Category: Vancouver

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Podcasting and the Meta Argument

At BarCampVancouver, Ryan Cousineau[wiredcola] led a session called “Sturgeon’s Revelation”[wiki]. The idea that “ninety percent of everything is crud” was the center piece of this session, applying it to pretty much everything that exists in the world of Web 2.0[wiki]. The main topic of focus, however, was podcasting[wiki].

Darren Barefoot made a recent post regarding social networks and podcasting, citing that the resources are not there for the medium as there is for photo, video, or link sharing. This idea speaks a lot to what Cousineau was getting at with his session, and much of his thoughts on the topic is posted on his blog.

When it comes down to it, there is not an easy way to share content within a podcast unless you listen to it. You can’t Google search for information that can be found in a podcast. There are such things as show notes and tags that people apply to the material that they publish, but not everyone does it, nor does everyone do it the same way.

The only solution to this problem is to transcribe podcasts in their entirty so that anyone searching for a topic can locate it in your podcast as well as anywhere else on the web. Quite often, this is where people with low opinions about podcasting derive their argument, and I’ve heard this thought propelled by a lot of bloggers. Yes, blogging is a very quick way of publishing information for the world to read in nearly real time. It is instantly indexed, searchable, and archived.

Generating audio for a podcast can be done in the same way, but often is delayed and ineffective with being timely. The podcast itself, in its raw form, is a bunch of ones and zeros, and no one has developed a way to index the contents of a podcast so that it is searchable across the internet. No matter how great of material that you have in a podcast, some one finding that gem of information inside forty minutes of a mp3 won’t happen unless they download it and listen.

This is where I start to agree with the point that Cousineau is saying and the thoughts presented in Barefoot’s post. The conversation that you can get from podcasting is vastly different for the ones that happen through blogging, Flickr, or YouTube. “Feedback” is the better word for what goes on with a podcast. Continue reading “Podcasting and the Meta Argument”

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Lolo has a new job, and I got new sunglasses

Crossing the Burrard BridgeLaura[lolod] is a mighty fine chick in my book.  She got herself a new job and had her farewell gathering last night with, now former, co-workers and me last night.  I wanted to take a moment to wish her congratulations on the new job.

More importantly, I also want to thank her for being super cool and giving me these new sunglasses.  My old pair busted the other day, almost a year to the day that I bought them.  I’m a big fan of buying cheap because the less I spend on shades, the longer they last.

She got these for herself not long ago, but found other ones she liked better.  They’re mine now, and I really dig ’em.  Gave them the full test today.  Passed with flying colors.

Thanks, Laura!  And congrats!

And by the way, I took a bunch of pics today while taking care of some errands.  Check them out here.

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Vancouver could do Wi-Fi better

I’m surprised that there isn’t city-wide Wi-FI already established in Vancouver. I could stand to never have the need to hunker down in a cafe and avoid people trying to peak over my shoulder. It’s a pity that Toronto will have this before we do on the west coast.

Toronto Hydro rolled out the city’s free Wi-Fi – or wireless Internet access – Wednesday morning. The service will be free for six months – and will allow people wireless access to the World Wide Web throughout the downtown rather than solely at pre-existing Wi-Fi hotspots, generally cafes and restaurants.

The project is the largest of its kind in North America, and Mayor David Miller is enthusiastic it’ll be successful.

The signal will be available from Jarvis St. in the east to Spadina Ave. in the west, and from Front St. to the south, north as far as Bloor St. Customers will also be able to make phone calls over the Internet and, in time, watch video. [citynews]

Being such the tech friendly city that Vancouver is, there is probably talk that I’m not aware of. Still, everything I have experienced up to this point, in terms of the tech community that exists in this city, tells me that a Wi-Fi setup like the one going up in Toronto could be dwarfed by one setup in Vancouver.

A good friend of mine from college, Andy Stoll, was apart of a non-profit group trying to setup something like this in the “technology corridor” of eastern Iowa(the area between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City) I’m not too sure how well the operation is going, but the initative was pretty bold. cFree Wireless Network still exists, but I can’t say anything about the network itself.

With the amount of high rises that populate downtown Vancouver, one would think that this could be easily done. You just have to get past the asethetics police and those that feel the frequencies used to transmit wireless signals don’t cause tumors to grow all over your body.

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Sticking to a schedule for podcasts

Allow me to continue a long standing discussion among podcasters and critics out there in the medium, but when is the best time for putting out podcasts?

It all comes down to a schedule, right? There should be certain things that people can count on with your podcast. Content, style, quality, frequency(as in how often you publish new material), and location. I could have said five, distinct elements, but there is way to much to consider or even begin to argue over what is and isn’t more important to think about. If you’re not careful, you can fall into a vicious circle, and I’m saying that based on experience.

