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Podshow, where I produce Tech5 and do No Agenda with Adam Curry has changed its name to Mevio which I consider catchy and suggestive, which is what you want in a name. It’s suggestive of “me” and “video” and even “voice-over” or “V.O.”
This name change is part of a long process where the major podcasters of the world have long since given up on the prefix “pod” since most of these productions are played on computers or burned to CD’s with only perhaps a third actually downloaded onto music players. Even Leo LaPorte has moaned about the “pod” moniker and he calls all his productions “netcasts.” While I personally have no issue with the podcast moniker since I like the esoteric, the Podshow name itself was even more vague in the end and had to go. One bonus is that Mevio simply sounds more hip, more Web 2.0. When I say I’m a VP at Mevio I know the response will be that of intrigue. When asked what do they do at Mevio I’ll try not to say “podcasting.”
:)
John, as long as your dulcet tones keep rolling through my speakers, I’m OK with the name.
i don’t know dvorak, you might be too close to this one. i think there’s name-intrigue-fatigue on the rise.
Sure does sound like a WEB 2.0 name and really doesn’t make me think podcasts. But, whatever works.
The name isn’t important to me, its all about the content. If the name change helps with business (per Adam on DSC 750) then so be it
[Duplicate comment. – Deleted. – ed.]
I think the name change is kinda silly… Mevio just sounds like another Web 2.0 startup. I would wait for Web 3.0 – that’s gonna be the one that sticks! Having said that… Long live Mevio!!!
I saw the creepy video from Ron Bloom talking about the name change, saying that podcasting has an amateurish connotation as part of the reasoning, if I were a podshow podcaster I’d be a bit put off by that considering its the content that has made the network. Every since being exposed by Keith and the Girl, podshow’s leadership has always struck me as a combination of classless, clueless, and condescending. This name change doesn’t really change how I feel.
Apple will be sad.
To me MEVIO doesn’t suggest anything, unless you happen to be in the know. The slogan is a bit up itself too. At least there was the word “Show”in the old name, so you have some idea of what the content is.
Big companies like the BBC are using the term Podcast and many people are only just finding out what they are, to change it for something else now(after four years)it’s just going to confuse people further.
Mevio sounds like a Korean sub-compact car with a 40hp engine that only sells in Europe.
Might catch on though. It’s all about image building.
I never understood the confusion. It’s podcast, like broadcast, only with a smaller scope.
I think the name sounds flashy, but ultimately meaningless, which means it’s VERY Web 2.0. Still, best of luck.
sounds indifferent, irrelevant, web 2.0. Like any of those 200 other web 2.0 names that will soon be forgotten. Not even with a twist like flickr.
pj
“since most of these productions are played on computers or burned to CD’s with only perhaps a third actually downloaded onto music players”
You’ve spotted another trend John! People are moving from listening to stuff on iPods to listening to CDs.
I think there’s going to have to be a lot of publicity about the new name. The issue is to attract new listeners/viewers. This name doesn’t suggest webcasts at all. The publicity will be needed to bring enough attention so that Google brings up Mevio anytime someone searches for webcast, podcast, or netcast, even tv, radio, or video. If that happens, Mevio will become synonymous with what we now call podcasts.
@McCullough
Apple won’t really care. How much impact did the name “Podshow” ever have on the sales of iPods? For that matter, the vast majority of iPods sold have probably never had any podcasts loaded on them, so even awareness of the term “podcast” has had very marginal effect on sales of iPods (how many people can you imagine ever thought “I want to check out this ‘podcasting’ thing, so that means I’ll have to get an iPod”? Could there be a better example of the tail wagging the dog?).
Anyway, the hot Apple “i” product name is now “iPhone.” They made a fully conscious decision when they DIDN’T name it the “iPod Phone,” or “iPod Mobile” or something else stupid like that to try to ride on the “iPod” name.
The names and terms “Podshow” and “podcast” can completely disappear, and “iPod” will still be synonymous with “portable digital music/media player.”
What a stupid change. As has been mentioned above, Mevio sounds exactly the same as a raft of ‘me too’ web 2.0 sites, and it means absolutely nothing unless you’re in the know.
Which idiot makes these stupid decisions??
Vimeo or Mevio.
It’s just a jumble, squats on vimeo and lends to more head-scratching.
Sorry, just cranky.
I don’t know, if this were truly a 2.0 name, as others have suggested it would be more like “Mever” except the second “e” would be removed to look like “Mevr.”
Either way, Mevio or whatever it’s called does not say anything to me about what it is. It sounds more like a service that you use than a production you consume.
Plus, I think there’s something more you’re not telling us.
Being an older fart “pod casting” always brought to mind s/g from invasion of the body snatchers.
It’s a better – if slightly odd – name. The pod moniker has always felt slightly “off” to me, but I can’t quite put my finger on why. Branding is such a dart throwing contest.
Love No Agenda…keep it up.
Haha..Petri. The fact is that most people who listen in their car still burn CD’s. I do! It’s retro but it works. And yes, it is a counter trend, I got the gist of your needling. I think I made myself clear that I do not personally have a problem with the name podcasting.
And, yeah it does sound a little like a car name, so does Flickr and a hundred other names.
That explains why my “mevio”-catcher downloaded every episode of NoAgenda again this morning and filled up the SD card they were being saved to.
I saw the change of the directory of the feed and assumed Mr Curry had been messing about…
Call them what you want, and call the company what you like, it may take a while for most people already using “pod”-cast/catchers to change what they call them – it doesn’t really matter as long as they continue to be produced and be entertaining.
They totally missed it…shoulda been:
JOHNVIO
Wasn’t Mevio the ancient Greek God of incoherence?
Lin Esex: last I checked, my iPhone has an iPod button right at the bottom of the home screen. Inside of this they have a podcasts section, music and other stuff. While I agree with some of your points, I disagree that Apple dropped the iPod from the name of their phone as a way to phase out the naming convention. Afterall, they released an iPod touch shortly after the iPhone. Typed from my iPhone. Oh and I agree with everyone else that podxasring and the term is just now finally getting more understood by the general public… Good luck podshow or whatever u call yourself now.
Step 1: brainstorming
Step 2: is the name registered? if so, go back to Step 1
Step 3: rationalize
My personal opinion is that Mevio is a weak, generic sounding name. Podshow wasn’t all that strong either, but at least it had considerable brand awareness in the podcasting crowd. Mevio sounds like a dozen other web things.
Shockingly awful name. Mevio isn’t even easy to say and is meaningless to just about everyone.
Here in the UK the term “Podcast” is pretty widely known, thanks to promotion by the BBC. Perhaps the reason why Podshow hasn’t been amazingly successful had nothing to do with the name and a lot to do with the site is virtually unusable. I’ve tried getting content directly from the site and ended up searching Google for a stand alone feed. In one case, I gave up entirely.
love tech5 and no agenda. I must say that I think the mevio name change shows the chinks in the podshow armor, and their laundry. I loved Podshow at first. Then Adam broke all tha promises he made on DSC. Just another big company. I will always like Dorak’s shows, but I hope Mevio sinks like Podshow.
Successful Business Tips:
1. Choose a name
2. Establish “brand” for chosen name
3. Change name and lose what you built
4. Have a Guinness, you’re Brilliant!
Oh, and @#9 Juiceuser …
RSS is only half of the darn podcasting setup (for consumers). Why should they bother to not break the RSS feed? Cripes!
John, if you’re a VP at Mevio, push to fire all the programmers. Its not hard to overhaul a site and keep the feeds consistent.