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Interesting Tech-Related Online Talk Radio?
kabrakan writes "Finding myself in an extremely boring tech job, I find the best way to pass the time is to listen to someone speak, specifically an interesting conversation about science, or a comedian. After exhausting NPR's database, could anyone recommend any online repositories of spoken word entertainment, especially talk in the technology world?"
A lot of it ends up being pseudo-science at best (but still somewhat interesting), but Coast To Coast AM (Art Bell, George Noory) does In fact have some real scientists on. They have a 3+ month archive of their old shows in, get this, MP3 format. It does have a $6.99 monthly fee. Obviously a lot of it is annoying rubish, but some is actually pretty good. I enjoy the show, but I've really only bought into one of the conspiracy theory/UFO/ghost topics.
Somewhat real scientists that have been on the show (And are In the current archive):
Paul Davies - Understanding the Universe
Brian Greene - Physics of the Universe
Kevin Mitnick - Hacking A To Z
Robert Hogg - JPL robotics engineer - The State of Robotics
And others...
The MP3s are great for listening to at work and have most/all of the commercials removed.
And then of course, you get all of the great tinfoil hat callers. It's also good for falling asleep to at night.
Casual Games/Downloads
try 2600. They keep archives of their show "Off the Hook."
NJOY
Yeah, check out www.geekradio.com. We're about technology.
Another collection for you to exhaust:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/
It's more science than tecnology perse but a great show and they even have stuff in Ogg.
You can typically buy them at most bookstores, or find them at your public library. Surprisingly, many libraries have very good resources for spoken word tapes and CDs... I think maybe this was once related to having books for people with poorer eyesight. Good luck!
Leo Laporte has a question and answer call-in show that he archives at the blog for the radio show. The downloads can be found at the bottom of the show notes.
http://www.popularculturegaming.com -- my blog about the culture of videogame players
If you want something to make you laugh try LugRadio.
There's also The Linux Link Tech Show.
You can get physics lectures on tape to listen to. I once borrowed lectures by Stephen Hawking, and Richard Fineman from a friend. The Fineman ones were great, but I can't find a link. The Hawking ones were good too, if you could stand the computer voice for hours on end.
Ok whoever modded this off topic is obviously a youngster or someone that has had there head in a bucket... This is a reference to the "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast in 1938. I was looking for a few moments to see if I could find a recording available for download of a re-broadcast but I could not fine one. I have listened to it once before and it, in my opinion, was more entertaining than many movies that hit the screens today.
Have you thought for yourself today?
Have a look at audio books. There are some really good audio books available and while the better ones are usually fiction, there are some nice nonfiction ones too -- mostly history books. Try downloading some using amule to see if you like the style (oops, did I just suggest copyright infringment?) There are sites where you can buy the books for about $5 each.
Every now and then I tune into old episodes of Jim Cramer's financial news radio show at TheStreet.com in the upper right... he's also a commentator on CNBC, voice is a little harsh but given that he made his millions in funds (not communications), I'll listen. You'll have to fill out a registration, and then you can stream in a RealAudio feed of yesterday's ep anytime. I happen to like his witty style of digging into bad companies, and he relly seems more of a "watchdog" when it comes to tech stocks... plus it's better to learn how to invest your money (by someone on the radio) than being told where to invest.
Other than that, New York's WABC 770AM offers a free feed here. The afternoon crowd gets a bit too old school conservative for my liking, but Monica Crowley has her "get the government out" libertarian moments. Oh, they also carry the Drudge Report on Sunday Nights... always an interesting show.
cartalk.com
Informative AND funny - very entertaining even if you aren't a gearhead. They back up almost all their stuff with sound engineering and science.
Damn you....beat me by 3 minutes.
Anyways....here's a RealAudio Stream of it.
How could I say to men: "Speak louder, shout! For I am deaf!"? -Ludwig van Beethoven
It might not be an option if you work in an office but I work at home and I like to listen to DVD commentaries.
Put on the commentary for a film you like, especially if you like the actor/director who is doing the commentary, and two hours are gone before you know it.