For the most part, I like to have subscribers and listeners count on me to publish one, new episode every week. That is not as easy as it sounds. No matter how much or little that you create, you are constantly fighting with what is coming up for your next production.

RadioZoom is what it is, and I love creating content for it. The name itself will never limit me from doing what I want with it. It’s my creation to do what I see fit. Even that doesn’t make everything that much easier.

Continue reading “Sticking to a schedule for podcasts”

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Here, there, and I swear I’m forgetting something

This week has been full of various projects and events. For starters, the concert at the former home of Matthew Good is still having some ripple effects. More so, the podcast Rebecca and I did to document the occassion after the fact is still going strong in terms of downloads. It was the most downloaded episode that I have released in a single day, on the day that it was published. A lot of that is in part from Good linking RZ#109 that from his website. Can’t thank him enough.

The Flickr Vandigicam meetup was a resounding success, and it appears that many of the past meetups are just as much so. There was nearly 30 people who showed up for the Portrait Throw Down III, and Rebecca even got in on the fun[miss604:post] while I recorded audio for a podcast to released next week. Lots of really fun people and just as many pieces of camera equipment. Be watching the RadioZoom website for that episode on Tuesday.

Darren Barefoot also put a call out to Vancouver bloggers to go check out his play[db:post], Bolloxed, during the Vancouver Fringe Festival. I sent him an email, and he graciously put Rebecca and I on the list. Being that we’re getting in for free, Barefoot is asking that we blog a review of the play. Of course, I offered to do some podcasting about it as well. I’ll take the mobile rig along with, capture what audio I can during the play, and even try to get Darren, the playwriter himself, on the mic.

I also want to encourage people to check out the “Fringecast” that is being put on by xpodradio.com. It’s a podcast about, you guessed it, the Vancouver Fringe Festival. Darren sent me a quick note to also inform me that he’d be appearing on there.

I’m also in the process of planning a new podcast, and that’s, once again, another hint drop. We hope to launch the project in the next few weeks, but everything is still in the planning stages. Listeners of RZ won’t be too surprised when it does land, but the scope of the podcast goes a little beyond what many podcasts are doing. Keep checking back as we get things off the ground.

Needless to say, without having any source of income coming from anything of what I just listed, I’m keeping busy.

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Starbucks is going to podcast

I kind of understand the angle they are going for, but for the love of god, why?

Regardless of whether you regard Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX)as an icon of everything good in the corporate world or a harbringer of the apocolaypse, we all have to agree that the coffee company is quite innovative. It comes as no surprise, then, that Starbucks is set to launch a podcast series.

The coffee retailer is rolling out a new “Coffee Conversations” program where the company will provide downloadbable audio on its web site. Starbucks said that the podcasts will cover coffee topics, including home-brewing, specialty coffee, and pairing coffee with foods. [bizpodcasting]

I can’t even joke to say that I’m excited for this. Yes, the idea is innovative. More businesses should consider doing ventures like this to help promote themselves and/or their product.

On the other hand, “coffee topics” by the largest, coffee corporation in the world is another thing. They’ll be able to tell you the best thing you can buy from the display case full of pastries that go along with their menu of drinks. That’s called a “target-cast”; a podcast that is intended to sell you a product.

You can’t throw a brick in downtown Vancouver without hitting a Starbucks. Now you can listen to the podcast while you do it.

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That’s the impression that I get

Living in close quarters with a fellow, Vancouver blogger, aka my wife[miss604], we tend to get the same spam. Take the Matchstick stuff for example. We both got that email and have slick, mobile phones at no charge. And then there is email from this guy, who shall remain nameless.

Hey There,

My name is —– and I’m a Vancouverite trying to get more involved in the
local blogging community.

My blog is —————- and I blog about what I’m passionate about,
Reality TV, Politics and Vancouver, an odd combination, but it seems to work
fairly well, at least so far. I update everyday and usually multiple times, so
my blog isn’t going to get stale anytime soon.

Anyways, as I’m trying to get into the Vancouver blogging scene I was
wondering if there would be anyway to get my site added onto your Blogroll? I
would, of course, be more than happy to add Audihertz to my blogroll as well.

Thanks for taking the time out to read this, let me know if you have any
questions for me. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Rebecca got the same email, with a minor change, of course.

Hey There,

My name is —– and I’m a Vancouverite trying to get more involved in the
local blogging community.

My blog is —————- and I blog about what I’m passionate about,
Reality TV, Politics and Vancouver, an odd combination, but it seems to work
fairly well, at least so far. I update everyday and usually multiple times, so
my blog isn’t going to get stale anytime soon.

Anyways, as I’m trying to get into the Vancouver blogging scene I was
wondering if there would be anyway to get my site added onto your Blogroll? I
would, of course, be more than happy to add Miss 604 to my blogroll as well.

