Odiogo For Audio Blogging

Odiogo^TM has launched a new web 2.0 application that allows users to create audio media from text content. With this new application bloggers can create and podcast textual blog entries to be viewed on MP3 players, PDA's, cell phones and laptops. The blog entries are converted into high fidelity voice files that can be loaded to devices anywhere.

Odiogo extracts textual content from blog posts or articles so that it can be listened to “on the go.” Odiogo essentially transforms blog media into recordable voice media for playback any time. Users have the ability to playback, rewind, review and fast forward directly through their favorite content on their preferred devices.

Odiogo monitors its content partner's RSS feed to create small audio files for each article. The intelligent technology utilizes punctuation and natural speech patterns to produce a more realistic and higher quality playback. The system requires minimal bandwidth as the service is run using Odiogo's data center for the MP3 storage. Consumers gain access to the audio news feeds by clicking on the provider's site. The news is updated each time the user syncs their iPod or MP3 player.

I visited the Odiogo web site and include a quote from the site's press release below:

“Odiogo allows end-users to enjoy blogs and news on the go, at the gym, in the car, or on the subway. They gain quick, easy access to content they previously could only get by reading a computer screen,” said CEO Marc Kawam. “On the other hand, Odiogo gives news sites and bloggers finally an economical way to automatically podcast their textual content and reach more mobile users.”

The Web 2.0 Take

This site is another great example of a developing company's efforts to supply Web 2.0 elements to interconnected platforms. I can imagine a user listening to rather than reading their news while driving their car! This will not only be a nice convenience, but one heck of a lot safer. The ability to add RSS feeds from multiple sources makes Odiogo useful even without the added benefit of audio. The ability to access RSS feeds from Typepad, Blogger, WordPress or Overblog gives Odiogo the ability to provide users with up to date, quality data with unprecedented flexibility.

Odiogo has opened a whole new user base with audio blog access. Many people do not like or have time to read extensive blog posts, but would more readily access their media if their time were not so constrained. There is no question that many people in the blog community, and other textual based media venues, will become more hard wired to their data, and everyone should benefit from time, logistic and space savings indicated in this innovative new release.

We all love gadgets, but are often disappointed with the newest renditions. If Odiogo performs as it appears it might, the potential market is awesome! Best of all the service is free! My only reservation stems from the mention of generating revenues for users from the product. Everyone should be familiar with my views on spandexing and unsavory link generation by now. If the service can establish a credible program for generating profits to bloggers, they will have revolutionized the industry. We will watch for developments in this area closely, as competitors are sure to follow Odiogo's example.