While I am working on a review of my podcatcher of choice, Instacast, I thought I'd go over the list of podcasts I am listening to at the moment. I am not the kind of person to just listen to one genre of podcasts because my tastes are fairly diverse. With that said, there are a number of technology podcasts in my queue because that is one of my favorite topics.
In order to make this as easy to follow and easy to find, should you want to find them for your own subscribing purposes, I will list them according to their Network affiliation. While not all podcasts belong to a podcast network, a number of the podcasts I follow do. I will include links to the podcast's website so you can more easily find more information.
The 70Decibels Network:
CMD+SPACE:
Host: Myke Hurley
- The new version of The Bro Show based more on interviews of great Internet tech stars and less about tech news. Terry Lucy was a host initially, but decided to
step aside and pursue other interests.
Enough - The Podcast:
Hosts: Patrick Rhone and Myke Hurley
- The podcast to accompany Patrick's website
Minimal Mac where he discusses what is "enough" for Patrick. A great listen if you are wanting to contemplate what "enough" means to you.
The 512 Podcast:
Hosts: Stephen Hackett and Myke Hurley
- This is the podcast to accompany Stephen's site
512pixels.net and is all about technology, journalism, and design. This has become one of my go-to podcasts to make sure I listen to each week!
Write for You Life Podcast:
Hosts: Iain Broome and Myke Hurley
- This is a podcast all about writing and how to improve yours writing skills. Iain recently (August 2012) had his first novel (
A is for Angelica) published and he shares all about his experiences in writing. The newest "Season" of the show will have Iain speaking with many other people and Myke will only occasionally appear as a guest host.
The Pen Addict:
Hosts: Brad Dowdy and Myke Hurley
- This is the podcast to complement Brad's site
The Pen Addict where he reviews pens and paper. This podcast is a way for Brad and Myke to discuss their growing addictions to pens, paper, and all things analog.
Home Work:
Hosts: Aaron Mahnke and Dave Caolo
- This is a podcast for people who work from home. It has all kinds of great advice for staying productive and keeping balance in your life. Even though I don't "work from home" I still love learning about the different ideas these guys share.
11 Minutes:
Hosts: Myke Hurley, Terry Lucy and Dave Caolo
- This show is based on a conversation the three hosts have every week and then Myke edits it down to the best 11 minutes. This is more of a comedy show and I really enjoy it. In the newest "Season" the fellas have changed it to be a monthly show where it is now about an hour in length, even better for the comedy!
Mikes on Mics:
Hosts: Mike Vardy and Michael Schechter
- The two Mikes talk about all things productivity. They go over their struggles as well as their success and it's great resource for getting yourself in gear.
Bionic:
Hosts: Myke Hurley and Matt Alexander
- This is a podcast all about the competing ecosystems of Apple products. They plan to discuss many different systems, but are currently focusing on the Android ecosystem.
The Sci-Fi Cast:
Hosts: Dave Caolo and Ged Maheux
- This podcast is a great example of my geekiness coming out! Dave and Ged discuss all things Science Fiction and I have really grown to love this podcast. They discuss movies, books, and news as they pertain to Sci-Fi and is a lot of fun. If you enjoy some good Sci-Fi, do yourself a favor and check this one out!
Generational:
Host: Gabe Weatherhead
- Gabe is known for writing the site
MacDrifter and is an awesome writer. He has a great podcast all about living with technology in the family and making it all work out. He has great guests and I have learned a lot from the great discussions.
The 5by5 Network:
The B&B Podcast:
Hosts: Shawn Blanc and Ben Brooks
- A weekly podcast all about technology, productivity, writing, software, Apple, iOS products and the like. Ben, of
The Brooks Review, tends to be a little more pessimistic while Shawn, of
ShawnBlanc.net, is more of the optimist of the two. A great show that has lots of good insights.
Mac Power Users:
Hosts: David Sparks and Katie Floyd
- A show that is released a couple times a month where David, of
MacSparky fame, and Katie pick a topic about something on the Mac and focus on it for the entire show. A few examples are shows they have done focused on; email, web automation tools, dumping Google, iTunes Match, Internet browsers, etc. They also have workflow shows where they interview guests about how they get their work done and the different apps they use to be productive. If you are a Mac user, this should be at the top of your list!
After Dark:
Hosts: All the hosts of the 5by5 Network
- This is show where the different hosts of the 5by5 Network continue recording after their show is done and you get to hear their conversations they continue having. This podcast has every 5by5 show included, but I only listen to the episodes that have to do with the B&B Podcast and Mac Power Users. Occasionally this podcast may not be as edited for language, so be aware. I haven't heard any major language issues, but I haven't listened to every episode released either.