Thanks for taking the time out to read this, let me know if you have any
questions for me. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Now, please don’t think I’m trying to be a snob here because yesterday, the same dude emailed me with this thing about free coffee from Starbucks. Certainly enough, Rebecca got the same thing in her inbox. Yes, I’m all about free stuff. However, I never responded after the first email, but it was something I was considering. I’m thinking twice now that I’ve been told that there is a way to get free coffee by clicking on some link in an email that takes me to said dude’s site.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines “spam”[m-w] as “unsolicited usually commercial e-mail sent to a large number of addresses.” Two people, meaning Rebecca and I, isn’t really a “large number,” but I would have to put this solicitation on the spam side of the fence. And if the guy actually read our blogs, he’d know that she gets a lot more traffic than I do, at least in terms of comments. Our writing is different from each other and is not an important topic to get into right now.

I’ve always found that blogger etiquette is to check out other people’s sites, read them, comment on posts, and create an interactive relationship in that manner. This method makes me tend to believe that this guy might be one of those poser blogs. Just a way to get you there to click on the Google Ads which litter his site. Even if you’re not, then this is the impression that you have given me.

“And for the future? You came on a little strong.“

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Recording with the Vandigicam group tonight

I was contacted last week on a podcasting request. This might be the first time that anyone has specifically requested me to do a podcast regarding a certain topic or event. Needless to say, I was excited at doing some recording during the Vandigicam Flickr group outing this evening for the Official Portrait Throw Down III.

Here’s some more info on the group:

Anyone is welcome to join the Vandigicam group and post topics and participate in discussions but we’d like submissions to the group pool to be limited to shots taken during a Vandigicam meetup.

The Vandigicam flickr group is a handy communication medium for those of us who are meeting through flickr. We post notices of upcoming meetings here, as well as notices of interesting events that are worth photographing.

We welcome ALL camera users – digital and analog! Vandigicam is not meant to replace the more general Vancouver group, it is just something extra.

If you’d like to contribute images to the pool please join us at one of our outings. We always welcome new members! [flickr: vandigicam]

Checking out the Vandigicam FAQ, anyone with any type of camera is invited to be apart of the group and attend their meetups.

My plan is to approach this in a similar manner as I did with the Metroblogging Vancouver episode[radiozoom#103] that I did about a month ago. With hope, no one will be too afraid of the microphone, and I stand a chance of learning something new.

And if you have any ideas about what I should be doing with the podcast, I am always up for ideas and suggestions. Head over to the RadioZoom site and let me know.

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Last night with Matthew Good

Matthew Good: packed up and ready to leave townAs of this post, it’s still what you would consider tonight. Past midnight, that makes our night of hanging out in, as of later today, the former home Matthew Good actually happening last night. It might just be his last night in Vancouver, ever.

I wanted to sit down and hammer out some thoughts about the whole experience before I head to bed for this night. When the sun rises in the morning, I have to come down off this high and try to focus on a discussion about web-blogging-podcasting-geeky stuff at BarCamp.

So much of that techie stuff has become apart of who I am in life, but music is that one thing I find myself constantly coming back to. It kinda meshed in that tiny, empty apartment in Coal Harbor. Rebecca had the honor, and duty, of live blogging the whole event, and I have to say that for her first time out at doing such a thing, it turned out pretty freaking stellar.

I know I said that I wanted to record things tonight for the podcast, and that did not happen. I’ll be completely honest. I’m not sorry or sad about that. In fact, I didn’t even ask. I had my minidisc and crappy Berhinger mic in my bag, all ready to go. When the dogs ran up to me as we entered the front door of the apartment, I was content with letting the night unfold with the plan that was already in store.

Audio would not have done this night justice. I know there was video taken a few times, but it won’t portray the signifigance of the night. Maybe this is just my gut reaction at being invited into Matt’s secluded world. He’s about to take a huge leap into another chapter, maybe even a whole new book, in his life. Somehow, I got to be there as he said so long to this one.

Matthew Good: Benji is the one in chargeThis was the second time that I’ve seen Matt perform. My first one was shortly after I arrived in Vancouver to start my new life here with Rebecca. It was even my first rock show that I ever saw here, and those are important events in my life. It’s just a simple reality that these things stick with you. I still remember the first, real rock show that I went to(Davenport, IA at the Col Ballroom – Starfish, The Reverend Horton Heat, The Toadies, and The Butthole Surfers) like it was yesterday. The various road trips for other shows and festivals. New York, Austin, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee. Those are some of the best memories.

This isn’t about a brush with a celebrity or bragging about hanging out with someone famous. I’ve had my run-ins with a fair share of rock stars in my life. Working in public radio, I shook the hands of a lot of people that are way more smarter and successful that I could possibly dream. It feels like more than that, but not so much that I’m better than you, if that makes any sense.

