podcastreview

Best of Youtube

2008-09-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

This is a video podcast with close to daily updates. The title says it all but mostly the focus is on either funny clips or something amazing. I find that about half the time I am amazed by the stuff that´s being posted and this is a regular favorite to watch while I am travelling in trains and planes. **** rating.

Top Ten for February 2007

2007-02-26T23:56:00.000-08:00

Answer Bitch
Diggnation
GeekBrief
Grammar Girl´s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better writing
Keith and the Girl
Mac OS Ken
Net@nite
Real Time With Bill Maher
Skeptoid: Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena
This Week in Tech
VH1 Best Week Ever

This list is in alphabetical order not by preference. I recommend the newcomers Keith and the Girl and Grammar Girl. Extremely funny and extremely informative respectively.

GizWiz show

2006-03-07T00:23:00.000-08:00

I downloaded a new show from Leo Laporte, the hyper-busy podcaster, where the focus was on individual gadgets. A new gadget every day - that couldn´t be too bad.
In addition, the co-presenter is the Mad-magazine contributer Dick Debartolo so this promised to be funny and interesting. Funny gadget reviews simply cannot miss.

However.

The show is too light weight; the banter not so funny and the gadgets too frequently uninteresting. I noticed that I simply couldn´t be bothered to actually listen to the shows after they were downloaded. This is in sharp contrast to Leo's other shows which are genuinely interesting (TWIT and MacBreak).

I tried GizWiz for a week... and then let it go.

Top 10 for March (and Top 5)

2006-03-01T22:32:00.000-08:00

You know the drill. A new month, a new top ten podcast list.
These are the shows I look forward to downloading and enjoying. To make the list more clear I decided to split it into the audio top ten and the video top 5.

Audio
1. Cinecast
2. Emaccast
3. KCRW Left, Right & Center
4. Point of Inquiry
5. Real Time with Bill Maher (He´s back)
6. Scientific American
7. Slate Magazine Podcast
8. NBC´s Meet the Press
9. Telegraph News
10. This Week in Tech

Answer bitch has finally dropped out of the top ten; she was just becoming annoying and grating.
Ricky Gervais show has started its second season and as it now costs 1.95USD per 30 minute show, it is simply not a feasible option.
Ebert and Roper are simply not entertaining enough to be in the top ten anymore, don´t know how to put a finger on it but they are just too "slick", too polished.
The newcomers are: Point of inquiry, a skeptical science show; NBC´s Meet the Press, a great hardtalk interview show; Real Time with Bill Maher, who graciously has returned from his vacation and finally, Telegraph news which is great in the mornings with your cup of coffee. The Telegraph provides you with a small package of news summaries, market news and then some interesting articles. In a way it is perfectly representative of a newspaper where you never know exactly what you will be reading in the morning.

Video Top 5
1. Diggnation
2. DL.TV
3. Xplay Video Podcast
4. MacBreak
5. VH1 Best Week ever

Diggnation is still great and quite a lot of fun. DL.TV is more informative and "grown up". There is nothing "grown up" abut Xplay´s Video Podcast and MacBreak is the latest Leo Laporte video show (the guy is the most energetic podcaster around). VH1´s Best week ever is derived from their TV show and and gives you a pop culture briefing every day (LOST was exciting last night, Dancing with the stars was not).

Point of Inquiry

2006-02-24T13:47:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled when I saw this show available as a podcast. Point of Inquiry is a scientific show - focusing on the "alternative" thoughts out there and discusses whether or not these other approaches have any merits.

As an added bonus, they have extensive videos with big names in science and journalism, e.g. Richard Dawkins, Paul Kurtz, Joe Nickell and Marci Hamilton.

This is a high quality show on a very worthy subject. I recommend it to anybody who is interested in science.

Point of Inquiry is the Center for Inquiry’s radio show and podcast, drawing on CFI’s relationship with the leading minds of the day including Nobel Prize-winning scientists, public intellectuals, social critics and thinkers, and renowned entertainers. Each episode combines incisive interviews, features and commentary focusing on CFI’s issues: religion, human values and the borderlands of science. Point of Inquiry explores CFI’s three research areas:
1. Pseudoscience and the paranormal (bigfoot, UFOs, psychics, communication with the dead, cryptozoology, etc.)
2. Alternative medicine (faith healing, homeopathy, belief in “healing touch,” the efficacy of prayer, etc.)
3. Religion and secularism (church-state separation, the effects and proper role of religion in society, the future of secularism and nonbelief, etc.)

http://www.pointofinquiry.org

Scientific American Podcasts

2006-02-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

Scientific American just recently decided to publish podcasts on iTunes and I´m rather happy about the result. I had tried listening to The Naked Scientist (longwinded and not that informative) and then to the Science Friday show (Informative but rather hit or miss).

