Tech News Radio

Podcasting is a big deal in the technology world (as if you didn't know that already). 

Not only because techies are early adopters, but also because it is a great medium for getting technical information that you can consume while either at your computer (multi-tasking) or away from your computer (mobile). 

Here are some new pointers that crossed my inbox over the last week or so:

• APC White Paper Podcasts via their Promo Site
• Infoworld's Storage Sprawl podcast (sponsored by HP)
• Chief Security Officer (CSO) Online has podcasts
• Information Week has TechWebCasts
• SonicWall is podcasting [NOTE: The site is undergoing work and should be back up on July 15th, 2006 according to the PR person I contacted]
• eWeek is publishing podcasts (topics and number seems to be in flux)
• Network Computing (which is aligned with Information Week) is podcasting with TechWebCasts

Another big thing for the tech podcast marketplace is news that Robert Scoble is leaving Microsoft for PodTech.net, which has raised a great deal of recent VC funding.  The thing I like about Robert is that he already posted some ideas on improving PodTech even before really officially starting over there.

As an "independent" technology podcaster who strives to be as transparent as possible, I think PodTech's biggest issue is going to be credibility around their analysis of a product, service, or organization they are producing for. Otherwise they will only be viewed as paid info-commercials with a one-way message. 

Creating dialog and trust is going to be a big deal for them.

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This podcast is all about EMC.com.  We examine content from the following industry trade magazines: Network World, Information Week, InfoWorld, Computer Reseller News, eWeek, Federal Computer Week, and Computer World; and try to synthesize the information into a systems analysis quick-look summary.

Here is a list of companies that we mention from the research that EMC has recently had an acquisition announcement, partnership agreement, or a technology purchase from:

RSA Security, Dell, Arkivio, StoredIQ, Kashya Interlink Group, Acxiom, Internosis, Acartus, Captiva, Maranti, Rainfinity, Legato Systems, Documentum, and Smarts.

EMC has also announced the following new or updated products in recent months:

• Clariion AX150 and AX150i
• Insignia Solution Data Protection
• Clariion Disk Library
• SAFE 2.2 (for Microsoft Exchange)
• Smarts Application Discovery Manager
• Assessment Service for Storage Security
• Symmetrix DMX-3 storage array systems (more info)

From our perspective, EMC definitely seems to have a structured roadmap to transition from 'just a storage solutions provider' to a full service 'data classification system' with hooks from the bottom of the protocol stack to the top.

This podcast is sponsored by O'Reilly and Associates Safari Bookshelf online technical library.

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There is a new 2nd edition of the Secrets of Podcasting out on the streets now.  I just did a short podcast review of Podcasting for Dummies yesterday.

Today's podcast is a short review and recommendation of "Podcasting For Dummies" by Tee Morris and Evo Terra.

How does it compare to other podcast books we have reviewed:

• May 15, 2005: Todd Cochrane's "Podcasting: Do It Yourself Guide"
• September 1, 2005:  Michael Geoghegan and Dan Klass' "Podcast Solutions"
• October 13, 2005: Jack Herrington's "Podcasting Hacks"

You'll have to listen to find out.

This podcast is sponsored by O'Reilly and Associates Safari Bookshelf online technical library.

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I have to highly recommend Jon Udell's recent podcast with CJ Rayhill & Allen Noren both at O'Reilly and Associates.  There is some great discussion on learning, education, computer science, and web services.

Some other items that look potentially interesting that crossed my virtual inbox:

• Tripwire is publishing their own podcasts.
• Nokia has podcasting tools coming for their Series 60 devices. [newwireless]
• Wi-Fi Networking News has started podcasting.
• eWeek has a weekly podcast that covers the latest and greatest news.
• MacWorld is also doing podcasts.
• A new Linux focused podcast is starting up.

