DISQUS

Wills · 1 year ago

Thats awesome. Audio quality is decent too.

(jeff)isageek · 1 year ago

bad part it in the description they list your number even if you go thru feedbuner...unless there is a way for me to take that out of that feed. if so let me know.

Kris Smith · 1 year ago

There is a way for you to create that feed :-). That is why we like is as an API. This feed for example - http://croncast.com/cinchpub.rss doesn't reveal my phone number. And in 30 minutes I wrote a script to dump my Cinch posts into my blog. Neither of these are ground breaking but were built quickly and easily.

We'll have additional functionality in the next few days for usernames in the feeds and pin #'s for added security if you are looking for that.

Bill · 1 year ago

I think I would much rather register, and have a real URL instead of giving out my phone number. I could do a feedburner thing or something, but I dunno.

dave · 1 year ago

I wouldn't want to expose my real phone number either.

That's why I positioned it as an API and not a user interface.

And I totally agree -- this is a *good* application for Feedburner.

Sol Young · 1 year ago

8583429663 isn't your number? The blog post reads that way... Going to be a lot of unhappy people getting wrong-numbered :)

dave · 1 year ago

It's a loaner phone. Not my real phone. Usually turned off.

Gene_Poole · 1 year ago

I think they should ask the creator to input a code, verify it for uniqueness, and use it for the URL. Don't use the callers phone number. Privacy matters. I'm not sure if the site exposes the numbers but the user would have to to share the podcast. Or am I missing something?

playerx · 1 year ago

It doesn't expose your phone number through the mp3 download URL either, which is nice.
I wonder if these files expire after a certain time period and is there a time limit to your call?

jonknee · 1 year ago

This is a really bad idea. Caller ID is easy to fake. This is why voicemail services require a PIN even when you call from your phone.

For example, I could easily add a post to your private RSS feed using something like SpoofCard:

http://www.spoofcard.com/

Ryan · 1 year ago

99% of feeds won't be worth messing with. Just give the other 1% the option to require a PIN with each phone call.

playerx · 1 year ago

I hate the idea, but it kinda makes some sense, use pins for paid users?

Charlie Wood · 1 year ago

I agree, that is very cool. It looks like it's susceptible to spam though. Keep digging, BTR!

- Fake Dave Winer :-)

James · 1 year ago

They should either get rid of that intro message every time you call, or provide a second number that will just beep and allow you to record.

If I wanted to use this for anything where reaction time is very important, than an 8 second message is really a deal-breaker.

Kris Smith · 1 year ago

You can skip the intro message right away by pressing the # key.

Fred Zelders · 1 year ago

Any possibility to use this service in other countries besides the US?

Kris Smith · 1 year ago

The number now works for international callers.

Fred Zelders · 1 year ago

This works fine now when calling from Holland Kris!

Thanks!

Kris Smith · 1 year ago

awesome, let me know if you have any issues or feedback. krissmith[at]blogtalkradio.com

Willem · 1 year ago

Is there a number for international customers?
This number does not work from the Netherlands :-(

Kris Smith · 1 year ago

The number doesn't work internationally yet, but it will shortly.

Kris Smith · 1 year ago

International callers feel free to now get your Cinch on. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Willem · 1 year ago

Thanks Kris. Works great now! I embed the messages on my weblog using Grazr now...

Jason Bogovich · 1 year ago

Dave, I'm sure you know this but creating innovation is simply adding customer value. It doesn't matter whether they pay or not, if you deliver new value, like with flikrfan, you are innovating. I always thought the same thing, it had to be some new revolutionary concept. Little chunks of innovation make the word go round these days.

Thejesh GN · 1 year ago

cool. But I like utterz. It has same functionality and better features.

Nick Branstator · 1 year ago

Very nice. We were just adding similar functionality to MyVox, but it looks like the BlogTalkRadio folks had the same idea, and got it done quicker - kudos to them (though we will have the PIN piece for those who want it).

Gary Pandolfi · 1 year ago

Are there any charges associated with the phone number. Is it a free call? Are there extra charges added to the phone charges?

Kris Smith · 1 year ago

Lisa answered this above but I thought I would reply inline for good measure. The answer is that there are no extra charges added to your phone bill. This isn't a toll free number so you will be charged for a call to a NY telephone number.

Podcaster · 1 year ago

great service.

Lisa Padilla · 1 year ago

Gary/, there are no additional changes attached to the service other than what your phone service charges you to call the NY-based telephone number.

Willem/Fred, BlogTalkRadio is presently working on a Flash-based, click-to-call VoIP feature for international users. You'll be hearing more about it soon.

Playerx, there is no time limit and no expiration.

stevehollywood · 1 year ago

Thanks for the find. This service will work great for the local little league to announce schedule changes and rain delays.

Kris Smith · 1 year ago

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on Cinch. The goal is to keep it simple and let developers build tools on top of the service. Dave said it best by calling it a simple podcasting API.

To address privacy and spoofing concerns we will introduce some added functionality in the next few days. However, the core functionality will remain unchanged. Users will not be required to register and create a username or pin to use the service.

dave · 1 year ago

Kris, I'd also suggest creating an HTML page for each phone number in parallel with the RSS feed. Link from one to the other. In the feed, link to the HTML page from the top-level <link> element. On the HTML page use a white-on-orange XML icon.

Kris Smith · 1 year ago

Dave, We'll have an HTML page up in the next few days that will operate as you've outlined. One of our designers began a layout of the page earlier today. Again, the goal is to make that page simple, nothing fancy. We're discussing the URI structure right now. Options are to leave it as is with '/#orUsername' or to have that URI load the account page and change the RSS feed URI to something like '/#orUsername.rss'. Since this service is meant as an API I'd like to flip it around and have the HTML page be the URI with a file extension.

Rob Safuto · 1 year ago

This has been done many times before via Audioblog.com (now Hipcast), AudioBlogger, Odeo, Evoca, Openpodcast.org and more. Utterz is currently doing this and with international support. As a result I really don't see how the Cinch service from BlogTalkRadio can be called an innovation. If not having to create an account is considered an innovation then the bar is being set really low. People don't mind setting up accounts for services they use. In fact, having an account gives you a measure of control that almost everyone wants in these types of services.

Matt · 1 year ago

Is there a limit on message length, a la TwitterGram?

Kris Smith · 1 year ago

You can talk until you or your phone battery run out of juice.

Gale · 1 year ago

That's a cool service. Like other commenters (and Dave) I'm also hesitant to use something like this since would reveal my cell phone number to the world.

I agree on the importance of simplicity. Simple, functional new technologies/sytems that can be easily described to others tend to stick around and get used a lot. :-) Hence the fun and attraction of things like twitter.

Penda · 1 year ago

BTR has the most brilliant geniuses. Do you have a show on BTR? I'd be your #1 fan.

Penda · 1 year ago

I'm not a techi so I'm trying to follow the thread here. Is this similar to Calling Post? Here I call in and record a message and I can send it out to contacts I've entered. (www.callingpost.org) but you have to pay .10 per call and have to buy min of 200 calls LOL.

joey morris · 1 year ago

its a joke it sucks bigtime why dont they workn on getting the original blogtalkradio to work first before they start trying other things out

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