Posted by
Al Nyveldt in
Audio on Feb 17, 2008 |
1 responses Since I changed jobs this past summer, I've had less time on the road and therefore less time to listen to audiobooks and podcasts. With my commute time cut so dramatically, I've had to make some choices about which podcasts are going to get my attention and which I'm even going to continue to bother downloading.
If you have spend time commuting to work, I strongly recommend checking out some of these podcasts. If you can learn a thing or two on the way to and from work, it is worth it. Anyway, here is my current podcast list.
Must Listen to Group
Hanselminutes
This is still my favorite podcast. Scott Hanselman is a gifted communicator and his passion for technology comes through in each show. I listen to just about every episode, although I have turned it off in mid episode if I'm just not interested in the topic of the week. This is very rare. The production quality is usually great and the length is perfect for my commute most of the time. The topics are varied but usually are the type of things a Microsoft-centric developer would find interesting.
Polymorphic Podcast
Craig Shoemaker has really done a great job with Polymorphic Podcast. I've found myself listening to Craig's show almost as faithfully as Hanselminutes over the past few months. The topics and guests have interested me recently, and each show is informative and I feel like I pick up something from most every show.
Pick and Choose
.NET Rocks
There isn't much left to say about the original .NET podcast. Carl and Richard put together a great program twice a week on topics of general interest to .NET developers. The audio quality of each show is superb. Easily the best of the podcasts on the list. However, between the amount of shows being pumped out, the varied topics, the longer length, and occasional disappointment, I listen to very few of these. I listen only when the speaker or topic is particularly interesting to me.
Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
These short podcasts aren't something I'm hugely into, but I listen to them frequently because they are short and I usually learn something. I can listen to a months worth in 15 to 20 minutes, but usually will start my trip with one before I jump into an audiobook if that was my planned listening for the morning. While it is hard to pick these based on topic, I usually just choose these randomly.
ThoughtWorks - IT Matters Podcast
There have only been 3 episodes since it appeared in November 2007 and I've listened to the first two. It is interesting and I'm sure I'll listen to the 3rd episode soon. The quality is not as good as the others on the list. The presentation seems a bit dry, but the material is interesting so far. The podcast is a tougher to follow then the others on the list. I'm guessing this was a combination of slightly poorer quality and each episode having a 4 or 5 people sharing. I'm guessing it will end up in this category, so I'm putting it here.
Wild Chronicles
This is a video podcast I keep in my podcast list as my kids just love it. It is not something I listen to during the commute, I watch about 75% of shows with my kids.
When the mood strikes
APM: Marketplace
I used to just love this show in the days before I got into podcasts. It is 30 minutes every day on business news and I used to catch it on National Public Radio (NPR) on the way home from work. Now, I just don't have the time and with other options it just isn't too high on my list. I still listen to them every now and again, but it has been less and less.
Key Life with Steve Brown
A daily Bible teaching program that I occasionally listen to.
NPR: Technology
This fits in the same category as Marketplace. I used to really enjoy these segments of technology news on NPR. I find I listen to these more often than Marketplace, but again not consistently.
Posted by
Al Nyveldt in
Audio on May 15, 2007 |
0 responses
It has been a little while since I shared my current podcast list, so I thought I'd write a quick update.
Must Listen Group:
HanselMinutes - Still the best. There have been a few shows that have been subpar, but for the most part it gets listened to within a day or two of when I get it.
Often Listen Group:
.NET Rocks - This has recently moved up my listening list. While I figured when they went to the twice a week schedule, I'd listen even less, that hasn't been the case. Since I decide based on the guest and the topic, it just seems there have been more opportunities to find a match for me.
Key Life with Steve Brown - A daily Bible teaching show that I listen to in spurts.
Polymorphic Podcast - Craig's show is almost always good, just not too frequent.
Wild Chronicles - This is a video podcast I often watch with my kids. We will do 3 in a sitting maybe 3 times a month. The kids ask for them all the time however. I will watch one occasionally on the iPod as well.