On the minus side though, I seem to be getting less and less out of The Gillmor Gang, and find myself very willing to just fast forward to the next podcast in the queue. I think some of the reasons are: inside jokes with no background, complaining with no solutions, off-topic side-bars, poor audio quality, and little respect for the time necessary to spend listening hoping for a golden nugget.

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Here are my Audacity 101 slides (PDF) [2.3-MBs] that I used for my presentation at Podcast Academy 3.  The feedback was positive and my the time I got back to my computer I already had three requests for the slides, so that is encouraging.  I do think there is defintiely room for improvement and any feedback is appreciate.

Thanks also to David Ducassou and Nicolas Perego for letting me use an upcoming pre-release how-to guide that should be coming out soon on improving recorded voice audio in Audacity.  Also thanks to the great team at FriendsInTech.com for encouragment.

I would love to do this session in a 2 to 3 hour class room setting were everyone had a copy of Audacity loaded up on laptops, and we could walk through all the concepts hands on.  By the end of the class at least everyone who have completed all the steps to build a generic podcast.  Maybe something around the Sep. 29-30, 2006 Podcast & Portable Media Expo.

Kudos to Doug Kaye for letting me present and to Yahoo! for being awesome hosts.

This podcast mentions the following links:

• OpenOffice.org Newsletter
• Google's Summer of Code  [InternetNews]
• Sun's JavaOne Developers Channel
• Sun's AMD Galaxy Servers
• Visio Cafe
• Rate My Network Diagram
• SysAdmin Appreciation Day is on July 28th

We also provide you a quick update on some upcoming conferences that you should be aware of:

• Podcast Academy 3 will be in Santa Clara, CA from June 15-16, 2006.
  
• Black Hat Briefings and Training USA 2006 will be held July 29th through August 3rd in Las Vegas, NV.
• Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is August 7-11 in San Francisco
• Customer Sell Service (Mgmt, Optimization, and Tech Integration) will be held Aug. 15-16, 2006 in SF, CA.
• VoiceCon Fall 2006 will be in SF, CA from the 21-24 August 2006. Keynotes will be from Ray Repic - Chief Technical Architect for Coca-Cola & Anoop Grupta VP of Unified Communications Group at Microsoft.
• VMWorld 2006 will be in Los Angeles Convention Center in California from November 7-9, 2006.
• The OOoCon2006 has been confirmed for September 11-13, 2006 in France. [conferences]

This podcast is sponsored by O'Reilly and Associates Safari Bookshelf online technical library.

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Today's podcast is all about Tom Bihn and the awesome products they offer those that have to carry technology gear.

But we also touch briefly on our FriendsInTech.com iTunes comments competition, Podcast Academy 3, and TechNewsRadio's Frappr Map.

Links mentioned in this podcast include:

• Previous review of Tom Bihn gear (08Dec05)
• Brain Cell
• Brain Bag: A Big Daypack for Business & School
• The Archetype
• The Arenonaut
• Tom Bihn Blog
• Tom Bihn Forum

This podcast is sponsored by O'Reilly and Associates Safari Bookshelf online technical library.

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I recently listened to the following two podcasts and found them worth recommending:

• Distributing the Future (DTF 05-22-2006):  The middile interview with Brad Fitzpatrick of LiveJournal and Six Apart is very interesting from both a systems integration standpoint and from a software developer's perspective.
  
• FLOSS Weekly #6: With Larry Augustin who started VA Linux and now has a host of open source enterprise solutions in a portfolio he helps foster.

Two updates ... First, the podcast listener line phone number has been changed to 206-984-3836. Please feel free to call and leave a message, question, or comment and it could be on the next podcast.

And second, members of FriendsInTech.com are having a contest among ourselves to help boost each podcast's number of comments/reviews on Apple iTunes. The podcast with the most new comments in June 2006 gets bragging rights over on our Forums.FriendsInTech.com.

If you enjoy the podcast or hate the podcast, then please go to this link and put in a comment.  Truthful comments appreciated.

You can also always send us feedback at: [email protected].