The Podcast Review

this is one of the best tech / geek interview shows out there.  The tech sector seems to be brimming with panel discussions on the latest happenings or buzz, but very rarely do you get to sit down and hear an entrepreneur or major player tell it-like-it-is in their own words.  Maybe they are shy of their own voice, or perhaps they view audio as an in-efficient method of conveying their message, but the Tech Interview podcast is a rare beast indeed.

What hooked me initially into Social Nerdia were these 2 shows:  one with John Poza, founder of Woopra, a web analytics company (the interview is much more interesting than his company sounds!) and this other extended discussion with Bob Knorpp, founder of the BeanCast – a very interesting and lively marketing podcast.  Both introduced me to new players, and extended my understanding of the web space as it is; and how quickly it is changing in daily usage.

For these connections, one is thankful.  One meaningful thread can lead one into world’s of opportunities; exploring sub-ecosystems than one did not know previously existed.  Many do their work in quiet, but the work is done nevertheless.  The result is what counts, not the accolades.

a thoroughly enjoyable show from a dedicated geek.

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it has been my consistent view that Information Technology fundamentally shifts the nature of the human experience; for so many centuries and millenia, information and knowledge was gated down certain pipes; you had to be in the know to ‘know’.  It was a constraint of physics (overhearing a conversation) and technology (parchment, and printing press).  Knowledge was constrained.  Decisions were made with limited data.

with the advent of the computer, and more recently, mass adoption of high speed internet, this limitation has, essentially, been removed.  Knowledge is, for all intents and purposes, a shared space with the likes of google and twitter search.  You have a directed tap into whatever field or real time conversation that your mind aims towards.  It is powerful, and heady.

yet knowledge is not everything.  There is a higher level that exists, and I would posit that it encompasses the world of ‘Understanding‘ and ‘Wisdom‘.  So while we have knowledge and technique on tap, we have to be aware that there is a different game in town; something else being played out.   That’s why, although I have a keen interest in tech and its developments, I remain shy of becoming an uber-geek, and giving myself over to a technocentric world.  I fear there is a trap at the end of the tunnel of funneled electrons.

Supernova – is a blogtalk radio show all about the Network Age.  It investigates the consequences of having an always on, always conencted society.  It’s main approach is from that of the provider – ie, the company and corporation – those that deliver the services that we all rely on.  For example, here is a show on Google Wave, and one on Modern Coding.   But there are also more humanist approaches, asking the questions of how to Digitally Disconnect, and what Twitter Truly Means for us.  Topics are broad and engaging.

The shows themselves go for an hour, but could have done with some editing.  Although the show is recorded live via blogtalk, there are options to upload your own mp3’s, and I feel a better product could have been delivered with some careful curation.  There are some stretches where the conversation lags, and basically, there is a lot of dead, empty air.  This is a shame, because the ideas presented are wide-ranging and deep.  A bit of fast forwarding will aid you in getting the most out of this podcast.

in short, the Ideas are powerful, but the presentation is a little off.   Enough gold to glitter for the seeking eye.

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this is another in a long line of gadget podcasts, but this one does the job with a minimum of fuss.  Released weekly, and an outgrowth of the main blog site – CrunchGear – it is a thirty minute summary of the latest shiny toys.  It has a minimum of personal chatter, but rather the panel of hosts focuses laser-like on the stories as they progress in a conveyor-belt-like fashion.

sometimes podcasts get a little too personal, a little too ego-centric; this one concentrates on the information and the commentary, and is an awesome digest and catchup for a runaway world.

Gadgets and associated devices define the modern world.  Stay in touch.

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to me, Microsoft succeeded with one operating system – and that was Windows XP.  It seemed to do everything that I wanted it to do, the way I expected it to.  So fast forward a few years and we have the huge debacle of Vista.  Windows 7 aims to correct that.

From the early reports, 7 is a streamlined, functional, OS for the day.  Working from the netbook to a souped-up 4-core processor, it is flexible and adaptable enough to be the operating system of choice.  So they say.

Windows Weekly is a weekly podcast hosted by Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott.  Both are exceptional talkers, and convey their experience and understanding of the tech world.  This Windows focussed show makes a welcome antidote to all the Apple FanCasts out there – I’m all for committed users, but there is something about the Mac Universe that engenders irrationality and obsession – and that is a concern!

this latest episode – show 127 – was recorded the week of Windows 7 release.  Through all the beta testing period, the expectation has been building, and the final arrival succeeded.  Seamless upgrade, cheap pricing – it looks like Microsoft is on a winner here.

For the moment, I’ll stay with xp, but any trepidation about upgrading to a new machine has now vanished.  Thank You 7!

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MP3 Insider is a weekly CNET podcast devoted to the portable music player – whether that be iPod, Zune, Walkman, or something else. They discuss all the latest info on headphones, upcoming hardware releases, and price changes. Donald Bell provides a hard ‘nerdy’ look at things, while Jasmine France is keenly interested in usability issues and functionality. They form a good duo.

