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Yesterday, The Wonder of Tech discussed all the great ways you can listen to podcasts in Passionate About Podcasts! Reaction in the Comments section was mixed. Some of you love podcasts while others don’t seem to care very much. What are your thoughts?
Do podcasts fascinate you?
Do podcasts bore you?
Do podcasts make you happy?
Do you listen to podcasts? Vote in the poll below and let us know!
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Tech News
Exciting tech news: Facebook yesterday announced video calling and group chat for its 750 million+ users. Facebook has entered into a partnership with Skype so you can video chat with your Facebook friends from your Facebook page. No need to set up an account with Skype or load Skype software. You will be able to connect with other Facebook users who are online and have a webcam (most laptops come with webcams these days).
One really neat feature is that you can leave a video message for someone if they aren’t available for a video call.
Not all Facebook accounts have the feature yet, but don’t worry. Even if the feature hasn’t yet been added to your account, you can still use it by clicking on this link: http://www.facebook.com/videocalling
No mobile apps are available yet and video calls are limited to one-on-one chats. (The group chat announced yesterday related only to text chats on Facebook.) But this new Facebook feature will make video calling much more accessible to millions of people.
For more information on the new video calling and group chat Facebook features, check out yesterday’s Facebook blog post explaining how these features work.
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Which are your favorite podcasts? Have you discovered any new podcasts lately that have become new favorites? Do you have a favorite podcatcher? Wonder of Tech reader Craig, in a comment to yesterday’s post, suggested Instacast, a podcatcher for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch) that eliminates the need to sync with iTunes to update podcasts. Any other podcatcher suggestions?
What do you think of the new Facebook video chat feature? Will you use it? Do you think it will catch on? Let us know in the Comments section below!
* Image by David Goehring
** Image by eyesogreen
*** Image by Victor
Hi Carolyn,
Hope you are good.
I do not listen to Podcast though I should 🙂 . Maybe they sound boring to me hehhe!!!.
I was planning to put podcast on my site but then I decided against it.
I have voted “no” in your poll.
Best regards,
Ashvini
Hi Ashvini, Welcome back to The Wonder of Tech! I’ve never tried recording a podcast, I imagine the editing would be a challenge. I just enjoy listening to them. I hope you find a podcast you like some day, they are worth a shot if you find one you like!
Thanks so much for your visit, comment and tweet!
I have listened to exactly one podcast and, like the woman in your photo, I fell asleep. So needless to say, I was turned off. But maybe I need to give it another chance. Maybe its sort of like going to a restaurant. If you go to a restaurant three times and each time you have a delicious meal, then you have a bad meal on your fourth visit, you’d probably return again and just avoid ordering the food you didn’t like. But if the first time you go to a restaurant, you don’t like the food, it’s unlikely you’d ever return to sample other possibly tastier selections.
Hi Kathy, Welcome back to The Wonder of Tech! Lol, sometimes it’s helpful to find a podcast that will put you to sleep. One of the podcasts I recommended, The Kindle Chronicles is as good as a lullaby for putting me to sleep. I find Len Edgerly’s voice so soothing, the podcast relaxes me. But I always go back and listen later so I don’t miss any great Kindle tips!
I love your analogy to a restaurant. Perhaps you just need to find a podcast by an energetic host on a scintillating subject!
Thanks so much for your visit and your comment. 🙂
I have listened to a few Podcasts w/ mixed results. I tried to do one myself but nobody signed up when they found out the topic was ‘me’…………..:).
I think a lot depends on topic and level of interest.
The jury is still out for me and it appears most of your voters don’t care for them. Hmmmmmmm?
Good to see you and hope you have a fantastic weekend.
Hi Bill, You may want to re-think your podcast idea. Your YouTube video was a big hit! 🙂
Very true about the topic and level of interest. Even with a great topic, the podcast still has to be entertaining and informative. There are plenty of tech podcasts I have tried but couldn’t finish listening to because they were either dull or were on topics I didn’t care about.
Right now the voting is about 50/50, with the Other vote being positive as well (sorry, the polling plugin I use doesn’t show the Other comments in the blog page results, only on the Dashboard). It’s interesting to learn how polarizing the subject of podcasts is!
Thanks for your visit, comment and awesome tweet. I hope you have a great weekend as well! 🙂
The FB new app will sure be a big hit!
Hi Kimmy, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m glad you’re very excited about video calling on Facebook. I have heard from many people who are delighted by the new feature. Have you tried it yet? Do you like it?
Thanks so much for your visit and your comment!
I just learned about the facebook video call earlier and when I went online in fb chat (which I seldom do), I was surprised with a few friends trying to video call with me. I don’t really prefer video calling through fb especially when I’m at work.lol
Hi Ira, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I agree, the video chats could be considered intrusive, especially if you get caught at work on Facebook. Although Zuckerberg called this “awesome” and many people are genuinely excited about the new feature, the excitement may wear off if people find it more of an annoyance than a benefit.
Thanks so much for your visit and your comment!
I’m listening to more Podcasts now, mostly training material or personal development. Which is why I had asked you the question about the perfect “on the go” tool for taking these with me. I should get my iPod Touch before the end of the week, just in time to record my training on Saturday so I’m excited about this.
I just want to thank you Carolyn for all your help whenever I have a question on Tech stuff. You have been right there for me and I really do appreciate it.
Back to your post.. I did hear about Facebook’s new video chat feature. Personally, I love Skype so I’m sure I’ll get around to trying this one too. I’m sure they are all pretty much the same. Just what you get use to I suppose. But hey, I’ll try something new.
Thanks again Carolyn, you’re the best!
Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, How exciting for you to get your first iOS device! If you don’t have iTunes yet, you can install it now, you don’t have to wait to get your iPod Touch to start discovering its potential.
Once you’re on iTunes, you can go to the App Store and start downloading apps, podcasts and any other items you want for your iPod Touch. That way you’re ready to begin as soon as you get your device.
Make sure to download Dragon Dictation for you to use at your conference.
When you receive your iPod Touch, plug it into your computer and it will sync with iTunes. It will download the music, apps, podcasts, audiobooks, etc. you have acquired on your iTunes account. This might take a while depending on the amount of data you have to download so be sure to leave plenty of time for the sync.
I’m always happy to help so let me know if you have any questions as you set up your new gadget!
Thank you very much for your visit, kind comment and tweet! 🙂
Love em!
Sure, some are boring, but it depends on who made the podcast.
But don’t get me wrong, i love to listen to them, not to make them myself. I get nervous when i listen to my own voice.
Hi Martin, I completely agree. You can have the most fascinating topic in the world (tech, for instance) and have a boring podcast if the host drones on about irrelevant topics. But that can be true with tv shows, classes in school, or any thing else where information is presented.
It’s unfortunate if you you land upon a boring podcasts on your first try, but people shouldn’t give up on podcasts without trying several.
Thanks very much for your visit and comment, Martin!
A podcast is a podcast, i don’t believe anyone’s going to give up on them for 1-2 bad ones. Like you said, it like tv or classes, and look how useless most shows are on tv. But people still watch it.
Hi Martin, I agree with you, unless the 1-2 bad podcasts are the first ones someone listens to. They might give up on the medium totally thinking it’s the format of podcasts that are bad instead of the individual podcasts.