I Tune in to I Tunes

(This is the text for a podcast that is presently not available. This will be updated as soon as possible.)

Welcome back for podcast number three. Today I am discussing the wonderful world of podcasts courtesy of iTunes. This is something that I am learning to love! And of course the best part is that most of it is free. I listen to most of my podcasts on my home computer though when I know my week is not going to give me the time to sit and listen I download a podcast or two onto my mp3 player. There are podcasts for all kinds of information and entertainment. While I have subscribed to several I will discuss three that I think show the diversity of podcasts available from iTunes.

The first that I want to tell you about is the National Geographic Video Shorts. I have loved National Geographic magazines since I was a little girl. I loved learning about different countries and cultures. Every issue that came with a map was another opportunity to cover my walls with ‘travel plans.’ National Geographic also has a great website that also brings the world to my desktop with amazing images and stories. The podcasts run from two to five minutes so for me it’s a quick fix when I need a vacation from everyday stress. Many of the podcasts also focus on animals and their relationship with other animals in their environments or how they live in nature. There are amazing stories of strange and unusual cultural practices, mysterious places and the wonders of nature’s forces. If you have any interest in the wide world outside of your hometown and state, then this is definitely a podcast worth subscribing to and if you like what you see you should definitely check out the National Geographic website.

The second podcast that I subscribed to was CNet.com’s Buzz Out Loud. I subscribed to this one because it covers current technology concerns and questions, products and the increasing list of new vocabulary as new technologies are developed. Usually several topics are covered in each podcast so it covers a lot of ground. In each introduction the hosts say that it is a podcast “of indeterminate length,” which is true. They run from 15 to 45 minutes in length. The most recent podcast is number 573 but on iTunes the oldest podcast is from May of 2007. I am not sure if the others are available somewhere, but since they produce a new one every workday, I just try to keep up with the most current and leave the past ones alone. Obviously, there is a website, but I often feel overwhelmed when visiting technology websites unless I have a specific task in mind. There is so much information out there that I never know where to begin. The podcasts give me an overview of information in smaller bytes. 

The last one I want to review it one of my favorites, but it one I chose for entertainment value alone! I love the old time radio shows where a few actors play a myriad of characters by disguising their voices. I love the idea of special effects being done without sound bytes and computer editing. And I especially love the overly dramatized reactions the actors use to covey to the listener what they cannot see. So when I found the Decoder Ring Theatre podcast I was in heaven! There are several different recurring characters and ‘shows’ that feature that masked mystery man The Red Panda, the fearless fighting female The Flying Squirrel and their army of agents, hardboiled pulp detective Black Jack Justice his partner Trixie Dixon, girl detective, and Deck Gibson, Far Reach Commander. There is a blog available online to keep listeners posted on what’s coming up in the future, reviews and information on podcasts and characters. These are family-friendly fun adventures. I like to kick back on Saturday mornings and just enjoy the show. This is one that should not be overlooked.

Well, those are just a sampling of what I enjoy. Check them out, maybe you’ll enjoy them too. This has been Verlene Schafer with my third podcast for IRLS 571. Thanks for listening.