Podcastplayer.org news

Industrial Audio Software have announced a new podcast production program. There doesn’t seem to be much detail about it on their website, but what there is doesn’t look a lot different from the spec for MixCast Live. In particular, neither application seems to have sensible support for composing a podcast from a series of audio “chunks” - both assume the podcasting process is mainly just to talk over a background track and insert a few audio effects every now and then.

Oh, and iPodcast has a RRP of around $250 (or $150) vs MixCast’s $60 (or $40). MixCast Live was cheap enough that I bought one to try out. iPodcast is in the “big league” so I probably won’t bother unless they can convince me of some “killer feature".

Read more at: iPodcast Producer - Industrial Audio Software

Brent Logan at blogan.net seems determined to argue with himself. In an article following a rant about the problems of podcasting, he suggests some reasons for podcasting: Podcasting? Yeah!

In general he makes some sensible points, but the section where he states:

Don’t compare podcasts with blogging. They can be very different beasts.

seems strange, as on the accompanying MP3 podcast, all he does is read out his blog post. D’oh!

Jonathan Marks from Huizen, Netherlands has set himself up as a “podcast consultant". I’m not really sure what that might entail, but if you think you need one, then you can read more at Critical Distance BV Weblog: World’s First Podcast Consultant.

In short, podcasting has already matured enough to need some shaping. For when the hype dies down, only the engaging will survive - and make money

Do you remember the episode of “the Simpsons” where Homer listens to a vocabulary tape instead of one for weight-loss?

Now you can increase your vocabulary just by listening to podcasts. Here’s a snippet from March 02, 2005:

Today I have two words for you. Flotsam and jetsam. Both are nouns and both describe stuff that had been thrown into the ocean from a boat.

Flotsam is, broadly, floating debris or a collection of miscellaneous stuff. Technically, it is stuff that has fallen off a boat, either cargo or wreckage. Flotsam can also be used to describe a population of emigrants or castaways. Flotsam can be traced back to various Old English, Old French and Germanic words meaning float.

Jetsam on the other hand is cargo or ship parts that have been deliberately thrown over board, jettisoned. Usually to lighten the ship’s load in a time of distress.

Read more at Today’s Podcast, or slap http://todayspodcast.com/index.xml into your podcatcher.