Pretend for a moment that I have an audio feed that is constantly being updated – perhaps it’s a live stream, a list of MP3 files that play back-to-back, or a single podcast feed with a regular (consistent) release schedule. How can I make it convenient for my listeners to get to that content?
Many listeners will subscribe to the RSS feed, getting alerts on Google Reader, or some other service. Many will also subscribe via iTunes. if the content is updated regularly – let’s say daily – wouldn’t it be cool if listeners had a player embedded in the toolbar of their browser, so all they had to do was press PLAY and they could get the most current info on the spot?
I made a quick mock-up of what a possible Firefox add-on might look like. Check out the top right corner of the below image:
Pressing PLAY serves up the latest MP3 from the target podcast feed. It could also serve a live stream from an internet radio station, or other network. Clicking the RSS icon brings the user to the feed URL. Added functions could include the ability to create a custom play list or static MP3s, or feed URLs.