Occasionally / When the mood strikes Group:
APM: Marketplace - This used to be a favorite of mine, but I'm just overwhelmed with the shows now that I have so much other quality listening. I'm surprised to say that I miss the Takeout version they use to offer instead of the full show. (I remember being disappointed when I could only get the takeout and not the full show.)
NPR: Technology - NPR Technology stories. It is very good, but I just don't get to it often.
tWit (this Week in Tech) - This is the one I listen to the least, but still once in a while.
Overall, I've been listening to audiobooks a lot more often than podcasts these days. Maybe sometime soon, I'll write about the various books I've listened to and re-listen to.
Posted by
Al Nyveldt in
Audio,
Hardware on Jan 27, 2007 |
0 responses
Maybe I'm a bit slow, but it took me a little while to learn the
trick of charging your iPod via my USB port and listen to it at the
same time. I usually don't need to charge it and listen at the same
time and rarely do, but sometimes I forget to charge it up and find
myself at work with an almost dead iPod.
Here are the steps that work for me:
1. Connect iPod to the PC.
2. Eject from iTunes (if you have iTunes installed)
3. Open Windows Explorer find your removable drive (iPod).
4. Right click the iPod drive and click Eject.
5. Wait a moment and the iPod menu should appear on your iPod.
Posted by
Al Nyveldt in
Audio on Nov 30, 2006 |
0 responses
I wrote in my last post about how much I appreciated the
Productive Talk series of Podcasts by
43 Folders and
David Allen, author of
Getting Things Done. Anyway, this week, Merlin offered up the
compiled version of all 8 episodes in one hour and a half program.
If
you have an iPod, be sure to download the m4a version and rename the
extension to m4b to it remembers your location if you decide to listen
to other audio and then come back to it.
Posted by
Al Nyveldt in
Audio on Nov 25, 2006 |
0 responses
It has been a while since I've looked
through my iTunes Podcasts and shared what I've been listening to.
Here is the current run down:
Must Listen to Group:
Hanselminutes
- This is still my favorite and I'll end the gushing there. It is a
must listen to every week. Even when the topic is not something I'm
excited about, I learn something worthwhile and enjoy the time spent.
APM: Marketplace Takeout (NPR)
- Since I spend so little of my time listing to the radio, I miss out
on my favorite NPR program. This weekly podcast gives me a few of the
highlights from the previous week. (I've consider purchasing the full
show through Audible, but I'm not eager to pay when there is so much
good free content out there.)
NPR: Technology - Just like the program above, this podcast shares some of the highlights of the week in regards to technology stories.
Key Life
- This is a daily Bible teaching program that I've come to appreciate.
I used to catch it many years ago on the radio, but it is airs in the
afternoon while I'm paid to focus on other things. Finding the podcast
has been a treat.
43 Folders:
Productive Talk - I've listened to a few of the 43 folders episodes in
the past and they just weren't my thing (although I do enjoy the web
site.) However, over the past 2 months, there have been 8 Productive talk episodes which are talks with David Allen, author of Getting Things Done.
Really good stuff. Sadly, these programs ended with the 11/20 edition,
but Merlin mentions there are more in the works. Be sure to find these
8 episodes if you are interested in GTD. I'm gonna stay subscribed to
this podcast and give the rest of the content a try again.
The others:
.NET Rocks - Great show. I listen when the topic is of interest.
ESPN PTI
- Good sports show. I listen to it when the mood strikes. If it could
somehow be more current, I'd likely listen more often. I'm not sure
how it could work though. The games/news of Monday is discussed in the
live TV show on Tuesday afternoon, I believe. I get it loaded in my
iPod Wednesday morning, but it is discussing old sports news in my mind.
Polymorphic Podcast
- I really enjoy Craig's show, I've recently missed a few episodes. It
has been caught in my recent listening time crunch, so this great show
appears here for now. I'm sure I'll catch up soon.
tWiT - This is a streaky one for me. I can miss it for a month and then listen to 3 episodes in a row when the mood hits.
Wild Chronicles
- This a video podcast from Nation Geographic. Each week has a new
video on a different animal. I almost never watch these even through
they are interesting. My kids find it a special treat to be able to
watch one with Dad however.