Scientific American is more direct and seems to be much more relevant to the topics of today. The last shows have been about evolution, marijuana, avian flu and of course... curling. Each show has an interview with a leading scientist and/or journalist and the host tries his best to put a humorous twist to it. You just have to admire that kind of dedication.

Its an excellent show and really a must for any science geek (you know who you are).

http://www.sciam.com/podcast/

Ricky Gervais first season finished

2006-02-20T10:43:00.000-08:00

Not sure how I feel about this.

Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant, along with their pet imbecile friend, Karl Pilkington, have now finished their first season of comedy podcasts. All in all they managed to give us 12 free half hour shows, mostly on Mr. Pilkingtons amazing thought processes. The shows were funny, peppered with Mr. Gervais's maniacal laughter and the nonplussed reactions of Mr. Pilkington. Steve Merchant acted as a kind of referee, poking fun but ensuring that the show actually progressed in some manner.

Now, however, after amassing a staggering 400.000 downloads, they have decided to return for another season but now for a fee. This is truly the end of an era. Podcasts will start charging for the content and the magic will either fade or... this will simply become another way for broadcasters to make money.

I´m not really sure how this will work - if they will charge a miniscule amount, say 1 pounds for 12 new shows.. I would agree with that. If they are going to charge a pound for each show - no way I will spend that kind of money on a comedy radio show.

Top Ten for February

2006-02-05T04:21:00.000-08:00

The world of podcasting is evolving rapidly so it only makes sense to come out with a new top ten list on a monthly basis (at least).
I´ve made some changes and will add the reasons behind them.

1. Cinecast.
2. Ricky Gervais show.
3. dl.tv
4. Diggnation video.
5. This week in Tech
6. KCRW, Left, Right and Center.
7. Ebert & Roeper
8. X-play´s video podcast
9. Answer Bitch
10. eMacCast

I deleted Bill Maher´s Real Time as the release schedule is basically nonexisting.
Ricky Gervais would be nr. 1 if he would add another podcast in the week. Going a week between podcasts is a little bit too long for me.
Answer bitch is getting to be a bit tired and might disappear within a couple of weeks.
X-play´s video podcast is short and funny, might even inch up a bit in the coming weeks.
eMaccast is a nice show where the presenter has managed to succeed in spite of his dull delivery tone and slight whine. His content is fantastic and the production of the podcast is excellent.
Tiki Bar TV is missing from the list and this is only due to the fact that too long time is allowed to pass between each episode.

Getting the News on Podcast shows

2006-01-28T02:28:00.000-08:00

I have been considering my news-oriented podcasts and trying to find a show that can fulfill my news appetite without being overly long or boring.

I tried the british Telegraph podcast which is a 25 minute show with all the most recent newsitems along with fairly detailed commentary. Or in their own words: "It allows you to sample the Daily Telegraph's incisive political, business, social and sporting writing - in many cases read by the columnists themselves."
25 minutes was a little bit too long for me to endure before breakfast but it was fairly ideal for the drive to work. Oh, and look out for those unexpected moments of pure british humour that crop up.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/newsfeed/rss/telegraphpodcast.xml

Another news show is the New York Times Front Page. It is a very short show (2 minutes) doing exactly what it says on the label. James Barron, a reporter at the Times, simply reads the front page headlines and summarizes the content. I suppose that it is quite good for what it is, a short summary. Would be good to have in the background while you brush your teeth.
www.nytimes.com

If you have found any worthwhile news shows - please send us a line.

Joe Vitalis podcast

2006-01-24T05:58:00.000-08:00

From his website
If you're interested in marketing, copywriting, publicity, or advertising, you've come to the right place. On this site you will learn the very techniques that Dr. Vitale has used for over 25 years to become known as one of the world's most powerful copywriters and marketing minds. He is the author of the international #1 best-seller, The Attractor Factor, the #1 best-selling e-book Hypnotic Writing, and the #1 best-selling Nightingale-Conant audio program, The Power of Outrageous Marketing, among numerous other works.

He is a marketing and sales genious, no doubt. His podcast made it to the top of podcastalley through, you guessed it, clever marketing. He promised to give a mega podcast giving the best of the best from his tips, book and courses which he is famous for. So after making it to nr. 1, there is his podcast, close to 90 minutes of the best advice. Smart guy, solid advice for small business owners.

MacProPodcast

2006-01-24T05:15:00.000-08:00

Well I decided to give one videocast a try (or whatever people want to call these podcasts) and the one I sampled was Mac Pro Podcast. Nicely done, very short but a professionally edited podcast with very good quality. This is a podcast about apple products, users and news so if that is your thing then this is your place.

