Library clips

I’ve posted on ways where you can convert an RSS feed to SMS, IM, email, etc…and I also covered on how the blog owner can organise this so subscribers don’t have to go to the trouble.

In a few clicks, visitors to my blog, can subscribe by email (FeedBlitz), by IM and SMS (Zingku), audio podcast text-to-speech (Talkr), direct-to-phone audio (mobilize) and lots more.

RSS to SMS

Like Zingku, iCast is another option to provide your subscribers a way to get your feed content by SMS.

MOBILE RSS ALERT
A maximum of 15 alerts will be sent per month
Standard text charges may also apply
Cost - $3 per month
Opt-out - Text “STOP” to 426682 (IAMOTA)
Help - Text “HELP FEED” to 426682 (IAMOTA)

iCast subscribers will find the widget on your blog and subscribe, there isn’t a number to SMS.
Whereas Zingku doesn’t have a widget for your blog, instead (via your blog sidebar or word of mouth) people can SMS your keyword to a number to get your content.

When the blog is updated the subscriber is automatically SMS’d updates for a month.
Whereas with Zingku you txt a number to be txt’d back content (you pull the content to yourself whenever you feel like it).

iCast cover these carriers - Alltel, Boost, Cellular one, Nextell, Sprint
Zikgku cover these carriers - Zingku is only available in the US.

I’m considering keeping Zingku to offer RSS-to-IM alerts, but may change to iCast to offer RSS-to-SMS alerts.

Zingku is not just for publishers, anyone can join up and create alerts for their favourite blogs (and lots more other features), so it’s a service handy for both publishers and subscribers…and Google recently acquired Zingku, so let’s see what happens next.

NOTE: Zingku is not just an RSS to SMS service, it has lots of different offerings.

Other handy tools for subscribers to do it for themselves are: ZapTXT, Blastfeed, Rasasa, FeedCrier, immedi.at, RSSFwd, Rmail, xFruits, 4info, msgme, etc….

To post content to your blog see, The many ways to post to your blog.

Media/Text Widgets

iCast also has a media/text widgets feature, where the publisher (blogger) uploads an image/text/video and visitors to your blog can send this content to their phone (the text widget has nifty templates eg. party)…see how it’s done.

–Image widgets–
Cost - $0.99 pay per use

–Text widgets–
Cost - $0.50 pay per use

They even have a Facebook app to send pics to your phone.

Terms and conditions.

Oh, I forgot to mention when someone clicks your widget and sends something to their phone, you get cash.

Only problem I have is that the publisher (blogger) can’t add media or text to their widget from their mobile phone eg. cellblock, pickle, and lots of others.

TextMarks, msgme, mozes , Broadtexter and others allow people to txt your keyword to a number (or join via the widget on your blog) and they will get a txt back with the latest content that is in your widget, or on a subscription schedule.
The publisher can also add content to their widget by txt’g from their mobile phone (like cellblock and pickle mentioned above).

SayNow is the same for audio, it allows you to post audio to your widget from your phone, upload a file or via a podcast feed…then your visitors, like Textmarks can text your keyword or subscribe via the widget, then they will be notified by SMS, email, or a voice call…then they ring a number to listen to the voice message…they can also respond.

iCast Mobile RSS Alerts

Zingku RSS to IM alerts

Add ZingkuPal as a contact and IM the word jtropea3

via Zingku (hover over icon)
Send an IM for the latest post

Zingku RSS to SMS alerts

US only…Text jtropea3 to 33669…but first validate your mobile by text 6869 to 33669

via Zingku (hover over icon)
Send an SMS for the latest post

VoiceIndigo-Mobilize listen to podcast (text-to-speech) of latest post

Listen to the most recent post

iCast Image Widget

iCast Text Widget

[ADDED 26/10/07: Mobile friendly version of your blog]
[ADDED 2/11/07: Listen to feeds on your mobile phone]
[ADDED 2/11/07: Get blog updates on your mobile phone (IM, email, SMS, audio, web)]