In the most recent installment, Allen and Mike talk about PC-based media-editing applications vs. web-based editing tools; AOL-Google and media overload. Oh, and we audibly cringe at the SFGiants new, but really really old, outfield.

In this installment, Allen and Mike discuss commerce and community, two essential forces driving the evolution of podcasting. 

We address these issues through the lens of Podshow, the well-funded venture headed by Adam Curry and Ron Bloom. 

Mike is somewhat circumspect during this discussion as some parts of the Podshow story are still under wraps. 

Interesting. This sets the stage for the AOL-Microsoft relationship in which AOL uses “Fremont” as its classified platform or a hook-up with Google in which they use Google Base. Stay tuned!

AOL will no longer support personal classified listings, but will instead become an aggregator. The company issued a statement in response to an article in AuctionBytes Newsflash on Wednesday that referenced an email from a partner that AOL was closing its classifieds site altogether (http://auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y05/m12/i14/s00).

AOL spokesperson Cindy Harvey sent a statement regarding the AOL Classifieds Marketplace: "Due to a strategic shift in direction pertaining to our Search & Directional Media plans, the AOL Classifieds Marketplace will no longer support personal classifieds listings and as of December 31st will transition into an aggregator of listings from leading industry partners."

Today's contestant is Vsocial; the company appears to be in my nexk of the woods. Great transcoding!

Interesting story. China is selecting MPEG-4 as its offocial IPTV coding standard. No doubt this will persaude software firms to provide better editing tools as well as a reasonable DRM standard.