Penn Jillette Podcast

2006-01-21T01:04:00.000-08:00

I´m a big fan of Penn & Teller´s show Bullshit. They are funny but in a common sense way.

That was why I was so excited when I saw that Penn Jillette, sans Teller, was releasing his own podcast (based on his radio show) . I have now downloaded a couple of shows and while it is funny at times, you can´t help but get the feeling that Penn is holding himself back a bit. He almost seems... polite.

The discussion mostly concentrates on magic related subjects, public reactions, PETA (his favorite pet peeve), cutting up snakes, clown porn and other strange subjects. Interesting but I like it more when they focus on a subject and skewer it - this kind of radio conversational free association is more soft-focused and lacks a certain sharpness.

Some quotes:

"I´ve always wanted to do a show called "Asians, and the disgusting food they eat""

"Two feet high clown pedophile?"

X-Play's Video Podcast - G4

2006-01-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

X-Play's Video Podcast - G4

I found this new video game video podcast (say that three times fast) that is actually appealing. It is short, cruel, honest and funny.
The hosts consist of the obligatory sexy model-looking female (nerd fantasy come true "a sexy girl that plays videogames...ooohhh") and a cynical, dry Nick Nolte lookalike. They definately make it work in a Beuty and the Beast kinda way.
Together they review a single game in 4 minutes and if deserved, shred it to pieces in a sarcastic and savage way.

Some gems:
"The bonus weapons feature: A lazer beam, a Fire Beam and of course... a monkey strapped with dynamite!"
"You know when your parent´s told you that money can´t buy happiness? Well, they were lying to you."
"What happens when you shine up a pile of crap? You get shiny crap!"

http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/index.html

New Top Ten in a new year!

2006-01-05T02:18:00.000-08:00

I´ve done some year´s end cleaning on my podcast subscriptions and have arrived at a different top ten list.
These are the podcasts I listen to these days.

1. Cinecast
2. Diggnation video
3. DL.TV
4. Answer Bitch
5. Real Time with Bill Maher
6. Ebert & Roeper
7. KCRW's Left, Right and Center
8. Slate Podcast
9. The Ricky Gervais Show
10. This week in Tech
(and 11. Tiki Bar TV)

Suicide Girls revisited

2005-12-26T04:05:00.000-08:00

I simply couldn´t take them anymore. What was once insightful and charming quickly became sickly-sweet and inane. It was like any other relationship that took a bad turn. A once delightful quirk became a source of irritation and annoyance.
I have no doubt that if I were to ask the Suicide girls for advice, they would tell me to persevere and communicate the problem, but the fact that I am no longer an 18 year old horny rock-star wannabe, kinda prevents them obtaining any kind of meaningful connection with me - they are young and vapid, I have become old and cynical.

I have therefore cancelled my subscription to their radio show - now if only Martha Stewart or Donald Trump would start issuing relationship advice....

Pulling plugs

2005-12-22T05:39:00.000-08:00

I have now decided to forego my weekly pleasure of watching teenage girl stripping - hence my cancellation of the Suicide Girls video podcast. The girls just turned out to be rather too disturbed and flaky to be enjoyable.

I also cancelled the KCRW-The business. I just didn´t find the inner workings of Hollywood to be of that much interest.

Pulling the plug on --- Kitkast

2005-12-20T09:22:00.000-08:00

I have decided to go without my weekly dose of healthy sexual-related chatter from Ms. Kitka. While entertaining at first, the shallowness of the content quickly became apparent. Skimpy clothes and all, I just couldn´t sustain my interest.

Podcast Pet Peeve

2005-12-15T17:51:00.000-08:00

I have yet another pet peeve.

How come shows that are designed to be downloaded all over the world, think they have the luxury to add intro and outro music? Not just simple tones or jingles - no, we are talking about elaborate intro music which seems to go on forever.
This simply adds several minutes to the podcast and makes for a longer download.

Take a look at these perps:
Inside the Net - 47 seconds intro, 15 seconds outro.
Diggnation - 48 seconds intro, 48 seconds outro.

RIcky Gervais show

2005-12-15T01:30:00.000-08:00

Finally we have a genuinely funny podcast. There has been a plethora of "trying too hard" comedy shows (and some that were unintentionally funny) but when I saw that the comedy genius behind The Office was releasing a podcast, I just knew that this would be good.
And it is.
The show is a half an hour delight of good, eloquent british humour. They take the piss out of everything and they are not squeamish on their subject matters. Nudist beaches and penises. The death of 42 midget fighters. Trained monkeys in space.

Do yourself a favour and download this asap. You will not regret it.

