Tag Archives: audio podcast

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Productivity & Self, Reviews & Gadgets

TED Radio Hour podcast: The Brain, happiness, choice, and regrets

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If you have checked out my archives at all, you’ll see I’m a fan of podcasts. I’ve written a guide to podcasts, and I’ve recommended several podcasts for daily listening, technology lovers, and food lovers, too. I like to listen to podcasts almost as much as I like to listen to music, and I often listen while I’m running or taking public transportation.

I’m also a big fan of TED conferences (their slogan, ‘ideas worth spreading’ is given tribute in the title of this post) and the conference videos which they make available for the entire public. I included Sheryl Sandberg’s TED video in my post, Stop Sabotaging Your Own Success, but I’ve been watching, sharing, and processing those videos for a long time now.

So it’s no surprise that I would instantly fall in love with TED’s new venture, the TED Radio Hour, an audio podcast produced with NPR which focuses on a single theme. Each episode brings together both the TED presentations and new, follow-up interviews with the presenters and other experts on the chosen topic. Continue reading →

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Productivity & Self

5 Audio Podcasts for Technology Lovers

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If you enjoy tech news, there are some ways to keep up with the latest news, sites and happenings in the tech world. Here are some of my technology audio podcast staples!

1. net@night (TWiT.tv) The Social Hour

Update: As of March 2011, Net at Night has been discontinued and reborn as The Social Hour. Content remains largely the same as described below, and archived episodes are still available.

The focus of this podcast is mainly on the Internet, with interesting highlights, interviews and discussions regarding sites and tools. net@night is also part of the Twit.tv group (below), but the camaraderie between Leo and Canadian co-host Amber MacArthur makes it an interesting podcast as well as the fact Amber is constantly talking about new sites and things to try out, so I recommend listening to it when you’re near a computer, so you can play, too.

  • Frequency/Duration: weekly, Wednesday. Approximately one hour.

digitalplanet2. BBC Digital Planet (BBC World Service)

“How Digital Technology affects our lives around the world” – a wide range of topics regarding events, things and people shaping our digital world. The Internet definitely plays a part but often stories are much closer to how technology is changing people, and most episodes are a few in-depth news stories rather than the latest headlines.

  • Frequency/duration: weekly, approximately 26 minutes.

3. The Guardian’s Tech Weekly (Guardian.co.uk)

Hosted by Aleks Krotoski, an avid gamer and journalist, she’s accompanied by Jemima Kiss and other Guardian.co.uk journalists, covering general topics in a conversational manner and in-depth interviews and on-location reporting.

  • Frequency/duration: weekly, approximately 20-30 minutes.

4. TWIT – This Week in Tech (TWiT.tv)

This Week in Tech is not only a podcast, it’s a conglomerate of podcasts and a site (www.twit.tv) ranging from Windows and Mac-specific to security and gizmos, and mommy topics. This Week in Tech is a roundtable of tech talk with interesting guests like Pete Cashmore and Jason Calacanis. Don’t expect a really structured podcast, and they often go off-topic, but the conversations are very interesting and you feel like you’re sitting at the table with them. Leo Laporte has a perfect DJ voice as it was a past job for him. They often broadcast live.

  • Frequency: weekly, Sunday. From 1-2 hours.

5. PRI’s The World Technology Report (theworld.org)

A combined effort from Public Radio International, the BBC and WGBH, this podcast is interesting because it focuses on several stories of science and technology and their humanitarian impacts.

  • Frequency: weekly, Friday. Approximately 30 minutes.

Honorable Mentions:

  • New York Times (NYT) TEch Talk: Though I’m not really a fan of the main host’s voice, these short weekly podcasts are packed full of information linked back to NYT articles.
  • CNET Buzz Out Loud (BOL) Podcast:  They call it a “podcast of indeterminate length” and this daily podcast also has corresponding blog posts with sites/articles mentioned during the podcast.
  • Engadget Podcast: This weekly podcast is very chatty and focuses on Smart Phones and other gadgets. A bonus is the podcast website will provide minute/segment breakdowns of each episode so you can skip straight there.

Do you have one to suggest?

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Productivity & Self

5 Food and Cooking Audio Podcasts for Food Lovers

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New to Podcasts? Read the When I Have Time Guide to Podcasts! I love food and I love cooking! I even have a food and travel blog at Ms. Adventures in Italy. I often turn to podcasts for some inspiration and to hear about the latest in the cooking and food worlds. Here are some of my favorite audio podcasts for food and cooking lovers.