Podcasts are around the half hour mark, and the discussion stays on topic. There is an audio feed available, but I recommend subscribing to the video version; you need to see these mp3 players and headphones to get a true grasp of what’s being discussed.

the show has been very consistent now (over 150 episodes) and the information is always breaking and relevant. This scoop on the Zune HD at the time is a prime example of that.

if you take your portable audio seriously, this is well worth subscribing to.

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MP3 Insider Blog

Geek News Central is the podcast masterminded by Todd Cochrane; a keen advocate of podcasting and someone who works professionally in the field.  This podcast is a twice weekly look at the world of tech, with some searing personal analysis and insight.  Todd is the geek ne plus ultra, and is rather unusual in that he is based in Hawaii Honolulu, rather than in the two main tech hubs of California or New York.   The podcast runs for an hour, and is just one man talking; it takes some skill to carry this solo project off.

It is quite admirable what this one guys does; a testament to willpower and committed passion.  There are many tech podcasts out there, but few that are so infused with personal experience and truth.  This isn’t punditry – it is honest perception.  Well done Todd.

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Australia is notoriously renowned for being behind in tech.  We get things later, we pay more for them (just check out the apple store for aussie prices) and we are, quite frankly, sitting at the arse end of the world.  This disadvantage also extends beyond tech: because of the smaller market and distance, being served by amazon is a costly affair; therefore books are pricey, and although things have improved via the exchange rate recently, shipping from overseas is a killer.  So most Australians live in envy of other places.

and maybe we have our well-funded healthcare system, but I wonder if there are any benefits of living in such a place.  But enough of the dissing – onto the podcast.  Digital Life is a weekly talking show that looks at tech as perceived by Australians.  It has been running for about a year now, and the format has shifted in that time; it used to be much more structured with various news segments, but is now rather freeform – and I’m not sure it’s been a positive change.

The show runs for about half an hour, and there is a lot of object envy; talk of the latest camera releases. console developments, and mobile phone news.  And although there are other sources out there that will give you better indepth and current analysis, for an Australian audience, this podcast is a nice lifeline into what is *really* out there as valid options for this country.

and you know, thinking on it, there are times when I really wish I could live somewhere else

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technology has always had a big impact upon society.  It dictates the production of goods, the flow of information, the ability to wage war.  It informs civilisation.  And so, with the mass adoption of the internet since the year 1994, how have things changed?  In a word.  Massively.

In 15 short years all that has gone before has been uprooted.  The web has enabled interpersonal communications in a hitherto untold level.  Citizens can email each other on a common platform, and this simple tool has made business, love lives, commerce and whistleblowing a simple instant click of the fingers.  Ideas weave out from our minds into the wider world.

on top of email we have layers of audio, video, and social networking.  Every 2 years has virtually seen a new tool invented that has seen mass adoption.  Think of broadband, blogging, youtube, ebay, amazon, facebook, and twitter.  Each of these steps has amounted to a mini-revolution in how we live our lives; erased all that has gone before and replaced it with ease, simplicity, and empowerment.  So the internet has rocked our lives.

The Revolution continues.

Digital Planet is a weekly podcast from the BBC.  It runs for about 30 minutes, and looks at the way that tech is morphing our lives.   Previous episodes have looked at the Pirate Bay, using laser scanning to study earthquakes, Google Books, and censorship in certain countries.  Such is the wide scope that Information Technology has these days.

one unfortunate drawback of this podcast is that only the last broadcast episode is available.  This seems rather shortsighted on the part of the BBC; after all, we are supposed to be connected in *every* way these days; with past things done referenceable.  *sigh*

other than that, a well produced show, well worth listening to.

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Note: there is an archive page where you can get previous episodes.  But the rss feed and itunes link only contain the most recent broadcast.

almost everyone has a website these days.  Not only a presence on sites like twitter, facebook, youtube, and reddit; but a bona fide standalone site.  It’s a way of saying: hey, this is me, my business, my contribution to the wider internet.

this has come about for many reasons.  Cheap hosting is one.  Open source software is another.  So the costs are down.  Also the software has become much more user friendly over the years.  Something like wordpress is usually a one-click install, and you’re on your way.  So yes, going solo is not as daunting as it once was.

Sitepoint is a site dedicated to the web designer and entrepreneur.  Full of tips, articles, and forums to help out the beginner and also more experienced user.  The Sitepoint Podcast features interviews with prominent web players.  It comes out weekly, and is an easy listen, despite the heavy tech focus.  It works because the interviews remain goal-focused; so the tech is just a means, not an enthrallment.

well worth digging into the podcast archives.

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this is a specialist podcast.  It deals with IT issues in higher education.  It’s a quick 10 minute burst, so its not too painful.

Scott Carlson, a reporter with the Chronicle for Higher Education, is the interviewer, and Warren Arbogast is the person serving up the insights and opinions; he is an industry consultant interfacing tech and the college market.

Security issues, HR, dealing with upgrades – these are all fair game.  For someone like me who spent many many years at university, I managed to get something out of it.  It’s dry, but insightful.

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