Gallup Poll Daily Briefing

2005-12-07T03:02:00.000-08:00

Another snippet podcast - only about 2 minutes or so - that originates from the US Gallup office. They attempt to throw light upon current affairs by quoting their own research. If Bush makes a speech - this podcast will tell you the national response to it. If there is a controversial supreme court case pending, this show will give you the national opinion.

Quite interesting sometimes and informative. It helps that they made it more palatable by keeping it so short.

The Movie Review - with Kevin Stobo

2005-12-06T14:58:00.000-08:00

Once again I prove myself to be a sucker for low-brow video entertainment. Last week I praised TikiBar-TV and damn it if I´m not starting to like the Diggnation guys even more these days.

To maintain my record of liking rather silly entertainment videos I hereby submit the review for the appropriately named podcast "The Movie Review". It is a short 2 minute video review from Kevin Stobo, the short stocky guy from various "Hollywood Gossip" or "E! Entertainment" shows that you occasionally see late at night on some obscure channel.

Like a walrus on a rocky coast, Stobo is in his element here. The segments are short enough for him not to become annoying (well... not too annoying) and the clips from the movies are very much appreciated, thank you very much. He also throws in some quotes from other more serious movie reviewers, making this podcast more valid and content heavy.

All in all - a good short video podcast.

Late Podcasts

2005-11-29T01:27:00.000-08:00

I don´t like this. The first sign of the impending death of a podcast is irregularity in release. Currently I have a couple of shows that have been quite punctual in their schedule in the past but have now been absent in the last weeks.
These are:
Answer Bitch - Last release was on the 12th nov.
Hollywood.com - Last release was on the 18th nov.
KCRW´s Film Reviews - Last release was on the 18th nov.
Suicide Girls - Last release was on the 11th Nov.

Now there can be some technical reasons why these podcasts have chosen to abandon their schedule, but most often these are the last breaths of podcasts that have lost their reason for being.

eMacCast

2005-11-28T03:09:00.000-08:00

This show is informative. That we cannot deny. Apple users and aficionados can get their regular fix of news and speculations along with tips and advice on Apple matters.

That being said... the show manages to be completely non-exciting and without any amount of flair or entertainment. The presenter sounds like a depressed Lurch on Valium. He maintains a flat intonation in his hour long monologue and this would be unbearable if not for one thing. The show is segmented into chapters which are easily accessible through a drop down menu in iTunes. That way the user can jump to the segment that particularly interests him.

Despite the faults, the show contains valuable up-to-date information. Recommended for Apple users, others need not apply.

Answers with BC

2005-11-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

Answers with Bayless Conley Podcast. Each week BC speaks to millions of people all over the world through his radio and video broadcasts but now he has added the podcast option to his arsenal. Who is BC? He is a pretty cool guy, passionate, energetic and speaks with streetsmarts. He is certainly not your normal preacher IMO and for those who wonder about god or just need some inspiration, energy or life advice then this podcast is a great choice. I am not a religious person but this guy can certainly inspire me. The podcasts are varied and sometimes he is focues on the holy book and sometimes he is more focused on everyday issues and speaking from his own experience prior to becoming a believer.

Plueballs

2005-11-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

Two funny guys, brother I guess created this crasy funny podcast. They have over 5000 subscribers, they are rough, talk dirty and make real (or fake?) reference to their own strange acts and experiences. Listening to their podcasts make you feel like you have a few more wacky geeky friends then you already have. If your looking for some funny stuff, these guys can provide you with a nice option, just beware if your a sensitive person who gets easily offended.

Deleted from my Subscription list

2005-11-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

I have decided to pull the plug on the Naked Scientist.
The quality of the podcast is still good but the non-interesting topics and the irritatingly inane telephone callers became tedious listening after a while.

Furthermore the show is far too long for easy listening - dedicating a whole hour for discussions on hookworms or whether bees see color, is fruitless and just mind numbing.

Tiki Bar

2005-11-22T03:26:00.000-08:00

There is something refreshing about Tiki Bar TV.
While most other podcasters aim to be informative and sometimes entertaining, Tiki Bar TV aims lower and somehow manages to be better for it. It is genuinely funny.

The show revolves around a strange cast that every month do their best to give you a new cocktail recipe - yes, this is a funny show with alcohol recipes. Brilliant.
The long time bar regular Lala, a buxom gorgeous bar wench, has now become somewhat of a geek celebrity.

Every month a small crisis arises at the bar, which can of course only be averted with a timely and delicious cocktail. Now, I don´t know but it seems to me that the cocktails are suspiciously rich in their alcohol content. You would have to be a formidable drinker to be able to keep a clear head... but the show would probably become even funnier.

