Comments on: My Podcast Habit http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit Mac & Technology Writings by Daniel Jalkut Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:33:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Kevin http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit/comment-page-1#comment-20876 Kevin Sun, 29 Oct 2006 07:33:06 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit#comment-20876 I only listen to two podcasts as I find it difficult to find time that allows me to concentrate on the audio. I don't like to listen to something when it's effectively just background music. This 1st one, Cocoa Radio, you're already aware of. The 2nd is <a href="http://garrettmurray.net/podcast/" rel="nofollow">The Garrett Murray Podcast</a>. That was the first podcast I'd ever bothered to try and for some odd reason it stuck. The two guys are Mac users, coders and into making short films and the topics are pretty much completely random but almost always amusing. Anyway, check it out if you're interested in a short comedy interlude with all that news, science and technology. I only listen to two podcasts as I find it difficult to find time that allows me to concentrate on the audio. I don’t like to listen to something when it’s effectively just background music.

This 1st one, Cocoa Radio, you’re already aware of. The 2nd is The Garrett Murray Podcast. That was the first podcast I’d ever bothered to try and for some odd reason it stuck. The two guys are Mac users, coders and into making short films and the topics are pretty much completely random but almost always amusing. Anyway, check it out if you’re interested in a short comedy interlude with all that news, science and technology.

]]> By: john http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit/comment-page-1#comment-17535 john Sat, 07 Oct 2006 05:21:31 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit#comment-17535 That's a great list of podcasts - the TED talks in particular look pretty interesting. I second Matt's vote for the ABC podcasts - superb quality in both production and intelligent content. I'd add their Background Briefing podcast to the list, and for this audience the recent episodes Regaining confidence in western culture Loot: Real money in virtual worlds The rise of the carbon traders Googlemania may be of interest, and to Daniel's taste. New Scientist Science Talk: The podcast of Scientific American Nature I've gone off the New Scientist podcast - its OK, but I find it a bit lightweight and breathless, like the magazine. I've come to prefer Science Talk, which seems to be turning more to a long interview format. There's also the Nature broadcast, if that sort of thing floats your boat. But I still haven't found a science podcast that really does it for me. I think its a problem broadcasting science to a general audience - even an audience of scientists of mixed disciplines. I think there's a lot of opportunity for more narrowcast science based podcasts - researchers talking about their research without having to assume a lowest common denominator audience. And as an Aussie, I have to say the (british) accents on the New Scientist podcast drive me batty. The other podcast that should make it onto Daniel's list is the Startup School Podcast from Paul Graham's Y-Combinator startup school. Good stuff, and thanks Daniel for your recommendations. That’s a great list of podcasts – the TED talks in particular look pretty interesting.

I second Matt’s vote for the ABC podcasts – superb quality in both production and intelligent content. I’d add their Background Briefing podcast to the list, and for this audience the recent episodes

Regaining confidence in western culture
Loot: Real money in virtual worlds
The rise of the carbon traders
Googlemania

may be of interest, and to Daniel’s taste.

New Scientist
Science Talk: The podcast of Scientific American
Nature

I’ve gone off the New Scientist podcast – its OK, but I find it a bit lightweight and breathless, like the magazine. I’ve come to prefer Science Talk, which seems to be turning more to a long interview format. There’s also the Nature broadcast, if that sort of thing floats your boat. But I still haven’t found a science podcast that really does it for me. I think its a problem broadcasting science to a general audience – even an audience of scientists of mixed disciplines. I think there’s a lot of opportunity for more narrowcast science based podcasts – researchers talking about their research without having to assume a lowest common denominator audience.

And as an Aussie, I have to say the (british) accents on the New Scientist podcast drive me batty.

The other podcast that should make it onto Daniel’s list is the

Startup School Podcast

from Paul Graham’s Y-Combinator startup school. Good stuff, and thanks Daniel for your recommendations.

]]> By: Stephan Cleaves http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit/comment-page-1#comment-17372 Stephan Cleaves Thu, 05 Oct 2006 18:16:22 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit#comment-17372 It is fairly rare for me not to be in front of my computer. If I am then podcasts are too much of a distraction. I do find I can listen to them while driving but I don't find myself in the car that often. I tried to listen while grocery shopping but I found that every time I was scanning shelves that I lost focus on the audio. However I did want to share the one podcast I catch from time to time. That is Ira Flatow's <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=73329284" rel="nofollow">Science Friday</a> from NPR. The nice thing is that each story is its own podcast, so you only have to listen to those you are interested in. It is fairly rare for me not to be in front of my computer. If I am then podcasts are too much of a distraction. I do find I can listen to them while driving but I don’t find myself in the car that often. I tried to listen while grocery shopping but I found that every time I was scanning shelves that I lost focus on the audio. However I did want to share the one podcast I catch from time to time. That is Ira Flatow’s Science Friday from NPR. The nice thing is that each story is its own podcast, so you only have to listen to those you are interested in.

]]> By: pedro mg http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit/comment-page-1#comment-17284 pedro mg Wed, 04 Oct 2006 19:29:16 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit#comment-17284 I have a small <a href="http://blog.tquadrado.com/?p=21" rel="nofollow">post</a> pointing some interesting episodes from Chris Dibona (Google) and Leo's FLOSS netcasts. Interviews with Randal 'PERL' Schwartz, Guido 'PYTHON' van Rossum, etc... I find them a good companion too. As for coding, i can't listen to them while programming... i guess i'm not multi-taskin'aholic... I have a small post pointing some interesting episodes from Chris Dibona (Google) and Leo’s FLOSS netcasts. Interviews with Randal ‘PERL’ Schwartz, Guido ‘PYTHON’ van Rossum, etc… I find them a good companion too.