Splendid Table podcast1. APM: The Splendid Table

From the same network that brings you A Prarie Home Companion, Lynne Rossetto Kasper is the host for this weekly culinary show for “People who love to eat.” Much more than that, it delves into single subjects and trends mixed with recipes. Lynne is an excellent host who takes calls from listeners in the latter part of the podcast.

2. KCRW Good Food

Evan Kleiman is such a great host and it’s hard to remember that she’s also a cook! And it’s this expertise that shines through the podcast, as it is organized very well and has a mix of new and regularly-occurring features like visiting the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market and learning how to use in-season fruits and vegetables. Her guests are a mix of experts (chefs and scientists) and bloggers who are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the subject.

npr_food_image_75 3. NPR Food Podcast

Not a podcast program per se, NPR picks a selection of health/food-related stories from various NPR shows: “Recipes, interviews and the story behind your favorite foods from Morning Edition, All Things Considered and other award-winning NPR programs.”

Remarkable Palate Podcast4. ReMARKable Palate

A mixture of video and audio podcasts by personal chef Mark Tafoya, a “Food and Culture Podcast” including on-location and guest interviews with other chefs, farmers and suppliers in the food chain.

NPR Kitchen Window Podcast5. NPR Kitchen Window

As a complement to their written articles, NPR Kitchen Window speaks with their authors (who are often bloggers) about particular topics and issues they have covered online.

Honorable Mention:

Bon Apetit Podcast

bonapeThough it had a lot of potential, Bon Apetit’s podcast hasn’t been updated since mid-2008. But, you can get access to their archives online. Link to BA Podcast site.

Is there an audio podcast that should have made this list? Have your say in the comments!

Image by Steve Wampler

Productivity & Self

5 Free Audio Podcasts for Everyday Listening

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Since I am spending 90-120 minutes every day in public transportation, and not able to read, I found myself really wanting to give my brain something to do. Podcasts were the perfect solution.

But you don’t have to be a public transportation commuter to love and listen to podcasts! Read {WHT: A Guide to Podcasts}

1. Fresh Air (NPR)

The strong point of this podcast is really the host, Terry Gross. She has such an easygoing demeanor that during her interviews she almost certainly puts the guest at ease and her evident research into the topic or guest’s life makes the interview very informative and interesting. I am always learning when I listen to her podcast, and picking up a new book, or discovering a new cause or personality to check out.

  • Frequency/duration: daily, 45-60 minutes.

2. BBC Global News (BBC)

I don’t spend a lot of time on news sites, but what I do do is consistently listen to the BBC Global News podcast which gives you a highlight of their global stories, with just enough information so that you have a good picture of the story. And, the fact that it’s available twice daily means that the information will always be fresh and relevant.

  • Frequency/duration: twice daily (at 3:00GMT and 15:00GMT) on weekdays, approximately 30 minutes.

3. This American Life

Even though the title implies only for an American audience, I think this podcast transcends many cultures. This American life is something I like to listen to when I have a little more time available to get lost in a story. Each week the hosts choose a theme, often as abstract as “Getting what you deserve“  or “Matchmakers,” and will select a series of stories and first-hand recounts that are weaved around this theme. It’s definitely great storytelling and at times can be very emotional listening to the stories, from overcoming racism to living through the Depression, to searching for the American dream.

They offer their podcast free on their website for one week and afterward, it can be bought and downloaded from their extensive archives. Episodes can also be streamed for free, and using iTunes you can easily download the latest 10 or so episodes.

  • Frequency/duration: weekly, approximately 60 minutes.

60mins4. 60 Minutes

The 60 minutes podcast is different from the others in that it is the audio portion of a full video broadcast. You get to hear the entire program’s audio which, on its own, I feel is still a complete experience even though you may miss a few images or charts that accompany the video broadcast. Guests and topics are always high-quality and in-depth.

  • Frequency/duration: weekly, 60 minutes.

documentaries5. BBC World Service: Documentaries

BBC delves into their archives to provide you with single-focus podcasts like “The World without Copper,” “AIDs and the Caribbean” or “Football’s Conmen” there is a wide range of stories and focuses to interest everyone.

  • Frequency/duration: several times weekly, approximately 21-23 minutes.

What podcasts can you not live without??

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