The production is quite good, especially graphically. The use of special effects is quite advanced and it is apparent that everybody is having a good time.

Download and enjoy.

Top Ten November

2005-11-22T01:12:00.000-08:00

I´m always on the lookout for new podcasts, something that can earn its place in my iPod. I have downloaded some new ones and will offer more reviews in the coming days. I might even re-visit the older podcasts and see if they have improved or changed in any way.
Of the 40 or so podcasts I subscribe to now - these are the ten most listened to.

1. Slate Podcast
2. Cinecast
3. Ebert & Roeper
4. Suicide Girls
5. Answer Bitch
6. 1UP.com
7. Diggnation
8. dl.tv
9. KCRW Left, Right and Center
10. KITKAST

I have a feeling this list will change every week and will keep you updated.

1up.com Game review Podcast

2005-11-11T04:12:00.000-08:00

Something strange happened to the initial Gamespot.com podcast. They started out strong, did some reviews and discussed game features on their initial podcasts but then suddenly went silent.

Another game review competitor seems to have taken up the slack and has even taken the extra step to make a very good looking game review podcast.
1up.com is a crew of dedicated and professional gamers who, in addition to maintaining a very slick site, have managed to produce short review shows - only 1 or 2 games per show - but they manage to wrap the reviews in small vignettes of their life in the office. The shows usually start with one of their employees having a discussion with Microsoft on the phone, arguing about something and then walk to another cubicle where he starts a discussion about some publication date or... whatever. All very Tarantinoesque.

The reviews themselves are very good and they cut in actual movies from the games themselves, thus giving us a much better feel for the action. Right now they are very Xbox oriented due to the impending release date but apparently they have interest in all consoles and handhelds. Nobody should feel ignored.

The shows are good, funny and well produced but one cannot help thinking that keeping up this rapid pace of release (once or twice per week) must be taxing for otherwise busy executives.

Venture Voice

2005-11-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Thinking about starting a company? Or just improving the one you own or work for then head over to Venture Voice. The shows are focused on young startups, techie focused with a great interview with people like Jason Fried from 37 signals.

4 stars out of 5.

Cancelled Shows

2005-11-07T13:26:00.000-08:00

Pulling the plug on some things is a bittersweet experience. Sometimes you just know that there is potential but for your own sake, you need to let go.
This week I decided to get rid of the following shows:

1. Mayo Clinic - Medical Edge.

This was one of those "snippet" shows. Once in a while you downloaded a minute long podcast filled with such good medical advice as "Exercise is good" and "Make sure you get enough sleep". I honestly subscribed to the podcast in the hopes of getting a really cutting edge medical info, this was after all the prestigious Mayo Clinic, but got instead the medical equivalent of Yentas-R-Us.

2. Agent Xenon.
This was a video podcast - one of the first ones. Apparently a group of video-enthusiasts banded together to make decent, funny, sometimes absurd videos.
The podcast was actually good but proved to be somewhat empty - downloading tons of megabytes for some frat-humour jokes got old very fast. I, as a member of the audience, have graduated to shows with actual content.

I should be writing

2005-11-07T02:32:00.000-08:00

I should be writing is an endearing podcast dedicated to the constant struggle between man and his writing utensil.

A professional writer - Mur Lafferty, who has several RPG books under her belt along with countless magazine articles - takes it upon herself to guide us through the process of writing, submitting and, hopefully, getting published.
Along the way she teaches us about the nemesis of all writers, procrastination and writer´s block, along with the best way to deal with rejection, analysing your writing etc...

She seems to have a lot to say about her profession and while some of her advice may not be relevant to all, she certainly is enthusiastic and obviously loves what she does. Her podcasting skills are considerable and the show is of tolerable length, 20 minutes or so.

Ebert and Roeper - Movie Review

2005-11-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

We all know that the podcasting world is awash with inferior shows, amateurs and people more interested in saying something rather than having something interesting to say.
Therefore it is always great to find actual professional media personalities who are using this new medium to channel their existing shows.
Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper in their movie review radio show are good examples of this trend.
Ebert is famous as the grouchy part of the Siskel and Ebert show (another movie review show) and now he is reworking his magic with a new partner. Roeper and Ebert are both movie reviewers for the Chicago Sun Times and also produce this radioshow which is run on more than 200 stations across USA. And now they have taken the show international through podcasting.

They are knowledgable and don´t waste any time on useless or idle talk in between segments. The reviews are fast paced and you never get to the point where you just want to shout at the presenters to hurry up and get on with it (a pet peeve of mine). They occasionally disagree on movies and when that happens they defend their position with eloquence and wit. A fun show in all and a good way to spend 24 minutes or so.

