This totally rocks.  I've been tuning into Stuart's iPod Radio and listening to a nice collection of rock.  My initial views - wow.  Just try it and hope its not busy - you will be directed to voicemail otherwise. 

It is so easy to just call and listen.  No buffering, so quick and no breaks in between like with Yahoo's LaunchCast Radio which i love and use often.  This is much quicker and easier to tune into.  The quality of sound for the most part is great - only when i have a lot of stuff going on at my PC and my bandwidth is stretched that i hear some crackling.

I had a client here this morning, with whom i was discussing online communities and social networks and i showed it to her.  Got a doze of Led Zep !  So cool.  She was stunned when i told her that not only could i tune in myself, but i could be talking to anyone on Skype, with Stuart's iPod Radio playing in the background.  Suppose i wanted to call you, i would first call iPod Radio and then add you to a conference. 

Imagine the possibilities if all of us on Skype had our own versions of iPod Radio.  Then we could switch stations too depending on who we were talking to, what is playing and our mood. Or more simply, play music of your choice, or share it with your friend. Would make for some really nice warm social interactions. 

Shared moments in shared spaces.  Such an easy transition.  I can just see the IM generation of kids absolutely loving this. Add to it music selection capabilities and download transfers and this is truly disruptive.  

In a follow-up post, Stuart links to a piece by John Perry Barlow called Intimate Planet. Where he shares his experiences talking to strangers on Skype and ends with this :

"The potential of establishing a real emotional connection is exponentially advantaged. And I honestly don't think it would have been any different had they been guys. In the days since, I've received another random call from a guy in Australia. We talked, very entertainingly, for awhile. I'm glad to know him too. (He wasn't trying to practice his English. He actually seems to prefer his version. He was just doing it because he could.)

..................Anyway, I feel as if the Global Village became real to me that night, and, indeed, it has become the Global Dinner Party. All at once. The small world has become the intimate world.

I'm beginning to think this Internet thing may turn out to be emotionally important after all."

So so true. Now if he had music playing in the background how much greater the emotional connect.  

Here's the documentation (pdf file) to set it up for yourself.

Note to self - get an iPod - until then wait for a hack with iTunes :) 

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