EdReach - The Education Media Network:
MacReach:
Hosts: Meg Wilson and Kelly Dumont
- A weekly show all about Apple products in the classroom and making them more effectively work for education. Both Meg and Kelly are
Apple Distinguished Educators and they always bring on a guest host who also is well-versed in EdTech lingo and uses.
Quick and Dirty Tips:
Grammar Girl:
Host: Mignon Fogarty
- This is a great show for tips and tricks on grammar. Grammar Girl is great because she always has excellent writing ideas and the shows are typically less than 10 minutes, which make them great for use in the classroom as well.
Tech Talker:
Host: Eric Escobar
- Like Grammar Girl, these are quick episodes, 10 minutes or less but this show all about technology tips and tricks. I have learned a lot from the Tech Talker and I really enjoy his simplified way of explaining what is going on.
Legal Lad:
Host: Adam Freidman
- This is a great show all about legal matters and how you can live "a more lawful life." Like the other shows on the QDT Network, this one is also usually 10 minutes or less. I started listening to this show during my School Law course I took for my Master's class this Summer and I've been hooked ever since.
Scientific American:
60-Second Science:
Hosts: Varied
- This a great quick podcast that is all about different scientific themes. They are always around 60-seconds or less and are a lot of fun. I have even used a couple of these in my classroom as a way to get kids excited about Science.
Not Associated with any particular network
Freakonomics Radio:
Hosts: Stephen Dubner and Stephen Levitt
- This is a podcast to go along with the Freakonomics books and website where they explore the "hidden side of things." It is a very interesting show and if you enjoyed reading the books, you should give this one a listen.
UEN Teacher Feature:
Hosts: Varied
- This is a podcast that UEN records where they focus on a different teacher in Utah each episode and discuss some of the ways they are being successful in the classroom. Even if you don't live in Utah, this is a great way to get ideas of successful teaching.
Previously Enjoyed - Not currently being updated with new material
The Bro Show:
Hosts: Myke Hurley and Terry Lucy
- The show that started the 70Decibels Network all about tech news and included some great interviews. It has since been retired, but you can still find the old shows for listening to. This site is the
Libsyn site which hosts all their episodes, including the newer episodes of CMD+SPACE. To hear The Bro Show, you'll have to work your way backwards.
The Hurley Bird:
Host: Myke Hurley
- This was a show where Myke talked all about the behind the scenes of podcasting. The show stopped when he started writing a book with the same theme, but he has mentioned it may be coming back. You can still find the past episodes if you want to listen as well.
Chat Broome:
Host: Iain Broome
- This was Iain's one-man podcast where he would share his thoughts on life and writing that didn't fit on the Write For Your Life Podcast.
Ungeniused:
Hosts: Myke Hurley and Stephen Hackett
- This was a show where Myke and Stephen would discuss a different Wikipedia article each week. They had a rule to never edit the article and they would base what they talked about in each show mainly from what they read. I really enjoyed this show and hope they bring it back one day.
Cooking with Brett and Myke:
Hosts: Brett Kelly and Myke Hurley
- Although the title includes "Cooking" this is anything but a cooking show. The idea is Brett and Myke talk about whatever is going on in the tech world and how it relates to them. Myke as called it the "behind the scenes of the 70Decibels Network" show. Unfortunately, Cooking With ... has recently recorded its last show and is no longer being updated. Even still, it is well worth checking into the archives and taking a listen to.
Creatipliciy:
Hosts: Chris Bowler and Shawn Blanc
- This was a great show all about the intersection of simplicity and creativity. It included interviews with people associated with the Fusion Ad Network. Shawn left hosting and Chris continued on for a while, but the show didn't last very long. I really liked the ideas shared and would like to see this one come back as well.
ProductiVardy:
Host: Mike Vardy
- This was the precursor to the Mikes of Mics podcast that Mike is currently involved with. It dealt with productivity as well as offered tips and tricks. One of the most interesting aspects was that it tried to stay under 22 minutes in length.
Work Awesome:
Host: Mike Vardy
- The precursor to the ProductiVardy podcast. Mike hosted this one when he worked at the WorkAwesome website. It was an interview style show that again, dealt with productivity and tips and tricks. It was after Mike left the WorkAwesome website that he started the ProductiVardy show and I kind of see these two as the same show in more of a Season 1 and 2 idea.
I realize that is a pretty long list of podcasts, but I don't listen to all of them every day or even every week, but I have found that having a large variety is perfect for when I go running or am doing yard work. I also love to listen when I am cleaning my classroom or working on any project that doesn't require a lot of steady brain power.
Why don't you take a chance and give podcasts a try. These are just a fraction of the available shows you can find in iTunes or in your podcatcher of choice. I like to consider it my "Free Professional Development" moments.