SuicideGirls - Dating and sex

2005-11-03T04:35:00.000-08:00

First of all, this is an actual radio show in San Francisco, which explains why the production is of such a high quality and the show itself absolutely faultless in its construction.

Getting that out of the way, the SuicideGirls are a group of young goth women who have banded (bonded) together and have a large forum on the net where they exchange pictures, advice and hints and tips.

Which is mainly what the show is all about. The presenters are 25ish young ambi-sexual women who go by the handles Missy and Bee. Missy is the shy voice of reason, while Bee is the more impulsive one. Both have voices that drip with sensuality and surprisingly, empathy. You wouldn´t expect young goths to be so in tune with relationship problems and how they present their advice to their listeners is nothing short of masterful. Listeners call in with all sorts of sexual and dating dilemmas and the girls are quite down-to-earth and sometimes blunt. They have no hesitation in blasting a chauvinist (I pulled the girl up by her ears) or to expose a female user in a relationship (she is playing you).

In between calls they ponder the various aspects of relationships (Rebound sex - good or bad?, Dealing with Ex-sex etc..) and play their own selection of esoteric music.
I honestly didn´t expect to like the show so much but I highly recommend it now to anyone with an open mind.

http://suicidegirls.com/

Kitkast - Sexually oriented Video Blog

2005-11-01T04:08:00.000-08:00

Kitkast must be filling a large hole in the market. This is the first sexually oriented video podcast that I have come across. I would be surprised if the show didn´t become a top ten listing within the week.

Kitkast is run by the cute-ish ex-stripper Ms. Kitka who seems to enjoy hosting the show dressed in lingerie... ah, heck, we all enjoy watching that. Ms. Kitka presents the show in a very frank, perky manner and comes across as a very likable gal who just likes the sex industry and wants us to share in her enthusiasm.
She divides the show into several parts, news from the sex industry, interviews and then quirky news. The news items are rather tame and are not really sex-industry related. There are no announcements of the next big thing in porn, the latest reviews of porn films etc... Instead we get vague net-sex related headlines. The interviews are mostly the most interesting part of the show, especially when she meets online amateur stars who are surprisingly eloquent in the interviews - but direct us to their websites which are fairly hardcore. It reveals something of my own prejudice that I was so surprised. The sex industry is obviously becoming more mainstream.

The show is not lengthy nor boring but there is something wrong with the production. The picture quality is fuzzy and the sound quality is not clear. If she would clear up those faults and maybe tone down the lengthy 50's style introductionary bits, this show would be a landmark in the video podcasting world.

Podcast Cancellation

2005-11-01T02:43:00.000-08:00

I have cancelled my subscription to the following shows:

Kathy Griffin: My life on the D-list. Poor Kathy tried to jump on the podcast wagon rather early in the process but was plagued by bad production (she seemed to be talking in a huge echo-y room) and frankly from a very low entertainment value. I hoped she would get a grip on the show but she broadcast her last show on the 8th of September. I waited... but no more.

Queer Eye Hip Tips: As a final sign that the Queer Eye phenomenon has jumped the shark - they seem to have given up on their podcast. The show was in itself not bad, they used 2-3 minutes to give us self-boosting tips on lifestyle and clothes, but apparently they don´t have that much to say as they gave up on their 11th show. This is a valuable lesson to other podcasters - don´t start a show unless you are confident you can keep up with the content demand, week after week.

Diggnation

2005-10-30T16:02:00.000-08:00

Digg.com is a special kind of website. Participants submit links to headline stories appearing on the web and others rate the stories according to their interest. The top rated links are then presented on the front page of the website - thus giving a clear picture of what the participants are interested in, each day.

The related podcast - diggnation - is an offspring of this online community. It is presented by Alex Albrecht and Kevin Rose, two technologically informed (read: geeks) slacker types who go over the most popular stories and give us their take on them.

I have to say... this is not a bad premise and should make for a decent video podcast. The stories are varied and the presenters are extremely likeable, even funny at times. However, the production shows signs of the slacker mentality. The presenters are usually seated together on a sofa with a laptop each on their laps. They sip from beer bottles and do their best to wittily exchange banter.
Somehow, they don´t quite manage to pull it off.
They are informed, they are likable... but they need just a little bit more polish, genuine sharp humour and much better production. The "two guys with laptops drinking beer" just isn´t enough.

As it is... the video podcast doesn´t add much to the pre-existing audio one and they could have a superior product if they would step back and revise the whole presentation. Video is a totally different medium than audio and they will have to step up their game.
But they deserve credit for embracing the technology so early. It will be interesting to see how they will develop in this new arena.

http://revision3.com/diggnation

The Signal - A podcast dedicated to the TV show Firefly

2005-10-30T04:41:00.000-08:00

There is a certain type of personality that seems to well suited for the podcast world. A type of personality that has the urge to spread their particular brand of information to the masses, however obscure and specific the subject matter. The geek has found a home in the broadcasting world and podcasting shall be his domain.
A good example of this is the Signal, a podcast dedicated to the now expired TV show Firefly.

