#52 - Invasion of the Podcasts
Ipods are wonderful, but lonely places. One can only sup on the solitude of one's own music collection for so long. Ear buds and digital music files can insulate as well as liberate. Enter the podcast.
Bringing the radio broadcast into each isolated Ipod capsule, the podcast (as music program, there are many talk-show podcasts as well) is an elaboration on the Ipod's own shuffle function; but instead of your Ipod's internal processor mixing up the music into a new sonic cabinet of wonders, full of secret messages from the universe, another person enters your skull, providing a bit of human company in the emergent cyborg world.
Welcome to my pod, podcaster! Thanks for bringing your tunes and your sonic self. Let's share some time together before the imaginary hi-fi.
Current favorite podcast: The Sounds in My Head, a short, well-crafted show hosted by Daniel, who ranges across multiple pop musical styles each week and has just the right mix of, on the one hand, the repetitive sonic bubble fizz of FM radio, and, on the other, track selections from left-of-the-dial, end-of-the-Ipod obscurity. Happening energy and music-geek, missed-gem rarities, a good combination to bring some social cheer to the Ipod-o-sphere.
12 February 2005