Computers: May 2005 Archives

More on PodCasting:  Wanna know what it is?  Wish to see how its done?  Interested in the biggest players in the PodCast sphere and how they work?  Need a software client?  Check out these articles, forget the spell check and grab a microphone.

How Podcasting Works: by Peter Rukavina: I've been doing a lot of talking about podcasting recently: explaining to people what it is, and how they can do it, and how they can listen, and how it works. I thought it might be useful to provide a very simple step by step illustration of how to "subscribe to a podcast."

Podcast to broadcast: Think podcasting is just for geeks and gadgeteers? Think again. Podcasting went mainstream last week when San Francisco’s KYOU 1550 AM began broadcasting listener-generated podcasts over the airwaves. Playlist’s Mathew Honan explores this bold radio experiment.

Wizards Podcast brings you the exclusive release announcement for iPodderX 3:  It's a 'very special' Wizards episode, as the Wizards welcome August Trometer and Ray Slakinsky from iPodderX.com, who make the worldwide release announcement of their brand new podcast client,...

iPodderX adds features, gives away iPods:  Thunderstone Media has released iPodderX 3.0, the third major update to its popular podcast client. Version 3 includes a host of new features such as SmartSpace file management, the NewsCaster text-to-podcast converter, complete integration with iTunes and iPhoto, Playlist Builder, full-screen video, and much more. In celebration of the release, Thunderstone Media is giving purchasers of iPodderX a chance to win one of four iPod shuffles or a grand prize iPod photo. iPodderX 3.0 retails for US$24.95 and is a free upgrade for all current iPodderX users. A 30-day free trial is available.

And now, if that wasn't enough.  There's RoadCasting:  Capture your friend's radio and tell him how you really feel.  Or listen in to George & Martha's marital issues.

Watch for Roadcasting Rage:  An in-car entertainment system is on the way that will allow drivers to tune in song collections from other vehicles as they whiz by. Roadcasting -- 'me-to-me' sharing -- could be perfectly legal. By Daniel Terdiman.

And then, there's always the drunk guy:  He ruins it for everyone, but not anymore.

Steering Clear of Drunk Drivers:  A patent is pending on a steering-wheel skin sensor for cars that tests a driver's alcohol level before allowing the car to start.

And you thought PodCasting was a fad!

While writing this I listened to the PodCast: [ ep 03.v ] foodies' revenge from the album "The Invincibles in "So... you want to be a foodie?"" by The Invincibles.

I'm always hesitant about converting a PC user into a Mac user.  While I believe the Mac OS is in all ways superior, PC users have accepted a way of doing thing that is hard to break - perhaps one of the reasons that Microsoft continues to command such a large market share.  It would be much like considering a lawnmower that has to be started via a pull cor"d.  Telling someone that they don't have to use a pull cord anymore, but can still cut the grass doesn't always work.  Odd, but true.  Old dogs, new tricks.

"No, Mr. Jones.  You just have to roll the mower over grass and it will cut the grass.  Push it over a rock garden and it will stop - just as it was designed to stop when rolling over sidewalks and driveways.  It only runs when you're over grass - its a lawn mower."

"But what if I want to use it to trim hedges, by tipping it up and running the blades along the hedge line?", asks the PC user.

"Ummm.  Well.  A) that's dangerous.  B) you don't need to do that anymore as this mower has a built in hedge trimmer.  Simply cut the grass and when the mower recognizes that its running along a row of hedge, it trims that too.  Its actually a full blown gardening machine.  I thought all you were interested in was mowing the lawn.  If you'd also like to water the plants while you fertilize the soil, it can do that too.  I depends on what you want to do.  How specific are your gardening needs?"

"But, I like to cut my hedges with the mower blade because that's how I'm used to doing it.", continues the PC user.

"I see."  Not!

But I go on, "I understand that you have become used to doing things the PC way.  This would be a more efficient and more intuitive way of gardening.  But, as you have learned to do things in a tried and true manner, you might be better continuing to use your old mower.  Good luck with that and enjoy.  I think you have the best machine for you."

The above is a dumb analogy, I know.  But it isn't all that far from the leaps that a PC user must make to convert to the Mac.  And every time I talk with a prospective convert I consider how far down the Microsoft path they have gone.  If its too far, I don't even bother.  I simply say, "Good luck with that.  And enjoy."

Oh, my!  And here I thought I was among an elite few who had a weblog - one that had more than 2 posts - one that was more than a month old - and that I must be cool and hip.  Tonight I discovered that the latest and greatest is PodCasting, whereby you "post" audio files vs. text files for peeps to download, save to their iPods and listen to while riding the bus or running on the treadmill.

Well, not to be out of the loop or left behind (and so that I can keep my coolness badge) I will have to look into posting my own podCast material.