That’s how I felt leaving Matt’s tonight. It’s tough for me to not call him on a first name basis because he feels like more of a friend because of that. He’s just a good guy. Outspoken, a master of his craft, intelligent, and full of a lot of great stories. I’d like to hang out with him and a bottle of whiskey for a few hours. That would be a trip.

It’s tough to really convey this experience. I’m trying to let thoughts from the top of my head just flow out, but so many tangents are getting in the way.

I can’t forget to mention the people there, and this might be where the impact of this is hitting me a little more. One guy, originally from Newfoundland, flew in from Texas to be there. It gets better. Of course, there was one gal who came from Victoria, and a variety of other lower mainlanders got the invite as well.

Then there was the chick from Edmonton that flew over, and another girl coming all the way from Maryland. There was another dude there from the U.K., but he’s studying at a local university anyway so that doesn’t totally count. Matt’s looking to travel to his neck of the woods in the not too distant future, and they discussed plans for meeting up while he’s in the neighborhood.

Out of all of this, the only guy to bring beer with the dude from Texas. Low and behold, Stella isn’t that bad. I’ll still take a pale ale over it any day. Regardless, look at how far these people went to be here. We just took a bus to get our butts over there from BarCamp and felt bad for being a little late. And to top that, the chick from Maryland walked straight off the plane and out of YVR to get there as soon as she could; there stands a chance that her baggage might still be in the terminal by the time I publish this.

Left to Right: Me, Matthew Good, Rebecca [Flickr:miss604]When we finally made our exit, we spoke to Matt one last time. And if you have been reading his blog, you know that he has been going through a rough spot in his life. Sadly enough, he just now discovered how close we lived to him and even mentioned how we could have hung out if he knew it sooner. He’s quite the Apple geek, much like myself. Somewhere within that, I’m sure we might have got along.

It will be very strange to know that he’s gone from this city, even if I haven’t been here that long. He’ll still be blogging, and I plan on keeping track of what he’s up to. He has a plan. As to when, where, and for how long, you’ll just have to wait and see.

Be sure to watch my Flickr for photos once I post them, and also be sure to check out Rebecca’s(Flickr). On top of that, keep an eye on the podcast. We’ll be sure to sit down and share some more thoughts about the whole thing.

Needless to say, thanks for inviting us, Matt. It was really great to finally meet you, play with the dogs, have Rod make us laugh, and hear you perform. Look us up if you’re ever back in town.

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Weekend craziness begins tonight

We’ve jammed a lot into this summer, and this week has been no exception. I accompanied Rebecca to another MetroBlogging Vancouver meetup this past Tuesday night, but there was no recording taking place at this one. It was just a small group and a good time had by all. And if you were there and didn’t have fun, I know that we did.

On Wednesday, Preston threw a dinner party at some Chinese place that I don’t know the name of or how to get there, really. He picked up the tab to celebrate the ending of his bankruptcy. One should note that CDs and DVDs don’t sell well on eBay anymore. He’s off to bigger and better things now.

SO much seafood. I think I dreamed about it because it was that good and seemed like they were never going to stop bringing out more courses. Literally, at one point, the host tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Good luck!”

I’ve had a variety of projects going on lately. I’ll drop a hint about a new podcast project that I’m working on, but that’s about it for now. More as those details get sorted out. I’m also the new guy in charge of membership for the Association of Music Podcasters(AMP). Learning the ropes there has been interesting. All of this has put a kink into getting a podcast out in time, not to mention more network problems with Shaw(I shake my fist at you!).

Tonight, BarCampVancouver kicks off. Rebecca and I are both going, but we’ll only be there for a little while tonight. We’ll return on Saturday morning for the presentations and discussions. I hope to get some ideas, meet some cool people, share opinions, and see what other trouble I can get myself into. I’m not completely sure what to expect, but I’m taking what I’m doing with the blog and podcast to see what’s up.

Matthew Good has invited a few, select people to come over to his apartment tonight for a completely unplugged, stripped down performance. This will be, according to him, his last night in Vancouver. He’s packing up and heading out to wander the world like Kane in Kung Fu.

Rebecca, on her string of good luck, emailed to be there. Not only did she get in, but she is live blogging the event. I’m going as a plus one and really have no clue what to expect. I feel like I’ll be witnessing a major moment in music history, and let’s hope the folks at BarCampVancouver are cool with us missing out on their cool thing to go do this other incredible opportunity.

Ideally, what I would love to do, is just have my minidisc recording in some corner of the room. I could care less about quality and the fact that it would be done in mono. It would be an incredible thing to record, if not podcast. We’ll just have to see what Matt is comfortable with.

Outside of all of this, I’m focusing on Sunday. Oh yes… Beach? I’ve got my eye on you. And maybe some sleep, too.