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Podcasts Review

Top 3 Podcasts of 2009

I love podcasts. In 2009 I probably listened to more hours of podcasts than music. Here are my top 3 podcasts of the year. As with my Top 3 Board Games of 2009 these are not necessarily podcasts that launched in 2009, instead they are podcasts I really got into for the first time in 2009.

1. Car Talk

Car Talk has been on NPR for 33 years. It has been podcast for 3. The hosts, Click and Clack even made a cameo in Pixar’s Cars as Rusty and Dusty Rust-Eze. I am probably one of the last people on earth to have heard the show. I’m not too sure how to explain my fascination with the show.  If you’ve ever owned a car, or ridden it one, I highly recommend this show.

Wikipedia
Official Site
iTunes Link

2. The 404

As a die-hard Buzz Out Loud listener I was initially turned off when they hijacked the BOL feed at CES 2009 (or was it ’08?). I didn’t give them a chance for quite some time. Once I gave them a chance I quickly grew to love their brand of humor. If you’re of BOL or anything on the TWiT Network, definitely give these guys a listen.

Official Site
iTunes Link

3. AppSlappy

Scott Johnson w/co-host Eric take about iPhone apps news and reviews. It’s basically the same tried and true formula used on The Instance: a little bit of news, some  rumours and scuttlebutt, a few reviews and user feedback. Makes for a great and informative show.

Official Site
iTunes Link

Honourable Mentions: Everything else from Frogpants Studios – Scott Johnson is the new Leo Laporte; The Movielicious; Hype Machine Radio

Most Irrelevant Podcast of 2009: The Dawn & Drew show. I know they’re pioneers and I used to be a big fan. But it just became too much of the same boring 90s psuedo-hippie BS. 2009 is the year I finally unsubscribed for good.

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Podcasts

Podcasts I Subscribe To

…In alphabetical order:

  • Audible Ajax – Infrequently updated. Interviews with key figures in the world of AJAX. 3.3/5
  • Buzz Out Loud – Daily. Easily the best tech news podcast. 5/5
  • CBC Radio 3 Podcast – Weekly. An hour of good Canadian music. 3.5/5
  • Best of As It Happens – Daily. CBC Radio long running (40+years?) current events show in podcast digest. Mon – Thurs it’s the best segment of the day. Friday it’s a weekly recap. Listening to this makes me feel old. 3/5
  • Diggnation – Weekly. Video. You really should already know about this show. It’s getting a little old, I’m only going to give it 3.8 out of 5.
  • ExtraLife Radio – Weekly. Comics and nerd culture. 3.9/5
  • Gadgettes – Weekly. CNET podcast where ladies (+ Jason Howell) talk about tech. 3/5
  • The Instance – Weekly. World of Warcraft podcast, still listen to it even though I haven’t played in months. 4/5
  • Mailbag – Weekly. Video. CNET’s Molly Wood reads funny emails. 3.7/5
  • net@night – Weekly. Leo Laporte and Amber Mac talk about the internet, I’ve found out about MANY great Web 2.0 startups through this podcast. 4/5
  • Quirks & Quarks – Weekly. CBC Radio’s long running science show, in podcast format. 3.5/5
  • RCRD LBL – Weekly. Roundup of the best music on RCRDLBL.com. 4/5
  • Search Engine – On Hiatus/Canceled. CBC Radio’s EXCELLENT show about the internet. Even if it doesn’t come back on the air, the back episodes are worth a list. 5/5
  • Spark – Weekly/On Hiatus. CBC Radio show about culture surrounding the internet. Frequent contributions from Cory Doctorow and Merlin Mann. 5/5
  • tech5 – Daily. John C Dvorak’s take on the day’s tech news. 4.5/5
  • This Week in Tech – Weekly. Leo Laporte and friends discuss the week’s tech news. The guests are often really lame and it tends to drag on. But when it’s good, it’s great! 3.3/5
  • The 404 – Daily. The best way to discribe tihs is A Tech Morning Show. Usually hillarious. 4.8/5
  • White Coat, Black Art – Weekly/Currently on repeats. CBC Radio’s show about the Health Care Industry/System in Canada. Always interesting, sometimes a little dry. 3.7/5
  • Xbox Live’s Major Nelson Radio – Weekly. Xbox live’s Director of Programming provides an inside look into what’s going on with the xbox 360, with a good dose of general gaming banter. 3/5