“In less than six months, more than 2,000 podcasters have sprung up. Eventually an iPod-like device will have a subscription capability built in so you won’t even need to be tethered to a computer. It’s not hard to imagine an iPod with WiFi capabilities that could become a radio with no geographic limits.”
It turned out that way, didn't it. ;-)
Funny thing is at the time Microsoft had a product that was meant to compete with Apple's iPod, called Zune, and it wasn't getting in there. I went there and proposed we turn it into a podcasting platform. They never responded.
Lots of examples of things like that. They needed to pivot, turn the corner, realize there was another market they could get at that Apple couldn't because Apple viewed audio as valuable and podcasting says "one listen and throw it out." There really was a niche there back then. Now, it would never go over, because the installed base.