Firefly was a sci fi show that met its demise in the middle of its first season but has now enjoyed a resurrection of sorts due to the release of the film Serenity, which is basically the pilot show of Firefly writ large. The Signal describes itself as... all about the science fiction show Firefly. Here you will find features, news, reviews, interview, chat, and anything else we can think of relating to Firefly. If you don't know anything about podcasting, don't worry, you can just download the individual MP3 files and then figure out all the podcasting stuff later. Go ahead and listen to - THE SIGNAL.

What surprised me was the level of professionalism of the show. This is one well produced, interesting and well executed show. Proof that nothing is impossible when geeks combine their powers. Of course, it helps if the listener actually is interested in the TV show. The podcast consists of interviews with the actors, script authors, famous fans and... long discussions on utterly obscure arcana such as the middle name of a minor character, chinese language lessons, soundtrack listings etc...

If you are a fan of the show, this podcast will be fantastic for you. It contains all the right elements and is a good example of the right way to produce a podcast.

Irritating Podcasting faults

2005-10-24T07:03:00.000-07:00

No, this is not the name of a podcast show, this is just me ranting about things that have started to irritate me tremendously in these last weeks.

1. Podcasts that are shorter than 4 minutes - I mean.. what is the point? 2 minute interviews and somebody reading short snippets of information. This is the equivalent of podcast telegrams, short and irritating.

2. Podcasts that have stopped broadcasting with out informing anyone about their demise. People, its ok to quit but don´t just slink away. That stinks of slacking and is very very annoying.

3. Please stop snickering excessively into the mike! There is nothing worse than having to listen to 4 minute introductions to a mediocre show, interrupted by constant giggling and snorting. At least try to do this professionally.

May think of more irritations in the coming days but will try to focus more on the new phenomenon of Video Podcasts. Those are video shows available as podcasts, professional as well as amateur. We are rapidly approaching the video on demand age and I wish to keep well abreast of this development.

Minority report

2005-10-20T02:37:00.000-07:00

A young and fresh podcast based on interviews of the latest software and web trends. The podcasts are rather short and to the point and I am excited about adding this to my list of regular podcasts. A more detailed review might follow later. For now go and listen to a show and see if it is something for you. Go here..Minority report.

NPR: Story of the Day

2005-10-19T02:54:00.000-07:00

I´ve heard so many good things about NPR (National Public Radio) that when they became available, I subscribed to most all their shows.
I heard that they were professional, interesting and perfect for those longer walks where an iPod filled with podcasts is a necessity.
Professional, yes. Interesting, not really.
I will submit a review on each on the shows that remain in my podcast subscription - the rest were culled with an astonishing haste when I realized the nature of the shows. It seems that NPR is aiming for the 75+ market. The slow cadence of the narrator - the choice of stories that is designed to be non controversial and heaven forbid, exciting.
I take as an example the NPR: Story of the day. It claims to consist of little segments that the "NPR editors felt that you shouldn´t miss this story... today".
The last four shows consisted of stories such as:

1. NPR: Hula Hooping Gets Groovy Again Hula hooping isn't just for children any more. The jam band String Cheese Incident has spawned a hooping craze among its followers. Sean Cole went to take a lesson on the allure of the hoop.

2. NPR: A New Orleans-Style Send-Off for Katrina and Rita Residents of the French Quarter stage a classic New Orleans funeral parade for a visitor they're glad has departed: Hurricane Katrina.

3. NPR: In Italy's Wine Regions, a Return to Traditio Amid new economic challenges, some Italian wine makers turn away from the mass global wine market to develop wines that appeal to specialty markets. The emphasis is on skill and individuality -- and a return to grapes that had fallen out of favor.

4. NPR: Debussy's 'La Mer' Marks 100th Birthday Saturday, Oct. 15 is the 100th anniversary of the premiere of Debussy's groundbreaking work "La Mer." This piece helped usher in the modern era of classical music and broke new ground in orchestration. Tom Huizenga reports.

Riveting stuff.

Slate Podcast

2005-10-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

Slate is a remarkable presence on the internet - for approximately 10 years they have been publishing articles on their website - and in the process established themselves as a fully professional and relevant "web-magazine". They take on everything from news to arts and leisure - with great humour, insight and objectivity.

