Poodle [BETA]- goes online!

[Pokasta]

phpFM Poodle BETA is now online- so if you find yourself with a few seconds to spare, head over to phpFM.com to try it out- its a BETA so any feedback is very much appreciated, the service will continue to develop based on the response from the podcasting community.

Poodle allows users to enter the URL for any podcast feed and to view a complete plain-english visually formatted episode history.

[SamuraiShow]

I don't get it.

[Pokasta]

LOL- its part of a new line of services that are being developed with this visual representation of a podcast's episodes being part of that. Its in a beta at the moment so is really only up for users to have a bit of a play with while testing continues.

We're developing a major new line of services for podcasters, to be released soon. These will be supplemented with enhanced pinging and feed options as well as services to increase the ability for those who dont want to create the podcasts, find the ones they want to listen to.

The crunch is the provision of functionality that isn't currently available- but there will be something along the lines of a 'grand opening' when that one goes live..(!)

[Hittman]

I’ve got to say I don’t get it either. I can get a much better write up on a sites web page.

I tried it with mine, and it didn’t even show the episodes.

[discoverpodcasts.com]

I still don't understand. Sorry.

[Pokasta]

I’ve got to say I don’t get it either. I can get a much better write up on a sites web page.

I tried it with mine, and it didn’t even show the episodes.

I gave it a try:

http://www.phpfm.com/phpfm/pages/engine.php?action_do=ShowNotes&action_go=True&feed_URL=http://www.davehitt.com/podcasts/quickhitts.xml

And it seems to be working- it is a BETA though, and as I said it isnt meant to be a stand-alone service! Also, because it automatically parses the contents of the feed, the only thing you get is what's actually in the feed entered, no frills.

[el]

Pokasta. You need to explain to everyone exactly what it's for. Why should we be using it? The pinging services I get, I have no idea what Poodle is meant to do though.

We know it's part of a new line of services, but that's a little vague. Enlighten us!

[Pokasta]

I must admit it is all a bit vague....

Basically the service (named Poodle when it was in full Beta, and accessible as the 'ShowNotes' option on the site) lets users enter in the URL for any feed online.

The feed is read and a summary of the feed itself is provided followed by a list of all the episodes in that feed, in a simple visual format.

The reason behind this is that often podcasters can duplicate data- by first entering data as new feed items, then again as say, a blog post, on their website.

The ShowNotes service lets users create new podcast episodes then simply link to their processed feed in its ShowNotes format so their listeners can see whats been added without the podcaster having to duplicate anything.

The service is currently running as a trial however- and so appears as a very stand alone entity with not much practical application beyond the obvious. However, as mentioned, a new suite of services is being developed into which Poodle/ShowNotes fits very closely.

Its a cog in a larger machine, and while it may currently seem isolated in its use, when the larger machine is unveiled all will become apparent.

This unveiling will occur soon!