Lucas Reif (left), Robert Clarke and Carson Fujisaki (far right) are the founders of OmniTechNews.net.

Published: August 17, 2009

by Tom Banse

Companies large and small are discovering that they can't ignore Internet product reviews and social networking sites — and some of the new voices that must be heeded are very young.

The headquarters of OmniTechNews.net is the cramped bedroom of 12-year-old Robert Clarke in Redmond, Wash. He and his two elementary school pals, Carson Fujisaki and Lucas Reif, are taping their latest video podcast product review.

Clarke is in a T-shirt and shorts. He smoothly and confidently runs through the pros and cons of some new headphones from the company Skullcandy; 2 1/2 minutes later, it's a wrap.

These Internet videos routinely draw a couple hundred views. Viewership occasionally spikes into the thousands — not bad for an enterprise powered by weeding and babysitting money, and Fujisaki's $2-a-week allowance.

"I think we just did it for fun at the time, just because it was something we like to do," Fujisaki says. "Then we definitely started getting a lot more popular and started adding members to the team."

Although companies are sending them free gadgets and accessories to review, the boys also go out and interview local business managers such as Roberto Hoyos, who owns specialty pillow company Throwboy Pillows. He treats the youngsters dead seriously.

"What they are doing is almost like when people go, 'Hey, let's go play store,' or, 'Hey, let's play news reporter today.' But now you can make it into a real thing," Hoyos says. "People can actually see it. And people can subscribe to it, and people can click on your advertisements and all sorts of things. You can actually make money off of it."

The 11- and 12-year-olds at OmniTechNews don't feel sorry for businesses still getting used to the cacophony of unknown, uncredentialed critics.

Reif says he is aware of the variable quality of Web media out there.

"I think that we're definitely trying to be professional in what we do," he says. "People who do this individually down in their basement, I think they need to up the game because there are a lot of other people out there who do the same stuff."

Tom Banse reports for Northwest News Network

[Copyright 2012 National Public Radio]

TRANSCRIPT:

MELISSA BLOCK, host:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block.

ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

I'm Robert Siegel. And it's time now for All Tech Considered.

(Soundbite of music)

SIEGEL: Thanks to the Internet, the world has a lot more critics. Some are associated with well-established Web sites. Others make their views known through homemade blogs or videos. And when it comes to product reviews, many tech companies are discovering that they can't ignore some of their newest, more unusual critics. Correspondent Tom Banse reports on one tech review in Redmond, Washington, where the critics are kids.

TOM BANSE: A sure-fire way to make yourself feel old and behind the times is to visit the headquarters of OmniTechNews.net. That would be the cramped bedroom of 12-year-old Robert Clarke. He and two elementary school pals are taping their latest video podcast product review.

(Soundbite of video taping)

Mr. ROBERT CLARKE (Producer, OmniTechNews.net): …in three, two, one.

Mr. LUCAS REIF (Host, OmniTechNews.net): Hello, my name's Lucas and welcome to show 46 of OmniTechNews.

(Soundbite of music)

BANSE: The pint-sized host is in T-shirt and shorts. He smoothly and confidently runs through the pros and cons of some new headphones from the company Skullcandy.

Mr. REIF: So, I would give these headphones, a solid six out of 10. If you really want to…

BANSE: Two and a half minutes later, it's a wrap.

Mr. CLARKE: That was great. Thanks, Lucas. Good, you gave him an honest rating I think.

BANSE: These Internet videos routinely draw a couple hundred views. Viewership occasionally spikes into the thousands — not bad for an enterprise powered by weeding and babysitting money, and Carson Fujisaki's $2-a-week allowance.

Mr. CARSON FUJISAKI (Producer, OmniTechNews.net): I think we just did it for fun at the time and just because it was something we like to do. Then we definitely started getting a lot more popular and start adding members to the team.

BANSE: And they've also got companies sending them free gadgets and accessories to review. The boys also go out and interview local business managers, like Roberto Hoyos.

Mr. CLARKE: Throwboy.com they make awesome pillows, like this one, very geeky, nerdy style pillows…

BANSE: The business owner treated the youngsters dead seriously.

Mr. ROBERT HOYOS (Business Owner, Throwboy Pillows): What they are doing is almost like when people go - hey, let's go play store, or hey, let's play news reporter today. But, now you can make it into a real thing and people can actually see it. And people can subscribe to it, and people can click on your advertisements and all these sorts of things. You know, you can actually make money off of it.

BANSE: The 11- and 12-year-olds at OmniTechNews don't feel sorry for businesses still getting used to the cacophony of unknown, uncredentialed critics. Lucas Reif is aware of the variable quality of Web media out there.

Mr. REIF: I think that we're definitely trying to be professional in what we do. People who do this, like, individually down in their basement, like, I think that they need to up the game because there are a lot of other people out there who do the same stuff.

BANSE: Perhaps. And a sign of things to come, one of the tech kids' grade-school teachers asked when he could buy stock in the nascent enterprise.

For NPR News, I'm Tom Banse in Redmond, Washington. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.