Orwellian you're making it sound? :wink:
I see the wink, but just in case you were at all serious -- this sceario is anything BUT Orwellian; it's liberating consumers from being tethered to any corporation's decision on how its content should be packaged. Steps toward an Internet of all killer, no filler.
and tethering them to "tastemakers and aggregators" who "cherry pick and design" playlists-- and just who might *they* be? Meet the new boss...
almost, but with one MAJOR difference.
The Tastemakers will not own the channels of distribution. The audience will become completely and absolutely UN-tethered. Anyone with a connection to the Net becomes a de facto stakeholder in the channel, and the Boss-ness of any New Boss becomes entirely dependent on his/her ability to sustain a listener/viewer-ship. No tether. The only way to keep your audience is to convince them to stay of their own free will.
Thirty years ago you had ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS & maybe an independent station of two. Twenty years ago Bruce Springsteen could sing about 57 channels. Today there are a couple hundred channels, depending on your subscription. But in the next 20 months (after which analog broadcasts cease & everyone will be getting their content digitally, like it or not) there will be at a minimum 10's of thousands of channels for video content (which exist NOW) and more likely 100's of thousands.
In that world there will be plenty of folks creating 'filler' from some-if-not-most people's viewpoint, but as long as they find at least one tiny corner of the audience that feels it is 'killer' they'll have a market. And if there's a market, then someone's gonna make some money. But again, if the distribution channel is completely open and public, then the people who make the money are largely going to be the creators, not the middlemen. And THAT'S the beauty of it.
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i must admit, i'm more than a little lost in all the techno mumbo jumbo. i don't know karahtay, but i know carayzay. what does podium do?
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i must admit, i'm more than a little lost in all the techno mumbo jumbo. i don't know karahtay, but i know carayzay. what does podium do?
Well we had to modify the name because someone else got to Podium first, and now it's PodDeus (like Amadeus, accent on the 'day'). Here's a picture and a brief description on our website.
http://casgle.com/productinf.php
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i must admit, i'm more than a little lost in all the techno mumbo jumbo. i don't know karahtay, but i know carayzay. what does podium do?
Well we had to modify the name because someone else got to Podium first, and now it's PodDeus (like Amadeus, accent on the 'day'). Here's a picture and a brief description on our website.
http://casgle.com/productinf.php
i see. so i have PodDeus deliver whatever content i want straight into my portable device?
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i see. so i have PodDeus deliver whatever content i want straight into my portable device?
yup, long as it's plugged into the internet, but it doesn't need to be connected to your computer. anything that can be gotten off of an RSS feed.