As for coding, i can’t listen to them while programming… i guess i’m not multi-taskin’aholic…

]]> By: Bob http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit/comment-page-1#comment-17172 Bob Tue, 03 Oct 2006 14:45:44 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit#comment-17172 I gave up trying to listen to spoken word tracks at the gym. I can't concentrate on them. But I do have a 50 minute commute, so I listen to audio books (Harry Potter being the best performed), old time radio (otrcat.com), and only one non-pro podcast has ever interested me. I also find their unscripted banter boring. Inside The Magic, a Disney news podcast, is the least bad I've found, so it is the one I listen to on occasion. I'll have to try Escape Pod. I gave up trying to listen to spoken word tracks at the gym. I can’t concentrate on them. But I do have a 50 minute commute, so I listen to audio books (Harry Potter being the best performed), old time radio (otrcat.com), and only one non-pro podcast has ever interested me. I also find their unscripted banter boring. Inside The Magic, a Disney news podcast, is the least bad I’ve found, so it is the one I listen to on occasion. I’ll have to try Escape Pod.

]]> By: Bret http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit/comment-page-1#comment-17122 Bret Mon, 02 Oct 2006 23:55:36 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit#comment-17122 Yeah... I stumbled across them last month while playing with the new iTunes... and then my iPod broke. Shoulda' bought the extended warranty, but I figured "I always have it pluged in to something - wall or car - so my battery isn't gonna wear out", totally not thinking about the hard drive giving out... guess I gotta go buy a new one (well, at least I'll get to play games on it, eh?). Anyway, um... they're quite listenable... actually, they're good enough to be on pro-radio. In fact, I'm listining to them right now... Yeah… I stumbled across them last month while playing with the new iTunes… and then my iPod broke. Shoulda’ bought the extended warranty, but I figured “I always have it pluged in to something – wall or car – so my battery isn’t gonna wear out”, totally not thinking about the hard drive giving out… guess I gotta go buy a new one (well, at least I’ll get to play games on it, eh?).

Anyway, um… they’re quite listenable… actually, they’re good enough to be on pro-radio. In fact, I’m listining to them right now…

]]> By: Stripes http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit/comment-page-1#comment-17116 Stripes Mon, 02 Oct 2006 21:55:37 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit#comment-17116 I'm rather fond of <a HREF="http://escape.extraneous.org/" rel="nofollow">Escape Pod</a>, it is basically a new SciFi short story each week, and while it repeats narraters from time to time, I've heard over 20 different narrators, so not so frequently. Oh, and by "new" I really mean "different from any of the other stories", they buy them from SciFi authors, but almost all have been previously published. If you like SciFi shorts, and audiobooks you'll love it. If you don't like either of those things, you might wanna give it a miss. I’m rather fond of Escape Pod, it is basically a new SciFi short story each week, and while it repeats narraters from time to time, I’ve heard over 20 different narrators, so not so frequently.

Oh, and by “new” I really mean “different from any of the other stories”, they buy them from SciFi authors, but almost all have been previously published.

If you like SciFi shorts, and audiobooks you’ll love it. If you don’t like either of those things, you might wanna give it a miss.

]]> By: Ryan Ballantyne http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit/comment-page-1#comment-17114 Ryan Ballantyne Mon, 02 Oct 2006 21:18:58 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit#comment-17114 I'm not gonna lie: I've never listened to a single podcast. For one, I don't have room on my 4G 20 gigger. But I also don't sit in boring places much. However, now you have me thinking I ought to check it out, if only because I find listening to the spoken word enhances my doing of Math, which takes up a large portion of my time... I’m not gonna lie: I’ve never listened to a single podcast. For one, I don’t have room on my 4G 20 gigger. But I also don’t sit in boring places much.

However, now you have me thinking I ought to check it out, if only because I find listening to the spoken word enhances my doing of Math, which takes up a large portion of my time…

]]> By: Daniel Jalkut http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit/comment-page-1#comment-17086 Daniel Jalkut Mon, 02 Oct 2006 14:39:08 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit#comment-17086 Bret: thanks for the link, I hadn't heard of that one but it looks good. Geoff: I suppose I should try to put this Radio Shark to work... since I switched coasts I have gotten out of the public radio habit, but some of those shows would definitely make good "pseudo-podcasts." Bret: thanks for the link, I hadn’t heard of that one but it looks good.

Geoff: I suppose I should try to put this Radio Shark to work… since I switched coasts I have gotten out of the public radio habit, but some of those shows would definitely make good “pseudo-podcasts.”

]]> By: Geoff Schmit http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit/comment-page-1#comment-17075 Geoff Schmit Mon, 02 Oct 2006 12:33:28 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/198/my-podcast-habit#comment-17075 I completely agree that a podcast makes the tedious tolerable or even enjoyable. I don't even mind washing the dishes if I'm listening to a podcast. While I listed to CocoaRadio, I mostly listen to public radio shows. While there's a freely available podcast for "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!," there aren't for many other shows. So, I use <a href="http://rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/" rel="nofollow">Audio Hijack Pro</a> (think Tivo for any audio you get get to your Mac) to record "Car Talk," "This American Life," and "A Prairie Home Companion." Just remember to still support your local public radio station. I completely agree that a podcast makes the tedious tolerable or even enjoyable. I don’t even mind washing the dishes if I’m listening to a podcast. While I listed to CocoaRadio, I mostly listen to public radio shows. While there’s a freely available podcast for “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!,” there aren’t for many other shows. So, I use Audio Hijack Pro (think Tivo for any audio you get get to your Mac) to record “Car Talk,” “This American Life,” and “A Prairie Home Companion.” Just remember to still support your local public radio station.

]]>