I just noticed as I was browsing through my google reader that it now has an integrated podcast player, simple little feature but really neat.
It immediately made me think this would be very cool on my mobile so I browsed over to google reader on my new Nokia N95, but unfortunately the google reader works very poorly in a mobile browser, basically the multiple scrolling windows of the google reader is a bit of an interactive nightmare. I would love to see a google reader mobile app just like google mail and google maps. Seriously, that would be a massive mobile trifecta, maps, mail and rss (including the podcast player). (Mark, who writes The Nokia Blog, points out there is a very good mobile version of the google reader here: http://www.google.com/reader/m/view/ but alas there is no embedded podcast player)
On a side note Nick in his podcast points to a very good article by Danah Boyd on Future Lab that basically rants about the lack of net neutrality of mobile carriers and how they are killing innovation in what should be the next wave of innovation for the web:
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
“I would love to see a google reader mobile app just like google mail and google maps.”
I’m not sure if I’m understanding you right, but there is google reader for mobile. Go to: http://www.google.com/reader/m/view on your phone. I use it on my Nokia N93 whenever I’m away from the imac.
Thanks Mark, I actually had not seen that, I just checked it out and it is indeed a fab view for the mobile device, alas it does lack the embedded podcast player
Hi Karl
Now that the Google Phone is confirmed I wonder if we’ll see their podcast player (amongst other offerings) being refined/redeveloped specifically for mobile. I assume given their history that the developments they make for their own phone will quickly cross to other platforms (tho wouldn’t it be a kick in the head if they didn’t?)
CNet News: Europe exec confirms Google Phone
http://news.com.com/2061-10812_3-6167826.html?tag=newsmap
Love reading your writing… always fresh and thought provoking.
=) best wishes
Marc
Karl, that’s not an integrated player from Google, it’s Feedburners podcast feed.
I do it on my feeds, and many others do. You specify you’re running podcasts when you burn a feed, and they automatically insert the player for you linked to your audio.
Interesting Boyd post. It’s also worth checking out this TechDirt post on why net neutrality isn’t needed for wireless carriers. In short, there is enough competition in the market that customers can take their business elsewhere if need be. That certainly makes sense to me. Although in full disclosure, I work with the net neutrality-skeptical org linked behind my name. Just my $.02.