It should therefore not come as a surprise that when they embraced podcasting - they did so in a very professional manner. Their podcasts are published on a daily basis - and are not too short nor too lengthy (approx. 10m per show) and are extremely topical. You are treated to their Creme-de-la-creme of insightful articles on recent events, every day.

Their narrator - Andy Bowers - is supremely well suited to his task, possessing a clear, unhurried voice and an ever so slight flair for dramatic enunciation.
Subscribing to this production is a complete no-brainer and should be in the collection of every podcaster.

All in the mind

2005-10-18T03:11:00.000-07:00

One of the great ones in my opinion. I have been listening to this one since day 1 of my podcast life (I guess 6 months ago). The podcasts is a scientific and sometimes sciencefiction account of all things of the human mind. It has great guests, nobel prize quality and is both educating and entertaining at the same time which is perfect for a podcast (for me atleast). Catch up with it here. This show gets 4 stars out of 5.

KCRW's Left, Right & Center

2005-10-16T03:13:00.000-07:00

KCRW's Left, Right and Center is the rarest of creatures, a talking head show about politics where all the participants actually sound reasonable and knowledgeable. No hysteria, no grandstanding, no drowning out your opponent with a shrill diatribe - just a calm conversation on political matters among reasonable people.
As a result the participantas give you a truly balanced view on the events of the week and you will find yourself nodding in agreement with speakers, no matter what their political leanings.

The Participants are:

Matthew Miller (moderator and centrist) is a senior fellow at theCenter for American Progress, a nationally syndicated columnist; anaward-winning contributor to The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly,and now a bi-weekly columnist for Fortune.
Robert Scheer (left) is a syndicated columnist based at the LosAngeles Times.
Tony Blankley (right) is editorial page editor of The WashingtonTimes. During the "Contract withAmerica" years, he was press director and advisor for then-Speaker, NewtGingrich.
Arianna Huffington (progressive independent; formerly the right) isa nationally syndicated columnist and author of ten books, most recently "Pigs at the Trough."

Cinecast

2005-10-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

Cinecast consists of two movie buffs, Adam Kempenar and Sam Hallgren, both freshly graduated from Film school and eager to give us their take on freshly released movies, as well as refreshing our memories on old classics.
They are geeky, enthusiastic and willing to communicate their knowledge to you, the listener. They delve into sub-texts, motifs, script layout etc... This could be disastreous but somehow they make it work. In part due to their considerable innate likeability but also due to the fact that they break up the show into several different segments. That makes the 40 minutes go by fairly quickly. There is the review of recent films, compiliations of movie lists (top 5 this and that) and even "guess the movie" game. The podcast is fairly professional and should make the jump to video podcasting fairly soon.

To get the podcast go here.

ITConversations

2005-10-15T05:13:00.000-07:00

This is one of the big ones, hugely popular with nerds of every kind. There are so many podcasts available, biotech nation, Larrysworld, Technation. Each one deserves it's own big review but for now go and check out the selection.

ItConversations

Naked Scientist

2005-10-15T04:51:00.000-07:00

The Naked Scientist is a BBC radioshow that somehow easily makes the
transition to podcasting. However unpalatable the title - the
premise of the show is quite simple; take one geeky Dr. Chris Smith,
one geeky Dr. Kristina and have them rant about random scientific
observations and then answer some audience calls of varying
intelligence levels.
The 60m show originates in the cradle of civilisation - Cambridge -
and sometimes it takes advantage of the local fauna and invites local
professors to pontificate on some obscure topics. Slightly
entertaining in a oh-so-wholesome kinda way but would be better with
a little bit more edge.

Answer Bitch

2005-10-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

A relatively short podcast from the delightfully bitchy Leslie
Gornstein. She has volunteered her vast knowledge of all matters
Hollywood related and answers listener´s letters in her New York
twang, interspersed with put--downs, insults and outright slurs. All
delivered tongue-in-cheek with a nice witty banter with her
"bitchling" assistant.
All in all, she is quite forthright in presenting the "truth" in such
vital matters as "Do some stars lip-sync?" (one answer "That faint
leaking sound you heard on occasion, like helium escaping from a blow
up doll, that really was Renee Zellweger singing" ). Gornstein´s
expertise in this area is reinforced by the fact that she is a
professional gossip columnist for E! Online. As sterling a
recommendation as you would ever need.
Some listeners will be turned off by her manic behaviour and loud
unexpected outbursts - sometimes a bit inappropriate for a radio
presenter and this exposes her inexperience in the field. With time
- this could be one of the more entertaining podcasts around.

Podcasts are cool.

2005-10-13T07:29:00.000-07:00

Listen to them all the time, while walking, running, on the airplane etc. So why not share my experiences, what is good and what is bad. Thats what this blog is doing here. Enjoy